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Netflix Ditches Silverlight With HTML5 Support In IE11

Posted by timothy on from the such-comfortable-handcuffs dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Netflix today announced that it has finally taken the first step towards ditching Silverlight for HTML5, largely thanks to Microsoft, no less. The company has been working closely with the Internet Explorer team to implement its proposed 'Premium Video Extensions' in IE11 on Windows 8.1, meaning if you install the operating system preview released today, you can watch Netflix content using HTML5 right now. Back in April, Netflix revealed its plans to use HTML5 video in any browser that implements its proposed 'Premium Video Extensions.' These extensions allow playback of premium video (read: with DRM protection) directly in the browser without the need to install plugins such as Silverlight or Flash."

11 of 337 comments (clear)

  1. Still need to install something by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I like how it touts the fact that you don't need to install flash or silverlight but you still need to install Netflix's DRM stuff to decode the data. And if your operating system or machine isn't supported by Netflix, then you can't view the data. I don't see how this is any better than flash or silverlight. With those, you just need to install either flash or silverlight but now you need to install a DRM from each provider.

    1. Re:Still need to install something by letsief · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It's not quite as bad as you're suggesting. You don't need to install a different DRM plugin for each content provider. You just need different plugins for different forms of DRM. At least in practice, I suspect, most users (i.e., those running common browsers and operating systems) won't have to install anything- the DRM plugins will ship with the browser. That's the case now with the Chromebooks and Windows 8.1/IE11.

    2. Re:Still need to install something by devent · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Please tell me how Firefox will ship a patent laden and proprietary DRM plugins?
      For that matter, also Chromium (open source Chrome)?

      --
      http://www.mueller-public.de - My site http://www.anr-institute.com/ - Advanced Natural Research Institute
    3. Re:Still need to install something by tlhIngan · · Score: 4, Insightful

      No, it couldn't become standard. You know why? Because the entire point of this is to allow access to proprietary, vendor-specific DRM modules, and those DRM modules are intentionally not compatible with each other. (In fact they pretty much have to be in order to be effective as DRM.) As of this announcement, Netflix supports two mutually incompatible, single-platform DRM stacks for HTML5: Microsoft's PlayReady on IE11 and Windows 8.1, and Google's Widevine on non-rooted Chromebooks manufactured by Google partners. If you're not using one of those two stacks, it's both illegal and impossible to use the HTML5 version of Netflix. Firefox user? Forget it. Chrome user on the desktop? No way!

      Suppose for instance that Apple decided to support this part of HTML5. You still wouldn't be able to watch Netflix on Apple platforms, even though they supported HTML5 EME, because they have their own DRM scheme which Netflix and Apple would have to negotiate a license for.

      Obviously the problem is trying to do this in a web browser. Why should we play video in a web browser?

      Why not just do it like we do on Android an iOS? Make it an app. Just download the Netflix app from the Windows/Mac app store and run it to organize your queues and what movies and such you want to watch. Videos play in the app.

      No need to hassle with plugins, web browsers and all that. It's already an app everywhere else you go (including set top boxes and Blu-ray players, etc).

      One app for Windows, one for OSX, another one for Chrome OS. No more battling between IE, Chrome, Firefox, etc.

  2. Not really HTML5 by h4rr4r · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If I still have to have an approved OS and browser and install a DRM plugin, it's not really just HTML5.

    Oh wow, we swapped one plugin for another.

    1. Re:Not really HTML5 by MBGMorden · · Score: 4, Insightful

      In my minds of the corporate overlords these days, what's good for the goose is good for the goose and the gander can take it or leave it.

      --
      "People who think they know everything are very annoying to those of us who do."-Mark Twain
    2. Re:Not really HTML5 by TWiTfan · · Score: 1, Insightful

      And what, pray tell, do you propose as an alternative? Should they abandon DRM to stick it to the man--immediately losing 99% of all their content? Yeah, now all that's on Netflix streaming are a handful of no-name indies, but they're all DRM free! We win!!!

      --
      The cow says "Moo." The dog says "Woof." The Timothy says "Thanks, valued customer. We appreciate your input."
  3. If it's still MS only, who gives a shit? by jpstanle · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If it's still MS only, who gives a shit?

    1. Re:If it's still MS only, who gives a shit? by h4rr4r · · Score: 4, Insightful

      They already had netflix working just fine. So why would they care?

  4. "Such as" by Cajun+Hell · · Score: 5, Insightful

    These extensions allow playback of premium video (read: with DRM protection) directly in the browser without the need to install plugins such as Silverlight or Flash.

    Geez, talk about stretching the meaning of "such as." The whole point of this is that it lets you play it in the browser by installing a proprietary single-source plugin. Sure, you can argue that your plugin isn't "like" Sliverlight or Flash, just like Microsoft might say Silverlight is also not a plugin like Flash, and Adobe might argue that Flash is not a plugin like Java. And the guy serving malware on porn sites might argue his video codec is not a malware plugin like the other ones are. "My plugin takes spam-sending orders from this botnet, not that botnet! See? It's totally different!"

    That is exactly how these extensions are not plugins like Flash or Silverlight. In other words: totally meaningless bullshit. It's just another plugin, which happens to use a newer API.

    Lie all you want about it not being a plugin, but the lie is pretty transparent and does more to discredit the speaker than it does to really deceive anyone.

    --
    "Believe me!" -- Donald Trump
  5. Re:what about chrome os? by realityimpaired · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If that suggests/implies it'll eventually work on Linux with HTML5/extensions on Chrome browser, I can live with that.

    All the shouting about DRM being evil and everything doesn't really accomplish what we want. You end up looking like a zealot, and you would have better luck holding back the tide with a thimble. If you want to get rid of DRM, you need to show them that it's not necessary. The best way you can do that is by not pirating their stuff, and actually paying for it if you feel that it's worth paying for. If you don't think it's worth the price they're charging, then don't pay it, but don't download it and then rationalize it by saying that it's too expensive to pay for, or you plan on deleting it once you've watched it. The people creating content have a right to set the price they want to charge for it, and you, the consumer, have a right to vote with your wallet. But voting with your wallet does *not* mean circumventing the rights of the creators, it means not consuming the product at all.

    And I realize there's a very good chance that you don't download stuff that you haven't paid for, and that I'm ranting at the wrong person, but I have absolutely zero sympathy for the people who piss and moan about DRM in one breath, and then talk about how they download their movies and music because information wants to be free. These people are the reason DRM exists in the first place. I don't like DRM either, but as long as it doesn't interfere with the legitimate use of a product or service I'm paying for, I don't really notice it. If it starts to interfere with my use, I simply won't buy the product in question. The market will sort itself out, but as long as people keep giving them a reason to invent more draconian methods, those methods are going to keep being created.