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Question

Beyond Help?

Mar 13, 2020 9:51AM PDT

I may be beyond help with Netflix. Several days ago Netflix stopped working on all 3 of my TVs All 3 run on Ruku Streaming Stick+ . What happens is when I click on either the remote Netflix button or on the screen Neftix channel is that a black screen comes up with Neftlix in large red letters. I have contacted Netflixt via "chat" and did everything that was recommended including uninstalling Netflix and then reinstalling it. All to no avail then I phoned Netflix's help center and the agent went through everything including unplugging my modem/router (Comcast's) and the plugging it back in. All this was of no avail. They suggested that I contact Comcast which I did. Told the agent just what had been done. He checked the modem and said that it was working okay. After trying everything again he called Netflix and had them try to help me but again to no avail.

I am able to stream everything else including Prime Video movies. So it is my belief that the problem lies with Netflix. I have been with Netflix for a number of years both with Comcast and Verizon without any problems until now.

Unless someone out there has a solution, I guess I will have to cancel my subscription with Netflix. I hate giving up Netflix since I have 8 or 9 series that I have been watching.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
how old
Mar 13, 2020 11:47AM PDT

how old is your roku streaming stick. some will no longer work with netflix.

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How old?
Mar 13, 2020 3:11PM PDT

18 months

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I'm going with naw.
Mar 13, 2020 5:03PM PDT

Something else is going on.

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Answer
The ONLY problem I encountered with ROKU
Mar 13, 2020 12:04PM PDT

Was when they were plugged into 720p TVs. The fact that all failed at the same time tells me the issue is elsewhere.

Which DNS do you use?

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DNS
Mar 14, 2020 12:10PM PDT

Don't know anything about DNS. I went to msconfig/all and copied the following information. Hope it is what you were looking for.
Connection-specific DNS Suffix hsd1.pa.comcast.net
Physical Address 74-D0-2B-95-F5-AD
I Pv6 Address 2601:41:c100:1f20::8dd4<Preferred>
I Pv6 Address 2601:41:c100:1f20:4d64:a43a:117e: ....
Temporary IPv6 Address 2601:41:c100:1f20: a0f:3549:f6c:47f4.....
DNS Server 2001:558;feed::1
2001:558:feed::2
75.75.75.75
75.75.76.76

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That's a problematic DNS.
Mar 14, 2020 12:30PM PDT

I won't comment more than https://www.google.com/search?client=opera&q=DNS+Server+2001%3A558%3Bfeed%3A%3A1

You want to be sure of the following.
1. Date and time is correct for your timezone on router and devices.
2. Change the DNS from Comcast to better ones. I can't guess which is best for your location as that is something I use DNSBENCH to test for. DNSBENCH, what is, how to use is on the web so I only name it and stop.

I'd try 8.8.8.8 and 4.2.2.1 next

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DNS Server
Mar 15, 2020 8:30AM PDT

Thanks Bob you are the greatest. I changed the DNS server to your suggestion and I NOW HAVE Netflix.

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You're doing great!
Mar 15, 2020 11:07AM PDT

Better than half of folk ask me how to change the DNS so you did great. I feel for folk here as I don't know how to change it as you can have ten homes and the change could be ten different methods.

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Answer
Netflix Troubles
Mar 14, 2020 9:35AM PDT

I have occasionally had problems with Netflix streamed directly to my rather old (obtained May 9, 2014) Samsung Smart UHD TV that presents itself similarly to your problem. It never happens with the other streaming services I use with that TV -- just Netflix.

It will work fine for a month or two and then won't display any content, telling me it is "unavailable." Sometimes it will go through an interim step first where it will give me a picture but no sound.

The solution, and it works every time, is to disconnect the power to the TV (which I do by pulling the power cord out of the back of the set), waiting about two minutes or so, and then plugging the set back in.

Apparently the Netflix app on the TV is filling up some kind of cache or buffer and the only way to clear it is to deprive it of power.

Note that this does NOT affect Netflix when received through my smart UHD-DVD player (also a Samsung and pretty old -- April of 2016), or through my nearly new Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (which I had to buy a couple months ago because neither my TV nor my Blu-Ray player had apps available for Disney's or CBS's new streaming services (or MANY others -- there are drawbacks to early adoption!).

Indeed, I have had no problems with the Fire TV Stick 4K at all. It works really nicely and was ultra-easy to set up, and it gets pretty much everything.