(Replying to PARENT post)

The Netflix policy here is a good compromise: limit the number of concurrent streams for each account and then turn a blind eye to password sharing. That way sharing passwords is allowed in practice, but also has a clear consequence - you may be blocked from playback if too many of your family members (or friends) are watching simultaneously.

Implmenting stream limits is tricky, as there are edge cases that are hard to get right. However, common DRM services like Widevine and Playready have adopted the extensions necessary to implement stream limits, so there are already "of-the-shelf" solutions.

In short, this is a non-issue with available technical solutions.

Full disclosure: I'm an engineer at Netflix who works on cable set-top boxes.

👤jdblair🕑8y🔼0🗨️0

(Replying to PARENT post)

I actually liked the mindset you presented - "sharing passwords is allowed in practice". In other threads on HN in the past, I've seen people complain about why we are still using passwords and the like; but as I was reading your comment, it made me think that we lost sight of the purpose of passwords along the way.

Obviously, safeguards for personal things is important, but the other way you see passwords used (at least in fiction) is for groups - secret door knock, "What's the password?" said by some bouncer through an eye slit in a door [1]. In this perspective, password sharing is a norm. It can be seen as a means to signifying your membership in a group... that shares Netflix.

[1] - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU5hCMAH-o4

👤tsumnia🕑8y🔼0🗨️0

(Replying to PARENT post)

So I tried out a service called "Playstation Vue" a while back, and I'm very inclined to believe that "stream limits are tricky"

There were dozens of times in the 2 months that I had the service that I was unable to stream, because I had hit a "concurrent streams" limit.

Switching between devices, having my browser auto-login (which would take up a "slot"), And the fun bug they had for a while where if I started a stream on my phone, then "cast" it to a chromecast, it would count as 2 streams, and due to a limitation where playstations were given their own dedicated "slots" meant that 2 people couldn't watch on a chromecast at any given time even though I should have had 5 simultaneous streams allowed.

I ended up canceling the service because of it, and I appreciate the limits that Netflix has much more.

👤Klathmon🕑8y🔼0🗨️0

(Replying to PARENT post)

I swear at that stupid Netflix policy at least once a week. It means I have to track down the app that has misbehaved (usually by losing its connection to the Chromecast) or the tablet that the kids started and abandoned but left running. You really need a mechanism to remotely stop one of the other streams.
👤bryanlarsen🕑8y🔼0🗨️0

(Replying to PARENT post)

I don't think it's that easy technically. The TV everywhere auth + stream limiting seems like a uniquely terrible problem to solve compared to the Netflix version.

The HBO 3rd party app streams + the xfinity app streams + the ESPN app streams + the USA Network app streams [ + 30 other channel-specific apps ] all have to report to a single central place for each cable provider, if you're going to do this effectively, right?

👤majormajor🕑8y🔼0🗨️0

(Replying to PARENT post)

And this is why I don’t pay for a Netflix subscription.

What is it with engineers willing to brainwash themselves regarding what constitutes a “good compromise” within the context of what their paycheck depends on?

👤pavement🕑8y🔼0🗨️0