Netflix no longer works in Basilisk

[hackkitten]

I used to use Netflix in Basilisk with the Silverlight plugin. Ever since updating to the current 2020/06/10 release (for which no changelog exists, oddly enough?), Netflix tries to use the HTML5 player, which fails, even after changing the UserAgent to fake a newer Firefox version. Disabling DRM also doesn't make Netflix switch back to using Silverlight.

What changed in the current release that could have caused this change?

[billmcct]

Release notes:

https://www.basilisk-browser.org/releasenotes.shtml

[billmcct]

I just tested and Netflix is working fine for me. I do have the Silverlight plugin set to "Ask to activate" and when activated video plays.

[Bilbo47]

Could you post your useragent string, or one that is known to work? I'd like to set this up as well.

[billmcct]

Could you post your useragent string, or one that is known to work? I'd like to set this up as well.

Basilisk already comes with an useragent.overide string for netflix and it works well for me.

[hackkitten]

I just tested and Netflix is working fine for me. I do have the Silverlight plugin set to "Ask to activate" and when activated video plays.

I have the Silverlight plugin set to always activate, just like I always had it before. Doesn't matter whether I have the default Netflix UA override or modified (set to latest LTS version), Netflix refuses to use Silverlight any more.

Essentially:
- default configuration, with DRM enabled in settings. Netflix tries to use HTML5 player, resulting in 'your browser is no longer supported' error (F7121-3078).
- DRM disabled. Netflix tries to use HTML5 player, cannot use DRM, throws DRM-related error.
- UA override set to current Firefox. Still getting the 'your browser is no longer supported' error.

[New Tobin Paradigm]

Not surprising.

[satrow]

Basilisk x64 in the UK, previews on browse but plugin-container crashes on play (HTML5?), Basilisk x86, no previews but Silverlight (x64!... ) eventually plays programs fine.

Netflix_Basilisk.png

[Moonraker]

Location problem possibly.?

[billmcct]

Close PM go to Silverlights program directory in whatever your running "Program Files or Program files (x86) and run "Silverlight.Configuration.exe". On the "Application Storage" tab delete Netflix and also delete all Netflix cookies and the cache in Basilisk before you shut it down. I've had to do this before in PM.

[hackkitten]

Close PM go to Silverlights program directory in whatever your running "Program Files or Program files (x86) and run "Silverlight.Configuration.exe". On the "Application Storage" tab delete Netflix and also delete all Netflix cookies and the cache in Basilisk before you shut it down. I've had to do this before in PM.

Tried all that, but it made no differences. Silverlight isn't used, HTML5 player just gets me the outdated browser error.

[Bilbo47]

Could you post your useragent string, or one that is known to work? I'd like to set this up as well.

Basilisk already comes with an useragent.overide string for netflix and it works well for me.

Sigh. This does not help. Okay, here we go. Can you compare the below against your details and report any differences, or just post your details, or tell me what I'm not doing right?

1. Basilisk version 2020.06.10 (64-bit). Ensure no Netflix tabs are open.
2. About:Config -> type "Netf" to find the Key for the built-in UA override: general.useragent.override.netflix.com
Right-click -> Reset if necessary to get the default Value: Mozilla/5.0 (%OS_SLICE% rv:42.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/42.0 Basilisk/52.9.2020.06.10
3. Tools -> Add-ons -> Plugins -> Silverlight Plug-in 5.1.50428.0 (2016-04-27) -> Always Activate.
4. Tools -> Preferences -> Content -> Play DRM Content checked On.
5. Tools -> Preferences -> Privacy -> Show Cookies -> Search for 'net', Remove All Shown.
6. Tools -> Preferences -> Advanced -> Network -> Cached Web Content -> Clear Now.
7. Close Basilisk.
8. Delete the directory "~\Profiles\Basilisk\storage\default\https+++www.netflix.com"
9. Open Basilisk.
10. Sign In to NF from a dedicated IP address. Browse and play, but get Error Code F7121-3078, which means it thinks Firefox is out of date.
Setting UA FF version to 53.0 and 67.0 didn't work either.

The WideVine DLL version appears in the process spawned by Bas when browsing NF (the tilde means these folders will be in different path locations on your Windows): "~\Basilisk\plugin-container.exe" --channel="360.6.470181536\1916972999" "~\Profiles\Basilisk\gmp-widevinecdm\1.4.9.1088" "~\Basilisk\voucher.bin" -greomni "~\Basilisk\omni.ja" -appomni "~\Basilisk\browser\omni.ja" -appdir "~\Basilisk\browser" 360 geckomediaplugin

The only browser where NF works for me is Firefox 70 (not PM 28.10.0, nor Borealis 0.9, nor Brave 1.0.0). FF has OpenH264 and WideVine but no Silverlight.

How do you know whether the Play is trying to use HTML5 and not Silverlight (or is this a wrong assumption)? How does WideVine relate to HTML5/Silverlight/DRM playback?

[billmcct]

UA string is same.
Why not "Delete ALL cookies?
I'm using Silverlight 5.1.50918.0 go here for latest:

https://www.microsoft.com/Silverlight/

Netflix works well for me in both Pale Moon and Basilisk though all I do is watch trailers to see if I want to add something to my Watch list. All my watching is on a 65 inch tv.

[billmcct]

Tried all that, but it made no differences. Silverlight isn't used, HTML5 player just gets me the outdated browser error.

Well all I can think of, is with Basilisk closed, move the folder "gmp-widevinecdm" out of your profile folder
(don't delete it, move it so it can be moved back) start Basilisk and see if it will use the Silverlight plugin. Other than that try a clean profile.

[Bilbo47]

>"UA string is same." Okay.
>"Why not "Delete ALL cookies?" Sure, no problem.

>"visit https://www.microsoft.com/Silverlight/ for latest Silverlight 5.1.50918.0"
Welp, that page serves up and downloads the "current" 64-bit Silverlight, which is version 5.1.50428. The later 50918 version is 32-bit. Installing that fails with "64-bit version already installed." So manually uninstalling Silverlight 504/64 makes way for the later 509/32-bit to install itself ... but then the 32-bit version does not appear in any 64-bit browsers.

The internet found me the right file 509/64 to install, which then did show up in all 64-bit browsers. They all ran the Bubbles demo at http://www.bubblemark.com/sl3/TestPage.html Supposedly morcosoft had a demo at http://silverlight.live.com/ but I didn't see it. Again, only Firefox 70/64 played the Netflix test video at https://www.netflix.com/watch/80018585 All three other browsers displayed an error code, even after promoting the FF version number in the UA string.

>"with Basilisk closed, move the folder "gmp-widevinecdm" out of your profile folder, start Basilisk and see"
Ha ha, this made Basilisk crash. Nuts, putting the folder back didn't immediately stop the crashing. Should have turned off WideVine in Tools->Add-ons->Plugins at the same time.

>"try a clean profile"
Nope that failed too. First it crashed once, then it installed WideVine, then it gave the usual error code.

What bitness is your Basilisk?

[Moonchild]

There was a mention of an issue with Silverlight downloading the required DRM components for Silverlight if HSTS was enabled.
try the following:

1. in about:config, set network.stricttransportsecurity.enabled to false
2. Restart the browser
3. Try to play a DRM-enabled clip -- this should have Silverlight prompt to download a CDM
4. Once done, you should be able to re-enable HSTS (inverse of step 1)

[billmcct]

I'm using x32 Basilisk.
Silverlight works for me even if Widevine is enabled or disabled.
I forgot about the HSTS issue reported by another user that MC has indicated above.

[hackkitten]

There was a mention of an issue with Silverlight downloading the required DRM components for Silverlight if HSTS was enabled.
try the following:

1. in about:config, set network.stricttransportsecurity.enabled to false
2. Restart the browser
3. Try to play a DRM-enabled clip -- this should have Silverlight prompt to download a CDM
4. Once done, you should be able to re-enable HSTS (inverse of step 1)

Tried, this but it made no difference. At this point I'm not sure what Netflix expects, or why the Silverlight behaviour has changed.

I'm using another browser (Opera) now for things like Netflix, so it isn't urgent that this gets resolved.

[satrow]

Basilisk x64 in the UK, previews on browse but plugin-container crashes on play (HTML5?), Basilisk x86, no previews but Silverlight (x64!... ) eventually plays programs fine.

Netflix appear to have updated their abysmal 'help' pages, Netflix system requirements for HTML5 Player and Silverlight includes details for Silverlight 4+5 which indicate that only x86 browsers might work, SL5 will (allegedly) work with IEx64: (64-bit mode support for Internet Explorer only).

Maybe they read the above and actually performed some testing?