Podcast #1102: Netflix Password Sharing - Best OLEDs - Wifi 6E

This week we help you find ways around the Netflix password sharing crackdown and we look at the best OLED TVs according to Tom's Guide and we help you decide if an upgrade to wifi 6E is in order. We also read your emails and look at the week's news stories.

News:

• GE Lighting's Neon-Shape Smart Lights Now Available
• Sony's Latest Dolby Atmos Soundbar Could Be A Serious Sonos Beam Gen 2 Competitor
• YouTube TV grants users unlimited simultaneous NFL Sunday Ticket streams
• Comcast's New $20 a Month Streaming Service With 40 Live Channels, Peacock Premium & More Is Now Available

Other:

• Streaming services are removing tons of movies and shows — it's not personal, it's strictly business
• BestJoy SuperRemote Review - A Home Assistant Friendly Remote!

Three crafty ways YOU can get around Netflix's crackdown on password sharing

Netflix finally cracked down on password sharing this week, sending 'freeloaders' hysterical — but savvy users have already come up with an easy workaround. Full article …

1. Just don't log on to Netflix via your smart TV or streaming box - Netflix defines what they think of as your household by the preferences you manage on the main TV you use, whether it's a smart TV, like Roku, or a streaming box, like AppleTV or Amazon Fire Stick.
2. Set-up auto-forwarding for the email verification codes - Netflix set up a roadblock and sends the account's primary owner a verification code every time they or someone else tries to log on from a new wireless network. There are many easy ways to have all those verification number emails, from info@account.netflix.com, auto-forwarded to your distant, beloved household members and friends
3. Log-in on the account holder's Wi-Fi - Because Netflix uses the IP address and wireless of the primary account holder as part of its definition of the household, you should be in great shape if you can log into Netflix, at least once in while, from the Wi-Fi connection at the account owner's home.

Best OLED TVs in 2023: LG, Samsung, Sony and more

The best OLED TVs are coveted for their excellent picture reproduction, phenomenal motion processing and top-of-the-line upscaling. With unbeatable black levels and perfect contrast, they offer a cinema-like experience for not that much more money than a traditional LED-LCD or QLED TV. Full article here…

Wifi 6E Do you Need it?

Wifi is a big part of our home theaters. Not everyone has a wired connection at every entertainment area or speaker location. So wifi picks up the slack. As we have seen first hand, too many devices result in some wonky wifi. And with so many devices requiring a network connection we need some way to get all our devices connected. Is Wifi 6E the solution?

So what is Wifi 6E? Well for this we have to go back to April of 2020 when the FCC opened up the 6GHz frequencies for unlicensed use. That opened up 21 new channels for compatible devices to use! If you are using a Wifi 6 device you are still fighting over the 2.4 and 5 GHz frequencies although it makes better use of them.

What are the benefits?

• Speed > 1Gbps
• Latency < 1ms
• Only devices that support Wifi 6E are here. 2.4 and 5 GHz frequencies are used on all other wifi protocols
• WPA 3 is mandatory for all Wi-Fi 6(E) Certified. As a result, 6GHz WiFi traffic is more secure than ever and 6GHz networks are harder to hack.
• Wifi Sleeping allows devices to go to sleep and free up the spectrum for other devices. This also increases battery life

What devices are supported? (Partial List)

• Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
• Xiaomi Mi 11
• Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G
• MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2023) or MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2023)
• Mac mini (2023)
• iPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation) or iPad Pro 12.9 inch (6th generation)
• Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi 6E $1100
• Netgear Nighthawk RAXE500 $550
• Linksys Atlas Max 6E $800
• TP-Link Archer AXE75 $180 (no Mesh system available)

Do you need it?

If you are a gamer and want super low latency and don't have a hard wired setup, yes. If you have an entertainment center and have no way of physically connecting to the network, maybe. You'll only get the benefit if your TV or set top box supports it. You may be better off waiting until more devices support it and prices come down. However, for more basic, household use, a typical mesh system will work just fine.