The reason for starting this thread is to warn users of streaming services of a significant problem discussed in a more limited context here:
There lounger GoneToPlaid asked for help with the following problem: he subscribes to CBS All Access, but when he connected to that streaming site with any of his browsers he would get to the point where he would select some show and, instead of it he would get the “downloading” turning wheel running indefinitely and he would not get to see the show.
I had a similar problem with Netflix, some time ago, but it was limited to the one browser, so I kept streaming with another.
In the first case, the problem seems to have been that CBS All Access had stopped supporting Windows 7, the OS in GoneToPlaid’s computer, although he is one of those users that keep patching this system either with the extended service offered by MS or by a third party, so it is always up to date.
In my case, the problem was that my default browser, Waterfox, is increasingly being deprecated by streaming services, as first by Netflix and now by Amazon Prime (not a complete flat denial, rather loss of functionality, such as not being able to pause videos.)
Now the problem underneath both cases is this: the operators of some Web sites, at least for streaming video, one good day decide to deprecate old operating systems and, or some browsers so their subscribers using these can no longer get, whether fully or partially, whatever services are offered there — and already have been paid for — , but they do not let their users know about the change, so they have to figure it out by themselves. Which is not just annoying but wastes people’s time trying to do something about it believing there is something wrong with their software or their computers. And since some of those same sites are not exactly forthcoming and helpful to users in their “user support” pages, in some cases such as GoneToPlaid’s problem where his actual OS was deprecated, it becomes really hard to figure this out.
Fortunately, the issue was resolved, in GoneToPlaid’s case, by spoofing the site to make it “believe” that the system was not Windows 7, as explained by GTP in that other thread:
“I just installed the User-Agent Switcher and Manager add-on for Firefox. I then switched the user agent string to indicate Firefox on Windows 10. That fixed it instantly. Thank you for the tip that CBS discontinued support for Windows 7.“
Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).
MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV
