Like over 200 other Mac users I can no longer watch streaming services on any of my external monitors. Monitors and everything is fine. It is some type of copy write think Apple used in the past, but now it affects Safari and Firefox as well. I hate having to unplug my MacBook Pro and switch to my gaming PC to watch movies.
Anyone know if there will ever be a fix?
MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 13.5
Oh man, that issue is such a drag, isn't it? You've got this sweet external monitor set-up, and you can't even use it to binge-watch your favorite shows. Super frustrating!
So, the issue usually comes down to DRM (Digital Rights Management) protocols that streaming services use to protect their content. Apple's always been kinda finicky about this stuff. You're not alone; loads of Mac users are griping about this.
Will there ever be a fix? Well, it's tricky. From Apple's perspective, they're trying to play nice with all the content providers by making sure their stuff isn't easily pirated. But then users like us are left out in the cold. There's always hope that Apple will come up with a solution that makes everyone happy, but don't hold your breath.
In the meantime, you've got some options:
1. **Chrome Browser:** Sometimes using a different browser works. Chrome is often the go-to suggestion.
2. **Use an HDMI Cable:** If you've tried mirroring your screen and it's not working, try directly connecting your MacBook to your monitor via an HDMI cable and see if that makes a difference.
3. **Third-party Software:** There's some software out there that can trick your Mac into thinking the external display is actually "internal." Use this with caution, and be sure you're not violating any terms of service.
4. **Virtual Machine:** If you're technically savvy, running a Windows virtual machine on your Mac is a kind of roundabout way to bypass the Mac DRM protocols. You can then stream from within that virtual machine.
5. **Petition and Feedback:** Sometimes making enough noise can get companies to listen. If everyone who's dealing with this issue sent feedback to Apple, who knows? Maybe they'd find a solution sooner.
No definitive fixes yet, but some of these workarounds might ease your pain a little. I totally get why you wouldn't want to switch over to your gaming PC just to watch a movie. It's 2023, for crying out loud! We should be past this! 🙄
Oh man, that issue is such a drag, isn't it? You've got this sweet external monitor set-up, and you can't even use it to binge-watch your favorite shows. Super frustrating!
So, the issue usually comes down to DRM (Digital Rights Management) protocols that streaming services use to protect their content. Apple's always been kinda finicky about this stuff. You're not alone; loads of Mac users are griping about this.
Will there ever be a fix? Well, it's tricky. From Apple's perspective, they're trying to play nice with all the content providers by making sure their stuff isn't easily pirated. But then users like us are left out in the cold. There's always hope that Apple will come up with a solution that makes everyone happy, but don't hold your breath.
In the meantime, you've got some options:
1. **Chrome Browser:** Sometimes using a different browser works. Chrome is often the go-to suggestion.
2. **Use an HDMI Cable:** If you've tried mirroring your screen and it's not working, try directly connecting your MacBook to your monitor via an HDMI cable and see if that makes a difference.
3. **Third-party Software:** There's some software out there that can trick your Mac into thinking the external display is actually "internal." Use this with caution, and be sure you're not violating any terms of service.
4. **Virtual Machine:** If you're technically savvy, running a Windows virtual machine on your Mac is a kind of roundabout way to bypass the Mac DRM protocols. You can then stream from within that virtual machine.
5. **Petition and Feedback:** Sometimes making enough noise can get companies to listen. If everyone who's dealing with this issue sent feedback to Apple, who knows? Maybe they'd find a solution sooner.
No definitive fixes yet, but some of these workarounds might ease your pain a little. I totally get why you wouldn't want to switch over to your gaming PC just to watch a movie. It's 2023, for crying out loud! We should be past this! 🙄
I eventually did get it to work, I but I had to disconnect my other monitors. As long as I take the effort to unplug my other monitors, and leave only one external monitor connected via HDMI it works. Argh!
Well, it's clearly Apple's setup. Oh well, back to watching it on my Gaming PC. It is definitely too much trouble to reconfigure my screen location, every time I unplug my other monitors, just to stream a movie.
No, No, No, with the other monitors connected, the DRM activates on the HDMI Monitor. Like I said before, in order to stream (the actual movie, not the trailers and such) to the HDMI monitor, I have to physically disconnect the other monitors. If my other monitors are connected, I cannot stream on the HDMI connected monitor.
Anastasia_Franco wrote:
Both, happened both with and without.
I have no idea what you mean.
Do you have DisplayLink installed? If yes, does it work when you uninstall DisplayLink--not disable or not use, but uninstalled.
I can stream Netflix & Amazon Prime, both subscribed services, and pretty much anything over HDMI to Asus VP 278 Monitor running Ventura 13.5.1
Can perform the same on a 2011 machine running High Sierra to same monitor or via HDMI to Samsung HD TV
Suspect the issue maybe the HDMI Cable being used is not compliant
How are these monitors connected? Using HDMI should always work. If you are using Airplay then, as indicated by Jps_13, the DRM may prevent it from working.
How are the other displays connected? This seems to indeed be part of the DRM. HDMI was designed with content protection from the start, other connection types were not.
Are you using the native display adaptors, or do you have something like DisplayLink installed?
The main external monitor is actually directly connected to my MacBook Pro HDMI port, again, having to switch my monitor setup to screen mirroring only to watch a movie, is akin to switching to my Gaming PC (I use the same monitors for each).
Window's virtual machines, I have that too, but, heh I actually have a windows machine LOL.
Lastly Chrome has always had this problem, and recently Safari and Firefox have this problem too.
Goodness, at least I know I am not alone.
Naw, Apple DRM is affecting HDMI too.
If I only watched You-Tube, it wouldn't be a problem. Oh well, was just looking to see if any progress had been made.
My best workaround at the moment, is to NOT use my MacBook Pro for streaming movies. Kinda silly when I paid $2 Grand for this laptop . Geesh!
“Apple DRM”? So is this material streamed from an Apple subscription, like AppleTV+?
Or is this from other sources (Netflix, etc)?
Alas I can’t test because I don’t subscribe to any of these, but I may ask a family member to test (he has Netflix and he does use a Mac, and could attach an external display).
Anastasia_Franco wrote:
Like over 200 other Mac users I can no longer watch streaming services on any of my external monitors. Monitors and everything is fine. It is some type of copy write think Apple used in the past, but now it affects Safari and Firefox as well. I hate having to unplug my MacBook Pro and switch to my gaming PC to watch movies.
Anyone know if there will ever be a fix?
Not sure what is broken. We watch all kinds of streaming video through the Macs (all we have here are Macs), from sites, subscriptions, free, paid, etc. Displaying on several different monitors and one TV, the later through Apple TV. Are you trying to watching something in the wrong region? Ventura 13.5.1.
Both, happened both with and without.
Has anyone figured out how to watch streaming services on an external monitor?
