Mitch Stone

Q: Turning Off Netflix Post-Play on ATV4?

The new Netflix app for Apple TV 4th gen. automatically postage-stamps every video when it gets to the end credits and cues up another video (the next episode in a series, or something totally random if you were watching a movie). On the previous generation ATV you could at least navigate to the postage stamp and select it to return it to full screen. But with the ATV4, no more. The "official" solution from Netflix is to deselect "play next episode automatically" in your account preferences (on their web site), but this does not seem to work for ATV4. Has anyone found a way to turn off this completely annoying "feature" on ATV4?

Posted on Nov 16, 2015 2:51 PM

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Q: Turning Off Netflix Post-Play on ATV4?

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  • by Protodd,

    Protodd Protodd Nov 16, 2015 4:07 PM in response to Mitch Stone
    Level 4 (2,069 points)
    Nov 16, 2015 4:07 PM in response to Mitch Stone

    I've noted this as well. It doesn't appear that Netflix app is have a full "conversration" with the online settings. I would recommend (like I did) to send feedback to Netflix so they can update their ATVapp...

  • by Mitch Stone,

    Mitch Stone Mitch Stone Nov 16, 2015 4:38 PM in response to Protodd
    Level 1 (19 points)
    Nov 16, 2015 4:38 PM in response to Protodd

    Netflix doesn't seem to have an easy way to send them any feedback. I've searched all through our account settings and can't find it. Even their online chat is currently unavailable so I would have to call them apparently,


    Also, it is unclear if the "play next episode automatically" setting is even the correct one to control this "feature." They seem to treat the auto-play feature as separate from the one that reduces the image to a postage stamp.

  • by Protodd,

    Protodd Protodd Nov 16, 2015 4:54 PM in response to Mitch Stone
    Level 4 (2,069 points)
    Nov 16, 2015 4:54 PM in response to Mitch Stone

    Using the link below, I called Netflix to report the issue. The tech I spoke with seemed to correlate to the auto play setting online. She took the bug report and sent to escalations. they would not be able to provide me with a status update. My feeling is the more people that report it the more likely it would be updated...

     

    https://help.netflix.com/help

  • by Mitch Stone,

    Mitch Stone Mitch Stone Nov 17, 2015 9:45 AM in response to Protodd
    Level 1 (19 points)
    Nov 17, 2015 9:45 AM in response to Protodd

    Yes, that's what I was saying: to report a bug in their software you have to call them, as they provide no web form for it, and the online chat is down (and has been for days). I will give them a call when I get a chance. If anyone has any news or updates on this, please post them here.

  • by bradfromvacaville,

    bradfromvacaville bradfromvacaville Dec 10, 2015 11:00 AM in response to Mitch Stone
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 10, 2015 11:00 AM in response to Mitch Stone

    I have to completely agree with the original poster.  Very annoying.

    I actually like the credits to roll at the end of a show, not a force to get me to watch another. Will watch Netflix with my FireTV from now on until Apple or Netflix fixes this.

     

    Seems the copyright holders of the shows would insist the credits be available to watch to the end... but they are certainly not. Turn off the 'annoyance' in Netflix and you get the same thing... postage stamp, episode cuts off before it finishes and the next one rolls... in other words the the Netflix choice is not seems by Apple TV.

     

    Why anyone would call this a feature is beyond me.

  • by Mark Holoubek,Helpful

    Mark Holoubek Mark Holoubek Dec 11, 2015 6:59 PM in response to bradfromvacaville
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Dec 11, 2015 6:59 PM in response to bradfromvacaville

    I can report some progress. The Netflix app was updated today. The bad news? It still goes to post-play. The good news is you can select the "postage-stamp" frame to go back to fullscreen, but you need to do that each time. I already contacted Netflix support and they'll get rid of the last bug next version.

     

    cheers

  • by Mitch Stone,

    Mitch Stone Mitch Stone Dec 11, 2015 7:02 PM in response to Mark Holoubek
    Level 1 (19 points)
    Dec 11, 2015 7:02 PM in response to Mark Holoubek

    This is the same behavior as before the ATV4 so at least we are back to where we were previously. Some progress... or not regress! Thanks!

  • by bradfromvacaville,

    bradfromvacaville bradfromvacaville Dec 11, 2015 10:20 PM in response to Mark Holoubek
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 11, 2015 10:20 PM in response to Mark Holoubek

    Awesome, thanks! I noticed it last night. After seeing it I went to another show and it did the same thing. GREAT!

    thanks to those who contacted Netflix support.

     

    Awesome!

  • by Mitch Stone,

    Mitch Stone Mitch Stone Dec 11, 2015 10:53 PM in response to bradfromvacaville
    Level 1 (19 points)
    Dec 11, 2015 10:53 PM in response to bradfromvacaville

    Here's a wrinkle. I tried the Netflix app tonight assuming that the apps update automatically. No, they don't. Not only do they not update automatically, unlike the iPhone, iPad and Mac, the ATV app store does not even show you which apps can be updated. The only way to find them is to navigate to the Purchased Apps tab, select the app, then look for an update button. If it's there, you can update. If it isn't you can't. Pretty lame.

  • by Mark Holoubek,

    Mark Holoubek Mark Holoubek Dec 12, 2015 7:18 AM in response to Mitch Stone
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Dec 12, 2015 7:18 AM in response to Mitch Stone

    Actually, if you go into the App settings, you can set to update automatically.

  • by Mitch Stone,

    Mitch Stone Mitch Stone Dec 12, 2015 9:16 AM in response to Mark Holoubek
    Level 1 (19 points)
    Dec 12, 2015 9:16 AM in response to Mark Holoubek

    It was already set to update apps automatically, which I assumed it was doing -- but it did not happen in this case. Maybe if I'd given it another day? Either way if you want to be sure that an app has updated, the only way I can find to check and force the update is to do it manually, one app at a time.

  • by Protodd,

    Protodd Protodd Dec 12, 2015 9:43 AM in response to Mitch Stone
    Level 4 (2,069 points)
    Dec 12, 2015 9:43 AM in response to Mitch Stone

    I see a blue dot on many of my apps on a daily basis showing that they were recently updated. I think it does the late night/early morning updates on a regional basis - it was probably a timing issue. But as you point out you can "force" the update...

  • by LambdaEnt,

    LambdaEnt LambdaEnt Aug 9, 2016 8:52 PM in response to Mitch Stone
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 9, 2016 8:52 PM in response to Mitch Stone

    9 Months later and it still isn't fixed.