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Friday, October 26, 2007

Netflix Green Screen of Death

I decided to ride my stationary bike last night and watch some streaming Netflix. Seemed like a good coupling. But then I went to kick up the first season of Heroes (how fortuitous!) and it green screened and told me I had a problem with my video driver. So I checked the video drivers, and they were pretty much up to date except for an update to the new Samsung driver. Tried again...failure. So I biked and watched Dawn of the Dead via the DVD player on the machine instead. That worked just fine.

Today I went looking around the net and found three methods to fix the issue. This first fix involves disabling your hardware acceleration on the system. That would suck. That affects all your video. Why would you do that, particularly if DVDs and non-Netflix things run just fine. The second fix is installing a full codecs package that updates everything. One site I looked at had half a dozen people on their comment board alternating between (I paraphrase a bit so they don't find me) "this sucks, I can't uninstall it and it doesn't work" with "you're a loser, this is the best" followed by "eat crap and die, nothing works anymore" then the repsonse "you're a hater" punctuated with "it takes an extra ten seconds to start every video, but I guess that's ok" then "why do you losers come here - you know it works, you're not trying" ending with "why don't you try our total codec pack, it's better!" No thanks.

This seemed to be the obvious solution. Potentially recommended by Netflix (although that's second hand, like all good urban legends), only affects Windows Media Player, which is what Netflix uses under the covers, and is easily undone. So here is the green screen of death in Netflix streaming player fix that worked for me:

Open Windows Media Player, (right click) go to tools, then options, click on the performance tab, drag the video acceleratoin bar to none, click on advanced, uncheck the enable full-screen mode box, apply all settings (you may get a warning that it will reset where you are if you currently have a video on the screen...oh well).

Viola! Heroes: Season I and stationary biking.


Pathetic second option:
DO THIS TO FIX GREEN VIDEO SCREEN ON PC Click Start Choose Control Panel Click Display Icon Click on Settings Click on Advanced Click on Trouble Shoot Reduce the Hardware acceleration slider from Full to half way or one quarter. Thats it.....


Third difficult method:
All in one codec pack

60 comments:

  1. Anonymous6:49 AM

    omg! your instructions fixed my green screen. finally! --from a bored, but now happy, pregnant woman on bedrest.

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  2. Your first suggestion fixed my green screen. Thanks so much for the tip.

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  3. Anonymous3:48 AM

    I've had Netflix instant viewing since it started. Or more accurately, a non-functioning problematic program that I could get no answers to from Netflix has been sitting around not being used by me.
    Now thanks to you IT ACTUALLY WORKS! I knew someone one the net would know, so I searched out this answer with "green screen" + "netlix" and there your answer was. Thanks so much, You earn the high-honor of a favorites spot on my explorer!
    Signed
    Not-anonymous,but no google account;
    Earl in NJ

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  4. Anonymous8:31 PM

    Thanks you saved my Sunday night!

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  5. Anonymous1:02 AM

    thanks, i knew my drivers were fine and i even updated my directx with no luck and then with that 1 setting change i have video...you'd think netflix would post that kin of info

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  6. Wow, I can't believe that it would be that simple (and lame) of a fix. Thanks a lot!

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  7. Anonymous8:36 PM

    Thank you so much. I own a Mac and used boot camp to install windows xp just to watch movies instantly. It took awhile and then I was having the green screen problem. This fixed it right away. I wish I found this page sooner. THANKS AGAIN from UWcollegelife.com

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  8. Anonymous12:35 AM

    YAY! Thanks for the fix! Netflix should have these steps listed in their FAQ section. I was getting pissed because as you said all other video worked just fine. Stupid Windows Media Player...

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  9. Anonymous8:13 PM

    Hey, thank you thank you thank you.

    I've had this same problem on three different computers now and have wasted hours trying all sorts of different drivers and codecs that didn't affect a thing.

    Such an easy fix!

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  10. Thank you so much. Worked perfectly. You're brilliant.

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  11. Anonymous9:22 PM

    thank you!!!! the first instructions worked perfectly!!

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  12. Back in business! I spent half a day trying to figure out this problem ever since it first started about a month or so ago. Today I was getting no sound and green screen either flickering or staying put. Thanks again for these instructions!

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  13. I also say OMG, thank you for this post. My good friend just started working there in Cali a couple of weeks ago. I will be sending this info to him and asking they put this on their website.

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  14. Anonymous8:55 PM

    Thank you so much! We're under a few feet of snow here in New York and you saved me having to go out. You are the best! The Windows Media Player instructions worked perfectly!

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  15. Anonymous8:43 AM

    of course YOU ROCK. i followed the first set of instructions and have no problems @ all. going through updating my video drivers that weren't even outdated seemed like an outrageous suggestion by Netflix. no more green screen! this was easy breezy. cheers!

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  16. Anonymous8:17 PM

    Nothing really to say that hasn't already been said. Thanks so much!

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  17. Anonymous12:12 AM

    Thank you soooooo much! It worked perfectly! =)

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  18. Anonymous11:18 AM

    THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. youre a genious. i came so close to hating the color green with my entire being. thanks!!!

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  19. Anonymous2:47 PM

    Thank you very much. Netflix should pay you commission. It fixed my issue.

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  20. Anonymous11:49 AM

    You the man! Fixed immediately...

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  21. Anonymous10:12 PM

    Thank you! I tried a ton of things before googling netflix green screen. I wish I had done that first! Your suggestion fixed my problem lickety split. Wishing you lots of good karma.
    :)

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  22. Anonymous5:38 AM

    dude! youre a fucking genius! thank you so much, i was practically tearing hairs out, couldnt understand wtf all those confusing 'update drivers' sites were all about :S anwyays! thank you!!

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  23. Anonymous11:13 AM

    You are amazing!!! Thank you for fixing my Netflix green screen of death! Awesome!!! Now I can watch the Office over and over!!!

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  24. Anonymous10:12 PM

    Thank you so much!! I'm so happy to be able to watch Heroes now!

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  25. Anonymous1:46 PM

    THANK YOU!!!!

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  26. Anonymous2:28 PM

    Hey! Just wanted to say thanks for the green screen advice. Tweaking the Windows Media Player worked for me!

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  27. Anonymous4:49 PM

    Ahh... you are a Saint! I just switched over to Netflix from Blockbuster and thought I made a mistake. Netflix should be cutting you a check. Thanks.

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  28. Anonymous11:33 AM

    I know everyone else here has said it already, but THANK YOU!

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  29. I was feeling "shorted" by Netflix because I could not get the instant movies to play on my PC. Much happier now, thanks to you! : )

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  30. Anonymous11:23 PM

    You are the best - I spent two days trying to figure out how to fix this!

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  31. Anonymous3:12 AM

    OMG I LOVE YOU!!! haha
    seriously this whole netflix thing has been a NIGHTMARE. first my computer wouldn't let me install windows media player 11, i had to google that, and then when i finally was excited to get the watch now working it turned green! i was so pissed! thank you so much! the first one worked for me!

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  32. Anonymous10:43 AM

    I can't thank you enough!!! I was thinking about cancelling my netflix because of the Green Screen problem. I had called their customer support... after my call kept getting disconnected, they gave me some tips which did NOT work, but yours did. THANK YOU!!!!

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  33. Anonymous8:41 PM

    I googled:

    "netflix instant media player green screen"

    and found you. This totally worked. Thank you so much!

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  34. You're a lifesaver! Thanks!
    J

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  35. Anonymous6:34 PM

    I know this is an old post, but a valuable one. I just switched from Blockbuster by mail to Netflix and had the green screen issue. You would think Netflix would have this answer in their help section...Thank you!

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  36. Anonymous10:29 PM

    This is bored pregnant lady #2 whom you have helped. That green screen of death is no match to your wisdom!

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  37. Anonymous3:35 AM

    Sweet. This totally worked...thank you!

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  38. Anonymous4:49 AM

    You are a God! Thank you so much! I had Netflix when it started doing instant viewing and one day it stopped working and I got that damn green screen. And here Netflix was trying to tell me I needed to upgrade my video card, bah! Again, thanks SO much!

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  39. Anonymous9:58 PM

    thank you so much! i was having the worst day ever and all i wanted was to watch some old law & order and enjoy ben and jerry's company. the darn green screen almost pushed me to tears, but you saved me! thanks again sooooooo much! :)

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  40. Anonymous7:19 PM

    You rock! I can't believe it worked.

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  41. genius! thank you, never would have figured that out...

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  42. Anonymous6:33 PM

    It works, it works, it works! I'm doing my happy dance! Thank you sooooo much!! You are my Green Screen of Death "HERO" ;-)
    -Breezy out of Atlanta

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  43. Thank you so much!! This fixed my problem as well. If only Netflix had a better help section. Argh!

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  44. Anonymous3:16 AM

    You're AWESOME. This fixed my problem in under five minutes. THANKS :)

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  45. Anonymous3:06 PM

    Thank you! Your Windows Media Player acceleration adjustments did the trick.

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  46. Anonymous12:40 PM

    Thanks a lot. I searched so many websites everyone said to set VIDEO ACCELERATION to NONE it fixed only green screen problem but i couldn't full screen my player but ur solution for perfect.

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  47. AWESOME - !!!! i was searching for 2hrs and finally found your media player settings fix - thanks!!

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  48. Anonymous9:33 PM

    Not to sound like a broken record, but thank you so much!

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  49. Oh, man. I had just about given up on trying to find help on the internet for computer problems since I usually end up on one of those codec type sites. But your first solution worked perfectly for me. I think this is the first time I have followed advice I found on the internet and it has worked completely. Thank you so much! You are awesome!

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  50. Anonymous12:52 AM

    I love you, no homo

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  51. none of this seems to work on windows 7, got any other pointer XD.

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  52. none of these seem to work on windows 7, got any other pointers?

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  53. Even almost 3 years after your post you're helping fix problems. Your tip fixed the solved the greenscreen issue I was having. Thanks Muchly!

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  54. Anonymous6:46 PM

    WOW. It worked perfectly! Thank you soooo much you probably just saved my life! Btw.. Check my link out here at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/starsniper/chuck-a-poo

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  55. Anonymous4:39 PM

    Unfortunately, these steps are now out of date. Perhaps an update on the page is in order.

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  56. Thank you so much!!!!! I was struggling for weeks trying to fix this and your instructions were the ONLY ones that helped!!! THANK YOU!!!!!

    Sincerely,

    A now happy Netflix lover

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  57. I don't know if the WMP are different, but mine don't read quite like what you typed. Even then I followed your directions as closely as possible and it did not work.

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  58. Anonymous2:01 AM

    I don't get when it says "drag the video acceleratoin bar to none"

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  59. Anonymous8:19 PM

    Was getting the green screen with audio on my brand new Samsung display connected to my MacBook Pro. Fixed this problem by uninstalling and reinstalling adobe flash. Worked like a charm and super easy.

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