Visitor
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2 Messages
Xfinity Stream and Linux OS Support Please
I have been a Comcast customer for well over 15yrs in multiple states and when the option to stream Xfinity TV on my computer came out I was crazy excited and actually watch Xfinity on my computer more than I watch on a TV. I can watch Xfinity on just about everything but Linux. I've searched on google for years to find any way to use Xfinity Stream on Linux only to come back to the same end results of Linux OS is not supported and all the options/workarounds to have it work get shutdown by Comcast developers. There have been several requests to have this support added by a lot of other Comcast customers only to have the feature requests ignored and posts closed pointing to the same Comcast Support Page stating supported browsers and OS. The latest request that I could find was Oct 2020; https://forums.xfinity.com/conversations/xfinity-stream-app/linux-os-and-streaming-app/602db073c5375f08cd2e8c1a?commentId=60334b71c5375f08cd6f8dfc&replyId=60f949738871537996709d59. The link provided by Comcast employee to provide feedback was flagged as harmful by bitly thus resulting in pretty much everyone going there to stop at the warning page and never provide feedback( https://comca.st/39EhNI5 ).
Now here is a few reasons why many Linux users use Linux.
- Don't want to have to pay for an OS
- Most vulnerabilities to the Linux OS are resolved in a matter of a few days rather than a few weeks
- There is a broader range of physical hardware support, so users are not required to go buy a new PC ever 4-5 years just because the OS vendor says so (most of us don't have the money to do this when we are paying $150 - $300 a month for Xfinity service)
- MS Windows 11 is a prime example of Windows users being required to buy a new computer just so they can upgrade their OS to the latest supported version (soon being released)
Now Xfinity already supports a range of Linux flavor OSes to include OSX (BSD Linux), Android, Smart TVs, etc. Xfinity devices (Routers, TV boxes/DVRs, Streaming devices) are also using Linux as their backend OS to cut their costs on paying for OS licensing.
When you look at other streaming services what allows them to make the most profit as possible while reducing their costs?
- It's users to physical hardware costs
Currently Xfinity's user to physical hardware costs is extremely high, requiring customers to use their hardware in order to access their services in most cases. Why not cut your hardware costs in half, if not more, and put several thousands of streaming users on servers rather than in home devices? Open your options to the many tech savy customers that build their own media center devices/android TV/Raspberry PI devices and have several of them connected to just about every TV in their home (I'm not the average number of TVs owner, but have 8 TVs in my home most with Raspberry PI devices connected).
****Those that add additional comments to this post. Please keep your posts informative to Comcast to show that they have a huge customer base that wants this option. Provide your informative reasons why you use Linux, or agree with some of the above items I've posted. This is not to be a Xfinity service bashing post as nothing gets things to change that way.
****Comcast Employees: Please see this as something your customers desperately want and provide proof that this is being sent to those that make these decisions and show we are being heard with occasional updates that this is being worked on. Just closing the postings is only showing that Xfinity doesn't care and welcomes their customers to jump to other other companies that are massively updating their channel options to cover channels that were once only accessible to Cable and Satellite TV companies.
user_b00550
Visitor
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1 Message
3 years ago
Google uses Linux so why cant Comcast ?
Mike K
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user_88c440
Visitor
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1 Message
3 years ago
Just formatted a Windows computer and installed Linux just to use it for viewing comcast - I guess I should have done my research (Comcast customer / user since 1986)
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user_9b1e4c
Visitor
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1 Message
3 years ago
I agree with incman26's post 100%. I have been a Comcast customer since before Xfinity even existed, and Linux is my preferred operating system for several reasons, most of which were mentioned above. (One reason not mentioned is that the open-source nature of Linux allows me to see what's going on under the hood and make changes if there's something that needs to be improved.)
It is very irritating having to switch to a different device in order to stream content that I am paying for! There is no technical reason for Comcast not to support Linux -- indeed, the company must need to go to considerable lengths just to prevent people from streaming to Firefox or Chrome under Linux.
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izaxone
Visitor
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1 Message
3 years ago
I believe it is very important to have Linux as a supported operating system. With the end of life for Windows 10 approaching in 2025, many computers will no longer be able to run the latest version of the Windows operating system. This will leave those systems open to security holes, or alternatively they can be switched to Linux to continue receiving security updates.
Currently, Xfinity Stream is not supported on Linux with any browser, and is actively blocked. However, Google Chrome OS (based on Gentoo) is supported. There is no technical reason that Linux cannot run it, as modern browsers support DRM features even on Linux. Please support Linux!
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Colonel_Hacker
Visitor
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3 Messages
3 years ago
I would like this feature as well; as a work-around I just run Winblows in a virtual machine. Not sure how tech-savy you are, but setting up a Virtual Box VM isn't terribly difficult.
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Colonel_Hacker
Visitor
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3 Messages
3 years ago
It will take a larger amount of customers using GNU/Linux over Winblows and CrapOS before Comcast bends on this issue. That is my prediction. It sure would be COMCASTIC if they would support GNU/Linux Desktop Systems.
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cliffyk
Regular Visitor
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7 Messages
3 years ago
All of the above--me too! But i am not going to hold my breath--that deranged lunatic Gates has too much of a stranglehold on all this stuff...
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wednesday1
New Poster
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3 Messages
3 years ago
I have helped my friends and neighbors for years with older and newer computers and laptops that are brought back to life with Linux. Most of the people in our Urban neighborhood have either Comcast or Verizon as providers. I agree with Incman26 that technically there should not be any hindrance to allow customers, particularly those who are long-time and support Comcast from full access for a product that they are paying for. Mac (based on BSD descended from Unix) and Android (based on GNU/Linux closely related to Unix) are not blocked and any Unix/Linux based system should not be either. It is clear to me that there seems to be some other reason why Linux is being blocked. Comcast why not allow us your customers to know the reason why you are so against Linux accessing your service? Many companies are allowing customers to bring their own devices. I can understand if you do not want to provide support but not allowing customers to access paid services is not right or fair.
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wednesday1
New Poster
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3 Messages
3 years ago
I totally agree with your positive comments.
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ron1111
New Poster
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2 Messages
3 years ago
Add me to the list of long time paying customers who are very unhappy Comcast is blocking streaming of the content I pay for on my re-imaged PC. Comcast treats abusing and annoying their customers as a core competency. Could be a dangerous leftover from their cable monopoly days.
(edited)
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rbec
New Poster
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4 Messages
3 years ago
Come on Comcast! Support the platform you rely on and enable streaming in Linux!
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_G_G_G_
Contributor
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33 Messages
3 years ago
It's like this. Do not expect XFINITY to say anything make this obvious. They will say nothing.
Study their history. Watch their (in)actions.
XFINITY owns NBC and MSNBC. The MS is for Microsoft. The ties between the two corporations XFINITY and Microsoft are very strong. The reason XFINITY / Comcast actively blocks streaming functionality on LINUX systems is because they have a deal with Microsoft. If people migrated to LINUX systems en mass, Microsoft would lose OS deals with PC manufacturers, and sales to the individual consumer would also take a hit. Microsoft does not want you to use LINUX. They and XFINITY are working together to limit LINUX functionality of the streaming service to keep customers on Microsoft Windows. Anything to keep you locked into Microsoft Windows...
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coreyzd
Visitor
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1 Message
3 years ago
As others have pointed out, Xfinity Stream supports literally any other OS you can think of, including ChromeOS and Android, which use the Linux kernel, as well as MacOS which is another "Unix like" OS. It seems markedly unfair to actively block paying customers who choose to use Linux Operating Systems on their PCs. There doesn't seem to be any logical reason for this, especially since Linux supports all modern browsers like Firefox, Chrome, & Edge.
As a paying customer, I am begging for Linux support so that I can finally switch my laptop away from Windows.
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Deluxa
Visitor
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1 Message
3 years ago
Also adding my support for this message... I recently switched to Pop OS on a couple devices and was qutie irritated to find no linux support, seemingly for arbitrary reasons. This is a pointless and absurd restriction that limits the ability of paying customers to actually use the service they were promised.
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H16438
Frequent Visitor
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11 Messages
3 years ago
Same issue here. Linux Ubuntu, and other distributions are becoming increasingly more common due to the arrogance of Large software companies, such as Microsoft, who are trying to force users to purchase new computers in order to run their latest version of bloated software (Windows 11 ) . Your app works with Android, which is a Linux based Operating system, so it shouldn't take much to teak the application for Linux PC's.
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