No Netflix on European version of Yamaha BDS-473?

[deleder]

I recently bought a blu-ray player, Yamaha BDS-473.
On the US Yamaha site, Netflix is listed as an app BD-S473 - Blu-ray Disc Players - Blu-ray Disc™ Players - Audio & Visual - Products - Yamaha United States

On the European site of Yamaha, Netflix is NOT listed

BD-S473 - Blu-ray Players - Yamaha - Other European Countries

To my disappointment, I have only Youtube available, and not Netflix. How could this be? I looked at the firmware at both the US and the Euro site, and they are both 58.7 MB. Could it work to flash the my, the Euro version, with the US one to make it appear? Anyone know if the HW is the same on these?



Thanks!

 

[DanHabitech]

Netflix UK/Europe is not licensed on the 473 bluray player - it is however licensed on the 673, 677 and 1020 bluray player
Netflix will not be avaliable on the lower bluray models - which is a little silly

best way to do this is to either upgrade to the 677 unit or purchase the Google Chromecast for £30 or Apple TV for £70 and stream netflix from your smart device

 

[deleder]

Do you think the hardware is the same on the EU and US version? shouldnt it be possible to flash the EU version with the US firmware?

 

[DanHabitech]

The EU and US firmware version are the same firmware, it is a hardware implement the is different. As much as yamaha are one company the. US and EU are different, the US paid to have Netflix put on the 473 and above where as the EU only paid to put Netflix on to the 673 and above.

 

[Dannis]

I have purchased the same player BD-S473 in the Netherlands Europe. Like on your player, there is no Netflix icon. I have looked it op on https://help.netflix.com/article/nl/node/9274?ba=GSButtonClick&q=BD-S473. Result: BD-S473 Alle Netflix-regio's (all Netflix regions).

After reading this, I contacted Netflix and showed them the link to this article. They told me that the story from DanHabitech is not true and that if the icon is not there you can contact Yamaha and they should have the reset done for you.

Problem is, that Yamaha is not easy to reach. No Phone number, Twitter or Facebook account in the Netherlands, but only a form on Audio & Video Support. I will try that tomorrow. To be continued.

 

[DanHabitech]

Hi Dannis if this is true then great however I do have a contact for yamaha UK and I know their tech support guy very well and I have been informed by him that Netflix is not available in the European models of the bd-s473, it is however in the states and it will never be available in Germany due to Germans not being all that keen on pay television.

 

[deleder]

Cool, please keep me posted Dannis!

 

[Dannis]

Hello Deleder and DanHabitech,

DanHabitech was right...

Here the anwer of Yamaha Music Europe – Branch Benelux:

Unfortunately I have to inform you that the BDS473 does NOT have a Netflix feature.
This is only integrated in the American models. The European model does not do.

Dutch:

Helaas moet ik u mede delen dat op de BDS473 GEEN Netflix functie zit.
Dit is alleen geintegreerd in de Amerikaanse modellen. Het Europese model kent deze functionaliteit niet.

 

[DanHabitech]

Dannis, deleder.... I am in conversations with yamaha UK to see if there is anything that they can do however it seems that the only way forward is to upgrade to the 673 or the later models 675 (2013 model) or 677 (2014 model)

 

[Dannis]

Thanks!!

 

[pcochard]

Hello Dannis, I 've bought this bluray player too and the same case no netflix Icon is installed finally what about that , can we flash the soft ?. Thanks a lot for your help
I'm leaving in Belgium