logs.netflix.com contacted every 20 seconds by EETV Box Pro

[naylor2006]

Yeah but mate, thats not my point (I forgive you because I like you and youre not the first the miss the point here), I dont care it goes into overdrive because its blocked, so I dont need to test whether it settles down. I'm not complaining and im not overly concerned about devices tracking what we do.

I have never opened the app or logged into it and it is the only app on the EETV to behave this way and this happens in standby or when the box is on. logs.netflix.com is blocked over my entire LAN and my wife uses netflix a ton on an Apple TV which never exhibits this behaviour. logs.netflix.com is part of a default blocking list you get from the most basic Pi-Hole setup, my Pi-Hole DNS server is there for my entire LAN, everything goes through it.

My opinion is that if the app is not open or even signed into and further still, the parent devices is off/standby, then Netflix shouldnt be able to call home, like it cant on tvOS, iOS etc, in addition, Prime, Apple TV+ and so on do not on the EETV.

I'm not looking for a fix though, Netflix tracking what we watch to show us shows that we might like in relation to our taste is not something I fall out with, I am not also worried about what it is trying to track, there is nothing going on that I would be concerned about, I just dont think it should be going this crazy all day every day.

[Midnight_Voice]

@naylor2006 

I don’t think I’ve misunderstood anything. Look at a Windows device, even Linux, see what’s running, processes and services, both associated with apps that have been autostarted, and even just enabling processes for apps that might start, or services that might be called on.

So it looks like Netflix does the same on EETV - so we first ask what exactly - a Box Pro? Box Mini? Apple box? If you have any or all of these, and turn them off, do the calls stop? (i.e. what device(s) are doing it?)

So we have a situation where there’s an initial access - on startup of the box, I suspect, and not predicated on whether the Netflix app is actually started or not - and that might be an end of it, except your PiHole has blocked it, so it keeps trying.

Thus your problem devolves into two parts - why is there a Netflix call when you haven’t actually started Netflix at the user level? - and does the blocking of this call provoke the constant repetitions?

it may be that no other code on the EETV boxes does this (though I bet this isn’t the case, it’s just that PiHole isn’t blocking it) but it’s something that’s true of hundreds of Windows processes, any one of which may exhibit the same frustrated behaviour if PiHole blocks it on a Windows device.

So maybe we should ask EETV why the first call goes out, which is a fair question for which there may be a fair answer; but my first question remains that if we give EETV the benefit of the doubt on the first call, and stop the blocking (hopefully nothing more complex that commenting out a line in a text file), does the constant repetition stop?

You need to decide if your beef is the initial call, something it’s fair to ask EETV about, or the constant repetition, something I have suggested a possible remedy for.

Or is there a third issue here?

[naylor2006]

At this point I'm probably just going to ask the mods to delete the post.

No, you've still not gathered what im getting at and I dont think it serves any further benefit to going around again.

[Midnight_Voice]

@naylor2006 

Try me again. I’m not thick (though I am a little under the weather at the moment) and what you are getting at still escapes me.

Or maybe somebody who can see it can try explaining it to me?

[naylor2006]

I dont think youre thick at all, never had, but maybe you desire to solve problems is clouding the point I am making. Or alternatively its my fault.

I'm not looking for a fix, in fact there is no need to fix anything, this is a comparison.

My house has Windows, Linux, iOS, tvOS, it is possible to sample logs which are live and constant from any device at anytime. None of these devices can access logs.netflix.com because all report into my DNS server that run which blocks pretty much all tracking. I should add I mostly use the Pi-Hole for local DNS which is super helpful, the blocking I just setup the default lists you import from github or whatever. Its useful when looking at flight and hotel prices which will not suddenly increase each time you look.

So, none of these devices can access logs.netflix.com, iOS and tvOS is where Netflix is watched, the latter 99% of the time. On iOS and tvOS the Netflix app is logged in of course, Apple TV's will remain in standby when not used and iOS, well its a phone so we dont really need to worry about that, its always on. Point is, regardless of state, standby or on or watching Netflix the activity towards logs.netflix.com is blocked and hits to this are very low anyway and none whatso ever when the Apple TV is off.

On the contrary on the EETV Pro, Netflix app as never even been opened, not once in its life, so it is not logged in and shouldnt be running what so ever yet whether the box is in standby or not it tries to reach logs.netflix.com every 20 seconds, all day every day.

I dont need to unblock it to see if it reduces because that spoils the comparison, and the comparison is against other devices which are also blocked from the same url which have also never reached that URL in their life.

Above all of that, my opinion is that an app never opened or logged into (especially in standby) shouldnt be trying to reach its logging server MORE frequently than the same app installed on other platforms in exactly the same environment. Prime activity and Apple TV + activity are all pretty much the same on all devices, I am pointing to that Netflix and its unique behavior on the EETV Pro box.

I dont need a fix, its blocked, nor does it concern me it is trying to log stuff, I thought it might just be some useful information to the community that the EETV box is doesnt this.

[Midnight_Voice]

@naylor2006 

I’m all for ‘further information’ posts, to make this Community as valuable a resource as possible.

The further information I would like to see added to this thread at the moment is whether those repeated calls stop, or drop in frequency, if they are no longer blocked.

I’m just a packrat for this stuff…. 😛

[naylor2006]

Maybe ill whitelist them just for you to and test.

[Midnight_Voice]

@naylor2006 

You are a gentleman, sir.

[naylor2006]

ive whitelisted it, ill report back tomorrow.

[gomezz]

So in summary users should be aware that the Netflix app checks in (or tries to) when an EETV Box Pro (and presumably all models of EETV box) is connected to the internet.

Should users be worried by this? Probably not
Do other apps on the box do similar? Probably
Should users be worried by that? Probably not

I guess that allows to Netflix to get an idea of how many devices have its app installed but which are never used which  may guide its approach to marketing its service?  Just why don't these people want to use our service?