ECP-0099: NBC Hidden Native Worker Mode Instead of True Headless Chrome

Status: Proposed

Decision

Do not target true Chrome headless mode for NBC playback in every.channel.

Instead, add a macOS hidden native-worker mode for the existing WKWebView path so NBC playback can run without a visible browser window when the session is already authenticated.

The desktop app will:

allow the native NBC webview windows to start hidden behind EVERY_CHANNEL_NBC_HIDE_WINDOWS=1
surface those hidden windows only when the navigation flow reaches an interactive auth page
refuse the visible Chrome fallback when hidden native mode is explicitly requested

Motivation

On this Mac, local Google Chrome in true headless mode does not expose EME / requestMediaKeySystemAccess, which makes Widevine-backed NBC playback non-viable in a real headless browser process.

That means the practical path to future unattended playback is not “headless Chrome,” but an invisible native browser surface with a warm authenticated session and explicit surfacing only when auth has expired.

Scope

In scope:

macOS hidden-window behavior for the existing NBC WKWebView path
auth-page detection that reveals the hidden window when user interaction is required
blocking visible Chrome fallback when hidden mode is requested

Out of scope:

automating Verizon credential entry in this cut
making Chrome headless support Widevine / EME
guaranteeing unattended runs when the MVPD session has expired

Alternatives Considered

Use true Chrome headless. Rejected because local testing showed no EME path.
Keep only the visible native/Chrome flows. Rejected because a warm session should be able to run without putting browser chrome on screen.

Rollout / Reversibility

The change is opt-in behind EVERY_CHANNEL_NBC_HIDE_WINDOWS=1.
Roll back by removing the hidden-window flag and retaining the visible native flow from ECP-0098.

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