Click Here to visit Embedded Automation - mControl
Short Bits: Netflix - Chris Lanier's Blog

Short Bits: Netflix

Yesterday Microsoft announced that they are partnering with Netflix to bring Netflix’s streaming content to the Xbox 360 Dashboard.  What was not announced however is the same in Media Center.  The good news is that Microsoft now has the backend to make it work.  The bad news that knowing them Netflix streaming may never be ported to Media Center.  Looks like the Xbox 360 Dashboard is still Media Center biggest enemy.

On the same Netflix partnership, I think people might be getting too worked up about the usefulness.  While Netflix has a great amount of content that you have heard of and might want to watch, it is not going to replace you renting or buying new movies.  Netflix content is really a complement to your Netflix subscription (movies in the mail), and not a pure streaming service.  I feel like a lot of people are expecting this to change the world, and that's clearly not the goal of the partnership or Netflix streaming in general.  This does give a better mix of content directly accessible via the Xbox 360 Dashboard, so if you already get movies this way it will be a very nice digital distribution mix.

Oh, and of course you need to be an Xbox Live Gold member ($60/year) to get access.  If you are a Media Center user something like vmcNetflix might be your best bet.  Bottom line, great news but I don't think this is going to change the world or make as big of a splash as some seem to be expecting.

Published Tue, Jul 15 2008 7:34 by chrisl
Filed under: , , ,

Comments

# re: Short Bits: Netflix

Chris, can you use your contacts at MS to find out how this new dashboard will change the way Media Center is accessed in the xbox 360?  Are we going to have additional start up options so we don't have to see the dashboard at all?  Is this going to make the xbox 360 start up slower?

Tuesday, July 15, 2008 7:57 AM by DanITman

# re: Short Bits: Netflix

I think vmcNetflix is the most polished looking of the addin for VMC, but has problems launching at least half the movies I try to play.

I use myNetflix as well to handles these issues.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008 8:31 AM by jedipunk

# re: Short Bits: Netflix

I'm actually don't fit into your description.  NetFlix is infinitely more useful to me for streaming shows rather than watching movies.  In fact, if Netflix offered a streaming only service I would subscribe.  I don't have unlimited time to watch movies, so they end up sitting at my house while I usually have 30-45 minutes to catch up on a show, etc. that I can stream.

This is why Netflix will die a horrible death if Hulu ever gets a Media Center interface.  

Tuesday, July 15, 2008 8:53 AM by LTS

# re: Short Bits: Netflix

Now, if they could only create some kind of Blockbuster addin.  I LOVE my Blockbuster movie selection!!

Tuesday, July 15, 2008 9:03 AM by Topsy-Techie

# re: Short Bits: Netflix

I believe the Xbox Live subscription is only $50/year.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008 9:16 AM by DWAnderson

# Netflix on Xbox, but not Media Center? | Ed Bott’s Windows Expertise |

Pingback from  Netflix on Xbox, but not Media Center? |  Ed Bott’s Windows Expertise |

Tuesday, July 15, 2008 10:36 AM by Netflix on Xbox, but not Media Center? | Ed Bott’s Windows Expertise |

# re: Short Bits: Netflix

You can find the 13 month xbox live cards for less than $50 if you look around. A quick search on Amazon found this for $44.99: www.amazon.com/.../B000B9RI00. That is about 31% lower than what Chris quoted in the OP.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008 11:21 AM by MrVitaminP

# re: Short Bits: Netflix

@Chris Since we have been using the media center addin for netflix we hardly have been sending any movies back.  The content gets updated frequently and they have quite a few big titles on there.  No super new releases or anything but its not a shabby showing.  Especially in the tv series area.  And this will be bigger than it would be with the media center, a lot more people have live gold subscriptions than use media center.  The quality is also pretty impressive for streaming, we've been loving the service.

@DanITman You can already set your 360 to boot right into media center.  Its in the options.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008 12:50 PM by Warren

# re: Short Bits: Netflix

@DanITman:

I use one of the original Media Center remotes with my Xbox 360. From a powered off state, if I hit the green button, the Xbox will power up and go straight in to Media Center. I would be surprised if this didn't still work with the new dashboard.

But even this method does first show the dashboard, so yes, it would be nice to bypass the dashboard altogether. But I bet this is pretty far down the feature list :)

Tuesday, July 15, 2008 12:58 PM by Ross

# re: Short Bits: Netflix

DanITman: I'll look into the Extender in the Dashboard questions, but I don't imagine I'll get much I could share.  I don't imagine they will change much in terms of the functionality that already exists.

Topsy-Techie: There is a third party Blockbuster add-in for movie management, but Blockbuster isn't streaming anything directly.  They just bought Movielink which already has a Media Center UI (I believe).

Price of the Xbox Live subscription wasn't really my point as many already have and pay for it.  My larger point was that it isn't free, but using Media Center and something like vmcNetflix you can already get it for free (albeit kind of a hack).

Tuesday, July 15, 2008 1:28 PM by chrisl

# re: Short Bits: Netflix

I applaud Microsoft for finally partnering with Netflix, and a big thumbs-up to the 3rd party devs on the Media Center platform.

When is Microsoft going to realize that the xbox360 is not competing with MediaCenter?  They are complementary devices.  MS seems to punish the users who drop an extra load of cash for both a Media Center and 360.  MS has all the pieces to bury AppleTV and the non-music side of iTunes, or any other multi-media provider on the web, yet they dribble out features and pit the Media Center concept against the xbox home entertainment concept.

I own a Media Center, use a 360 as an extender, I use the xbox marketplace for movies, I use netflix for DVDs and Watch Now (Thanks vmcNetFlix!), and own a WHS.  Now I'm waiting for MS to step up and allow SEAMLESS access to multimedia in BOTH the Media Center UI AND the 360 UI.  If there are licensing problems, technical challenges, or a simple lack of caffeine, let the community know.

The exclusive media deals are encouraging and the new focus on the 360 is great- just please don't stop there.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008 10:43 PM by Christopher Luce

# re: Short Bits: Netflix

"If you are a Media Center user something like vmcNetflix might be your best bet.  Bottom line, great news but I don't think this is going to change the world or make as big of a splash as some seem to be expecting."

I agree.

I recently signed up for the Netflix trial, specifically to test Watch Now (aka Watch Instantly). Besides viewing Watch Now movies from the IE Netflix player on a desktop computer (connected to a 24" LCD at 1920x1200), I also tested both the MyNetflix and vmcNetflix plug-ins for VMC (connected to a 46" 1080p LCD).

I have to say, the quality of the Watch Now (Instantly) movies is nothing to "write home" about. Until Netflix improves the quality of the downloaded shows, I don't see the announced Xbox 360 integration going anywhere.

The idea Netflix Watch Now sounds really great at first, but after watching a few movies, one quickly realizes that this has got a loooong way to go before it can become mainstream.

All of the Netflix Watch Now movies I viewed are no better than watching SD TV from basic cable, even though they were viewed at the maximum bitrate. WHICH IS NOWHERE CLOSE TO DVD QUALITY. In about 1/3 of the movies (viewed at maximum bitrate), the Netflix Watch Now movie was actually worse than SD TV, with noticable pixelation and poor picture quality. Also, all the movies were stereo only (no Dolby 5.1).

I expect that Netflix will need to get the Watch Now movies to _at least_ DVD quality (picture and sound) before this service will have any chance, especially with Xbox 360 owners who are likely expecting a higher quality picture and sound experience.

Saturday, July 19, 2008 1:52 PM by CoupleOfPoints