SageTV + Netflix Watch Now Possible?

[johnnytyler]

Not necessarily, I believe it can be played on extenders, there is a netflix hack to record shows then play. Google it on the web

[Brent]

Netflix is working on a Mac version of their watch-instantly feature so it won't be just Windows.

I would guess this would have to be a joint effort between SageTV and Netflix to get it working though.

[Stuntman]

What if the 'possible' USB-HD Capture device for the HD Extender that has been hinted at elsewhere on this board was used in conjunction with a Netflix STB? Ideally it would be integrated into SageTV without the need of more hardware.. but if we could just pass it into the HD Extender and somehow have the extender control the STB.. that might be workable??

[sixdoubleo]

I just got this email from Netflix....it went from 18 hrs a month to Unlimited.

-------------

Now you get even more

Dear David,

As part of your current Netflix subscription, you have the option to watch some movies and TV episodes from the Netflix library instantly on your PC at no additional charge. Now, we've made it unlimited!

So watch instantly on your PC when you want, and as often as you want. Select from our separate, smaller library of over 6,000 familiar movies and TV episodes available to watch instantly.

- Your friends at Netflix

-------------

I wonder how many people sat in a conference room and debated on the wording for "our separate, smaller library" and "familiar movies". "Hey...staff meeting! We need a good way of saying "crap that nobody wants to watch". Who's got somethin???"

Hopefully this means the content will be improving.

[RAMGarden]

Can't we just create a simple plugin that wraps the internet explorer browser and loads up the watch instantly page? I'm not sure how to interface with the remote I use (45 button Hauppauge) but it would be simple enough (and ugly). What do you guys think?

[lotusvball]

I know I saw a plugin that had a "other" Apps feature. At one time I know I used this to call IE. Could this not be used. Not sure where this was or what was required.

[lotusvball]

Maybe this will work

Go to "How do I add a new menu item that runs an external program? ¶" on the following page.

http://tools.assembla.com/sageplugins/wiki/NielmStvMenu

[sleonard]

Since Netflix has publicly announced that they want to support 3rd party hardware for the Watch It Now feature I think the best option is for Sage to work with them to get this added to the HD-100 and SageClient.

S

[nebulink]

It looks like someone is writing a netflix plugin for mce
http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/237992.aspx

[Brent]

I'd love some watch-instantly functionality and/or even previews added to the current SageTV Netflix plugin.

I wonder how it could be controlled by a plugin or even keyboard though since theres no SDK (yet) or keyboard shortcuts?

[CollinR]

This is a SageTV no brainer, VOD is only logical for a media server.

That is all.

[Morgan111]

Originally Posted by nebulink

It looks like someone is writing a netflix plugin for mce
http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/237992.aspx

Man, I would love to see the code for that plugin. Although I do think I know a way to find the movies and launch the player in a full size browzer, I need to work more with the existing NetFlix import code to get a handle on it and actually get it working. Some insight on player control would definitely be nice. Just pause and play isn't exactly what I'm used to.

[autoboy]

I would love to see it as well. I use Netflix Watch Now once in awhile, but I have to limit it to my 40" TV because on my 60" it looks terrible. I also use it on trips on my laptop. I would love to have integration because right now I have to break out the mouse and keyboard which is not WAF friendly. I'm afraid that Sage will shy away from Netflix integration because that would intoduce DRM issues which they have never touched for obvious reasons. As they grow however, it may be unavoidable.

For that poll,

Netflix Member with HD extender.

[whiskaz]

I've been testing out MediaPortal for a little while as a HTPC front end and they have a plugin that supports Netflix WatchNow. It doesn't work all that well, but the basics are there. All it does is launch a browser window within Mediportal. MP shortcuts are supposed to make it go fullscreen (by emulating mouse clicks on the 'Full Screen' button) but this doesn't exactly work.

Integration into Sage would be kind of niche, since the player itself is limited to IE and their specific in-browser player, but it would still be nifty.

That said, I'm not a SageTV user (yet). I tried it some years ago, but unfortunately HTPCs were a PIA to get working. It's not so bad now and I'm looking for a nice front end that I can customize/tweak to some extent. MediaPortal is open source, which is nice, but uses .Net C# (similar to Java, but not exactly). I'm a Java programmer by day so... kind of drawn in by Sage again. Going to give it a run and check out what kind of customization can be done (or what's already available).

Morgan111 - source for the MP plugin is available here, if you're curious as to how it's done in that app: http://mp-plugins.svn.sourceforge.ne...lix%20manager/

Doesn't tell you much aside from that fact that it creates a "WebBrowser" object and attaches it to the MP GUI...

[Morgan111]

Whiskaz, thanks for pointing out your source. I will take a look through it for ideas. I am putting out an import in a few days that plays the trailers locally but launches internet explorer full window for WatchItNow. I figured trying to automatically click the FullScreen button would be too much trouble but maybe I could get something workable based on how you do it with the tables.

Morgan

[whiskaz]

No problem. Just to be clear, I didn't write that. I've tried tweaking it on my own to make the fullscreen shortcuts work, but to no avail.

Your idea sounds interesting and great as a start. One thing though, even if you launch IE itself in fullscreen mode, I don't think the Netflix player will? You'll still have to hit "Full Screen" - I think. I don't have access to it at the moment to try.

If Netflix would just provide a shortcut for this (like how spacebar pauses) then it really wouldn't be an issue!

[Morgan111]

Thanks for the clarification.

That's correct, the player does not go fullscreen without clicking on that control, but launching in a full window is a necessary step to get the fullscreen option, so you have one mouseclick to deal with.

Hopefully there will be some additional control options when they add support for Silverlight or whatever it will be for Macs.

[nebulink]

Looks like further development is occuring at this thread.
http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/238...ad.aspx#238353

This guy is hoping to have a beta watch now plugin available by sunday. So it looks like its come to MCE soon.