STV Import: NetFlix for SageMC (v2.1) 28-Feb-09

[Morgan111]

Originally Posted by sjrx0213

Thanks a million, Morgan. Things are working great now. This is just a flat-out bad-@ss plug-in. Now, if NetFlix would only catch up to its greatness with some better Watch It Now content.

I've got a question, if you'll indulge a QA guy's curiosity...

Is there a reason you're putting the NetFlix channel data in the client properties file? I'm used to properties files holding configuration data specific to the application and/or interface, and usually, this stuff doesn't get tweaked often. Stuff like the netflix plug-in setup information.

But the channel data seems more dynamic, like database information. It seems like it ought to be written to its own independent file. This would safeguard the properties file from possible corruption due to constant editing and would make it easy to delete and recreate the channel data in the event it gets corrupted.

Anyway, this is not delivered as a criticism, and I sincerely hope you don't receive it as such.

And again, thanks for the awesome, awesome plugin.

--Steve

Steve,

The individual channels can be configured to be hidden by changing the show to hide. I didn't really carry over the interface to change the selection but they can be hidden manually there. The biggest thing I don't like seeing is the big list of all the genres and their viewing option. When I get into some other changes I am planning, I would like to put that type of config data in a seperate netflix file. Up to this point it has been easier and more convenient to use the generic Sage properties functions for all of those options instead of making my own function to manage them elsewhere.

Originally Posted by SWKerr

Got it intalled and working. I have watch two TV shows and everything seems to work great. The only thing that seems to be and issue is that the screen saver will come on while it is playing. A way to supress the windows screen saver would be great.

Setup screen bug: the first screen on the setup page just goes to a black screen with one empty menu box. I had this same issue on the first version. If you just hit enter you get to the real setup screen but it is not obvious the first time you install.

I didn't realized that the transition to the setup page for new users was rather hosed. I now made it so it will take you straight to the standard setup page now. I also added the capability to go to the setup page when selecting Options key from the NetFlix main screen.

If the WIndows screen saver is kicking in, open WMP and go to Tools->Options->Player. There is an option there to allow screen saver during playback. Make sure it is unchecked.

Originally Posted by mikesm

I thought I did that, but will try that again. The RSS info is there and correct, else I would not be able to pick up my queue, which also works fine.

thx
mike

Mike, the NetFlix ID will only affect reading of the queue channel, but no other channels or browsing. The Username (email) and Password must be correct for browsing and watching videos. Did you have any of the browsing problems before the update? (before 2.03) I know you have an extender, does it fail the same way on that and a seperate PC client you may have?

Originally Posted by skyeclad

Does resume only work with IE viewer and not the new Sage viewer? When I stop, the show always begins at the start of the movie again.

I am picking up the resume point and jumping there, but NetFlix only captures a stopping point if you have viewed it with IE. I am hoping to find out how that info gets stored. If I don't get anywhere with that I may always try to keep track of that myself (in some future config file). Once that works right I'm sure everyone will also want the option of resuming or jumping to the beginning....

[mkanet]

Morgan, I know you might be a bit tired of people praising you; but, I just can't help but say THANK YOU. THIS IS ONE BADASS PLUGIN!

Sometimes, I'll just play movies from Watch Now just because of the convenience with just a few clicks of the remote!

[Naylia]

My player seems to be working ok, but sometimes my internet connection speed gets downgraded and netflix decides to rebuffer the movie. When this happens in an IE netflix window I get a warning about what is going on with progress bar. In the custom player included with the plugin, I just get a black screen. Is there anyway to be informed what is happening? It's tough to tell if things have crashed or if its rebuffering without some sort of notice.

[sojourner753]

This sounds like a great plugin. I'm definitely going to check this out.

Question: Is there a way to prevent the ability to view the Queue, or add movies to it. Basically I just want the ability to find and watch the Play It Now movies.

thanks

[Morgan111]

Originally Posted by Naylia

My player seems to be working ok, but sometimes my internet connection speed gets downgraded and netflix decides to rebuffer the movie. When this happens in an IE netflix window I get a warning about what is going on with progress bar. In the custom player included with the plugin, I just get a black screen. Is there anyway to be informed what is happening? It's tough to tell if things have crashed or if its rebuffering without some sort of notice.

Naylia, I may a change to the viewer in the update to 2.03 (2.03b) that is supposed to force the OSD display and player status when the player is in a buffering state. If you are sure you have that then press the info button when it seems to be in that condition again and let me know what the status line says it is doing. Maybe there is a related state I should be using as well. You said you get a black screen, is that before the movie started to play anything?

[Morgan111]

Originally Posted by sojourner753

This sounds like a great plugin. I'm definitely going to check this out.

Question: Is there a way to prevent the ability to view the Queue, or add movies to it. Basically I just want the ability to find and watch the Play It Now movies.

thanks

If you put an incomplete or nonsense NetFlix ID on the setup page, it will probably do what you want. That is used to grab your customized channels (queue, recent activity, recommendations). The username and password must be correct for those other functions.

[wbarber69]

Originally Posted by Morgan111

If you put an incomplete or nonsense NetFlix ID on the setup page, it will probably do what you want. That is used to grab your customized channels (queue, recent activity, recommendations). The username and password must be correct for those other functions.

How can you use watch it now if your not logged in

[Morgan111]

Originally Posted by wbarber69

How can you use watch it now if your not logged in

There is an ID, a username, and a password. The ID (starts with a P..) is used by the plugin for reading of channel and queue data. The username and password provide login information needed for receiving the expected page data with browsing and to allow Watch Now functionality. The ID has nothing to do with that.

[lovingHDTV]

I installed v2.03b and now it does not appear that I can use watch it now any longer. I see the player come up, like before, but there is never a download progress. It appears to just hang there with a blinking cursor where the download percentage reading used to be. I waited several minutes, tried different recording level, but never got anywhere.

I then used IE and was able to view my movie. Has anyone else seen this?

thanks,

[sojourner753]

Originally Posted by Morgan111

If you put an incomplete or nonsense NetFlix ID on the setup page, it will probably do what you want. That is used to grab your customized channels (queue, recent activity, recommendations). The username and password must be correct for those other functions.

Thanks Morgan111,
I'll give it a try. I'm having trouble installing SageMC so I'll have to sort that out first.

[Halstead]

Originally Posted by lovingHDTV

I installed v2.03b and now it does not appear that I can use watch it now any longer. I see the player come up, like before, but there is never a download progress. It appears to just hang there with a blinking cursor where the download percentage reading used to be. I waited several minutes, tried different recording level, but never got anywhere.

I then used IE and was able to view my movie. Has anyone else seen this?

thanks,

I am having exactly the same issue on both of my Vista boxes.

[boognish]

I just upgraded to the newest version and i also get the blinking cursor up top with no movie playing. Hope we can figure out what is causing this

Edit:: also i may have missed the info in this thread but does the download option do anything for anyone? I click it and it doesnt do anything. I would love this feature to work but not sure what the problem is.

thanks again for an awesome plugin!!

[Morgan111]

Those having the problem playing anything can try installing the attached files and see if you have any better luck.

Make sure Sage is shut down.
If you are using Vista, make sure you do not have multiple copies of the NetFlix.jar or NetFlixviewer.exe or the xml file between the c:\Program FIles... and the virtualstore paths where they may be an older version as well.

If there is still a problem I will have to do some more detailed debugging.

The Download to play later buttons don't do anything right now. Trying to get some other things stable before I get too deep in that function.

By the way, I started having the problem near the end of last week on my Vista machine where the taskbar will not remain hidded now (unless I configure the taskbar to autohide or not stay on top of other windows). Anybody else start seeing that happen?

Morgan

[boognish]

Originally Posted by Morgan111

Those having the problem playing anything can try installing the attached files and see if you have any better luck.

Make sure Sage is shut down.
If you are using Vista, make sure you do not have multiple copies of the NetFlix.jar or NetFlixviewer.exe or the xml file between the c:\Program FIles... and the virtualstore paths where they may be an older version as well.

If there is still a problem I will have to do some more detailed debugging.

The Download to play later buttons don't do anything right now. Trying to get some other things stable before I get too deep in that function.

By the way, I started having the problem near the end of last week on my Vista machine where the taskbar will not remain hidded now (unless I configure the taskbar to autohide or not stay on top of other windows). Anybody else start seeing that happen?

Morgan

Thanks for responding so quickly, unfortunately the problem is still there. If I can help testing or troubleshooting let me know.
And no worries about the download feature.. ill wait patiently

[mkanet]

http://gizmodo.com/5025126/netflix-o...ck-impressions

[Morgan111]

Did some troubleshooting with boognish and some of the problem may have been from a missing change to the netflix.jar file and the old import code still being loaded.

If you have troubles playing Watch Now, update your files with the updated zip here. If you still have a blinking cursor then go back and re-import the NetFlix_SageMC.xml file but before you load it try to access the NetFlix import from your main menu and verify that it cannot find the screen. Then it is safe to import it again. Only use this update file if you already have previously installed the NetFlix plugin as some of the support jars are not included.

This has the experimental changes for playing NetFlix through the extender as discussed here.

I'll have a new full update in the download area after a little more extender testing and get a few more features in.

[lovingHDTV]

Originally Posted by Morgan111

Did some troubleshooting with boognish and some of the problem may have been from a missing change to the netflix.jar file and the old import code still being loaded.

If you have troubles playing Watch Now, update your files with the updated zip here. If you still have a blinking cursor then go back and re-import the NetFlix_SageMC.xml file but before you load it try to access the NetFlix import from your main menu and verify that it cannot find the screen. Then it is safe to import it again. Only use this update file if you already have previously installed the NetFlix plugin as some of the support jars are not included.

This has the experimental changes for playing NetFlix through the extender as discussed here.

I'll have a new full update in the download area after a little more extender testing and get a few more features in.

This fixed it for me. I did have to re-install the plugin to get it to work. When I upgraded to 2.03b I did not re-install the plugin, what that my mistake?

thanks

[Halstead]

Originally Posted by Morgan111

Did some troubleshooting with boognish and some of the problem may have been from a missing change to the netflix.jar file and the old import code still being loaded.

If you have troubles playing Watch Now, update your files with the updated zip here. If you still have a blinking cursor then go back and re-import the NetFlix_SageMC.xml file but before you load it try to access the NetFlix import from your main menu and verify that it cannot find the screen. Then it is safe to import it again. Only use this update file if you already have previously installed the NetFlix plugin as some of the support jars are not included.

This worked, and I'm up and streaming now! One note- I had to roll back to an earlier instance of the SageMC STV (before I had imported your STVi)- it wasn't enough to re-import the Netflix STVi over the current one.

Perhaps that was obvious, but thought i should clarify in case there are any other dense folks.

At any rate, thanks for the quick work, Morgan, You're a rock star!

[spook]

Sorry, Im one of the dense folks around here

I loaded the latest patch, then the couple of add ons, and Imported the STVi's along the way. Still a no go. I get the blank screen, with blinking cursor.

I went as far as o reload SageMC, (Latest Version), then reload the Netflix_SageMC packs on top of that to no avail...

oh well, waiting for more patches/fixes .... on the up side, I can see the Netflix watch now movie selections.

thanks
Spook

[mikesm]

Originally Posted by spook

Sorry, Im one of the dense folks around here

I loaded the latest patch, then the couple of add ons, and Imported the STVi's along the way. Still a no go. I get the blank screen, with blinking cursor.

I went as far as o reload SageMC, (Latest Version), then reload the Netflix_SageMC packs on top of that to no avail...

oh well, waiting for more patches/fixes .... on the up side, I can see the Netflix watch now movie selections.

thanks
Spook

I just rebuilt a client, and I needed to start with a clean sagmc 16x9.xml, and then reimport all the stivi's to get playback working. Just replacing the files didn't do it for me. But it does work after doing the imports...