[Original Thread] "My NetFlix" Plugin with Watch Now Support (3 Viewers)

[ixian]

I had a chance to test this again this am WileE - btw thanks again for a great plugin. You know what would be cool? Using some of the same methods you're using here to set up a real Hulu plugin. I know, thanks to the lack of an API/Hulu's general stance against watching Hulu on a PC that is connected to a TV (which is just plain stupid, but anyway) we won't get the same level of integration, but the stuff you're doing with launching the browser and mapping remote commands would probably works just as well. Anyway, on to this plugin:

The method to start playback still seems a little counter-intuitive to me. If I select a movie and click play nothing happens, I still have to go to the submenu and manually select play there. Was this recently changed? I'm using the plugin you sent me a couple days ago.

4:3 movies, as DCWP points out, don't work with the fullscreen option.

Also, and I realize this won't be that common, but on multi-monitor systems (I use my desktop PC as a second MP client so I can watch stuff on it too) this plugin gets thrown off - I have Mediaportal set to start on my second monitor, but this plugin launches in the primary monitor always. You might want to add an option to check which monitor MP is using (it's an option you set in General config, at the bottom) and use it.

On an unrelated note, I thought you'd like to know that in addition to working on my Vista PC's it also works on my Windows 7 client, which I am using on my regular desktop PC (build 7057, the latest pre-RC). This is probably due to your reliance on .Net 3.5, which is a good thing for forward compatibility - I'd just make it a straight up requirement, as others have noted, since it seems to have problems working in general on systems that don't have it installed.

Other than that this seems to work pretty darn well, and I appreciate the effort!

 

[WileECoyote]

I had a chance to test this again this am WileE - btw thanks again for a great plugin. You know what would be cool? Using some of the same methods you're using here to set up a real Hulu plugin. I know, thanks to the lack of an API/Hulu's general stance against watching Hulu on a PC that is connected to a TV (which is just plain stupid, but anyway) we won't get the same level of integration, but the stuff you're doing with launching the browser and mapping remote commands would probably works just as well. Anyway, on to this plugin:

The method to start playback still seems a little counter-intuitive to me. If I select a movie and click play nothing happens, I still have to go to the submenu and manually select play there. Was this recently changed? I'm using the plugin you sent me a couple days ago.

4:3 movies, as DCWP points out, don't work with the fullscreen option.

Also, and I realize this won't be that common, but on multi-monitor systems (I use my desktop PC as a second MP client so I can watch stuff on it too) this plugin gets thrown off - I have Mediaportal set to start on my second monitor, but this plugin launches in the primary monitor always. You might want to add an option to check which monitor MP is using (it's an option you set in General config, at the bottom) and use it.

On an unrelated note, I thought you'd like to know that in addition to working on my Vista PC's it also works on my Windows 7 client, which I am using on my regular desktop PC (build 7057, the latest pre-RC). This is probably due to your reliance on .Net 3.5, which is a good thing for forward compatibility - I'd just make it a straight up requirement, as others have noted, since it seems to have problems working in general on systems that don't have it installed.

Other than that this seems to work pretty darn well, and I appreciate the effort!

Hey Ixian,
Thanks for the feedback! You can get the latest version of the plugin on Google Code here -> Downloads - mynetflix - Google Code

As far as Hulu is concerned, I think Vaelek is working on some kind of a solution. I'm not exactly sure what approach he will take with gathering content or playback, but I would say it will have some serious screen scraping involved.

You should find that the new version has the 'Play' button feature from the Details page.

The multi-monitor thing has me in a frenzy right now I need to Google some code for that one, I tried like crazy last night to get that to work on my setup in the den, it is like you stated has two screens, a monitor and a 42" LCD. I will continue to work on this and be sure it will be in the final.

Thats great about the Win 7! Thank you for trying it, I have not had time to even install MP on my Win 7 client, let alone try this plugin

Wile E.

 

[keith2045]

I had a chance to test this again this am WileE - btw thanks again for a great plugin. You know what would be cool? Using some of the same methods you're using here to set up a real Hulu plugin. I know, thanks to the lack of an API/Hulu's general stance against watching Hulu on a PC that is connected to a TV (which is just plain stupid, but anyway) we won't get the same level of integration, but the stuff you're doing with launching the browser and mapping remote commands would probably works just as well. Anyway, on to this plugin:

I'm actually working on a plugin for this, check this thread https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/plugins-47/new-plugin-onlinetvshows-hulu-joost-etc-56237/

 

[WileECoyote]

I'm actually working on a plugin for this, check this thread https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/plugins-47/new-plugin-onlinetvshows-hulu-joost-etc-56237/

Oooops, sorry Keith... I didnt mean to give credit to someone else for your plugin...

:sorry:

 

[dcwp]

4. As much as I want to be able to do this, NetFlix outlines in their Branding requirements that any application that uses the API's must refer to itself as something other than just 'NetFlix'. Like My NetFlix or NetFlix Manager or something along those lines. With that said, I am not stuck on "My NetFlix". I would like to hear the communities voice on this and lets come up with some grand name (All this to really say I want to play by their rules so they dont shut us down... Not that they could, but its better to play nice )

Thanks for all the quick feedback. For someone spending a weekend at the beach, you're super responsive.

This is an interesting point that I hadn't considered. I'd say this requirement is reasonable since they don't want anyone confusing a third party program with their own. It's certainly way better than how Hulu has handled Boxee and other players so far. Anyway, this is far from being a problem for me.

The only other minor request I've thought of so far would be a config option for which list to open the plugin into. I'd like to see my "Watch Instantly" list as soon as I enter the plugin since I won't likely use it for managing my queue or anything else. Again though, this is a *very* minor issue.

Keep up the good work!

 

[WileECoyote]

Thanks for all the quick feedback. For someone spending a weekend at the beach, you're super responsive.

This is an interesting point that I hadn't considered. I'd say this requirement is reasonable since they don't want anyone confusing a third party program with their own. It's certainly way better than how Hulu has handled Boxee and other players so far. Anyway, this is far from being a problem for me.

The only other minor request I've thought of so far would be a config option for which list to open the plugin into. I'd like to see my "Watch Instantly" list as soon as I enter the plugin since I won't likely use it for managing my queue or anything else. Again though, this is a *very* minor issue.

Keep up the good work!

The beach trip starts tomorrow

That is a great point about the start screen. I could easily change it to any of the available buttons on the Left nav. I will include a drop-down menu to support it.

Im working to compile a list of things I want to add to the config, so I can do them all at once (if possible.) I dont want folks having to delete the database with each new release...

Thanks!

 

[dwagner]

One of the videos I tried last night was Sliders, which is all 4:3, and it seemed to work with no problem in fullscreen. I did notice that there's a white bar on the far right side of the screen before it goes to fullscreen (while IE is up). I'm using Blue3Wide. Anybody else notice something like that? I may be running at a funny resolution, since I'm displaying to an older TV.

 

[chrissholt]

No Instant Movies ever Play...

Hi, I get the list of movies in my instant queue but none of them will ever play. The Play button doesn't appear to ever do anything. Can anyone help? Thanks.

 

[WileECoyote]

Hi, I get the list of movies in my instant queue but none of them will ever play. The Play button doesn't appear to ever do anything. Can anyone help? Thanks.

Hey Chrisholt,
When you ran through the configuration, did you hit the Save button? Also, are you using a 32bit version of IE or 64 bit?

Also, please post your logs...

Thanks,
Wile E.

 

[dwagner]

I updated to the 0.2.8 release, and I'm using the Blue3Wide skin. I noticed two things:

1) The white bar on the right side is the scroll bar in IE... I couldn't tell because the edges of the screen don't display well on our TV.

2) Playing a single video (play instantly) works pretty well. However, if I exit IE (using Alt+F4), right-clicking on another play instantly video does not bring up the context menu any more until I restart MP. Not a huge deal, but it means I have to break out of MP either before or after watching something on NF.

Great job on the plug-in! It's already pretty usable on a day-to-day basis!