[Original Thread] "My NetFlix" Plugin with Watch Now Support (2 Viewers)

[basetwo]

Re: [plugin] "My NetFlix" Plugin with Watch Now Support

Thanks for response - after reviewing the logs (I should have thought of that) I noticed that the error was attributed to the Netflix.facade.xml file missing from the system. I removed the plugin from the plugin installation manager and reinstalled it. I noticed that when prompted to choose your skin, I saw that xface was checked by default and then also Xface was an option towards the top of the list. After I deselected xface and selected Xface I saw the xml file was installed and that resolved my issue. Thanks again for the plugin - it's great!

 

[ixian]

Re: [plugin] "My NetFlix" Plugin with Watch Now Support

Hey WileE, did you get a chance to take a look at the StreamedMP skin? Mine looks the same as Cinnibuns does in the screenshot above - it looks like there is a missing background texture behind the names on the right. It makes the names of the stuff in your instant queue really hard to read, especially if there is a background for that movie.

Might I suggest doing something similar to what Moving Pictures does with StreamedMP? They put a slightly transparent background behind the bottom half of the screen, which makes the whole area much more legible. See the screenshots below - the one is what MyNetflix looks like for me, the other Moving Pictures. Notice how they are laid out basically the same, but Moving Pictures uses that background, which by itself makes everything so much easier to read. Would you consider doing the same for MyNetflix and StreamedMP?

Thanks!

 

[Cinnabuns]

Re: [plugin] "My NetFlix" Plugin with Watch Now Support

Hey WileE, did you get a chance to take a look at the StreamedMP skin? Mine looks the same as Cinnibuns does in the screenshot above - it looks like there is a missing background texture behind the names on the right. It makes the names of the stuff in your instant queue really hard to read, especially if there is a background for that movie.

Might I suggest doing something similar to what Moving Pictures does with StreamedMP? They put a slightly transparent background behind the bottom half of the screen, which makes the whole area much more legible. See the screenshots below - the one is what MyNetflix looks like for me, the other Moving Pictures. Notice how they are laid out basically the same, but Moving Pictures uses that background, which by itself makes everything so much easier to read. Would you consider doing the same for MyNetflix and StreamedMP?

Thanks!

That's basically how it used to be in previous versions of the plugin. It seems like the latest versions just has some missing textures.

 

[poppabk]

Re: [plugin] "My NetFlix" Plugin with Watch Now Support

What is the name of the process for the fullscreen browser? I have decided to set-up my hauppauge remote to control netflix through the irremote.ini so that I don't have to reboot MP whenever I launch any other external apps (boxee, hulu, power dvd etc). I actually have it up and running by setting the 'default' controls to the netflix bindings but I would rather have it be specific to the netflix broswer. Using 'Netflix: Netflix Movie Viewer' as the process name isn't working. Also, is there a keyboard shortcut for exit, as I am currently using hauppauge to run a batch file to kill the remote control processes and then sending alt f4 twice which works but which is isn't very elegant.

 

[WileECoyote]

Re: [plugin] "My NetFlix" Plugin with Watch Now Support

Hey Guys,
I'm torn, but I have decided to move on to XBMC and pass my My Netflix code onto someone else. You can read my Retirement post here -> https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...7/retiring-mediaportal-passing-my-code-84437/

If anyone is interested in taking over the development of My Netflix, please PM me and I will be happy to pass along any/all of the code I have...

Thanks for all the support and good luck!
Wile E.

 

[ixian]

Re: [plugin] "My NetFlix" Plugin with Watch Now Support

That's really sad to hear. I like XBMC and think it's interface is great but I have a feeling you are going through a "grass is greener" phase right now. XBMC has some serious weaknesses just as MePo does not even counting Live TV support.

I mean, I get it, I'd love PlayON support, lack of solid UPNP support is a real weakness in MP, but I get by with stuff like Hulu desktop and this plugin. This sucks, because 95% when this kind of thing happens the plugin just dies. I don't want that to happen for this one but that odds aren't good.

 

[WileECoyote]

Re: [plugin] "My NetFlix" Plugin with Watch Now Support

That's really sad to hear. I like XBMC and think it's interface is great but I have a feeling you are going through a "grass is greener" phase right now. XBMC has some serious weaknesses just as MePo does not even counting Live TV support.

I mean, I get it, I'd love PlayON support, lack of solid UPNP support is a real weakness in MP, but I get by with stuff like Hulu desktop and this plugin. This sucks, because 95% when this kind of thing happens the plugin just dies. I don't want that to happen for this one but that odds aren't good.

Hey Ixian,
I too thought it was too good to be true, which is why I played with it for a couple of weeks. You could be right, but if the MediaPortal 'backend' integration continues and they finish the PVR client plugins, I think they will have a great product. Other than Live TV, I am not found wanting any other feature they dont already have (Movie, Pictures, TV Series & Music support.)

As far as the future development of My Netflix, I would try to convince the MP dev's to look at UPNP support. That would open some doors for plugins like PlayOn and give you access to a wealth of Online media.

Thanks again for all the support you have provided over the past few years. It has been great playing/working with you on the My Netflix, HD-PVR & other plugins. Good Luck!

Wile E.

 

[ixian]

Re: [plugin] "My NetFlix" Plugin with Watch Now Support

UPNP/DNLA has been talked about for years, but I think it's a pretty safe bet we aren't going to see it in MePo until version 2, which is probably a couple years away at least.

I used to use XBMC, for years. I had it on a modded Xbox around 2004-2005 and it went from there - it's only in the last couple of years that I've switched to MePo. I have to warn you that people have been talking about PVR service for years there and it's still very much in the infant stages. Some of the progress with backend scripts you are finding have been in that state for 2, 3 years now. If you want that to move forward it's going to take someone like you to drive it from start to finish, I can tell you that. Live TV has never been a big priority for that crew. Also you need to keep in mind that while they (grudgingly) support Windows the heart of XBMC development lives with Linux and the open-source movement in general. TV Servers such as MePo's that are Windows-only aren't going to generate a lot of interest with the core development team, or even a lot of the better independents. MythTV is really where the future of XBMC and PVR services lie but if I had a nickle for every time a MythTV/XBMC crossover was discussed since, oh, 2005 or so, I'd be a rich man

That XBMC has a polished, slick skinning engine is beyond question. It's much better than MePo's, at least with the right skin. And there's a lot to be said for it's whole "install it, and it just works" approach. Certainly for the first time media center user it's easier to get going. Just keep in mind that it's simplicity and ease of use also have a downside - wait until the first time you need to correct a movie title that it's scraper got wrong, or better yet couldn't pick up. With Moving Pictures or MyTVSeries, two MePo plugins that I think are far superior to the built in XBMC method, that kind of thing is easy. Same thing goes for Codec support - yes, their implementation of MPlayer/ffmpeg will play just about anything, but not everything, and with some things, not very well. And no option to change it. Also hardware acceleration is only supported with nVidia cards, under Linux, otherwise it's software all the way, which means you need a pretty beefy PC to play high-def content.

Don't get me wrong, XBMC is great, but for a guy like you, with the media center needs I know you have, I'm puzzled why you would make the switch. It seems like what you are really fond of is PlayON, which yes, it's great, I've used it, but they just moved to a subscription-based model and there's no guarantee sites like Hulu won't break their support again, something they've done several times now. And it's a near-guarantee that Hulu Plus won't work with PlayON. Just keep all that in mind before you fully commit.

 

[WileECoyote]

Re: [plugin] "My NetFlix" Plugin with Watch Now Support

Wow, Sage TV flashback One of the guys at Sage wrote me a very similar post when I retired Sage for MP... Only it had to do with the HD-PVR support in MP being in infancy and it would never fly (according to him )

And your right, I will help push the development forward until I get what I think should be a solid working solution. Otherwise I will give it up and move back to MP. The guy that is working on the MP backend integration has a release every month for the past few months, so it looks to me like he is dedicated to getting it to work. And even if they finalize the Mythtv backend and not MP I will still give it a try.

I guess the reason I am so impress with XBMC is the fact that everything I have thrown at it works, not just the PlayOn aspect but all media. And you are correct about the hardware acceleration, luckily I have all the correct hardware (in all my machines) to make it all work together.

Only time will tell, but as of now I am very exited and having a lot of fun (which is one of the reasons we do all this right? )

 

[poppabk]

Re: [plugin] "My NetFlix" Plugin with Watch Now Support

Good luck with your XBMC projects, luckily for us your Netflix plug-in is in pretty good shape so we should have a working plug-in for the foreseeable future.