Netflix Watch Instantly comes to Vista Media Center, not Extenders
By Richard Lawler 
posted May 20th 2009 1:45AM
posted May 20th 2009 1:45AM
Update: We checked with Microsoft, and confirmed that, at least for now, this streaming only includes the same content as the browser experience - so no HD. As far as Windows 7 and / or RC1 support? No word yet.
[Via The Green Button]
Microsoft and Netflix Enhance Movie and TV Watching on the PC
Latest content addition offers more than 12,000 choices of movies and TV episodes that can be watched instantly on a PC with Windows.
REDMOND, Wash. - May 19, 2009 - Microsoft Corp. today announced that more than 12,000 movies and TV episodes from Netflix Inc., the world's largest online movie rental service, are now available to watch instantly on the PC using Windows Media Center on PCs with Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate. This newest content addition builds on Microsoft's goal to create a consistent experience on the PC for consumers to easily enjoy the entertainment of greatest interest to them.
With Windows Media Center, consumers no longer need to jump from Web site to Web site to find the TV shows, movies, sports and news they want to watch. Windows Vista customers who are also Netflix members can simply start Windows Media Center on their PC and then select the new Netflix tile under TV+Movies to begin streaming movies and TV episodes instantly. People can also search the entire Netflix library, manage both their instant and DVD Queues, and even filter searches by titles that are available to watch instantly. Windows Media Center takes advantage of the Netflix recommended category lists to make it even easier to quickly find the movies and TV shows that consumers want to watch. Conveniently, Netflix in Windows Media Center is also designed to work with any Windows Media Center-compatible remote control.
The availability of Netflix in Windows Media Center marks the second recent content milestone for Windows, following the March 2009 launch of the Sports Channel, which offers a variety of interactive sports content from CBSSports.com, FOX Sports, MSNBC.com and more.
"Netflix is excited that the majority of the Windows Vista users in the U.S. can now access a vast array of movies and TV episodes from Netflix through Windows Media Center," said Steve Swasey, vice president of corporate communications. "There's no better way to enjoy movies than with Netflix, and this latest offering is another milestone that gives Windows Media Center customers a great experience using the Netflix service."
The Netflix instant watching in Windows Media Center is powered by Microsoft Silverlight, one of the industry's most comprehensive and powerful solutions for the creation and delivery of applications and media experiences. The use of Silverlight means that customers will have more accessible, more discoverable and more secure experiences. Windows Media Center is available on Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate.
In addition to Windows Media Center users, Xbox 360 system owners already have access to watch movies and TV episodes instantly from Netflix via an Xbox LIVE Gold Membership. The offerings through both platforms allow customers to enjoy more than 12,000 movies and TV episodes.
"We're continuing to work with the top content providers today to make watching TV on the PC a mainstream experience for the future," said Craig Eisler corporate vice president of entertainment client software for the TV, Video and Music Business Group at Microsoft. "Consumers understand that content is the driving force when it comes to experiences, and with Netflix, we're underscoring our broader commitment to deliver a rich experience with Windows Media Center."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ben @ May 20th 2009 7:17AM
I bet Microsoft wished they had included Silverlight support in the Extender design now.
Don Lindbergh @ May 20th 2009 9:34AM
I only care about Netflix *HD* Streaming on the PC. Where is that? It's been nearly six months since all the standalone boxes could do this......
Chad @ May 20th 2009 9:41AM
MediaMall PlayOn FTW
twisted4 @ May 21st 2009 8:35AM
yeah WTF! Is there even a way to stream HD right from netflix website?
Jon @ May 20th 2009 10:32AM
HOAX! I have both Vista media center and netflix and it is not shown in the TV part of the guide, or any other part for that matter. I also searched Microsoft and was unable to find an update or plug-in. Microsoft does not even mention this functionality on it's website other that what is available on the xbox.
xemumanic @ May 20th 2009 11:47AM
MS said it's not out for everyone, but is being released slowly through the next 48 hours.
So eventually you'll see it.
Can't wait to see this for Windows 7.
Bayilokanto @ May 20th 2009 10:35AM
Does anybody know if this Netflix streaming will also be available on Windows 7 Media Center?
cckrobinson @ May 20th 2009 5:47PM
Darn. I really want netflix extender support. Now that linksys is discontinuing the DMA2100 I doubt we'll ever see it.
Thunderdome @ May 20th 2009 12:39PM
Ya know..it's really not fair that they aren't including this functionality for extenders just because they're currently only offering it to live gold subscribers. I use my 360 exclusively as an extender. I don't use it for games. I don't leave the MCE interface. Basically MS is making me choose....watch netflix movies downstairs on the bigscreen(where my HTPC is), or pay an additional fee for a gold membership so I can leave the MCE interface, sign into xbox live, then watch netflix movies in the bedroom. And what about everyone who has a regular old extender(not a 360)? They're purposely screwing their extenders. How does that make ANY sense?
They always find a way to screw it all up, don't they?
Peter F @ May 20th 2009 1:46PM
No HD? Lame. I guess I'll have to turn on my other MS device (xbox) to watch HD. *facepalm*
Jim Mallory @ May 20th 2009 2:52PM
Let's see Microsoft has two ways to support NetFlix Streaming.
The first way does HD, but you need to pay $50.00 per year and you need to setup the queue on a computer (with a web browser) beforehand.
The second way is free, requires a PC, allows you to select and start programming directly from the NetFlix program, but doesn't support HD or Extenders.
You can see one or the other but how many years of therapy does it take to think doing both makes sense?!?!?
You know, we may go with DirecTV if we move...maybe I'll just get his and her DVRs and wait for their whole house DVR solution to come out. This Media Center stuff is getting to be nonsense.
Ray @ May 22nd 2009 3:02AM
I'm pretty sure that you still have to have a Netflix account to use it in VMC still.
calc.exe @ May 20th 2009 5:54PM
"We're continuing to work with the top content providers today to make watching TV on the PC a mainstream experience for the future."
This is a larger statement than the netflix plug in announcement.
If Microsoft is giving up on extenders, they should drop Media Center. Watching TV on a PC will never be mainstream. The extender model is Microsoft's best option for keeping the PC relevant to how people consume media.
Habibulin @ May 21st 2009 8:38PM
I'm not sure if this mentioned already, but I'm getting the netflix option as part of the extender experience on my xbox 360. It's displays under TV, just to the left of "recorded tv".
Matt @ May 24th 2009 4:42PM
What's with all the complaining? I've been waiting for this for a long time (NATIVE netflix support in VMC), and I send out a big thank you to the people at MS & Netflix who made it happen.
Yes, getting it to my extenders would be nice for the short term, but even as an extender owner, I am not sad to say they are a dead technology. With nettops and other atom offerings (like nvidia's ion) starting to get price competitive, why would you ever buy an extender instead of a fully functional HTPC?
Rather than wish for extender support, I'm hoping for three things:
-Native support of a TV tuner server farm: multiple tuners on my content storing WHS controllable by any Media Center client on the network.
-CableCard compliance on said content server without the need for CableCards in each Media Center client machine. Hopefully the newly included protected tv model in Win7 will lead to this.
-Native interface to access Hulu, network sites, and a much much wider range of online content (basically a native implementation similar to secondrun.tv)
In any case, I'd like to reiterate that "thank you" for getting native netflix. It was wonderful to see!
Cameron @ Aug 3rd 2009 2:16PM
Give me Netflix on this (http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/05/conceptronic-shows-off-potent-yuixx-media-streamer-at-computex/).. All-in-one box, a strong and fast Intel CPU and based on Linux..