Netflix Extends "Watch Instantly" To Mac Users 205
CNet is reporting that Netflix has opened up its "Watch Instantly" feature to Mac users (here is Netflix's blog entry). They accomplished this by using Microsoft's Silverlight technology on both platforms, abandoning the Windows Media Player solution that had been employed in the first, Windows-only, version. Silverlight's DRM capabilities meet Netflix's needs, apparently. Netflix warns that this is beta software. Mac users can opt in here, then watch instantly with Safari or Firefox 2+, with the Silverlight plugin in place. Movie selection is somewhat limited.
Fail. (Score:1, Interesting)
I'm a huge fan of Netflix's DVD rental. I'm on the 8-at-a-time plan and with the exception of the attempt to drop profiles, they've never given me anything other than fantastic service. When it comes to this watch instantly stuff they completely fail, though.
1. Selection is horrid. Even where they have quality content, it's something like season 2 of some TV series, with season 1 nowhere to be found. If they are going to use DRM, I expect some quality content. Otherwise, I'm fine with It's a Wonderful Life. No need for Titillating Monster/Sci-Fi Movie Du Jour, thanks.
2. They've gone from Windows only to Silverlight only. That's great for my media box, which runs Myth. Linux may be a minority on the desktop, but is it really so among media boxes?
3. I have a huge amount of bandwidth, am just a few hops away, and they stream me a postage stamp.
Re:hilarious (Score:1, Interesting)
Mac people, give it up already and either have a single purpose media editing Linux system for a hell of a lot less or just get a damn PC and stop making people occasionally write software for you.
So can you please tell me where I can buy Linux versions of Final Cut Studio, Shake 4, Creative Suite CS, Flix Pro, Sound Studio, Toast, and Sony's XDCAM HD transfer apps please?
Also, which distro will work seamlessly with this Linux version of FCS combined with a Decklink card and breakout box?
To get back to "online apps" pretty much all of them work on my Mac. Only the ones who go out of their way to exclude Macs don't work, and those are getting fewer and fewer as time goes on.
Also, does that 99% of software include viruses, keyloggers and other malware? They are technically software and they only run on Windows, so if it does, then I could see the 99% figure being accurate.
Re:Fail. (Score:3, Interesting)
Watch Instantly has progressively gotten better. You should check out the new Starz Play selection. There are some quality titles. I'm actually watching Natural Born Killers right now on my 32inch 720p, fullscreen is approximately the quality of a 1 gig XVID. Certainly not DVD quality... more like a VHS.
Now if only they'd add more Crime Documentaries... (COPS anyone?)
I've also heard rumors that NetFlix watch instantly is coming to XBOX 360... so the move to silverlight is less than suprising.
Re:hilarious (Score:4, Interesting)
I know Microsoft products are unpopular, but sadly, the adage "No one ever got fired for buying (trusting) Microsoft" probably applies here.
I counter with no one has ever been prosecuted for using Linux. [wikipedia.org]
Enough with the IBM || Microsoft half-truths.
DRM Free Alternative to Netfix (Score:4, Interesting)
I guess we all know it: https://thepiratebay.org/ [thepiratebay.org] And it doesn't require any Silverlight.
Re:hilarious (Score:5, Interesting)
Both versions, up to Shake 3.0 were $4,999, and originally Shake was a Linux app (hence the very different interface of the OS X version compared to even the esoteric Final Cut Studio apps).
With the release of Shake 4 though, Apple cut the cost of the OS X version to $499, and provided unlimited render licences for that version, while keeping the cost and licence restrictions on the Linux version to "encourage" people to use the OS X version.
They know they can't kill the Linux version off entirely, due to the number of hih end effects houses who are quite happy to have a mixed Linux/Mac environment and don;t want to change out their Shake boxes for Mac Pros, but they want anyone who wants to start up in the field to go all-Mac.
It all may be academic though, since there are whispers of a from-the-ground-up app to replace Shake at some point from inside Apple, to either go alongside Motion, or to replace that too.