Netflix streaming

Some of you know and some of you don't but Netflix has slowly been adding members into its Watch Now program.  Watch Now is Netflix's answer to Blockbuster's Total Access or whatever they call it, as well as Vongo and all those other streaming services.  I read Hacking Netflix because I like to take full advantage off any service I use, even if that includes taking advantage of it in a slightly more sinister meaning.  Hacking Netflix is actually a pretty innocent tech blog but they are incredibly up to date with news.  That's how I heard about Watch Now.  It's also how I heard that they started letting people use it by adding a new tab to their account.  Then I saw that it was restricted.  I was sad.  Then I saw this article and got in after nearly a week of trying.  It is pretty tasty.

Here's an FAQ about it and if you search "watch now" on the Netflix site you'll get all the info there is to know about it.  I'll give you a bit of the big points and let you know what to be wary of. 

• It's going to be (is if you have it) free.  Whatever you pay a month, that's how many hours you get.
• There are 3 levels of video quality based on your internet speed.  I get good or high on my desktop.  Usually I click retest until it says I have a fast enough connection for high quality before I watch.  I get low on my laptop with wireless net.  Low is watchable on a monitor and looks like a regular channel on a TV screen.
• It's in browser and stream only.  No downloading to take with you on a trip.  But in that case, just get the DVD from Netflix.  Right?
• Here's a catch.  It only works with XP and Internet Explorer.  I know.  Boo, hiss.  I did that too.  Then I updated IE for security and reset the homepage to open up to the Watch Now tab.  Don't think of it as IE, think of it as a Netflix movie viewer.  Feel better?

Now, here's a big, huge warning.  Wait. 
Warning. 
That was.  Do not close the window or try and back up while you're loading a movie for the first time.  The very first time it will have you install what they call the Netflix viewer.  It's less than a meg and works inside of Media Player so it's honestly more of a plug-in.  It installs before you can complain.  Then it will pop up a window for you to log into Netflix for a license for the movie.  This is where you must not try to leave the page.  I went through the whole thing on my desktop unit and it was smooth as butter.  I then went to put it on my laptop which I use as a media PC.  I got a hiccup in my connection so I closed the window while it was loading but before it got a proper license from the server.  I went nuts because after that it would only display an error.  I reboot, reinstalled the viewer, hand deleted my DRM keys, moved the DRM keys over from my desktop, created new windows users.  All I had to do, in the end, was reinstall Media Player.  Last think you check for, as always.  Works now.  So I figured I'd share that with you and save you any trouble you might otherwise have encountered.

On to the service itself.  It is fun.  There's a link right there to show you what's available to watch now that's already in your queue.  It's an incredibly useful link.  The choices are slim compared to the DVDs.  This is probably for legal reasons.  Distribution and cable release contracts and the like.  The FAQ says they have about 1,000 and should have 5,000 by the end of the year.  It's a supplement without a doubt.  Not a DVD rental replacement.  Most of these are indie and foreign which suits me just fine.  There were 12 movies available from my queue of 410.  That's really more of an average since I keep a separate user list for most of my additions ever since I filled up my queue (500 movie limit) and couldn't add more.  (If you want to be able to create user lists then just write at least 2 reviews and it'll show up on the bottom of the right side tool bar on your main page after a day or 2.  Unless they opened that feature to everyone as well.)  Also, if you do a regular search and it is also in their streaming collection there will be a Watch Now button right over the Add to Queue button.

That's it for now.  I'm still toying around with is since I only have 8 days till my Hour Limit starts over and my full monthly quota to burn.  It's flawed and limited but a very nice entry into streaming competition.  Also, it's sweet to be one of the first to get it.  Now when June comes around and everyone has it I can feel superior because I was using it before it was big. 

G'night you posers.