Netflix API open to all: let the developing begin

Good news, developers of the world -- the Netflix API will be open to all starting tomorrow. As of October 1st, absolutely anyone can self-signup by visiting the read link, and while details are a tad sketchy at the moment, it sounds like this could hold some serious promise. The API itself allows access to data for 100,000 movie and TV episode titles, is completely free and (most importantly) allows commercial use. In other words, it's kosher if a bright developer out there somewhere feels like "creating an iPhone app to sell for $0.99 (Netflix's words, not ours)." On the technical side, the API includes a REST API, Javascript API and ATOM feeds, and it also uses OAuth standard security "to allow the subscriber to control which applications can access the service on his or her behalf." It's time to get creative, folks.

[Mike @ Sep 30th 2008 7:59PM]

I want a plugin for Xbox Media Center STAT.

[h_2_o @ Sep 30th 2008 8:10PM]

ditto on that comment, and talk about adding even more life to a product MS abandoned way too early.

[Roofus @ Sep 30th 2008 8:32PM]

Already posted it on their forums.

[Rob @ Sep 30th 2008 8:37PM]

Fat chance of that ever taking place. Have you forgotten that MS wants you to be a Live Gold member ($40-50 annually) in order to watch something Netflix gives away for free to its paying subscribers.

[booticon @ Sep 30th 2008 8:57PM]

Rob, I'm pretty sure Mike means XBMC: http://xbmc.org/

[Rob @ Sep 30th 2008 9:00PM]

@ booticon and Mike:
My bad for not reading carefully. As an XBMC fan, I sit back down in shame.

Yes, it'd be a good thing if the XMBC team can manage to run Netflix too.

[Mike @ Sep 30th 2008 9:56PM]

No worries, here's hoping the wonderful XBMC script community can pull it off!

[AJ in the East Bay @ Oct 1st 2008 12:47AM]

F**king A! Netflix on XBMC would be a perfect match. I have three Xboxes around the house, all running XBMC and streaming movies/music from my NAS. Add Netflix to that and who needs discs anymore?

[Jake @ Oct 1st 2008 7:09AM]

@ Rob:

You fail.

You should you google "xbox media centre". ;-)

[Chris in CA @ Oct 1st 2008 9:44AM]

I'm disappointed in Microsoft's apparent abandonment of the Media Center platform as well, but Media Center has had access to Netflix streaming movies for almost a year now- http://www.anpark.com/Software.aspx It's even viewable via extender. Might want to check your facts before you go all troll-like.

[Mr. B @ Sep 30th 2008 8:01PM]

If only IMdb could be persuaded to do the same...

[mike @ Sep 30th 2008 11:13PM]

O god don't get me started. the only real thing you can do besides trying to scrap the entire site is that you can download dumps of the database each week that are aouund 3 gigs for everything. which is a bloody pain.

[Daniel @ Oct 1st 2008 11:12AM]

Why should IMDB allow that-- just because you can access it freely online? The data isn't free and they don't make any money if you don't go to their site to view it. In the case of the Netflix API, it it's not like they're being all that generous... the subscriber still has to have a netflix account before they can access the content-- they get paid.

[Grant @ Sep 30th 2008 8:01PM]

The article links to the developer page of netflix... which apparently needs a user name and password, and it's not your netflix account username and password either.

[Darren @ Sep 30th 2008 8:04PM]

Note the reference that you'll need to wait until October 1st for it to be active.

[Grant @ Sep 30th 2008 8:19PM]

right,
but there's no website.
Just a login prompt.
one would assume there would be a page of sorts stating the same.

[Kurt @ Sep 30th 2008 8:16PM]

Hope this means that there will be integration with the PS3 also. However i guess that it would impact with the revenue that sony gets from the Playstation Online Video store.

[morebadasser @ Sep 30th 2008 8:41PM]

It depends on if Sony sees value in the customers eyes on Netflix streaming capability. I think if Sony started putting more HD-quality movie PURCHASES on the video store, AND offered Netflix streaming, they wouldn't really be losing any business. I would definitely buy more movies if they actually had HD versions to BUY instead of rent. I would also continue using my Netflix account as usual if they added streaming- I would just do it on PS3 instead of my PC.

[rickjamess @ Sep 30th 2008 9:08PM]

Heck, I'd be happy if someone developed something for Yellow Dog--I could still stream it from my PS3 in that manner.

[Omen_20 @ Oct 1st 2008 1:31PM]

It would mean more for Sony just to match the feature than anything else. Take a bullet point away from Microsoft. I've never understood why Sony didnt just upgrade the browser in the PS3 and then work with Netflix to get it to work.

If Sony was smart they'd team up with either Mozilla or Google. I'd love to see that Chrome feature where you can Create Application Shortcuts. Sony could open up the Network menu to be able to have different sites saved on it. I could see Netflix, Google Docs, Facebook, Google Reader, Google Calendar, etc. It would be sweet I think.

[Kane @ Sep 30th 2008 8:16PM]

Forget the iPhone, Apple would never approve this. Instead, some bright developer could create an app for Android, giving the upcoming G1 the capability to stream all those movies and shows right to the phone.

[Vanillacide @ Oct 1st 2008 5:30AM]

Yes, Apple should now put Netflix on their Apple TV product … but they wont because it would compete with iTunes. :(

They should really open up that little box to all-and-sundry media formats and services, then they might sell more than 'hobby' levels.

[schrosa @ Sep 30th 2008 8:23PM]

Hello iphone APP!

[seamonkey420 @ Sep 30th 2008 8:27PM]

forget all of that!

i want my PS3 streaming it asap! sony get your ass on it!

[Temple @ Sep 30th 2008 10:23PM]

Oddly enough, already available for the PS3 through the DLNA server feature.

Can even run Hulu, Netflix, Youtube, stream vids from your PC etc. and you don't need Xbox Live Gold membership

http://www.themediamall.com/playon

[Sonic_13 @ Sep 30th 2008 8:32PM]

I hope some creative developer is able to bring Netflix streaming to Wii (perhaps through a special web page accessible through the Internet Channel?).

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Sep 30th 2008 8:37PM]

Awesome. I love it when a company I buy from (I have a netflix acct) does something that gives me more for my money. I was already looking forward to the XBox 360 integration, and now this! I get the warm and fuzzies whenever I get more for my money without even asking for it.

[taylor @ Sep 30th 2008 8:41PM]

@ Kane

You took the thoughts right outta my brain buddy. I just preordered the G1 and I would be glad to give Netflix my hard earned pennies if there was a video streaming app. Also my PS3! I'm very interested to see where this goes if anywhere. Keep us posted Engadget.

[Jon @ Sep 30th 2008 8:55PM]

I want HD netflix streaming .. who the F cares about SD Streaming ?

[Sokkratez @ Sep 30th 2008 9:02PM]

Thousands of people.

[Robert Lew @ Oct 1st 2008 11:37AM]

Dozens of people

[Jon @ Oct 1st 2008 11:47AM]

How am i low ranked ? i am sorry that SD looks like poo on my 60" tv .. i did not spend $$$$'s to watch SD ..

[John @ Sep 30th 2008 9:02PM]

TiVo application, now!

[Sokkratez @ Sep 30th 2008 9:04PM]

Does this mean we may have streaming compatibility with more than just Internet Explorer in future versions of other browsers? Opera, please?

[Mark @ Sep 30th 2008 9:08PM]

Sure would be nice if this included streaming. From the summary, it sure looks to me like they're just talking about access to their data--so presumably, movie/show reviews, lengths, descriptions, etc. Considering they're still holding out on letting Macs stream at all due to DRM issues, I really doubt they're going to suddenly open streaming up to all platforms with an open api.

[Harry @ Oct 1st 2008 2:21PM]

Yeah, really, none of you people clammoring about bring streaming to platform XYZ appear to have read the (short) article - it's just movie data and the ability to manage your queue that they are providing an API for...

[jaystar @ Sep 30th 2008 10:25PM]

So does this mean anything for the xbox netflix addon ... Do xbox netflix users get these addons?

[AJ in the East Bay @ Oct 1st 2008 12:52AM]

The way I understand it, this is essentially THE "add-on". Netflix made it themselves for the 360 but now they're making it the source code available to whoever wants to develop it for other systems, so PS3s, Wiis and HTPCs could very well stream Netflix movies.

[strang @ Sep 30th 2008 9:15PM]

I hope expanding into markets ouside of the US is a part of the Netflix plan.

[Gamoe @ Sep 30th 2008 9:27PM]

Wait a minute. What about all that nasty DRM wrapped around the content? How does a player access that? Surely if an iPhone could access content, the Mac would be able to do too, and yet Netflix has been unable to grant Mac users access to their instant streaming because of DRM. Or am I reading a little too much into this? Would this allow only access and manipulation of the queue? If so, it seems rather limited.

[Kevin @ Sep 30th 2008 9:27PM]

So it's official- they're developing "Watch Now" for every platform BUT Mac OS X.

[Maztec @ Sep 30th 2008 9:30PM]

Please let that be true. C'mon OS X!

[Sonic_13 @ Sep 30th 2008 10:56PM]

Where did it say that OS X was excluded?

[neodorian @ Sep 30th 2008 9:36PM]

This is odd timing. I just started using the MyNetflix plugin for Windows Media Center and it has been awesome. The functionality was already there but there is something nice (and Luddite-friendly) about being able to just browse hundreds of movies from my couch via remote control and have them play fullscreen. This ought to make good plugins like this even more common.

[Fuzzball @ Sep 30th 2008 9:49PM]

WOOT! I'd love to be able to watch on the Wii and on MythTV as well.

[TopaZ @ Sep 30th 2008 9:53PM]

How about Popcorn Hour support? However, this again raises DRM issues as many above have already stated.

[Nick Catalano @ Sep 30th 2008 10:41PM]

We don't know yet if this applies to streaming... If it is available I can almost guarantee you Sybase or someone else on networkedmediatank.com will figure it out and implement it quickly.

The second Netflix and/or Hulu can be streamed to 3rd party devices expect it on the PCH.

[Marshall @ Oct 1st 2008 1:08PM]

Popcorn Hour is already running Netflix and Hulu with Playon. There is a video of the interface at You Tube, but I can't link because the comments won't let me.

Marshall

[Sonic_13 @ Sep 30th 2008 10:58PM]

How did Engadget hear about this?

I don't see anything on the Netflix blog or press page...

[Turner @ Sep 30th 2008 11:26PM]

As has been said before, there is nothing in this story that says anything about streaming... I see nothing in the post that suggests it is talking about streaming, quite the reverse actually. "The API itself allows access to data for 100,000 movie and TV episode titles"... I would stress the DATA part, as it does not say " "allows access to 100,000 movie and TV episode titles" Further if you look on the netflix website note that the DVD library is pegged at 100,000. and the streaming library is only 12,000 titles... unless Netflix is suddenly converting every title it has to streaming I think its safe to assume this API is for data only... not streaming. If I am wrong here the bigger story is the grossly enlarged online library, not the API.

So we can look forward to an IMDB type application for the iphone/g1/whatever that can search out actors and return all movies and shows they have been in, or give you a list of all the movies with the title of your current location... but you will likely not be watching anything unless you are sitting in front of your PC or Xbox.