Netflix finally brings 'Watch Instantly' to Macs via Silverlight

In a move that seemed like it would never, ever, ever happen, Netflix has finally managed to bring its streaming video technology (and decent library) to Macs everywhere, thanks to Microsoft's Flash-esque also-ran, Silverlight. It seems that the software will allow the rental house to safely DRM its content where ever it goes via Redmond's Play Ready, thus leaping the hurdle that has kept some 12,000 movies and TV shows off of non-PC systems. Netflix claims that the new implementation in Silverlight provides "breakthrough navigation for fast-forward and rewind," though fails to indicate exactly when this is all being rolled out (we assume immediately). Unfortunately for super-duper late adopters, the software will only work with Intel-based Macs, so if you've been holding onto a G3 for dear life, here's one more reason to finally can it, along with your Xbox 360 HD DVD player, Von Dutch trucker cap, and gas-guzzling Escalade. Full PR after the break.

NETFLIX BEGINS ROLL-OUT OF 2ND GENERATION

MEDIA PLAYER FOR INSTANT STREAMING

ON WINDOWS PCs AND INTEL MACS

Based on Microsoft Silverlight, New Player Features Enhanced Dynamic Streaming, First-Time Use for Macs and

Breakthrough Navigation for Fast-Forward and Rewind

LOS GATOS, Calif., October 27, 2008 – Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX), the world's largest online movie rental service, today announced it has begun the deployment of Microsoft Silverlight to enhance the instant watching component of the Netflix service and to allow subscribers for the first time to watch movies and TV episodes instantly on their Intel-based Apple Macintosh computers. The deployment, which will initially touch a small percentage of new Netflix subscribers, is the first step in an anticipated roll-out of the new platform to all Netflix subscribers by the end of the year.

Silverlight is designed for delivery of cross-platform, cross-browser media experiences inside a Web browser. It is expected that Netflix members who watch movies and TV episodes instantly on their computers will enjoy a faster, easier connection and a more robust viewing experience with Silverlight, due to the quality built directly into the player. Among the viewing enhancements with the new player is a breakthrough in timeline navigation that vastly improves the use of fast-forwarding and rewinding. The new Netflix player takes advantage of Play Ready DRM, which is built into Silverlight, for the playback of protected content on both Windows-based PCs and on Macs. That had not been possible with previous generation technologies.

"Silverlight with Play Ready offers a powerful and secure toolkit for delivery of dynamic streaming, which offers faster start-up, and higher quality video, adapted in real time to users' connection speeds," said Netflix Chief Product Officer Neil Hunt. "Members who enjoy watching movies and TV episodes from the growing library of choices that can be instantly streamed at Netflix will be thrilled with this next generation improvement of access and quality, on a broader range of platforms, including Intel Macs and Firefox."

[Jim Smothers @ Oct 27th 2008 12:42AM]

Netflix is a heavy duty Microsoft shop. They use Microsoft DRM exclusively when streaming to PC's, the ROKU player, etc. Their player for the PC isn't flash based either, it's a full-blown app that masquerades in a browser.

Silverlight has all the DRM goodies in it to support Netflix streaming, but I wonder if the v2.0 release is required for this? I'd stick to playing from Firefox.

Lastly - WHEN, oh WHEN, will Netflix allow you to SEARCH for "instant watch" content?

Yes, it's free. Unlimited streaming if you have a two-DVD plan, I think. BUT: If you want to find "Instant Watch" content, you need to go to a 3rd party web site! Like this:

http://www.thenowhereman.com/netflix

./Jim

[Jim Smothers @ Oct 27th 2008 1:27AM]

Just checked on Microsoft's Silverlight page, v2.0 went final about a week ago.

A very active forum:
http://silverlight.net/forums/

And the previous comment about Flash development is true. Adobe charges a fortune to develop Flash apps. Silverlight development is now integrated into Eclipse for free:
http://www.eclipse4sl.org/

-Jim

[Kyle @ Oct 28th 2008 1:14AM]

Developing for Flash isn't expensive, infact it can be free. If you have windows, then the best thing to do is download FlashDevelop (free) along with the Adobe Flex framework (free). FlashDevelop's autocomplete rocks even Visual Studio's. To me, it just feels a little leaner than Eclipse. Don't forget about Komodo either as another option; the 'Edit' version is free, and supports actionscript, although I don't think it has the level of Flex integration that FlashDevelop has.

FlashDevelop is so great, that I end up using it as css editor, javascript editor, html editor, php, etc. It has syntax highlighting and autocompletion for all of those. Simply throw a .as3proj file in each of your project directories, and it will have that directory tree in your project. It's basically the best IDE even if you DON'T use flash. And again, this is free.

[Bryan @ Oct 27th 2008 4:26AM]

Macs *everywhere*? Does this mean it'll work here in France? Or is this one of those USAnian everywheres?

[Valicore @ Oct 27th 2008 4:29AM]

I don't like this at ALL. Play Ready is a little bit too close to PlaysForSure for me. I have the urge to carry a wooden stake, some garlic, and a bit of holy water to throw at anything DRM, especially if Microsoft makes it. "We are the Zune, resistance is futile"...

[Scott Rose @ Oct 27th 2008 5:17AM]

Thanks to Apple for REFUSING to license their DRM so we have to install Microsoft's crappy Silverlight technology on our Macs just to instantly watch Netflix movies on our Mac. Thanks for nothing, Apple!

[OCEAN 'CLAK' 20th @ Oct 27th 2008 5:35AM]

silverlight microsoft product YUK that would never step foot on my macbook air, especially when ive got itunes movie downloads, netfix yuk

[SneakyPete @ Oct 27th 2008 9:12AM]

@AllOfTheAbove...

Get out more!

[Michael Nelson @ Oct 27th 2008 12:42PM]

How did you have time to stop by and post that, Active Andy?

[phanbouy @ Oct 27th 2008 12:31PM]

vat iz dis "out" you speek ov?

[Michael Nelson @ Oct 27th 2008 12:43PM]

@ phanbouy

Thank god for Murray!

[phanbouy @ Oct 27th 2008 12:46PM]

that's Ginger Balls to you, Mike!

[Advice Network @ Oct 27th 2008 1:05PM]

I've got a G5 tower. I don't consider myself a "super duper late adapter," it still ROCKS.

[snowglyder @ Oct 27th 2008 1:56PM]

Can my 360 HD-DVD addition?? Oh HELLS NO! I just picked up BSG Season 1 HD-DVD set for $9.95 and Transformers HD-DVD for $6, both new!! The format may be "dead", but the stuff that is out there is still HD, and it's CHEAP!

[Dan @ Oct 27th 2008 6:07PM]

The Netflix Help file answers are illuminating:

Q: Can I watch Netflix instantly on a Macintosh?
A: DEPRECATED FAQ

[netflixfan @ Oct 27th 2008 6:54PM]

I presume Netflix's video service is tied to a Microsoft proprietary DRM system, which is why it's been IE-only + Windows-only for so long and why even the Mac version requires special Microsoft plug-in software.

On one hand, this is a huge win for Microsoft to get this kind of push from Netflix.

On the other hand, this will inevitably lead to resentment: plenty of people use Macintosh explicity to avoid Microsoft governed technology standards and software.

[RocketTech @ Oct 28th 2008 11:30AM]

Plenty of people use PCs to avoid Apple governed technology standards and software.

[Cray @ Oct 27th 2008 8:37PM]

When is Netflix going to provide close-captioning or/and subtitles to their 'Watch Instantly' movies? Or they going continue to ignore the deaf consumers?

[scooter @ Oct 28th 2008 7:45AM]

what?

[John Donahue @ Oct 28th 2008 6:29PM]

I am a little ticked off here. So much for customer loyalty. I have been a long time, loyal Netflix customer. I am a Mac use and have had to sit by and watch half of my monthly subscription be stolen from me every month because the programming staff at Netflix was either too lazy, uneducated, or just biased Windows-only, who needs to support any other platform snobs.

Now, they finally start letting some other platform into the party, it happens to be mine, and I am not one of the first to be invited to the ball. Do you know what a slap in the face that is! What do they think they are--a weasily wireless phone company?

This is the very same type of practice that everyone has always complained about from their wireless phone company for years. First it was, I was not welcome to the party. Then, if I was willing to purchase a set-top box for a hundred bucks that did nothing more than allow me to do what every one with a Windows based PC had already been able to do for almost two years. Now, they open the doors to my platform and once again, I am not invited.

Maybe, I should stop inviting them into my checking account every month. They sure have enjoyed sucking off three hundred bucks a year from my checking account and only giving me half the service they claimed to offer. And, now their rubbing it in my face that they have finally wised up to the fact that the user base balance of Windows and everybody else is starting to even out and the best way to the Unix/Linux crowd is to start with the user base that isn't going away in the consumer market place--the Mac user. I am one of those users, where is my instant viewing you nasty little misers.

Why weren't we loyal customers, who have been cheated out of our rightful service offerings for so long offered the first opportunity to test out the new software. We probably have already been testing Silverlight since it was in the Alpha stages anyway, you friggin fools.

Your new customers to Netflix, who also happen to be Mac users are probably also new Mac users as well and won't be very useful at providing feedback.

Most longstanding and knowledgeable computer users, that weren't just mindless automatons for the boys in blue from that far northwest city in Washington, have been Mac Users and Netflix users for many, many years. Most of us have been using Netflix before you ever ran a single television ad. If you really want good, knowledgeable and credible feedback, you missed the boat.

[Mike @ Oct 28th 2008 9:23PM]

How much do your pay for instant watching each month? Nothing- last I checked it's a free service.

So now that there is finally an acceptable DRM solution for your platform of choice that is blessed by the studios AND licensed by the owner of the solution and you complain that you're weren't first in line for the gradual roll out?

[phil @ Oct 30th 2008 1:59AM]

This is old news I have been using http://3click.tv to watch on the Mac for a while, great streaming quality and thousands of hours of complete seasons of ad free shows...

[ericshunn @ Nov 25th 2008 1:47AM]

3click.tv, pay one small monthly fee an watch all you want... Waayyy ahead of Netflix
There is 8500 episodes of television here COMPLETE SEASONS of shows like 24 lost heroes streaming directly into iPhone, Mac, and PC. Its not a site full of redirects and junk, this is for real, like adding a HUGE TiVo to your iPhone Mac or PC., its new and you can try it for free... no ads- no bs- just thousands of hours of premium television.
Available in the USA Canada Europe UK and Australia
http://3click.tv

enjoy!

[W @ Dec 24th 2008 5:18PM]

As a user of Linux and with a Wii, I feel somewhat left out. I just joined HULU and it works GREAT on Linux. Redmond is not the only solution -- there are a lot of us using various version of Linux and with the recent adoption of netbooks, the numbers are only growing. We have been Netflix users for several years but have never been able to watch a movie on-line due to such restrictions.

[alex @ Jan 5th 2009 10:58PM]

They use Microsoft DRM exclusively when streaming to PC's, the ROKU player, etc. Their player for the PC isn't flash based either, it's a full-blown app that masquerades in a browser, I feel somewhat left out. I just joined HULU and it works GREAT on Linux. Redmond is not the only solution -
http://www.cyberdesignz.com/