Netflix on the Wii
If there is something of a frustration it’s the DRM on Netflix watch instantly which bars legally and technically the ability to play on Free Desktops like Ubuntu. Even if you had moonlight installed, the Mono development community can’t or doesn’t want to reverse engineer the play for sure DRM.
Matt Lee once complained at me that I had a Wii games console, but as it turns out it might be a solution for those who want to watch instantly on Netflix since they’ve just started sending out Wii disks which allow you to watch it on your TV. Even better than watching it on your computer.
OK so it’s not free software, open formats or anything progressive. But at least there is a solution which might relieve some of the Ubuntu converts of the lack of the Netflix feature.
Thoughts?
Well, I felt the same way about the PS3 disc. The video quality, at least on the PS3, leaves a lot to be desired though. When compared to the video quality on the Xbox 360, it looks like a VHS cassette, which is quite sad. The perfect example film, IMO, is to compare Wall-E side-by-side, and the difference is crystal-clear.
Don’t know about the Wii version though, I just got my disc today, haven’t tried it. Hopefully it’s better than the PS3’s.
I love my netflix wii disk and I’m not even an Ubuntu convert.
netflix is now available on all the game consoles i believe. The wii is the only one that needs a disk, netflix uses the harddrive in the xbox and the ps3 to store its software which is just an online download a way on those consoles.
And I think they have embedded functionality in some retail home entertainment blueray players. I wouldn’t be surprised if netflix enabled tv’s started coming out soon.
I’m more perturbed at the IRS using silverlight than I am netflix.
-jef
That same DRM keeps netflix from working on a Series 2 Tivo and cost them my business.
Giving money to big media is supporting fascist laws like ACTA etc. Just don’t do it.
Boycott or using Rapidshare is the way to go.
I am also frustrated by the lack of a Netflix linux client. Particularly as Hulu works fine under Linux and still has DRM. I tried the Netflix PC client under virtualbox but found that to be a pretty clunky solution.
Recently I got a PS3 and now I can watch Netflix on my TV which is nice. It’s basically replaced Hulu as my streaming TV of choice (especially as Hulu seems to be losing shows).
I agree it’s a shame we can’t use Free Software for this stuff but a lot of things need to change before that will ever happen.
I was waiting for this development and eventually got tired of waiting. I succumbed and bought a Roku, with which I’m very pleased. I, too, just got the wii Netflix disc (hey, why not?) and find the interface much better than Roku’s. Before I invested in a hardware solution, Netflix Instant Play was the only reason I continued to dual boot Ubuntu and Windows.
And Audible.com doesn’t support Android.
‘television’ is navajo for ‘oversized blurry monitor’.
I would say that the solution to ‘I can’t stream online video to my computer’ is not ‘buy another computer that can hardly do anything /else/’. ..but if the Wii was ARM instead of PPC, I might reconsider. A computer for every different task isn’t all that bad as long as they don’t use much power, I guess.
Seriously, just dump Netflix. They are a company whose products are only available with DRM — if you want to support the film industry, find a local theatre that needs your patronage rather than giving your money to the likes of Netflix.
Also, please ban Ronald from your blog.
If the buying choice was mine to make.
Just say no to Netflix. Their continued lack of streaming for Linux cost them my business. If they don’t care about me as a customer, they apparently they don’t need my money.
Vote with your wallet.
Regarding the PS3 quality vs xbox360: Given that this is Microsoft’s streaming and DRM formats, I’m shocked, *shocked* to find that Microsoft’s xbox is the best console.
“if you want to support the film industry, find a local theatre that needs your patronage rather than giving your money to the likes of Netflix.”
Movie tickets for a family of four $10.50 * 4 = $42.00.
Popcorn, drinks and nachos for 4 $11.25 * 4 = $45.00.
(Other costs of taking a family out excluded for space. Total $87.00.
Netflix with Roku/month $9.00.
Dismissive suggestion above oozing with Class Privilege, Priceless.
Also in regards to this “just go to the theater” type comments, theater is the ULTIMATE in DRM. I have to pay for EACH person that I take. I cannot take it with me. I have to watch it on THEIR schedule. Even the food is DRMed. I cannot just bring my own food. I cannot pause for a leap to the loo. I cannot rewind to see and hear something I miss. I am forbidden from having closed caption. I cannot adjust the volume if it is so loud it is hurting my ears. I cannot turn on ambient light when the film is so bright it hurts my eyes (and yes these two things happen to me all of the time). I cannot choose the size or comfort of the chairs in which I sit. In these and many many other ways theaters impose the most restrictive forms of DRM upon us.
So such statements are filled with class and abled privilege. Not all of us are able to afford at all times such trips and our different abledness is seriously impacted by being forced to sit in a theater on THEIR terms.
Hey Aoirthoir, you have a totally valid point. I don’t go to those theatres, and I encourage my friends not to, either. However, there are a lot of small theatres which are not part of the traditional cinema racket — drive-ins, enthusiast-run places, etc which will sell you tickets at a very reasonable price (the drive-in near me shows double features for $4) and let you eat your own food and snacks.
The answer to DRM on Netflix is not to support the cinema cartel; but there are real alternatives in many cities which help to support lesser-known film makers and DRM-free movies (like Sita Sings the Blues).
Theatre accessibility is another major issue, and again the traditional theatre cartel fails miserably here. In order to support the whole spectrum of consumers, we need to fight for Free movie technologies and against DRM, and part of that fight is refusing to give money to companies like Netflix who are intentionally locking their customers into non-Free technologies.
Ryan,
Everything I said about theaters, applies to the “cartels” AND the small independent theater. My Roku is 9 dollars a month. I watched four shows tonight with one of my girlfriends. I’ve let her use it for the past several weeks so she can catch up on shows she’s missed. So yeah, the DRM on the Roku is a great deal less than in a theater.