Netflix Taps Microsoft’s Silverlight for Second-gen Media Player
Source: Tom's Guide | Keywords: Video, streaming, netflix
Netflix announced today that it has begun deploying a new streaming media player based on Microsoft’s Silverlight, although only users of Intel-based Macintosh computers will be able to use the product in its initial deployment.
Currently, Netflix subscribers who wish to stream movies and television episodes to their PCs must use Internet Explorer. Silverlight, which will be rolled out to all Netflix subscribers by the end of the year, will provide cross-browser compatibility. Netflix also claims that Silverlight will enable faster connections and a “more robust viewing experience…due to the quality built directly into the player,” according to today’s press release. Content will be protected by Microsoft’s PlayReady digital rights management technology.
“Silverlight with PlayReady offers a powerful and secure toolkit for delivery of dynamic streaming,” said Netflix Chief Product Officer Neil Hunt, “which offers faster start-up and higher quality video, adapted in real time to users’ connection speeds.” Netflix will also continue to support non-PC clients, such as the Roku Netflix Player, the LG BE300 Blu-ray disc player, and the Samsung BD-P2500 Blu-ray disc players. Support for Microsoft’s Xbox 360 is expected soon, according to Netflix.
Netflix subscribers can choose from 12,000 movies and TV episodes to watch instantly, although few of those titles are new releases. The company recently announced new content deals with CBS, the Disney Channel, and Starz. Netflix counts more than 100,000 titles in its DVD library.
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rofl...an MS based product released first on Macs. That's so sick and twisted I can't even think of what to say.
yeah not sure why though. What makes the Mac hardware special?
I think they may be saying eventually it will be cross platform client, but for now will not work on macOS?
currently netflix only works on windows + IE + win media player 14. Kinda a bummer for me since I use ubuntu / mythbuntu
It is funny that they appear to be releasing it for MacOS X and using an M$ product to do it. The press release is a little unclear in that it mentions PCs and Macs, but appears to indicate the initial roll-out will be Mac only. My guess is that it's to control the number of users while they test it (fewer Macs = fewer users) plus, Macs have a more consistent hardware/software/OS configuration, so you also have a more controlled environment, better for initial testing/debugging.
Note to Netflix' Mac users, you're about to become a test subject.
Of course, the real "fun" begins when they do release the Windows version. How many different hardware/OS/driver/browser configurations are there?
Why does Netflix insist on tying their online viewing to M$ products? First IE/Win, now Silverlight.
Silverlight, just say no!
geoffs, they have to use something. If they don't tie it to MS with Silverlight they tie it to Adobe with Flash or to "Sun" with Java. It's no different.
Yuck, Silverlight is just a way to beam advertising to your PC.
There's nothing wrong with Netflix's streaming viewer, I use it I love it...on slow broadband.
Unless they consider no ads something wrong. See yuck, above.
I'd be willing to give Netflix another shot on Windows when they switch to Silverlight... I had to abandon my hopes of using their current solution on my media center as their DRM plugin junk made MCE stop working.