VmcNetFlix, Netflix Watch Now On Your Media Center Extender
Josephine Heathershaw
vmcNetFlix, Netflix Watch Now on Your Media Center Extender
Do you have a Windows Media Center PC and a Netflix subscription? Do you want to watch your favorite movies and TV shows on your TV or home theater without using a web browser? If you answered yes to these questions, then you might be interested in vmcNetFlix, a free plug-in for Windows Media Center that lets you stream Netflix content to your Media Center Extender device.
What is vmcNetFlix?
vmcNetFlix is a small add-in for Windows Media Center that helps you import Netflix movies and enjoy them on your computer, as well as manage your subscription. It allows you to browse, search, and play Netflix's Watch Instantly movies and TV shows from within the Media Center interface. You can also add movies to your DVD Queue or My List (formerly Instant Queue), view movie details and ratings, and download movies for offline viewing.
What is a Media Center Extender?
A Media Center Extender (MCX) is a device that connects to your Windows Media Center PC over a wired or wireless network and streams the media center functions to your TV or home theater. This way, you can use the Media Center features (such as view photos, videos, listen to music, watch live TV and use DVR functions, watch recorded TV, etc.) on a different display device without having to move your PC. You can also use multiple MCX devices in different rooms of your home simultaneously, each receiving different output from the PC.
Some examples of MCX devices are dedicated hardware devices such as set-top boxes or televisions, or software-based implementations such as the Xbox 360 gaming console. The Xbox 360 has a built-in MCX functionality and can operate both as a gaming machine and a digital media hub.
How to use vmcNetFlix with a Media Center Extender?
To use vmcNetFlix with a Media Center Extender, you need to have the following requirements:
- A Windows Media Center PC running Windows Vista Home Premium/Ultimate or Windows 7 Home Premium/Ultimate with vmcNetFlix installed.
- A Netflix account with a valid subscription and the Netflix Movie Viewer installed on your PC.
- A Media Center Extender device connected to your TV or home theater and paired with your PC.
- A fast and reliable network connection between your PC and your MCX device.
Once you have met these requirements, you can follow these steps to enjoy Netflix content on your MCX device:
- On your PC, launch Windows Media Center and go to the vmcNetFlix section. You will be asked to enter your Netflix username and password. Once you are logged in, you can browse and search for movies and TV shows from the Netflix library.
- On your MCX device, launch Windows Media Center and go to the vmcNetFlix section. You will see the same content as on your PC. You can use your remote control to navigate and select the movie or TV show you want to watch.
- Once you have selected a movie or TV show, you can choose to play it directly on your MCX device using the WatchNow option. This will stream the content from Netflix over the network to your MCX device. Alternatively, you can choose to download it to your PC using the Download option. This will save the content locally on your PC for later viewing. You can also add it to your DVD Queue or My List using the appropriate options.
- If you choose to play the content directly on your MCX device, make sure that the codec used by Netflix is supported by your MCX device. Otherwise, the content will not play properly or at all. You can check the codec information by pressing the Info button on your remote control while playing the content. If the codec is not supported by your MCX device, you can try to transcode it on the fly by enabling the Transcode option in vmcNetFlix settings on your PC. This will convert the content to a codec that is supported by your MCX device while streaming it. However, this may affect the quality and performance of the playback.
- If you choose to download the content to your PC, you can access it later from the Downloaded section in vmcNetFlix on your PC or MCX device. You can play it offline without needing a network connection or a Netflix subscription. However, you will need to delete the content after a certain period of time, as specified by Netflix.
Conclusion
vmcNetFlix is a useful and convenient plug-in for Windows Media Center that enables you to watch Netflix's Watch Instantly movies and TV shows on your Media Center Extender device. It helps you enrich your local movie collection and enjoy your favorite content on a larger screen. However, you need to have a compatible MCX device, a fast and reliable network connection, and a supported codec to ensure a smooth and satisfying viewing experience.
References:
- : vmcNetFlix - Download & Review - Softpedia
- : Windows Media Center Extender - Wikipedia
- : Definition of Media Center Extender - PCMag