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As most Xbox 360 owners know (at least those that have an Xbox Live! account) the new Xbox Live! interface went live today. This update completely revamps the interface adding a number of features like 8 person chat and Avatars. More importantly, for those with a Netflix account, Netflix streaming of movies has been made available. This editorial will be a short review of the interface changes and a more in-depth one of Netflix streaming.
The interface has been completely revamped from a more tab based with limited options on the screen to what looks to be subsequent screens fading off into the distance. This actually makes more information available to users at one time. The overall look of the interface is much improved with much better graphics and integration of your chosen theme. Flipping through the different screens is mostly quick though it does seem to make the entire interface a bit more clunky. There are a number of categories including:
With all the new features, it would be nice to have a "favorites" list under My Xbox to simplify things, though that probably would mean that much of the additional advertising... er... content would be missed by the average user. One thing I did like was that when you disconnected the controller, the interface didn't immediately lock up until you turned on the controller. While this isn't a big deal for casual user (to adjust settings or navigate menus) but when you are watching a video, saving those batteries for more important things than just being ready to pause a video is paramount.
Owing more than a little to the Wii and their Miis, the Avatars are customizable "people" that represent you on Xbox Live. I thought that I would hate the little dudes but really, I don't. They look much more grown up than the Miis (less big-headed). You can customize their size, shape, color, clothes, and accessories. You can also save outfits so that you can switch them easier (in case your Avatar is going to a formal dinner I guess). The most extensive options are in the Avatar's features such as eyes, nose, mouth, etc. with a fairly limited number of clothes available. I was able to quickly put together three different outfits and saved them depending on my mood. It was easy to do and actually pretty fun. There is a photo option that lets you pose your Avatar and use them as your Gamer Picture. Of course, you can still use the Gamer Pictures you downloaded if you prefer.
On the Friends menu, anyone who you have friended will be shown in Avatar form. When you scroll over them, a word balloon (a la comics) will pop up with their name in it. What background they are on will depend on what theme you have choses. It will also show you where they are or what they are doing in some fashion. If they are playing a game, it'll let you know which so that you can ask to join or invite them to a different on. If your friend is offline, their Avatar will appear to be sleeping standing up.
For me, the most important thing I was interested in was the Netflix streaming. I already have a Netflix account (have been a member for a lot longer than I've worked for Audioholics) so it was a no cost upgrade. For other Live users, it is a $9 a month subscription fee. First the bad - when adding movies to your "instant view" list, it will sometimes tell you that a movie isn't available on Xbox. It appears that there is some conflict with the classic video download service that has long been available through Xbox Live and other services. Netflix claims to be working out the licensing issues. Second, stereo audio is as good as it gets.
The good is legion. Setup was a matter of signing in to Xbox Live and getting a code and entering it into a screen on the Netflix website. A few seconds later and I had access. From there, you need to add movies to your Watch Instantly queue manually. Each time you add a movie, it'll take anywhere from a few seconds to a minute for it to show up on the Xbox Live interface. While your viewing experience will vary based on the speed of your connection, I have a cable connection (basic package) and I am hardwired through the Belkin Powerline AV+. With this connection, I get 4 out of 4 bars for standard definition streaming and between 2 and 3 out of 4 for high definition.
I had no idea this was available on Netflix but apparently it is. The picture difference between the SD and HD was substantial with the SD picture noticeably softer than the HD. I was very surprised at the HD picture how clean and clear it was. With Ratatouille in standard definition (and 4 out of 4 bars connection speed) the picture was rock solid, the motion was without judder or blur. The 2 bar connection speed on an HD movie showed many more visual artifacts and motion blur. With 3 bars, the motion blur and macroblocking was much reduced (to the point that only I noticed it and not any of my family or friends. Still, the fact that Xbox Live can stream HD in any form is impressive. Given that Roku claims that they'll be able able stream HD from Netflix at a lower bandwidth could mean that HD isn't out of the realm of possibility for the common user.
Queuing up a movie took all of a few seconds (never longer than a minute) and stayed stable for the most part. Once, when I had gotten a 3 bar connection speed, the connection slowed and had to reload the movie (presumably at a 2 bar speed). It is unclear if that is going to be a common occurrence or not (though it happened to one of our other reviewers as well). When watching a movie, you can stop a movie at any time an it will remember your position. It also tells you how much (percentage) of the movie you've watched. Rewinding and fast-forwarding is a bit clunky and requires you to re-queue the movie but it works. Overall, I'm quite impressed with this service. With probably more people online trying it right now, the fact that it hasn't totally crashed probably says more than anything else.
The new "Xbox Experience" has done something that Microsoft hasn't done in a long time - impress me. Perhaps it was because my expectations were so low after I saw how they were aping the Miis with their Avatars. The fact is that I had high hopes for the Netflix interface and they were all fulfilled or exceeded. I had no idea we'd be seeing HD streaming in any form at this time. I had hoped it would be better quality but it is good enough for the movies that are available (most seem to be TV shows or documentaries at this time). I'll experiment more and you can bet you'll be hearing about it on AV Rant.
Edit 1 - There was already an update to Netflix which seems to have increased my HD streaming speed to 3 bars pretty consistently. This significantly increases the quality of the viewing experience (no, it doesn't touch Blu-ray and is still is stereo).
As Associate Editor at Audioholics, Tom promises to the best of his ability to give each review the same amount of attention, consideration, and thoughtfulness as possible and keep his writings free from undue bias and preconceptions. Any indication, either internally or from another, that bias has entered into his review will be immediately investigated. Substantiation of mistakes or bias will be immediately corrected regardless of personal stake, feelings, or ego.
The only problem I do have is that sometimes those apps get a little finicky sometimes, as Netflix does when trying to switch accounts. Whether you're using an Xbox 360 or a PlayStation 3, it's just too damn difficult to log out and log back in with another account, since the Netflix account is directly associated with the PS3 and Xbox gamertag.
As it turns out, there's a little known secret that works for both the Xbox 360 and PS3 systems. When logged in to the Netflix app on your console, simple enter the secret combination below on your controller's directional pad.
What this code does is take you to the secret Netflix diagnostics page, which you can use to deactivate and log out of your account, then associate a different Netflix account with your gamertag, among other things.
All you have to do is go to your Netflix home and type in the simple code. Make sure that when you type in the code, you do it at a moderate pace. If you do it too quickly or too slowly, the code will not work.
Just updated your iPhone? You'll find new features for Podcasts, News, Books, and TV, as well as important security improvements and fresh wallpapers. Find out what's new and changed on your iPhone with the iOS 17.5 update.
Are you tired of missing out on your favorite Netflix shows and movies when traveling abroad? It can be frustrating to discover that the content you love is restricted based on your current location. The good news is that you can change your Netflix region and regain access to a wider variety of content, no matter where you are in the world.
Yes, this method will allow you to watch Netflix anywhere abroad and is popular with people who travel frequently. For example, Americans visiting the UK will be able to securely stream American Netflix, and British travelers in the US can watch Netflix UK.
Many providers are committed to providing a workaround and maintaining servers that offer reliable VPN access to various Netflix libraries. Even so, not all of these providers offer a comparable service. For streaming, you need to ensure your VPN is fast and reliable. And you also want to know that your chosen provider values security and privacy to the utmost degree.
NordVPN is another strong player in terms of privacy protection and security. It keeps no logs whatsoever, not even bandwidth data caps. Security is in the form of 256-bit banking-grade encryption with perfect forward secrecy. DNS leak protection and a customizable kill switch help ensure your data never leaves the encrypted tunnel. One more unique security feature is that certain dedicated servers are optimized to protect against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.
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