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[CountryBumkin]

The new MC build removes the categories from Netflix (i.e. Classics, Romance, Comedies, Action-Adventure, etc.). According to the build description, Netfix is not supporting categories any longer.  

Without categories you have to go to the NetFlix website and pre-select movies/shows then put those in your Queue and/or select what to watch from the Recommended list (which is created from your viewing preferences - but isn't so helpful to other users in the house that  have different viewing preferences). Unless I'm missing "the big picture", this is a bad change.

Could the Netflix categories just be left working (in .159 and future builds) - until they stop functioning (whenever that may be)? The categories are still working/displaying in the lower builds - so for now 158 will be the latest build for me.

[Matt]

Unless I'm missing "the big picture", this is a bad change.

We agree.  You could try telling Netflix.

[CountryBumkin]

I will tell them with my cancellation.

[Matt]

Streaming companies like closed platforms.  A Roku or Wii get more enthusiastic support from Netflix than PC software.

Personally, I'm not happy about web browser only video solutions.  They don't allow high quality audio and video rendering, don't work well with a remote, and don't work well from the couch.  The HTPC is the ultimate home entertainment device if you're a nerd like me, but big companies rarely support it nicely.  I suppose it's about complexity and control for them.

It's a strange world.

[CountryBumkin]

From Engadget >>>A blog post indicates the API is now focused on supporting Netflix's official clients on the many devices its customers use to stream movies, not hobbyist projects for managing ones queue or finding new movies to watch. While those already in place should still work since existing keys will remain active, the developer forums are being set to read-only, no new keys are being issued and new partners are no longer being accepted.

Perhaps the old code from earlier MC versions will continue to work with .159 and beyond.

[Matt]

The Queue will still work.

But the OData catalog (the category lists) goes away in a week:
http://developer.netflix.com/blog/read/Changes_to_the_Public_API_Program

[imugli]

This is seriously disappointing...

As I mentioned in another thread, the grass on the Roku side of things is beginning to look a lot greener and thats disappointing because I love the work you guys do and this is through no fault of your own...

While browser based streaming services may not offer quality, they do offer convenience and seem to be the way of the near term future...

Adding another piece of equipment to the lounge room and gaining WAF isn't an easy exercise to go through in my house but alas, it may just have to be done... MC for local content and TV and a Roku for streaming content... 

[rec head]

This is pretty stupid on NF's part. I think that their website interface is really nice but it is still a website and remote controls don't work well so I avoid it. I have been using WMC because they haven't updated in so long that NF still works pretty well. I'm sure the folks here could crush WMC's interface if only they were allowed to. I don't like advocating a non-MC solution on their site but they have their hands tied on this. Using WMC isn't that hard as long as you have a universal remote.

[Neco]

So stupid of Netflix...  Pathetically stupid and clearly motivated by money.

They deserve to be usurped at this point.   Refuse to change and die like the rest.

On the other side, I am in the process of turning my brother into an MC convert.   We've both got Galaxy 3's now, and he and my parents have TV's with  smarthub  so we've been working on getting  DLNA streaming setup and running both for in the home and when out of the house.

It's mostly been painless, aside from some subtitle issues I think will be fixed with a tweak to LAV Filter.

[Daveyravey]

I think as Netflix now have a windows 8 app they want control over that and not let external programmes use the Api.  Out of interest I set up theatreview to open up the windows 8 app instead of jriver internal version and to be honest the metro app works well and you can use a remote to do most things and Netflix are supposedly fully supporting mce remote in a later build!  Try it and see

[CountryBumkin]

I am no longer getting the "Recommended Titles" on Netflix as of April 10. I still get my Queue titles. Its the same on all three of my MC systems. 

Is this expected - do to the changes noted above (removing of categories), or is my system (on Netflix) just temporarily hosed up? Is "Recommended" a category?

[JohnT]

I am no longer getting the "Recommended Titles" on Netflix as of April 10. I still get my Queue titles. Its the same on all three of my MC systems. 

Is this expected - do to the changes noted above (removing of categories), or is my system (on Netflix) just temporarily hosed up? Is "Recommended" a category?

I just tried and I'm still getting the Netflix recommended list.  This call doesn't use the "OData" feed that Netflix canned, so it *should* still work.  It may be a little slow sometimes, or maybe it was down for a period of time?  Try again.

[CountryBumkin]

Nothing yet. Under "Recommended" it says "There are no items to display".
I went to Netflix site and added some more titles to my queue. That worked okay. But Recommended is still empty (I restarted MC too). I check again later.