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Author Topic: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime integration in Theater View  (Read 14634 times)

Bengi010

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Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime integration in Theater View
« on: January 18, 2014, 06:08:49 pm »

Could someone in the know please give us a concise update on the status of integration for video streaming sources in theater view.  As it stands now there is some integration but with major flaws, and I (and I'm sure others) would like to know if and when there will be improvements.  I'm sure all of the issues have been enumerated already, but I'll list my gripes again just so there's no confusion.

Netflix - I was only able to get netflix to work satisfactorily in theater view by redirecting to the webpage through the browser.  This gives me the same interface as I'd get at any computer but renders the remote useless, I have to use a mouse or track pad to navigate. 

Hulu - Navigation works ok but in the popular episodes tab episodes are listed by episode name and description only, which makes it impossible to tell what show you are looking at - I know this has been brought up before - is there any hope of a fix?

Amazon Prime - I'm actually writing this because I'm considering joining Amazon Prime and was searching the forum for a clue about how well it will integrate with Theater View.  I didn't find any useful info.

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JimH

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Re: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime integration in Theater View
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2014, 06:35:54 pm »

There is no support for Amazon.

Netflix works fine for me, but maybe you're not in the U.S. 

Hulu and Youtube both work, may not be perfect.

These sites are not friendly to developers like JRiver, and they frequently change.  We do our best to keep up with the changes.

It is possible that the environment will change some day.
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maintainin

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Re: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime integration in Theater View
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2014, 10:16:18 pm »

Not sure what you're using as OS but I'm using windows 8.1 and use this program to launch windows 8 metro apps inside theater view:

http://www.itsjustwhatever.com/downloads/windows-8-metro-app-launchers/

It's basically just a script that launches any metro app you have installed. Hitting escape(or stop on the media center remote I'm using at the moment) exits the program and take you right back to theater view. I deleted the default netflix and added the netflix metro app. It works pretty well. Good thing about the windows netflix app is that it can stream in 1080p. I believe viewing netflix in a browser is only720p? Due to silver light limitations? I also added a much prettier weather app and google search. Im guessing the Hulu and Amazon metro apps would work just as well. But if you're not using windows 8 all this is moot.
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imugli

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Re: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime integration in Theater View
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2014, 07:31:54 am »

The other option is one I've taken myself (with Netflix & Hulu, anyway), which is to ditch the JR Theater View "Intergration" and tell MC to load the respective webpages instead.

You'll need some kind of pointing device to navigate etc, but I still find it better than the current integrations.

This is by no means a slight at JR, they do the best they can with what they get from the likes of Netflix and Hulu API wise...

You can do this in Tools > Options > Theater View, then Add > Website. Enter the URL details for the netflix selection page or the Hulu selection page, then remove the default items.

Castius

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Re: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime integration in Theater View
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2014, 06:00:10 pm »

I will instead be opening the kylo web browser. This is better for all webpage interfaces. When I close kylo it will reopen jriver
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Bengi010

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Re: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime integration in Theater View
« Reply #5 on: January 24, 2014, 02:53:11 pm »

Thank you all for replies.

Jim - I have retried the native theater view netflix and the problem is that recommendations don't load.  My instant queue is there but nothing else.  That is why I consider it virtually non-functioning, there's no good way to browse movies.

imugli - Thanks, that is what I have been doing and will probably continue to do.   Though I may try maintainin's suggestion of trying to link the windows 8 netflix app instead of the webpage.  I've been looking for a good excuse to update the HTPC's OS.

Still vacillating on Amazon Prime... anyone who's tried it have anything to say, pro or con?
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JimH

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Re: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime integration in Theater View
« Reply #6 on: January 24, 2014, 03:15:05 pm »

Outside the US?

Recommendations work for me for Netflix in Theater View.
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CountryBumkin

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Re: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime integration in Theater View
« Reply #7 on: January 24, 2014, 03:25:58 pm »

Is anyone else seeing this issue?
If you try to fwd or rwd in Hulu or YouTube it freezes the program (at least it appears to be frozen). The picture freezes and I can't stop, exit, or get back to the MC menu. At first I had to Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart MC. I have since found that if I wait 5 or 10 minutes (no exaggeration), Hulu or YouTube will actually go to the fwd or rwd spot. But it takes way too long. There should be way to cancel and get back to the MC menu.
BTW - Netflix fwds and rewinds just fine. And you get the spinning icon (program loading) so at least you know its doing something. Hulu and YouTube just sits there.
Just me - or is everyone getting this?
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Bengi010

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Re: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime integration in Theater View
« Reply #8 on: January 24, 2014, 04:12:34 pm »

No, I live in NY

And no I haven't had trouble ff or rew hulu or youtube
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CountryBumkin

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Re: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime integration in Theater View
« Reply #9 on: January 25, 2014, 07:06:04 am »

Outside the US?

Recommendations work for me for Netflix in Theater View.

Recommendations don't load for me. I'm in the US.
Since they work for you Jim, perhaps the issue is not due to the Netflix API changes/abandon and is something JRiver team can fix.
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Bengi010

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Re: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime integration in Theater View
« Reply #10 on: January 26, 2014, 11:21:52 am »

Not sure what you're using as OS but I'm using windows 8.1 and use this program to launch windows 8 metro apps inside theater view:

http://www.itsjustwhatever.com/downloads/windows-8-metro-app-launchers/

It's basically just a script that launches any metro app you have installed. Hitting escape(or stop on the media center remote I'm using at the moment) exits the program and take you right back to theater view. I deleted the default netflix and added the netflix metro app. It works pretty well. Good thing about the windows netflix app is that it can stream in 1080p. I believe viewing netflix in a browser is only720p? Due to silver light limitations? I also added a much prettier weather app and google search. Im guessing the Hulu and Amazon metro apps would work just as well. But if you're not using windows 8 all this is moot.



I'm trying to do this now.  I have the metrolauncher app set up but I don't know how to make MC launch it.  The website says something about a command line but I'm unfamiliar with how to do that.
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Bengi010

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Re: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime integration in Theater View
« Reply #11 on: February 09, 2014, 04:33:14 pm »

I'd really like to figure out how to run metro apps through JRiver as was mentioned in this post:

Not sure what you're using as OS but I'm using windows 8.1 and use this program to launch windows 8 metro apps inside theater view:

http://www.itsjustwhatever.com/downloads/windows-8-metro-app-launchers/

It's basically just a script that launches any metro app you have installed. Hitting escape(or stop on the media center remote I'm using at the moment) exits the program and take you right back to theater view. I deleted the default netflix and added the netflix metro app. It works pretty well. Good thing about the windows netflix app is that it can stream in 1080p. I believe viewing netflix in a browser is only720p? Due to silver light limitations? I also added a much prettier weather app and google search. Im guessing the Hulu and Amazon metro apps would work just as well. But if you're not using windows 8 all this is moot.


I am using Windows 8 and I have the program in the link, but I don't know how to use it in MC19 to launch metro apps.  Can someone walk me through that?
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cncb

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Re: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime integration in Theater View
« Reply #12 on: February 09, 2014, 07:42:20 pm »

I am using Windows 8 and I have the program in the link, but I don't know how to use it in MC19 to launch metro apps.  Can someone walk me through that?

In "Options | Theater View" click on the "Add" button next to the "Items To Show" list.  Choose "External Program" in the menu, click the Browse button, and select the executable of the program.  You can then add any command line arguments that might be necessary.
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