Running Netflix On Linux

Still wondering by Anonymous Coward · 2012-11-16 04:21 · Score: 2, Informative

Why in the world Netflix don't move to Flash?
It has DRM too. Come on guys! SilverSh*t is dead

Re:Still wondering by Bradmont · 2012-11-16 04:26 · Score: 5, Interesting

Given that Netflix' CEO was (until last month) a member of the board of directors of Microsoft, and owns about $6 Million in Microsoft stock, I think he probably doesn't want Linux to become a strong desktop option...
Re:Still wondering by spidercoz · 2012-11-16 04:27 · Score: 2

flash is dead too, and about time

--
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - Evelyn Beatrice Hall, re Voltaire
Re:Still wondering by advantis · 2012-11-16 04:29 · Score: 5, Informative

A while back, LoveFilm UK moved away from Flash to Silverlight citing DRM reasons. Apparently Flash DRM isn't good enough, while Silverlight DRM is. They also claimed that it was the studios that required the Silverlight DRM, so blame Hollywood.

--
Question for religious people: where do unrepentant masochists go when they die?
Re:Still wondering by Anonymous Coward · 2012-11-16 04:40 · Score: 1

Because that's the agreement they have with the studios. It's not a conspiracy theory to keep Linux down or anything, it's quite simple.
The studios want DRM.
They will accept Silverlight DRM.
Microsoft will not port the Silverlight DRM packages to Moonlight.
Re:Still wondering by Anonymous Coward · 2012-11-16 04:42 · Score: 1

Given that Netflix' CEO was (until last month) a member of the board of directors of Microsoft
Are you from the future? According to this he will be on the board until Nov. 28th.
Re:Still wondering by 0123456 · 2012-11-16 05:27 · Score: 4, Interesting

So how come it works on Android?
Re:Still wondering by Cinder6 · 2012-11-16 05:29 · Score: 4, Insightful

Netflix works fine on the Mac, which is a bigger threat to Microsoft's desktop dominance than Linux is.

--
If you can't convince them, convict them.
Re:Still wondering by Anonymous Coward · 2012-11-16 05:34 · Score: 1

Netflix works fine on the Mac, which is a bigger threat to Microsoft's desktop dominance than Linux is.
No, the Mac has nothing to do with any sort of threat to Microsoft's business model. The iPhone/iPad and the Android lineup, however, are.
Re:Still wondering by Bill,+Shooter+of+Bul · 2012-11-16 05:44 · Score: 1

Of course there are already netflix clients for those...

--
Well.. maybe. Or Maybe not. But Definitely not sort of.
Re:Still wondering by Anonymous Coward · 2012-11-16 06:13 · Score: 1

You're obviously a M$ shill because Linux can do all that and more, totally libre.
Well, except run flash stably, have supported codecs that people actually use and a unified platform to encourage big-house game development. It has a beautiful shell, though.
Re:Still wondering by Bradmont · 2012-11-16 06:54 · Score: 1

Oh, sorry, it was announced last month that he was leaving. I jumped the gun a little bit.
Re:Still wondering by Desler · 2012-11-16 07:27 · Score: 3, Insightful

Hardware-level DRM.
Re:Still wondering by evilviper · 2012-11-16 08:12 · Score: 4, Interesting

Netflix works fine on the Mac, which is a bigger threat to Microsoft's desktop dominance than Linux is.
Apple's Mac is clearly no threat to Microsoft. They've shown themselves perfectly happy to have a profitable niche, rather than lower prices and cater to the unwashed masses.
The real threat to Windows is Android... A decent Android tablet is only $80, plus a few for bluetooth keyboard and stand. Viewsonic is embedding Android systems in their monitors, now, so you can go buy a new monitor for your PC, and later decide the PC its attached to is redundant. I'm frustrated nobody has put together a polished Linux OS layer for Android, ala. Cygwin or MacPorts, so a number of Linux apps I need can't be run on Android. Microsoft knows the threat, and they've (re-)entered the tablet market to try and just slow the competition down, and divide the market, with Win8, rather than let a free and open option gain dominance and that magical economies of scale that suddenly tips the balance of power.
Netflix doesn't seem happy about Android, either. They dragged their feet as long as they could on getting out a Netflix app for Android, and while it's out there now, it sure performs like crap on my nice fast cell phone that easily runs everything else... I suppose no matter how much Netflix loves Microsoft, they can't ignore the market to the point of their own demise.
Meanwhile, HuluDesktop has been available for Linux for a good long time... If you want to stream TV shows and a few movies on your Linux DVR, Hulu Plus is obviously the way to go.

--
Slashdot gets worse every day... Pipedot: News for nerds, without the corporate slant
Re:Still wondering by BlackSnake112 · 2012-11-16 08:50 · Score: 1

All those TVs and Blue-ray players that have built in netflix are not running some form on linux? Those all seem to work just fine (TM).
To be honest. For the unwashed masses, or regular non computer people, having a device that they can just turn on and use is much easier. It is much easier for me to support anyway. The hardest part was getting the device on the wireless network.
Re:Still wondering by Wolfrider · 2012-11-16 09:21 · Score: 1

--I can already watch Netflix streaming in Vmware Workstation/Player (Win7--64 guest) running on a 64-bit Linux host with accelerated video drivers - which I believe is a better and more natural arrangement. WINE's work, while nice to have, is not the only way to accomplish these things.

--
.
== WolfriderV6 == I'm willing to admit that *I just might* be wrong... Are you??
Re:Still wondering by daboochmeister · 2012-11-16 11:13 · Score: 3, Insightful

--I can already watch Netflix streaming in Vmware Workstation/Player (Win7--64 guest) running on a 64-bit Linux host with accelerated video drivers - which I believe is a better and more natural arrangement. WINE's work, while nice to have, is not the only way to accomplish these things.
Better ... you can do that for free? Without paying MS for the privilege of watching NetFlix?

--
"Ahh! I see you're in that indeterminate Schrodinger state where - oh, uh ... never mind." Dave Bucci
Re:Still wondering by bWareiWare.co.uk · 2012-11-17 02:29 · Score: 1

Android is Linux, it doesn't need any compatibility layer!
You can just install you distro of choice in a chroot. Debian and Gentoo both work great for me.
The lack of X11 acceleration is annoying but everything I have tried has run.

Redundant by MightyYar · 2012-11-16 04:23 · Score: 5, Funny

Using
Silverlight to play
Entertainment from
Netflix?
Exciting!
Tell me more!

--
W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.

Re:Redundant by h4rr4r · 2012-11-16 04:25 · Score: 1

Some people would prefer not to get sued.
Re:Redundant by spidercoz · 2012-11-16 04:25 · Score: 1

silence, fool! you will summon the wrath!

--
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - Evelyn Beatrice Hall, re Voltaire
Re:Redundant by Anonymous Coward · 2012-11-16 05:18 · Score: 1

loool twitter
Re:Redundant by MightyYar · 2012-11-16 06:08 · Score: 1

You are maybe thinking of BitTorrent?

--
W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.

Let's see if Netflix moves to block this by h4rr4r · 2012-11-16 04:23 · Score: 1

Netflix can either set minimum silverlight to 5 or find another way to block it. It will be interesting to see if they do that.

Re:Let's see if Netflix moves to block this by jones_supa · 2012-11-16 04:34 · Score: 1

Is there a reason to block it?
Re:Let's see if Netflix moves to block this by h4rr4r · 2012-11-16 04:37 · Score: 1

Reed Hastings is on the MS board until Nov 30 and owns quite a bit of MS stock.
Also WIne might make recording this content slightly easier. I would imagine you could just record the screen in windows as well, though.
Re:Let's see if Netflix moves to block this by PPH · 2012-11-16 05:12 · Score: 1

Two reasons:
1) Studio heads who hear 'Linux' and think free ... hacker ... piracy.
2) The possible purchase of Netflix by Microsoft.

--
Have gnu, will travel.
Re:Let's see if Netflix moves to block this by rwa2 · 2012-11-16 05:48 · Score: 2

Netflix can either set minimum silverlight to 5 or find another way to block it. It will be interesting to see if they do that.
Um, I just happened to try this out a few nights ago on my Linux Mint 13 laptop. I had Silverlight 4 on Firefox 14 installed under Wine1.4. The Netflix page made me download a newer version of Silverlight which didn't work.
Of course, I didn't bother with any of the wine patches, so I probably lose anyway. I was going to try Win7 under VirtualBox next to see how that performs.
Re:Let's see if Netflix moves to block this by h4rr4r · 2012-11-16 06:22 · Score: 1

You have to have the wine patches or it will not work.
Re:Let's see if Netflix moves to block this by DarwinSurvivor · 2012-11-16 22:01 · Score: 1

Even the article you linked to said it was gossip and rumor!

Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by spidercoz · 2012-11-16 04:24 · Score: 5, Interesting

Until it runs in Linux natively, I'm not reinstating my subscription. Bite me, Netflix.

--
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - Evelyn Beatrice Hall, re Voltaire

Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by KingMotley · 2012-11-16 04:28 · Score: 4, Funny

After this post, you can clearly see that netflix's stock dropped by $0.00000001 per share. GO spidercoz!
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by danomac · 2012-11-16 04:29 · Score: 2

I used to think that way until my old DVD player died. My replacement BD player has netflix built-in, and it doesn't require a computer attached to the TV.
Still not going to get a netflix subscription though. I don't have enough time to watch shows and movies, and I'm pretty sure my ISP will complain loudly if I watch it every day. Go Canada!
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by Anonymous Coward · 2012-11-16 04:36 · Score: 2, Insightful

Perhaps the reason Netflix is using Silverlight is not because of some evil Microsoft conspiracy, but the fact that the Linux market is too small to develop and support for and Netflix can't guarantee the studio-required DRM will not be circumvented.
But yeah, it's probably a vast criminal conspiracy just to troll /.'ers. We're that important.
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by spidercoz · 2012-11-16 04:38 · Score: 1

Good option if you have it, but optical media is dead to me.

--
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - Evelyn Beatrice Hall, re Voltaire
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by MightyMartian · 2012-11-16 04:39 · Score: 4, Insightful

It's rather peculiar considering there's a Netflix app for Android.

--
The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by danomac · 2012-11-16 04:50 · Score: 1

You don't own any optical media? I thought about that for a long time - just get rid of everything I have so I don't have to store it. I replaced the player to play my old content, I have hundreds of legit physical CDs and DVDs and a couple BDs.
I didn't even know that it could do netflix until I took the new player out of the box and set it up.
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by jedidiah · 2012-11-16 05:06 · Score: 4, Informative

No. Netflix has an incestuous relationship with Microsoft. That's why they are using Silverlight while Amazon is using Flash.
So Amazon works fine in Linux.
You want to know what's really the minority platform? Silverlight.

--
A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by interkin3tic · 2012-11-16 05:22 · Score: 5, Funny

I'm with you in spirit. I can run netflix on easily:
-android
-iphone
-ipad
-Xbox 360 if I paid the additional fees
-Wii
-Macbook
-Windows laptop
-WDTV device that crashes constantly

Things I cannot run netflix on easily:
-The ubuntu laptop that I have no use for except as a HTPC.

I'd cancel my subscription out of protest. But my wife would side with Netflix over me any day of the week.
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by triffid_98 · 2012-11-16 05:29 · Score: 1

Indeed. If their Android app wasn't so poorly written we might be able to run it through an android emulator.
I would wager it doesn't work -at all- on at least 25% of the android devices on the market, and quite poorly on another 25%, particularly after their recent UI update.

I don't know what kind of slack jawed yokels they have on their android development team but seriously, WTH guys?
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by i.r.id10t · 2012-11-16 05:32 · Score: 4, Informative

And if you run nmap against my Samsung TV, it reports that it is running Linux. Youtube, BBC channel, all sorts of sports stuff, Hulu plus, Netflix, etc. are all built into it.

--
Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by TheRealGrogan · 2012-11-16 05:45 · Score: 1

The selection in Canada is terrible. I hooked up a Roku box for one of my customers who bought one, and there was not one movie or show on Netflix that they wanted to watch. (I saw a few things I could have watched, but to say I was underwhelmed is an understatement) I left them exploring some of the other (free) channels that the Roku could connect to, but I was not optimistic.
Seriously though, I wouldn't bother with Netflix when I can download most any movie or show that has ever existed and keep it forever.
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by Kjella · 2012-11-16 05:47 · Score: 2

This is for the people who won't use Linux because it doesn't run Netflix, not the people who won't use Netflix because it doesn't run on Linux. Netflix don't want you, don't care about supporting you and might in fact hate it because it causes problems with their content providers who demand "robust" DRM. But as usual there's hacktivists that won't take no for an answer and they'll reverse engineer, emulate, patch and prod it until it works, it's how Linux got off the ground in the first place. It certainly wasn't because everyone was handing out hardware specs and driver code, protocol definitions or anything of the sort. You'd probably get more results cheering them on than spitting bile at Netflix, corporations are almost immune to that. Bringing Netflix to Linux is good for Linux even if they are dragged kicking and screaming.

--
Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by rwa2 · 2012-11-16 06:08 · Score: 1

No. Netflix has an incestuous relationship with Microsoft. That's why they are using Silverlight while Amazon is using Flash.
So Amazon works fine in Linux.
Yeah, this is the real answer. Drop Netflix for Amazon Prime streaming until Netflix provides a Linux client. It's cheaper per year. Sorry you lose some of the content that's only on Netflix, but it seems like they've been losing some of the good shows anyway.
When Netflix first came out, it was pretty awesome. I was working in near-realtime video transmission then, and was pretty picky about mpeg4 quantization and vertical sync artifacts. Netflix had actually done a pretty good job with handling all that.
Until they moved to Silverlight, and then all the crappy artifacts came back. I feel like it was kinda a bait-and-switch... but it makes sense since early adopters were comparing it to DVD and eventually Bluray, while later adopters were coming from crappy youtube vids.
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by RedHat+Rocky · 2012-11-16 06:20 · Score: 1

Yet simple Amazon MP3 purchasing has changed for Linux clients, now having to mess with Cloud player.
Not happy, Amazon.

--
Anything is possible given time and money.
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by tom17 · 2012-11-16 06:23 · Score: 1

OK, here is a test for you. Using your regular channels, can you see if you can currently get any of the following?
All the Curious George episodes (I can only find 1ep on easynews)
Harold and the Purple Crayon episodes (None on ezn)
All the Thomas & Friends (A few on ezn)
Go Diego Go (I can only find a few german ones)
Similar luck on torrent sites too, but I can't check right now.
I won't go on, but there is lots of stuff for kids (and adults too, but granted, not as much) that's not easy to find unless it's a currently mainstream show.
I used to HATE netflix up here in Canada and had a few rants on slashdot about it, but for me, it has finally gotten to the stage where it is 'sufficient'. Sure, it's no replacement for prime-time TV, but it's certainly a good replacement for kids TV and idle viewing TV.
One step closer to cancelling Rogers next year :) I just need to find a good Formula 1 solution and then I can cut the cord...
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by Bert64 · 2012-11-16 06:23 · Score: 1

DRM will always be circumvented if there is any interest in doing so, it is purely security through obscurity... If the device is capable of decoding and displaying the stream then it's also capable of recording it and it's only a matter of someone working out how.
If such DRM hasn't been cracked already it's because noone has bothered, and why would they? The movies and tv shows on netflix are old and generally of inferior quality to high definition broadcast tv or bluray media, so the pirates will source their media from these sources instead. If silverlight drm encumbered files were the only or highest quality source of major films and tv shows then you can guarantee it would be cracked pretty quickly.

--
http://spamdecoy.net - free throwaway anonymous email - avoid spam!
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by jones_supa · 2012-11-16 06:47 · Score: 1

It's rather peculiar considering there's a Netflix app for Android.
We can assume that he meant desktop Linux.
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by TheRaven64 · 2012-11-16 06:53 · Score: 1

I started ripping my DVDs a while ago. I bought 3 2TB disks just before the floods and put them in a RAID-Z array, giving me 4GB of usable space. That's enough for full backups of my laptop (with periodic snapshots) and for my DVD collection (probably about 1TB when I've ripped them all). The NAS box runs FreeBSD and is connected to my projector and speakers. Because none of the streaming services use open standards for their services, I can't use them from this machine, so they don't get my money even though I'm right in the middle of the early-adopter demographic for video stuff (I bought a DVD player when they were still expensive, I have a projector and surround sound system for watching them, I subscribed to the first DVD-in-the-mail service to appear in this country as soon as it appeared).

--
I am TheRaven on Soylent News
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by danomac · 2012-11-16 06:55 · Score: 1

In my area, my speed would halve. I'd do it if they could match my speed or even better, increase it.
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by Desler · 2012-11-16 07:30 · Score: 1

No, it's not. It uses hardware DRM on mobile devices.
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by Clockwurk · 2012-11-16 08:22 · Score: 1

Android is important, desktop Linux is not.
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by spidercoz · 2012-11-16 08:40 · Score: 1

I still have some but they're relics, haven't been played in years.

--
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - Evelyn Beatrice Hall, re Voltaire
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by RanCossack · 2012-11-16 09:35 · Score: 1

but the fact that the Linux market is too small to develop and support for and Netflix can't guarantee the studio-required DRM will not be circumvented.
ChromeOS has a netflix plugin. ChromeOS is basically a limited Linux distro, with a very limited X11 window manager. Netflix already *has* a working solution for the Linux market, and they added special checks so it won't run on non-ChromeOS machines.

I'm glad we have this workaround now, and I donated to the developer, but if I'm going to buy a video, I'd at least buy it from Amazon -- where they don't go out of their way to sabotage Linux and at least have a few help page entries about it.
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by Penurious+Penguin · 2012-11-16 11:26 · Score: 1

Until it runs in Linux natively, I'm not reinstating my subscription. Bite me, Netflix.
http://www.iheartubuntu.com/2012/11/netflix-on-ubuntu-is-here.html

--
Forward! -- Emperor Norton, 2012
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by houstonbofh · 2012-11-16 12:48 · Score: 1

After this post, you can clearly see that netflix's stock dropped by $0.00000001 per share. GO spidercoz!
Well, add another $0.00000001 for me. Eventually this adds up to some money.
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by houstonbofh · 2012-11-16 12:49 · Score: 1

Amazon Prime works fine on Linux... So you can still "think that" if you wish.
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by houstonbofh · 2012-11-16 12:51 · Score: 1

Unless that "Linux Market" is Roku boxes, or TVs with Linux kernals... It works on Linux, but not for us.
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by organgtool · 2012-11-16 13:09 · Score: 1

I didn't realize Netflix stock could get any lower. Btw, count another $0.00000001 deduction for me.
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by oakgrove · 2012-11-16 16:31 · Score: 1

$ dd if=/dev/sr0 of=TheMovie.iso bs=20M
Works for me.

--
The soylentnews experiment has been a dismal failure.
Re:Not good enough, dammit, not good enough! by Eroen · 2012-11-18 12:01 · Score: 1

$ mplayer dvd:// -dumpstream -dumpfile video.vob
Should work whenever mplayer works, which is more often than dd will work.

Netflix now works on linux by Anonymous Coward · 2012-11-16 04:25 · Score: 1

Expect this bug to be addressed in a future patch

No sale by Hatta · 2012-11-16 04:25 · Score: 5, Insightful

Why would I pay Netflix when they won't bother to support my OS? If they want my money, they can port their software to my OS, or they can package Wine with their software, and support that.

They would also have to change their policy on DRM-free content before they get any of my money. I'm willing to pay for TV, I'm even willing to watch their ads. I'm not willing to facilitate an effort to make DRM the norm.

--
Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!

Re:No sale by jedidiah · 2012-11-16 05:11 · Score: 1

The use case for non-DRM rentals is 99% of the population out there that have no technical skills to speak of. There is nothing on Netflix streaming that I can't get somewhere else.
Infact, I am far more likely to find what I am looking for in some other format that is more widely supported.

--
A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
Re:No sale by Hatta · 2012-11-16 05:25 · Score: 1

Any decently designed crypto system should be able to drop in a null cipher as easily as any other. If it takes more than a trivial amount of work to add a DRM-free option, that's a sign of really bad design decisions on the part of their engineers. Netflix should fix that for the sake of their own platforms robustness.

--
Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
Re:No sale by Bert64 · 2012-11-16 06:32 · Score: 1

We had non DRM rentals before in the form of VHS and VCD...
We could copy our VHS tapes if we wanted, most people didn't anyway.
Now rentals are encumbered with DRM, those people who copied VHS tapes now crack the DRM while many of us who used to pay for VHS tapes now pirate because we detest the idea of DRM.
To reiterate, i will only pay for and/or put up with commercials on DRM-free media, if the content is encumbered with DRM i will either acquire a pirate copy where the DRM has been removed (and the commercials too as an f-you) or do without the content at all so you will never make any money from me so long as you try to force evils like DRM on me.
(and yes i do have a large collection of bought and paid for VHS tapes and audio CDs)

--
http://spamdecoy.net - free throwaway anonymous email - avoid spam!
Re:No sale by jones_supa · 2012-11-16 06:59 · Score: 1

To reiterate, i will only pay for and/or put up with commercials on DRM-free media, if the content is encumbered with DRM i will either acquire a pirate copy where the DRM has been removed (and the commercials too as an f-you) or do without the content at all so you will never make any money from me so long as you try to force evils like DRM on me.
If you buy DRM-free media, that's a good idea. But if you pirate the DRM'ed ones, you're probably just provoking them to add more DRM to fight piracy.
Re:No sale by TheRaven64 · 2012-11-16 07:09 · Score: 2

The idea of a rental is problematic anyway for digital content. You loan me a physical object, you no longer have it. I use it and then give it back, and you have it again. With an electronic version, you give me a copy of an object, but still have the original. Later, I delete the copy and you still have the original. The problem is trying to use a metaphor that simply doesn't make sense as the basis for a business model.
The service of value that Netflix offers is not rental, it's access to an ever-increasing library. From their perspective, it should be great if someone downloads something and watches it locally the second time, because they've reduced Netfilx's bandwidth costs. You can't reasonably download their entire catalog (even limiting people to downloading 30 or 60 hours a month would satisfy most people and prevent this easily), the thing you're paying for is a service that means that when you want to watch something you can easily get something that you want to watch. The more technical obstacles that they put in the way of this, the less valuable their service becomes.

--
I am TheRaven on Soylent News
Re:No sale by Desler · 2012-11-16 07:33 · Score: 1

They would also have to change their policy on DRM-free content
You mean change their policy so they lose all access to their current content? Yeah, brilliant move that would be.
Re:No sale by Desler · 2012-11-16 07:37 · Score: 1

We had non DRM rentals before in the form of VHS and VCD...
We could copy our VHS tapes if we wanted, most people didn't anyway.
Many commercial VHS tapes used anti-copying technology like Macrovision. So yiur statement isn't really all that true.
Re:No sale by Bert64 · 2012-11-17 04:48 · Score: 1

I do buy DRM-free media if it's available, the problem is that in many cases it's simply not available to buy - the only source of DRM-free media is warez groups.

--
http://spamdecoy.net - free throwaway anonymous email - avoid spam!
Re:No sale by jones_supa · 2012-11-17 20:05 · Score: 1

Yes, I admit that it is a tricky situation.

Undoing moderation; please ignore this post by WillerZ · 2012-11-16 04:26 · Score: 2, Insightful

n/t

--
I guess today is a passable day to die.

Runs in 64bit, too by Dizzer · 2012-11-16 04:28 · Score: 1

You have to compile wine in a 32bit chroot. Instructions are on the wine wiki. It is pretty straightforward. But without decent hardware acceleration in Silverlight under Wine it runs like crap. I tried it, but it is so jerky (half the frame rate) that watching TV like this is no fun.

Re:Runs in 64bit, too by h4rr4r · 2012-11-16 04:39 · Score: 1

Is there a reason Silverlight can't use hardware acceleration under Wine? Video games running in Wine use the video card just fine.

I installed Ubuntu to have a "work machine"... by InvisibleClergy · 2012-11-16 04:32 · Score: 2

...and then this happens. This is worse than when I got WoW working in WINE.

Re:Odd route.. by h4rr4r · 2012-11-16 04:35 · Score: 1

The android app uses the NDK so you would have to emulate ARM. Which would be slow. Many of the embedded device use ARM as well.

Meh. by bmo · 2012-11-16 04:38 · Score: 1

The only way to reliably play Silverlight stuff is to install the most trimmed back XP you can get (WinFLP for me) and install IE8.

And you know what?

I never watch Silverlight stuff anyway even with the ability to do so.

--
BMO

Re:Meh. by bmo · 2012-11-17 03:59 · Score: 1

>why bother trimming it?
Total process footprint and boot speed.
WinFLP boots in 8 seconds on this machine after clicking the icon. Reboots are between 4 and 6 seconds. And it takes up about the same memory footprint as W2k.
--
BMO

Another answer by Urban+Garlic · 2012-11-16 04:39 · Score: 1

It actually sort of already works in "Linux", since there's a working Netflix app for Android.

I've never done it, but presumably this means that you can run it on your Linux desktop by running an Android device emulator with the Netflix app.

--
2*3*3*3*3*11*251

Re:Another answer by h4rr4r · 2012-11-16 04:41 · Score: 1

I believe that would be way to slow to watch. The netflix app uses the NDK so you have to emulate ARM which is slow. Besides it might well check for an emulator and fail to start.
Re:Another answer by Anrego · 2012-11-16 05:24 · Score: 1

You can also run a windows XP virtual machine using virtual box and watch netflix that way. Works fine if you enable hardware acceleration and have decent hardware.
Re:Another answer by squiggleslash · 2012-11-16 08:40 · Score: 1

There are several problems with this:
1. You're correct that it runs under Linux. Unfortunately Linux is not the same thing as "The operating system commonly known as Linux", which we'd call GNU/Linux if it wasn't for the fact that would be kowtowing to a Dirty Smelly Hippie(tm). Android is not GNU/Linux, it has a significantly different API. It merely shares the same kernel.
2. Netflix is compiled code, and is compiled for ARM. Your Ubuntu desktop, on the other hand, is an Intel machine. So yes, you'll require a device emulator as you said. But it's going to be slow, and it's an emulator, so why use it?
3. The Netflix program is only downloadable from Google Play, contains DRM, and - if it's not already - may check the device it's on in the future.
The Android Netflix app is, in some ways, a proof of concept. The existence of the app proves that there's no good reason to prevent users of other operating systems from using Netflix. The C++ code is going to run happily under GNU/Linux as long as certain APIs are provided. The Dalvik code likewise. Unfortunately, it's not a solution in itself, just proof a solution could be made available.
That said, perhaps Motorola's move into Intel-based Android devices might push things along a little.

--
You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
Re:Another answer by JabberWokky · 2012-11-17 09:17 · Score: 1

Ooo! Ooo! Now do the same for TiVo! And ChromeOS!
And explain how they can have the resources to be releasing for multiple, radically different versions of Linux, just studiously avoiding the desktop. Which is as insecure as the Windows or OSX desktop when it comes to DRM hacks.
(Note that I'm not calling you or your post out specifically, just commenting that they are actually releasing quite a bit for Linux, just with one very notable gap).

--
"$30 for the One True Ring. $10 each additional ring!" -- JRR "Bob" Tolkien

Done. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-11-16 04:45 · Score: 1

Roku.

Flash is dead? by macbeth66 · 2012-11-16 04:45 · Score: 3, Insightful

Since when? It seems that more and more crap is being shoveled out. I would have thought HTML5 would have marginalized Flash, it hasn't.

Re:Flash is dead? by EGSonikku · 2012-11-16 05:17 · Score: 2

I haven't had Flash installed for years now, and doesn't seem like I'm missing anything. Most video sites (including YouTube or pr0n have options for loading an HTML5 video player, or will do so if they detect an iOS device.

--
- "Scientia non habet inimicum nisp ignorantem"
Re:Flash is dead? by Synerg1y · 2012-11-16 05:27 · Score: 1

Flash likes to turn itself off by crashing, under load it's almost guaranteed.
Re:Flash is dead? by larry+bagina · 2012-11-16 05:30 · Score: 1

It's dead on mobile. iOS never had it. Adobe made some lame attempts for Android then killed it (no longer even available on Google Play as of 3 months ago).

--
Do you even lift?
These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.
Re:Flash is dead? by Darinbob · 2012-11-16 11:30 · Score: 1

Does HTML5 work yet? Doesn't much of the hyped functionality require additional stuff to make it work? Ie, you also have to have extra codecs, or javascript, or something else. While Flash has problems, HTML5 certainly does also and still can not do what Flash does.
There really is a place in the market for a media programming language thing. Markup languages can not match that, no matter what the web oriented fanboys think. Now maybe Flash is the wrong thing for that, and Silverlight is even worse, but HTML5 is in no way a replacement. HTML should have been made simpler anyway while telling all the goofballs wanting more features to shove off.
Re:Flash is dead? by oakgrove · 2012-11-16 16:15 · Score: 1

Sure you can. Right click, Inspect Element, Delete Node. Presto! Works every time.

--
The soylentnews experiment has been a dismal failure.

How does it run on blu-ray players? by damn_registrars · 2012-11-16 04:46 · Score: 1

Most likely people have looked into this before, but I would suspect my blu-ray player is not running windows. Maybe instead of trying to get netflix to work in a browser in WINE in linux, they should try looking at how blu-ray players do it?

--
Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.

Re:How does it run on blu-ray players? by h4rr4r · 2012-11-16 04:47 · Score: 1

They use software not compiled for x86 so it is actually easier to get Wine to work than what you are suggesting.
Re:How does it run on blu-ray players? by AwesomeMcgee · 2012-11-16 05:26 · Score: 1

If they could get it working in linux for arm I think people would be more than happy calling that "netflix on linux" because they'd just go buy their rPi's and happy happy joy joy. Furthermore there's a trick with flash to tweak one of the libs in android so it appears as non-android which allows hulu to play as well. These 2 systems for arm worked up for normal linux on ARM would give the rPi and slashdotters everything they want. So I kind of agree that someone should be out there trying to get these binaries out of bluray players to work in open arm systems.

Of course it does, always has... by macbeth66 · 2012-11-16 04:49 · Score: 1

I just pop the DVD into the player and off it goes.

Wait. You mean streaming. Oh, okay. But who cares when Netflix has very little of their content available for streaming.

Re:Of course it does, always has... by Cinder6 · 2012-11-16 05:30 · Score: 2

Netflix is pretty great for TV shows, but yeah, movies are pretty lacking.

--
If you can't convince them, convict them.
Re:Of course it does, always has... by lister+king+of+smeg · 2012-11-16 05:42 · Score: 1

but they have what matters:
Star Trek - OS, TNG, DS9, VOY, ENT,
Stargate - SG1, Atlantis, Universe,
Battle Star Galactic - New series, caprica, razor
x files, eureka, warehouse 13, Alphas,
unfortunately they no longer have red dwarf probably will again when season x hits dvd

--
---Saying gnome 3 is better than windows 8 not so much a compliment as it is damning with light praise.
Re:Of course it does, always has... by macbeth66 · 2012-11-16 08:06 · Score: 1

Like a good nrd, I own the proper ones;
Star Trek - OS, TNG, DS9, VOY, ENT,
Battle Star Galactic
x files
Gah! I shudder at these syfy failings ( after the first season )
ST:VOY Only for Seven of Nine

Netflix already works on Linux by Crimey+McBiggles · 2012-11-16 04:49 · Score: 3, Informative

I have an LG TV (LV5500 I think) that has Netflix as a built-in app. The TV's operating system is Linux, and its manual even includes a copy of the GPL, along with a list of libraries (e.g. FFMPEG, Apache, etc). They've probably partnered with Netflix to get some sort of BLOB that can be run only on the intended hardware, so I doubt that it is free or open. TLDR; the title should says something about "desktop" or "Intel", because my ARM-based TV plays Netflix just fine thank you.

--
Crimey

Re:Netflix already works on Linux by interiot · 2012-11-16 05:08 · Score: 4, Informative

Netflix runs fine on ChromeOS on x86, which is Linux-based too.
Re:Netflix already works on Linux by AwesomeMcgee · 2012-11-16 05:28 · Score: 1

Seriously? How???
Re:Netflix already works on Linux by lister+king+of+smeg · 2012-11-16 05:44 · Score: 1

try ripping the binary out that runs it push it to pirate bay then

--
---Saying gnome 3 is better than windows 8 not so much a compliment as it is damning with light praise.
Re:Netflix already works on Linux by bill_mcgonigle · 2012-11-16 05:51 · Score: 5, Interesting

Seriously? How???
libnetflixplayer.so or something like that - it's a Pepper plugin.
My cobwebbed mind suggests it has some sort of tie-in with TPC that is inactive if the Chromebook isn't running in developer mode. Somebody correct me here.

--
My God, it's Full of Source!
OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)

Re:No Worries by sageres · 2012-11-16 05:02 · Score: 1

that can't happened because de Icaza said we can't have DRM.

no Netflix for me by CosaNostra+Pizza+Inc · 2012-11-16 05:18 · Score: 1

I was twice a Netflix member. I quit because I wasn't happy with their selection, which is really only of value if you have children. Now I'm an Amazon Prime Member. Amazon is priced competitively plus as a former studen,t I'm now paying $40 per year for the short term. The selection of "free" movies for Prime members is comparable to Netflix's selection but there is a greater selection at additional prices. Plus, I get the added benefit of free 2-day shipping for anything I buy through Amazon. On the whole, I think Amazon Prime is a better deal. I'm primarily a linux user with Chrome and my only issue is having to use Firefox just to watch movies because Chrome's built-in Flash player doesn't support DRM.

Re:no Netflix for me by bill_mcgonigle · 2012-11-16 05:47 · Score: 1

The selection of "free" movies for Prime members is comparable to Netflix's selection
Shirley, you must be joking.

--
My God, it's Full of Source!
OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
Re:no Netflix for me by CosaNostra+Pizza+Inc · 2012-11-16 07:56 · Score: 1

No, I'm not. And don't call me Shirley. :P

ChromeOS by BuypolarBear · 2012-11-16 05:27 · Score: 2

Correct me if I'm wrong, but why not just use ChromeOS's support for Netflix in something like Virtualbox?

Re:ChromeOS by ndogg · 2012-11-16 06:39 · Score: 2

Because that won't work. Netflix for ChromeOS is specifically tied to certain Chromebook hardware.

--
// file: mice.h
#include "frickin_lasers.h"

Re:No Worries by Dr_Barnowl · 2012-11-16 05:36 · Score: 1

You can't have DRM because MS patented the form of DRM that Silverlight uses. Which is presumably at least one of the reasons why de Icaza says he won't allow it to be implemented.

Fanboy sez... by Andy+Prough · 2012-11-16 05:42 · Score: 1, Funny

...Steve Jobs didn't give it to me, so I must not have needed it anyways.

Why bother? by Bert64 · 2012-11-16 06:18 · Score: 3, Interesting

Regular TV is broadcast in a standard format that can be received on any compatible device, where the specifications required for compatibility are openly available for anyone to implement.
VHS was the same...

Now media is delivered in drm-encumbered proprietary formats, all in the name of "preventing piracy", however piracy is now more common than ever.

I used to buy movies on VHS and/or watch them on broadcast TV, but if you try to force me to use a proprietary device to watch tv i will just find superior alternatives instead that can be viewed on devices of my choice.

The warez versions are massively superior to what netflix offers:

- you can watch the files on any device thats physically capable with no arbitrary restrictions
- you can download at any time and watch later (eg if you have bandwidth caps during the day but not at night, or want to watch on a portable device)

I would pay for a legit service which offered the same quality of service as warez, but since such a service isn't available i can't... Those services which are available are clearly inferior and entirely unusable for me.

--
http://spamdecoy.net - free throwaway anonymous email - avoid spam!

Re:Why bother? by VortexCortex · 2012-11-16 07:10 · Score: 1

I would pay for a legit service which offered the same quality of service as warez, but since such a service isn't available i can't...
Interesting opinion... It's bullshit, IMO, but whatever. You act like warez is your only other option. Whatever helps you sleep at $BEDTIME. Everyone has different morals.
I was once a Netflix subscriber. My XBox Live subscription ran out, and I wasn't playing many games (and I realize how shitty it is to pay for ads in a service that any PC can do w/ server list, not loading down MS servers), so I sold my Xbox & games, then called Netflix support when I couldn't seem to get it working on my personal computer (PC). The tech on the line assumed I had windows for a while, but when he finally realized I have Linux, they said their silverlight doesn't run on Linux, and they use Silverlight. I pointed out that that's B.S. since it runs on Android and Android uses Linux. They said that their Android player only runs on ARM, not x86(-64). "Ah, gotcha. So, what you're saying is that you have source code you compile on ARM to get Netflix running on Linux for Android, but your company refuses to compile that same code on an x86 machine to give me access on Linux since Android-x86 ports exist. So, what you're company is doing is letting MICROSOFT dictate WHO your customers are? You're VOLUNTARILY turning away paying customers?!" Then I mentioned that I'd be reporting this to their shareholders and the board... and that Hulu runs on Linux via Flash, and that I'll be recommending ANYTHING but Netflx for the people to adopt since you don't want video subscriptions to be locked-into that Windows8 disaster." When asked if there was anything I else they could help me with, I had them cancel my account, and then let me speak to their manager, and his manager, and her manager, for about 4 hours I went up the chain (my day off, heh). They even offered free months of services, or a voucher for XBLA to get me back on Netflix as a last ditch effort via the "executive customer retention" call center.
I know it's the media racket that's requiring silverlight for any desktop machines, however, it's the board and CEO who agree to be bullied by them instead of standing up and saying, "We can use Cross Platform DRM, that'll get us more users, and get publishers more money".
Until then, screw it. I'm out. I don't infringe copyrights, and I don't support big "throw our weight around and squash choice" media anymore, not even by contributing upload speed to a .torrent. Instead, I watch new-media, web shows, Kickstarter funded stuff like Pioneer One. You know what? I didn't have much time for watching video anyway, and there's more new-media stuff to watch than I can consume. To fill the little void left in my entertainment-time budget I started yet another hobby software project, and it's far more rewarding than any passive media.
Bonus: When folks start talking about some Hollywood blockbuster with the same recycled (and butchered) scripts from games, books, comics, and previous films, or some dumbed down TV show, I tell them about the same or better quality of show I'm getting without supporting oppressive media regimes that raped then murdered our public domain.

Runs perfectly on my BluRay player by Gothmolly · 2012-11-16 06:54 · Score: 1

Which itself runs a version of Linux. Has anyone ever cracked one of these open and looked at the code?

--
I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.

Re:Odd route.. by Desler · 2012-11-16 07:38 · Score: 1

It also uses hardware-level DRM. So it would not work in the emulator anyway.

Surprised at the route by bsharitt · 2012-11-16 07:59 · Score: 2

I thought someone would eventually come through and get some sort of Netflix working on Linux, but Silverlight working right was not at the top of my list. I was expecting either a dedicated and optimized "player" for the Android app or a port of the the ChromeOS version.

Re:Odd route.. by h4rr4r · 2012-11-16 08:10 · Score: 1

What hardware level DRM are they using?

I really would like to learn more. Netflix works fine on my all my android devices most of which are not running their origonal roms.

Yo, Dawg! by sl4shd0rk · 2012-11-16 08:53 · Score: 1

We heard you liked Netflix so we had some hackers, hack your hack to hack wine to hack firefox on windows hack.
Gotta give the guys credit for figuring this out, but sheesh that's quite a software stack just to watch a grade B movie from 1982.

--
Join the Slashcott! Feb 10 thru Feb 17!

I'm surprised by BluPhenix316 · 2012-11-16 09:01 · Score: 1

That is has taken this long for a work-a-round. If Netflix streamed all the porn you could want, then I'll be there would have been a work-a-round a lot sooner

Boxee can do it. by briancox2 · 2012-11-16 09:15 · Score: 1

So far Netflix has run on Boxee, Android and the Chrome OS from Google. What they have against Linux is therefore really hard to understand.

--
We should learn what we need to know about issues, before we decide what we need to feel about them.

Wine is not an option by thetoadwarrior · 2012-11-16 10:01 · Score: 1

Sorry but I'm not going to run something that could enable Windows viruses.

Nothing to do with emulator by daboochmeister · 2012-11-16 11:17 · Score: 1

NetFlix on Android works because of a hardware component that supports the DRM ... which obviously isn't emulated in the emulator.

--
"Ahh! I see you're in that indeterminate Schrodinger state where - oh, uh ... never mind." Dave Bucci

Virtual Box/Vmware by Brad1138 · 2012-11-16 13:11 · Score: 1

Easier to just run it out of a VM

--
If you could reason with religious people, there would be no religious people

Dear linux user: file a bug once or twice a year. by anon+mouse-cow-aard · 2012-11-17 10:51 · Score: 1

filing a bug with netflix means they cannot say that 'no-one ever asks for it'' ... filing it over and over again means they have to mark it as a dup, close it, file it, and it shows up on their metrics. how many other bugs do they have that affects roughly 1% of their population (say 5 million subscribers, that's 50,000)

Re:I'd be interested only if... by Eroen · 2012-11-18 12:28 · Score: 1

s/static'/nois/

125 of 185 comments (clear)