StreamIt from Netflix (Alpha NPVR version)

[Hairy]

No problem, I'm glad it worked out. Now that I have the plugin working and can see things for skinning, I can keep it up to date with the rest of Wave.

Let me know if I can help out any further.

[whurlston]

I do need to add the Netflix logo somewhere on the page. I can do it as a UIStatic though so we can add that as a separate skin element. The branding requirements can be found at http://developer.netflix.com/docs/Branding and they have an EPS file (or I can convert it to PSD for you).

[Hairy]

I could place the logo in the "_CommonImages" folder and call it as a "<Image> file. That way I'd be able to independently place it for the different views (???)

Or we could go with one static position on the screen (???)

[whurlston]

_CommonImages is fine. If it's in the existing skin elements, there is nothing I will need to do programming wise. If you place it in a separate element in the skin that is not rendered by default like <Element name="Logo">, I'll just add that element to the render list as a UIStatic. You could also use <Element name="CoversViewLogo"> and <Element name="ListViewLogo"> and I would render the appropriate view. This would allow it to be placed anywhere for each view and you could move it without having to move other skin elements.

However you want to do it works for me. The programming end is simple either way.

[Hairy]

You're best bet is to go with what makes the most sense programming wise and I can roll in with that. From my skinning point of view I can see the benefit to (but neither are really that big a deal):

• Having the logo graphic stored in a common folder outside the skin, like the "...\NPVR\Media\Netflix" folder. That way it's independent of any particular skin.
  
• Having the option to place that logo independently for each view.
  

I'll be honest I try to keep up with all the code stuff that goes on around here but I really don't know that world. So I never really know what to suggest and when

[johnsonx42]

do I understand correctly that I should schedule the netflix updater to run every night, either as part of the UpdateEPG.bat or as a scheduled task?

also, I've not yet completed the first run of the updater, it does take awhile... are subsequent runs quicker, or does it do a full download each time?

[johnsonx42]

First of all, thanks for this. It looks pretty good right off the bat.

Here're some comments after first use:

1. There are a fair number of videos in the feed that are not actually available to watch. I see that you put the availability dates in red on those. I'd prefer to simply not see them at all, or if that is problematic perhaps you could make their unavailable status a little more obvious like a big red X over the poster? Maybe even have the updater just ignore unavailable videos and not even put them in the database?

2. Could we have an option to just eliminate Windowed mode? I understand some people might want to use it, but I don't want it available at all. Particularly if I'm going to have to switch to pseudo fullscreen mode to seek, I don't want to be cycling past windowed mode.

3. Can Psuedo-Fullscreen mode be centered vertically, or is that beyond your control?

[whurlston]

First of all, thanks for this. It looks pretty good right off the bat.

Here're some comments after first use:

1. There are a fair number of videos in the feed that are not actually available to watch. I see that you put the availability dates in red on those. I'd prefer to simply not see them at all, or if that is problematic perhaps you could make their unavailable status a little more obvious like a big red X over the poster? Maybe even have the updater just ignore unavailable videos and not even put them in the database?

I'll be adding a few options to narrow down the list including Now available, Soon available, Ending soon, etc.. 8000+ entries are a lot to scroll through but I wanted to at least show some progress on the plugin.

2. Could we have an option to just eliminate Windowed mode? I understand some people might want to use it, but I don't want it available at all. Particularly if I'm going to have to switch to pseudo fullscreen mode to seek, I don't want to be cycling past windowed mode.

I was thinking about this myself since I really only use Windowed mode while debugging. As for switching between true and pseudo fullscreen for seeking, I think I almost have that problem licked. Of course, true fullscreen cannot be initiated until the video starts so the player will always have to start in windowed or pseudo fullscreen first. If I do have to use pseudo fullscreen for seeking, it will switch automatically between pseudo/true fullscreen with entering and leaving trickplay.

3. Can Psuedo-Fullscreen mode be centered vertically, or is that beyond your control?

In windowed mode I have more control but in the pseudo fullscreen I don't because of the screen boundaries which are read by the plugin and I have no control over that. All I could do is adjust the browser window down but it will still show the bottom portion but the video will not be as tall. I've tried every hack I can think of but this is the best I could make it. No matter what size or position I set the video window, the Silverlight plugin will use 65 pixels from the bottom of the screen for the controls.

[whurlston]

do I understand correctly that I should schedule the netflix updater to run every night, either as part of the UpdateEPG.bat or as a scheduled task?

You can schedule it once a night or once a week. The frequency is up to you. I have requested a "PostUpdateEPG.bat" from sub that will be called after the EPG update and will not be a blocking call. This way NRecord can continue with it's other tasks without waiting for the Netflix update. PostUpdateEPG.bat should be available soon.

also, I've not yet completed the first run of the updater, it does take awhile... are subsequent runs quicker, or does it do a full download each time?

It currently downloads all titles on each run. I'm looking into options for making subsequent runs quicker. The first run does download all posters though whereas subsequent runs will only download missing posters.

[whurlston]

I should also mention that I'll be adding an option to disable the keyhooks for the player altogether (with the exception of F7). Anyone running an IR suite like HIP or IntelliRemote will be able to handle the trickplay controls much easier with those suites rather than the keyhooks.