New External App: Netflix Viewer

[Snooze]

Oh, I also should have asked as I am on xp myself, is this a uac thing?

[dhgb256]

Edit: I was using the latest viewers, as they were being released. Now using 2.9.4

N/M I fixed it.
My solution in case others have the same problem:
I deleted everything in C:\Users\%user%\AppData\Local That had netflix in the name. There were multiple sub-directories under 'Home' and 'DHBG256'
I also deleted C:\Users\%user%\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\SageTV\SageTV\Netflix

I'm not sure which one caused the error, but it works now

Glad you got it working!

You are definitely a long time user if you had all that on your app settings You probably had a user setting in your config file that wasn't compatible with the new version of the program and it caused problems. The program now cleans out older versions of the config file, so you shouldn't have to worry about that any longer.

FYIk, this solution is independant of windows version, this is the folder where your application settings are stored. For XP change "users" to "documents and settings" in the folder path to locate your app config file.

-DH

[Snooze]

Had a feeling they had a bad batch in there some where

[kruglovus]

I wanted to try this Netflix Viewer App for quite some time. But I was completely out of luck.

First, the download page in SageTV forums was down. Had to wait a couple days.

Second, my Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit cannot view the included help.chm (just shows the tree on the left and the message on the right: Navigation to the webpage was canceled. What you can try: Retype the address.). I had to look up a 3rd party software to read CHM files. GridinSoft's CHM Decoder can convert CHM files into HTMLs.

Third, Netflix TX Database Build.exe couldn't finish building the database and downloading thumbnails. It froze many times, and wouldn't start the second time with default settings. I figured that if I replace the movieinfo.ntf with the blank one, Netflix TX Database Build.exe can start from scratch and redownload descriptions while keeping the same thumbnails. ([SIZE="1"]or, in my first installation, I could just delete it from C:\Users\%user%\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\NPVR\NetFlix. (I so hate Windows' VirtualStore! Why does Windows think it is smarter than me and moves user-generated files from "C:\Program Files (x86)" to "C:\Users\%user%\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)" ?! I want all the files in 1 place. From now on, I install NextPVR into C:\NPVR and I recommend everyone to avoid %ProgramFiles%, if PVR is the only purpose for the PC)[/SIZE])
Yesterday, out of 11848 total titles I managed to download 9864 titles maximum, or about 105MB. Only today I discovered that setting Time to renew=0 in netflix tx viewer.ini allows Netflix TX Database Build.exe to run on the same day, without clearing the database file movieinfo.ntf, so I have a somewhat better chance to reach that 11848 total titles.

<Edit> After 4 attempts (and 3 freezings), 1-2 hours each, Netflix TX Database Build.exe finished building the database. Interesting enough, the pure count of thumbnails in MovieInfo folder is 11524 vs. 11848 movie titles. </Edit>

I'm not complaining. It's free software, after all. Just sharing my experience, hoping it will help someone like me.

My next hurdle would be to copy the built description database and downloaded thumbnails to client PCs, hoping that I can avoid rebuilding the database from scratch by running it for 2+ hours and downloading the same 100+ MB on each PC. I will report back if/when I have success.

Thanks dhgb256, Snooze, and Mikeh49 for your effort to bring this awesome app to the masses.

[dhgb256]

I wanted to try this Netflix Viewer App for quite some time. But I was completely out of luck.

First, the download page in SageTV forums was down. Had to wait a couple days.

Second, my Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit cannot view the included help.chm (just shows the tree on the left and the message on the right: Navigation to the webpage was canceled. What you can try: Retype the address.). I had to look up a 3rd party software to read CHM files. GridinSoft's CHM Decoder can convert CHM files into HTMLs.

Third, Netflix TX Database Build.exe couldn't finish building the database and downloading thumbnails. It froze many times, and wouldn't start the second time with default settings. I figured that if I replace the movieinfo.ntf with the blank one, Netflix TX Database Build.exe can start from scratch and redownload descriptions while keeping the same thumbnails. ([SIZE="1"]or, in my first installation, I could just delete it from C:\Users\%user%\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\NPVR\NetFlix. (I so hate Windows' VirtualStore! Why does Windows think it is smarter than me and moves user-generated files from "C:\Program Files (x86)" to "C:\Users\%user%\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)" ?! I want all the files in 1 place. From now on, I install NextPVR into C:\NPVR and I recommend everyone to avoid %ProgramFiles%, if PVR is the only purpose for the PC)[/SIZE])
Yesterday, out of 11848 total titles I managed to download 9864 titles maximum, or about 105MB. Only today I discovered that setting Time to renew=0 in netflix tx viewer.ini allows Netflix TX Database Build.exe to run on the same day, without clearing the database file movieinfo.ntf, so I have a somewhat better chance to reach that 11848 total titles.

<Edit> After 4 attempts (and 3 freezings), 1-2 hours each, Netflix TX Database Build.exe finished building the database. Interesting enough, the pure count of thumbnails in MovieInfo folder is 11524 vs. 11848 movie titles. </Edit>

I'm not complaining. It's free software, after all. Just sharing my experience, hoping it will help someone like me.

My next hurdle would be to copy the built description database and downloaded thumbnails to client PCs, hoping that I can avoid rebuilding the database from scratch by running it for 2+ hours and downloading the same 100+ MB on each PC. I will report back if/when I have success.

Thanks dhgb256, Snooze, and Mikeh49 for your effort to bring this awesome app to the masses.

Hi kruglovus,

FYI, you need to unblock the .chm file to view it: http://didierdanse.net/blogs/dev_en/arch...ntent.aspx

The program will find more movies than what actually exist, because it tends to find several duplicates (i.e., movies listed under genres "Romance" and "Romantic Comedy" will be counted twice, but downloaded once), so that is normal.

Yes, if you copy the movieinfo folder and the .ntf file to another copy it will be fully functional and will not require a new download. If you are using this on multiple computers, i would use one computer to update the database and then just copy all of the files to the other computers. You can use Sync Toy (power toys for Windows), I think that will sync them without having to overwrite EVERY file each time. Actually if you find that one of your computers can update without issue, this might be an easy fix.

A few questions for you:

Can you post your log files from ..\movieinfo\logs?
Did you get any .Net errors, or did it just freeze while downloading?
Try signing out of Netflix, delete your cookies and open the main program. My program will prompt you to sign in to the website. Try rebuilding the database again, does it still hang?
Did you try rebooting your router/modem?
Did you try changing the Cookie Trouble setting to True in the ini file? FYI: This will make registry changes and will store your username/password (both encrypted) in the ini file, but it may solve the problem with the database update.

-DH

[kruglovus]

Hi kruglovus,

FYI, you need to unblock the .chm file to view it: http://didierdanse.net/blogs/dev_en/arch...ntent.aspx

The program will find more movies than what actually exist, because it tends to find several duplicates (i.e., movies listed under genres "Romance" and "Romantic Comedy" will be counted twice, but downloaded once), so that is normal.

Yes, if you copy the movieinfo folder and the .ntf file to another copy it will be fully functional and will not require a new download. If you are using this on multiple computers, i would use one computer to update the database and then just copy all of the files to the other computers. You can use Sync Toy (power toys for Windows), I think that will sync them without having to overwrite EVERY file each time. Actually if you find that one of your computers can update without issue, this might be an easy fix.

A few questions for you:

Can you post your log files from ..\movieinfo\logs?
Did you get any .Net errors, or did it just freeze while downloading?
Try signing out of Netflix, delete your cookies and open the main program. My program will prompt you to sign in to the website. Try rebuilding the database again, does it still hang?
Did you try rebooting your router/modem?
Did you try changing the Cookie Trouble setting to True in the ini file? FYI: This will make registry changes and will store your username/password (both encrypted) in the ini file, but it may solve the problem with the database update.

-DH

Thank you, dhgb256, for the quick reply and good info.

I never knew about unblocking CHM files. Another way Windows 7 is trying to outsmart me.

I have just finished troubleshooting Netflix Viewer on multiple computers. Simple copying of movieinfo folder and the movieinfo.ntf is sufficient. I spent several hours trying to create a custom task in GBPVR on a client PC, not being able to see it in the menu, until I stumbled on the tip that custom tasks should be created on the server http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post346637.

I have attached the logs from today, but there is not much in them. Unfortunately, I deleted all yesterday's logs.

As for you questions. The update utility just froze, adding the Not Responding to the window title. I had to kill it through Windows task manager. I did not try any tricks that you suggested. It seemed like the network connection was timed-out, maybe on Netflix end. So I just killed it, cleared movieinfo.ntf, and reran it, hoping that the next time it would go further. Only on the 6th time or so I figured I didn't need to clear movieinfo.ntf, setting Time to renew to 0 is sufficient. Well, after about 10 hours of total running, it did go through.

[dhgb256]

Thank you, dhgb256, for the quick reply and good info.

I never knew about unblocking CHM files. Another way Windows 7 is trying to outsmart me.

I have just finished troubleshooting Netflix Viewer on multiple computers. Simple copying of movieinfo folder and the movieinfo.ntf is sufficient. I spent several hours trying to create a custom task in GBPVR on a client PC, not being able to see it in the menu, until I stumbled on the tip that custom tasks should be created on the server http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post346637.

I have attached the logs from today, but there is not much in them. Unfortunately, I deleted all yesterday's logs.

As for you questions. The update utility just froze, adding the Not Responding to the window title. I had to kill it through Windows task manager. I did not try any tricks that you suggested. It seemed like the network connection was timed-out, maybe on Netflix end. So I just killed it, cleared movieinfo.ntf, and reran it, hoping that the next time it would go further. Only on the 6th time or so I figured I didn't need to clear movieinfo.ntf, setting Time to renew to 0 is sufficient. Well, after about 10 hours of total running, it did go through.

Well one thing I've learned from debugging this program, if a user has a problem it will come back eventually. So if you find the update is freezing on you in the future be sure to post the logs AND any tmp / log / html files in your movieinfo folder. This is where the temporary logs are kept before they are moved to the logs folder. So keep in touch!

-DH

[dhgb256]

Hey Snooze,

Just wanted to let you know I'm not ignoring you, I'm trying to come up with a permanent solution to the episode selection buttons, my current method isn't real sophisticated and obviously has flaws. Also, the next version will have an installer and will upgrade versions without overwriting your database and ini files (unless they are supposed to be overwritten).

-DH

[TanKCR]

Howdy, new user here. I set it to queue only but it crashes about 3/4 through loading it up, not sure if this is the part you need but here it is
GetMovieInfo(http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Kim_Po...kid=496624, 70106810, , , , , , , , , False), MyBool=False
There was an error processing one of the videos (code 14523), please report this to dhgb256 on the GBPVR forum

[dhgb256]

Howdy, new user here. I set it to queue only but it crashes about 3/4 through loading it up, not sure if this is the part you need but here it is
GetMovieInfo(http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Kim_Po...kid=496624, 70106810, , , , , , , , , False), MyBool=False
There was an error processing one of the videos (code 14523), please report this to dhgb256 on the GBPVR forum

Sorry, I've been out of town. Can you send the log files from the folder ...\movieinfo\logs and any tmp, log, or htm files from the movieinfo folder. I'll take a look and let you know what I find.

-DH