StreamIt from Netflix (Alpha NPVR version)

[whurlston]

Yeah, if he previously saved episode information, that would explain why you have it for some episodes. I do intend to finish this plugin, for my own personal benefit if for no other reason.

[johnsonx42]

I read a bit of the last few pages of dhgb256's thread, and it looks like the problem isn't with the API as he's not using it. He's scraping the web site, and there's been a change in the way some shows with episodes are presented. If you look at the web page for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (the bbc tv series) and compare to SpongeBob SquarePants, you'll see the difference (SpongeBob is using the new format).

[elbryyan]

I run the netflix viewer occaisionally, and noticed recently that shows w/episodes I added to my queue awhile ago still work, but shows I add now just immediately start playing some random episode (same episode each time, but which one it will be seems random for each show I add). I presume then based on your explanation this is because the netflix viewer was already able to load the episode detail for the previously added shows and still remembers it, but can't get episode detail for new shows.

I belive the viewer will load the last viewed episode or the first episode in the series if you haven't watche any.

I like your plugin a lot more than the dhgb256's netflix viewer (perhaps due to lack of effort on my part to configure it properly), so I do hope you will be able to finish it up some day. It is very close to perfect already, just needs a few bug fixes, some genre filtering and support for playing from the watch-instantly queue. I can certainly understand the headache you're getting from the Netflix API; developing against a moving target can't be fun.

It just seems that dhgb256's viewer is constantly changing and I have to update it every other week. I switched to it for the instant queue functionality but it seems to not be as reliable as it used to be, my guess is because he is also supporting the canadian users as well but I can't say that I'm well versed in those things.

I agree that I like this plugin better for the simple fact of a more integrated feel to NPVR with only having to launch an exteranal viewer and not a seperate application. I also agree that it is close to perfect with only a few bug fixes and maybe added functionality for me. I think we can work around the current bug of switching genres crash to be able to view episodes until it can get more refined.

[whurlston]

I'm pretty sure my current code has the Genre crash fixed. The problem is that my database is now not being updated due to the API changes so I can't just release a patch (changes in the database between the build you have and my current code).

I'll try to take a look at it this weekend but I can't promise anything yet.

[whurlston]

I read a bit of the last few pages of dhgb256's thread, and it looks like the problem isn't with the API as he's not using it. He's scraping the web site, and there's been a change in the way some shows with episodes are presented. If you look at the web page for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (the bbc tv series) and compare to SpongeBob SquarePants, you'll see the difference (SpongeBob is using the new format).

That could explain how they broke their own API as well.

[elbryyan]

I'll try to take a look at it this weekend but I can't promise anything yet.

Hey no worries, you'll get to it when you get to it.

[whurlston]

Well, there is no point in looking into the Genre issue: http://developer.netflix.com/blog/read/O...Going_Away

On June 15th, 2011, these genres are going away, to be replaced by a new classification model. This new model will be more flexible and more well-tuned to the diverse expectations of a global movie-watching audience.

What this means for you as an API developer is that you should identify any parts of your applications that rely on the current genre structure and remove this dependency in preparation for the rollout of the new classification model. Details of this new model will soon follow here at http://developer.netflix.com/.

A week away and no word on what the changes will be. So basically: Be prepared for your applications to break and then we will tell you how to fix them. Crap like this is part of why development has stalled for me and other Netflix app developers. At least they warned us this time which is more than we usually get.

Needless to say, I won't be doing anything with the plugin until at least June 15th since Genres are a big part of the plugin.

[johnsonx42]

wow, what a pita.

how do the various netflix streaming devices deal with this? internet tv's, blu-ray players, xbox360, ps3, wii, other set top boxes, etc.... surely they don't break every time netflix changes something? or are they using some fixed limited subset of the api that never changes?

[whurlston]

I don't think that they use the same api we do. Netflix would not be on any third party devices if they did.

[elbryyan]

Well, that sucks. It seems like they really don't want any third party apps to be developed at all. Thanks for the update though.