Need a little break? With Windows, you've got tons of options—without a lot of extra expense. Set up an amazing entertainment system, record TV for free, or play games with the whole family online or on your PC. Read how one pair of busy parents are able to quickly relax by watching their favorite movies and TV shows with Netflix in Windows Media Center.
Windows Media Center and Netflix bring you the movies and shows you want
Available with Windows Vista Premium and Ultimate editions, Windows Media Center brings together more Internet-delivered movies, shows, and clips than ever before.
My wife and I are exhausted
It is somewhere between eight and nine at night and we've managed to get our little ones down for the night after a long day that has involved permission slips, packed lunches, play dates, shuttling to and from Karate, or swimming lessons, or both. Somehow we put three meals together, fed the dogs, folded the laundry, laid out outfits, and set up the coffee maker for morning. And we're sitting now, on the couch, looking blankly at each other with our mouths hanging open. Welcome to modern parenting in America.
It used to be, at moments like this, that the mere thought of running to the video store to pick up a movie that does not involve a large, purple dinosaur was enough to knock us down for the count. But not anymore. In our home, we have a Windows Vista-based PC hooked up to our only TV, and last month, native support for Netflix was rolled out to Windows Media Center.
My family couldn't be happier with the experiences this has created. Not only can we manage our DVD queue from the couch using our Media Center remote, but we also have access to 12,000 movies and TV shows available for instant viewing. From my wife's love of romantic comedies to my own preference for quirky documentaries, Netflix has yet to let us down with its selection of TV shows and movies.
Movies like Wedding Daze, which Netflix suggested to us after noting we had recently watched Father of the Bride (an old favorite). Wedding Daze was available for instant viewing. We just selected the Play button and within one minute, we were watching the movie. And then my wife said something that she never says about technology.
What she said was this:
"Wow. That was easy."
And it was. Moments like these, when Windows Media Center is in perfect step with our entertainment wishes, are more and more common in our lives as more content moves to the Web for delivery. The streamed movies look great on the big screen—no stutters, no pixilation, and no artifacts. Just a quality movie experience delivered at the exact moment we wanted it. If only parenting could be as easy.
And yes, whenever the need arises, Netflix has plenty of instant content available that includes a large, purple dinosaur.
Setting up and using Netflix in Windows Media Center
Open Windows Media Center by either selecting Start | Windows Media Center or by pressing the green button on your remote (if you have a remote set up).
Scroll to the TV+Movies strip on the main menu, and then select the Netflix tile.
Select Install to download and install the application. You'll have to give your permission for Netflix in Windows Media Center to be run on your PC. If you don't have a Netflix membership, you can select Try Netflix for Free to set one up.
Once the Netflix app is installed, sign in with your Netflix credentials and begin browsing. That's all there is to it!
When you first sign in, you'll see all the new arrivals in Movies and TV shows. When you select a film, you can see the formats in which it is available—DVD, Blu-ray, or Instantly. You can scroll through various genres across the top of the screen, and searching for a movie or TV show is as easy as selecting Search.
I usually check the Watch instantly only check box so that the results only show me the content available for instant viewing. And, I can queue up the movies I want to watch instantly in the same way I can queue up the DVDs I want delivered to my house.
As more and more entertainment options make the leap to the Web, Windows Media Center becomes more and more part of the rhythm and breath of my family's life. It's the one place where we can easily browse, access, and immediately enjoy the movies and shows we love most—whether we're using the remote control and our flat screen TV, or sitting at a laptop waiting for a connecting flight.
Learn more about Netflix in Windows Media Center.
Author bio: Pete Brown
Pete Brown has been living with and writing about Windows Media Center since 2003. He currently moderates discussions at thegreenbutton.com, the largest online community of Windows Media Center enthusiasts and power users.
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