Xbox 360 hack lets owners play Netflix movies

People aren't waiting for Microsoft to announce a deal with Netflix.

Someone has already figured out how to hack the Xbox 360 video game console and enable it to play Netflix streaming movies.

At Lifehacker.com, Adam Pash writes that all anyone needs is an Xbox 360, a Windows Vista PC, a Netflix account, and a free Windows Media Center plug-in called vmcNetflix.

Here is some of what Pash says an Xbox 360 owner can do following the hack: stream Watch Now movies directly to the Media Center player; download Watch Now movies to a "Watch Later" gallery; search for movies by keyword; browse DVDs; Watch Now movies by genre; and add, remove, and move movies in your queue.

Of course, this is more functionality than the $100 Netflix Box offers. Roku has received favorable reviews for streaming movies from the Web to television sets without long delays and at a reasonable price.

Soon, a hack may be unnecessary. Rumors are that Microsoft will announce this year that it has cut a deal to deliver Netlix's Watch Now service on the Xbox.

[HaveSomeTea]

I've heard an announcement is coming at E3 next month...

[Dead Soulman]

Well, if MS gets Netflix to work on the 360 without coming up with some silly charge, then I'm set.

[timber2005]

Not really a hack if its a acceptable plugin o.o

[bledsoe812]

There is no "hack" - it is merely a vista media center plug-in. Other than the article being from "lifehacker" there isn't even one mention of "hack" in the article. Come on c|net!

[bledsoe812]

This also has nothing to do with the xbox360, other than it is a media center extender. This plug-in should work on all v2 media center extenders.

[Grogck]

I've been using this 'hack' for awhile now. It can be just a touch slow at times, but works VERY well and has a beautiful interface just as if it were a native Media Center app.

Netflix has stated in the past (and states currently on the 'Watch Instantly' section of their site) that they'd like to partner with other hardware platforms (including gaming consoles) for distribution of this service. With the Netflix founder on the Microsoft board, it seemed like an inevitable partnership (and a win-win for users of both platforms IMO.) I imagine if there's a more official partnership it will likely be through the Xbox blade interface, which is ok, but can't hold a candle to Media Center.

The selection of streaming movies is still really poor right now, but it's a very promising service and I'd love to see a more flat-rate payment alternative from a strong player emerge to challenge Itunes. I'd also like to see free, commercially-supported alternatives akin to Hulu continue to grow.

[inachu]

If the hack offers more than the future offering then using the real thing would be a downgrade.

[freemarket--2008]

Only if you wish to ignore the fact that Roku doesn't require a Media Center PC.

[Composer_1777]

Sweet

[benjaminstraight]

'Hack'?

[FS1982!]

Personally I like RedBox. $1 a night and you get free codes all the time. Guess I do only rent a couple movies a month too. I am all for the Xbox/NetFlix relationship. That may entice me to plop down $5 - $10 a month so I can watch whatever, whenever I want. The question really is...if this worked out would my wife finally let me get rid of the all annoying Cable which is my ultimate goal. Ideally if I could pay $20 - $30 for my home television entertainment per month I'd be one happy camper.

[mklgry]

I agree with you on the cable. I have a bundle deal for the phone/internet/cable and never really realized that 80% of that bill was just for the "pleasure" of being able to surf through 100 channels of commercials aka cable. I don't even have any premium channels. I am thinking about cancelling the cable and getting an HD antenna so I can at least watch the major networks and still have no cable bill.
Cable tv is a complete ripoff.

[Scopip]

I double dare you.

[rar31]

Not really a hack because it's using a plug-in that's free. Still its cool that that can be done with the 360. It seems to be able to do a lot with this "hack" I wonder if the actual version would be more of a downgrade.

[djrobsd]

Hey, what about us sad and lonely PS3 owners, can we eventually get this functionality too?!

[zgreenwell]

This is just like any other media center plug in. They pretty much all work with the Xbox 360 as a media center extender. It probably will work with other media center extenders too.

[blabtech]

So the rumors were true..., go to my blog to read about the netflix box....

http://blabtech.blogspot.com

thanks! C NET Rocks

[malevolentx]

Big deal. Find a movie torrent online, download it, upload it to a USB hard drive, plug-in to xbox goto Media/Portable Device and Play.

You don't need a netflix account or pay for anything other than your Xbox 360 and a USB hard drive which are fairly cheap.