TechLifeWeb

One of the best plug-ins for Windows Media Center is Netflix Streaming.  While on the surface is should be straight forward to get this plug-in working there are a few things you can do on your HTPC and your network environment to ensure that things work smoothly.

1. Use an alternate DNS provider. Ok so this one definitely isn’t intuitive.  If you are having trouble even getting the Netflix (or Internet TV) to show up and let you install, you should try changing your DNS (Domain Name Server). You can do this at the PC or Router level. I use OpenDNS (208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220) but others have had issues with those servers and Media Center Netflix. You could also try Google’s DNS (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4). Again, some have reported similar issues there too. Another option is to go to http://dnsserverlist.org/ and there will be a list of DNS servers to try out for your location.

2. Set up Netflix in Internet Explorer:

• Start Internet Explorer
• Go to http://www.netflix.com/
• Type- “http://WWW.Netflix.com/clearcookies” into the address bar and hit enter
• In IE, go to Tools – Internet Options
• Select the “Security” tab
• Select the “Trusted” zone
• Select the “Sites” button
• Remove all references to “Netflix” sites in all boxes
• Uncheck the “Require Server Verification…” box
• In the “Add” field- type- *.netflix.com then select the “Add” button
• Click Close
• Click OK
• Try Netflix in IE
• Once you have streamed a movie for a little bit, close IE
• Now launch Media Center and try Netflix

I had my Media Center set up for months and didn’t have an issue. Then recently, after Windows 7  SP1 (Service Pack 1) and an update to Silverlight I had problem where Netflix was working until I tried to watch a movie. Closing media center and simply going to http://WWW.Netflix.com/clearcookies in Internet Explorer then, still in IE, logging on to Netflix fixed my error.

Hopefully this will help others trying to troubleshoot Netflix in Media Center.

Update 03MAR11: There is an issue with IE9 and Netflix (I wouldn’t put IE9 on my HTPC but in case someone did) MS has a fix here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2512239

Filtering the web so you don’t have to for January 19th 2010

• Microsoft readies emergency IE patch to counter public exploits – Microsoft has started dropping broad hints that an emergency patch for Internet Explorer will be released very soon to counter targeted attacks and the publication of exploit code for a “browse and you’re owned” vulnerability in its flagship Web browser.
• The Full Spectrum – Episode 2 | Club Topsy -
  clubtopsy.com
  This week, Club Topsy Radio explores the days of old, before kicking things into gear with Ol’ Blue Eyes, and a slurry of modern jump-blues favorites, and finish it off with some rockin’ rollin’ tunes with some 50’s flavor for your enjoyment. Not quite getting into the Rockabilly collection just yet, but it’s close:
  Cab Calloway with Ella Fitzgerald – That Old Black Magic Artie Shaw – Untitled Track (lost my track listing) Benny Goodman with Peggy Lee – Elmer’s Tune Louis Armstrong with Bessie..   show all text
  nomatophobic: A spring in my work step tonight: Club Topsy Podcast RT @clubtopsy: http://bit.ly/5sBuxM Club Topsy Radio, Episode 2 – The Full Spectrum

Whether you just bought a new Vista machine or rebuilt your current one, you need a list of the software you had installed. Everyone has their own unique blend of software they just have to have on a machine to make it truly their own. I have been carefully crafting Windows based machines for a long time so I thought I would publish the list of software that I use. You can build a very functional machine and not spend a dime beyond the original purchase price. I do have some commercial software listed here that some people will tell me has free alternatives. I know, I have tried them. The stuff I spend money on just works or saves me a ton of time on configuration because it is the best in its class.

So here is the TecLifeWeb Blend. I’ll try to keep it updated. You’ll find links to all the software so you can build download and blend your own.

• AVG Anti-Virus
• Firefox – Best web browser and the following add-ons
• • GreaseMonkey Add-on
  • Double Click Relinker Script – Script I wrote to prevent your click from being hijacked by Double Click
  • Google Secure – Make sure Gmail and other Google services are accessed by https
  • Old Bar – Cleans up the way the URL Bar (aka Awesome Bar) presents results. Makes it more like Firefox 2.
  • IE Tab – Embedding Internet Explorer in tabs of Firefox
  • Better GMail 2 – Add useful extra features and skins to Gmail, like hierarchical labels, macros, signatures, file attachment icons, and more.
  • Shareaholic – Lets you post links to all kinds of social sites include del.icio.us, digg, facebook, etc.
  • Tab Mix Plus – tabs on steroids and a whole lot more
  • Video DownloadHelper – for downloading clips from YouTube and elsewhere
  • Foxmarks – Foxmarks is a free add-on for your Firefox browser that syncs and backs up your bookmarks and passwords across multiple computers and more.
• Silverlight (this also checks what version is installed to be sure it is up to date)
• Flash
• 7-zip – MUCH better and faster than the native unzipping tool
• Foxit PDF reader (light weight and very fast)
• CuteFDF Writer (Printer driver to print to PDF)
• OpenOffice (Open Source MS Office alternative)
• ISORecorder – Create CD/DVD from ISO images. No need for Nero or others
• VLC (Cross-platform media player and streaming server)
• Picasa (Google’s photo organizing software)
• Java – You also get Java with Open Office so no need to download separately.
• Dropbox – Sync files between your machines

Codec Setup
Install these 2 and follow my instructions an you’ll be able to play any video file type in Vista Media Center or Windows Media Player

• Ffdshow (Latest stable build /ffdshow_beta5_rev2033_20080705_clsid.)(Instructions)
• Haali Media Splitter – Lets you open files so ffdshow can play them. For Matroska, MP4, AVI, OGG/OGM, MPEG TS.

Commercial Software

• Video Studio 11
• Adobe Photoshop Elements
• Quicken
• Neat Image – noise reduction for scanners and cameras
• Text Aloud and voices – Best text to speech and voices that don’t sound realistic
• Video Redo – For editing mpg2 and dvr-ms files

Optional

• Virtual Box – Virtual Box is a general-purpose full virtualizer for x86 hardware. Targeted at server, desktop and embedded use, it is now the only professional-quality virtualization solution that is also Open Source Software.
• EAC-Exact Audio Copy – follow download link on the left hand side (Setup Instructions)
  • LAME encoder 3.97
• AutoIT3 – Scripting Tool
• Daemon Tools – For mounting iso images as virtual optical drives. People are getting best results with version is 4.12.3. Especially with blu-ray ISOs.
• The Levelator – For audio recordings. Levelate a wav file before you compress to mp3 or other. Good for podcasters.

Don’t forget to set these things up
VPN
Network Printers
Fix the tabs in Firefox – not needed as much if you use the tabmixplus plugin.
10 Tweaks to Vista