"TV Shows" not Aggregating Netflix

[MrG299]

While I've been a frequent visitor, this is my first post. I just want to start off by saying thanks for all the great work the boxee team has done! The beta so far has been fantastic!

While browsing my TV Shows today I noticed that it had stopped aggregating my netflix content. For example if I select 30 Rock it would normally show every episode from all of the seasons because they are all available via watch instantly on Netflix. However, I am only seeing the episodes available from NBC and Hulu (about 5 or 6 episodes). This seems to be happening for all shows. Yesterday it was working fine and I haven't changed any settings. If I go to the Netflix app in boxee or netflix.com I am able to play the content fine. Any ideas? Again, thanks for all the great work from the boxee team and the forum members that keep the community alive.

Edit: I should note that I'm on a Mac running 10063 and that it doesn't seem to be pulling netflix movies either.

[cogadh]

I'm on Win XP with the beta and I'm seeing the same behavior with the TV Show and Movie Library not populating Netflix content. This is not just happening with media that has multiple content providers, it is also happening for media that only has Netflix as a source (Farscape, for example). The Netflix app itself appears to be working OK

[panamamike]

Netflix seems to be working for me.

However, Boxee doesn't show me all shows available in TV. For example, If I look at the shows available on HULU Desktop, I see many more episodes available there for House Hunters...

Mike

[cogadh]

Netflix seems to be working for me.

However, Boxee doesn't show me all shows available in TV. For example, If I look at the shows available on HULU Desktop, I see many more episodes available there for House Hunters...

Mike
Are you sure? The Netflix app itself is working fine, but the movie and TV show library in Boxee no longer includes Netflix content for me. Farscape, one of "My TV Shows" that is only available through Netflix actually produces the following error:

No results found.
Some content is geo-blocked. Configuration can be changed
under Settings/Appearance/View Options
This is the second time I've seen that geo-blocking error pop up when it shouldn't (I'm in the US, nothing in Netflix is geo-blocked for me) and it even persists after turning off the appropriate option to hide geo-blocked content. I have verified that Farscape is still available o the Netflix site and through the Netflix app.

[jendabom]

Got the same issue with Numbers and yes no netflix is listed on other shows. It is a real shame since that would make the tv library even more awesome!!

[panamamike]

Are you sure? The Netflix app itself is working fine, but the movie and TV show library in Boxee no longer includes Netflix content for me. Farscape, one of "My TV Shows" that is only available through Netflix actually produces the following error:

No results found.
Some content is geo-blocked. Configuration can be changed
under Settings/Appearance/View Options
This is the second time I've seen that geo-blocking error pop up when it shouldn't (I'm in the US, nothing in Netflix is geo-blocked for me) and it even persists after turning off the appropriate option to hide geo-blocked content. I have verified that Farscape is still available o the Netflix site and through the Netflix app.

I'll have to double check, but I remember being able to see Netflix shows under TV apps...

[darcilicious]

I've gotten that geo-blocked message before as well.

I'm wondering if things aren't being worked on in the back-end which is causing issues with things showing up properly, either in the queue or on the individual TV Show pages...

[tsyndr]

Netflix seems to be working for me.

However, Boxee doesn't show me all shows available in TV. For example, If I look at the shows available on HULU Desktop, I see many more episodes available there for House Hunters...

Mike

I have a similar issue. Heroes just released 2 episodes avaiable on Hulu (s4e13 and s4e14) and they won't show up in boxee. I left my boxee on for a few hours to see if it'd find it. Is there anyway to force a refresh so it scans for possible new episodes?

EDIT: it pulled the 13th episode, but not the 14th, I guess it just takes time.

[Fuzzgtp]

This content has been removed as part of the agreement with netflix sadly. Content providers just don't get it

[cogadh]

This content has been removed as part of the agreement with netflix sadly. Content providers just don't get it
Wha!?:eek:

Why in the world would they do that? Its not like Boxee was circumventing Netflix or hiding that fact that Netflix was the source of the content or allowing non-Netflix subscribers to access the content. In fact, Boxee could conceivably gain Netflix more subscribers since so much of the movie and TV content was from them. Is there anything we can do to express our displeasure over the situation to Netflix (without damaging Boxee's relationship with them, of course)?

[Fuzzgtp]

Should state that netflix will work within the app, just now in the tv and movie libraries. I agree, the have only to gain from having it there. I would suggest a formal email to them explaining why they are missing out.

[judgeschambers]

I don't agree with the NF requirements to view their content only through the application.

This currently forces me to use the NF search feature within the app. Heck, with the old method, I found at a glance that NF had shows and movies I did not even know they had! It made using their system easier and more frequent.

But, I can see that they want users to use their app directly (search, que, viewing etc) Anything else is technically a "circumvention" of their product. ;)

[MrG299]

I can't believe that!? That's really too bad. I always thought of netflix as a company open to new ways of viewing media and trying to get their content on all devices. I understand where they are coming from but it's unfortunate that it's clobbering innovation at the same time. I just re-signed up for netflix again after the boxee beta came out... Rant end lol

[MrG299]

I've been digging around for a netflix email and can't find one. I guess they switched to phone only customer service back in 2007. If anyone comes across an email please share :)

[cogadh]

They don't have a direct e-mail, but they do have online form for contacting certain departments within the company via e-mail. I'm thinking the "Alliances" form is probably the best one to use. According to their description of it, it is for "Customer acquisition, event partnerships and business development opportunities for Netflix." If we approach this less as a complaint and more as suggestion for a way to increase their business, we might have more success getting them to listen.

http://www.netflix.com/ContactAlliances?lnkctr=cu_alliance

EDIT - Okay, I don't usually write missives like this (I usually write "angry old man" type letters), so I need a little help. This is what I am planning to send to Netflix, is there anything that should be added or changed?

To whom it may concern,

I am one of the many users of the fantastic internet TV/media center application Boxee. I am not a developer of the application or in any way affiliated with its business, I am just a concerned user.

As you may be aware, the application recently entered into a beta testing phase, which features large improvements to the interface and user experience, including the ability to aggregate internet content into easily accessible libraries of TV shows and movies. A large portion of that content was, until recently, sourced from Netflix. I have been made aware that this is no longer the case at the request of Netflix. This change is, in my opinion, a mistake.

Having the content available in this manner was convenient for users of both Boxee and Netflix. The ease of accessing Netflix content via Boxee was a huge selling point for Boxee and Netflix together. Now when users look at the available movies library, all they see is free content from sources other than Netflix. Why bother with a Netflix subscription when they already have free alternatives? When the wide range of Netflix content was part of the library, that question was easily answered, now, not so much.

Yes, there is still an application within Boxee for accessing Netflix content, but the decision to force users to access content via that application has fundamentally changed the Boxee experience in a way that reflects badly on Netflix. I do understand that there may be business reasons to want your content available only through a branded application within Boxee, but frankly, those reasons are too narrow-minded. When Netflix content was available directly through its library, it was always clearly marked as sourced from Netflix, was only accessible to Netflix subscribers and provided a tangible incentive for non-subscribers to sign up. The Netflix app just gives existing subscribers the means to access the content, but does no where near as much to expand the Netflix brand as Boxee's TV and Movie library features can.

Please reconsider your decision to limit Boxee's methods of delivering Netflix content. The current restriction only hurts Netflix and from a customer point of view, there is no logical reason for it. Thank you for taking the time to read this and for the great product you provide.

[MrG299]

Sounds great Cogadh! You did a great job of explaining the problem and why adding netflix content back into the tv and movie libraries would be beneficial. I'll go ahead and write a letter too and send it through the channel you provided. That does look like the best place to send it.

[cogadh]

One suggestion: in the "organization" field on the form, I used "Boxee Users". It might not mean much, but if enough of us share our feeling on the subject as a united group, it could make a difference.

[homerj742]

I'm not a subscriber to Netflix, but would become one if they would work with boxee (running on ubuntu).

[cogadh]

That's a whole 'nother can of worms. Netflix doesn't work on Linux because it uses Microsoft's Silverlight. The only way to get Netflix to work on Linux would be if Netflix were to switch to something like Flash or if Microsoft were to port Silverlight to Linux. Both of those have their own set of issues preventing them from happening and neither is very likely at the moment.

[homerj742]

Yeah, I've all but given up on becoming a netflix subscriber. Oh well, perhaps they'll have some competition in the future that will allow the same service and use flash or something else...

[xmcnuggetx]

I hate that they Netflix is no longer aggregated. I actually purchased Netflix because of its integration. I was able to see there was plenty of content that I could not view without the purchase. For example look at a show like heroes. If you go to it from within boxee it now only shows this current season that is available from nbc and hulu. But prior to this decision I could see all seasons, but was unable to play earlier seasons without a Netflix subscription. I thought it was actually a good selling point for getting Netflix.

[cogadh]

You should definitely tell Netflix that. The last time they tried to make a change that affected the user experience of their service (the removal of multiple queues for a single account), they responded very quickly to user complaints about it and changed their minds. Granted, Boxee users are probably a small minority of the total Netflix membership, but if 100% of their users who also use Boxee try to pursuade them to change their minds on this, they might actually listen.

Trying to remain hopeful...

[MrG299]

I hate that they Netflix is no longer aggregated. I actually purchased Netflix because of its integration. I was able to see there was plenty of content that I could not view without the purchase. For example look at a show like heroes. If you go to it from within boxee it now only shows this current season that is available from nbc and hulu. But prior to this decision I could see all seasons, but was unable to play earlier seasons without a Netflix subscription. I thought it was actually a good selling point for getting Netflix.

That's the exact same reason I got netflix. I canceled my account about a month back and when I saw how much more content I could have in boxee if I had a netflix, I immediately reactivated my account... Hopefully they'll make the right decision. Although after this Warner Bros. deal that was just announced, saying netflix won't get new releases until 4 weeks after the DVD release, I can't say I'm holding my breath for them expanding boxee support...

[Kelmk]

Wow this is ridiculous. I can see hulu doing something like this but netflix?
This makes me want to cancel my netflix subscription.

[Kelmk]

Even more bad netflix news

http://gizmodo.com/5441950/netflix-is-losing-new-release-rentals

[cogadh]

Even more bad netflix news

http://gizmodo.com/5441950/netflix-is-losing-new-release-rentals
Honestly, that's not really a big deal. Most of us have our queues so full of movies that we never actually get new releases until at least a month after they come out anyway.

[darcilicious]

Honestly, that's not really a big deal. Agreed. There's way more media that I'm interested in that I'll ever have time to watch :D

[jendabom]

More instant streaming content and I have to wait a month for new releases is totally fine! I use instant streaming more than the rentals sometimes.

[mondo]

I noticed that when in the Clicker app and browsing to the show Heros, all seasons/episodes are there..even the ones that you need a Netflix account to view.

Doesn't make sense that the Netflix streams were removed from the main TV show section but are still available in Clicker.

Hopefully the Netflix streams will get added back to the main TV show menu. Seemed like it was good advertising for Netflix and easier for users to find content.

I really like the large, easy to read icons in that section.

[MrG299]

That is interesting they are still available in the clicker app. I really hope they bring this back as well. Is anyone on the boxee team able to add anymore insight to this?

[redsmoke]

cogadh, I hope you don't mind but I used your letter as a template and sent a letter to netflix too. Like MrG299 said clicker still works so Its not THAT big of a deal, but I would much prefer the boxee integration instead of having to go through clicker.com

[cogadh]

I don't mind at all, anyone should feel free to use it. Of course, now that they made me a mod here, it kind of sounds like I was lying in the opening bit...:p

[Kelmk]

email sent. I encourage everybody to send one.

[gatherlight]

I just sent off an email too.

Hopefully more of us will do so.

[Kyusaku]

I dunno if this is related but the latest beta no longer has a Movies Library. I know most of the movies were on Netflix, but what about stuff that was on Hulu?

[cmendill]

Just sent an email.

The integration of Netflix content into the Boxee UI was really great. If I didn't have Netflix and somebody showed me that, I would download Boxee and sign up for Netflix in a second.

The Netflix app is OK, but as a huge provider of TV and Movie content, Netflix belongs with Hulu and the networks -- integrated into the UI, not in the apps section.

[cogadh]

I dunno if this is related but the latest beta no longer has a Movies Library. I know most of the movies were on Netflix, but what about stuff that was on Hulu?

The movie library was removed at the last minute, at least partially due to the Netflix issues. It will be back eventually, though I am not sure what form it will take.

[RoofusKit]

I wonder if when they ask why I'm canceling my Netflix subscription they have "because we dicked over Boxee users" as on of the options.

Oh and P.S. Boxee staff, this is something i should hear about on the Boxee blog, not after a whole bunch of users complain on the forums. How about being more open with your users?

[beyondzero]

I wonder if when they ask why I'm canceling my Netflix subscription they have "because we dicked over Boxee users" as on of the options.

No - and while I know you were joking there isn't even a generic comment field. I did cancel my Netflix because of this and wanted to also say it was because of the lack of Linux support and that isn't even an option.

All of these companies cite piracy as their biggest concern and threat yet every time I turn around they are dicking me around and sending me right back to torrents.