3 ms·

Does anyone know why they used Silverlight?

by pg 18y ago

elq 18y ago
There are several reasons but one of the biggest is that Microsoft's DRM solution is/was the most acceptable to the studios.
- cabalamat 18y ago
  Some quotes from disguntled Netflix customers: "You can bet I won't be renewing if they don't fix this garbage" "lower connection speed and lower quality than before Silverlight" "uggh, Individualization failed. Unable to playback protected (DRM) content. Error 8152. Still does not work on the Mac." "horribly pixelated, sporadic and painful to watch at times" "Never really had a problem with the WMP player. Now, I was forced to "opt" in to the new player. Video is jerky/choppy on all Starz titles and many others. And by jerky, I mean unwatchable. Thanks Netflix!!!!!!!!!!!!! What worked fine yesterday is now worthless. Amazing that they can actually make Blockbuster an option again." If the studios want to push people into downloading over BitTorrent, they're going the right way about it. Having said all that, kudos to Netflix for not pulling all the adverse comments from their website.
  - jrockway 18y ago
    If the studios want to push people into downloading over BitTorrent, they're going the right way about it. Yeah, I only use Netflix out of utter desperation. If I really want to watch something, and just can't find it on Usenet or TPB, then I grudgingly accept the fact that I will have to use Netflix. The UI and video quality are both terrible. Why is it that I can stream full-HD video for free, but I am only able to pay for low-quality DRM'd crap?
- eli 18y ago
  My understanding is that is was the only viable DRM solution that was cross-platform. Apple won't license FairPlay and Flash-based DRM ain't quite there yet.
  - elq 18y ago
    Widevine (http://www.widevine.com/cypher.html http://www.widevine.com/cypher.html) offers a flash based DRM that many of the studios like, but it's shockingly expensive.
tarmac 18y ago
1. time based animation (vs frame based) 2. content delivery network 3. scalable video formats from HD to mobile 4. media server licensing is cheap
- codeview 18y ago
  1. Player frame rate has zero impact on flash video playback 2. Established CDNs for flash delivery has been in existence for years(Akami,Influxis..) 3. Flash's video capabilities include playback of H.264,mp4,mov,3gp...(from HD to mobile!) 4. Red 5 is free as beer. I dont think its a feature based choice. Looks more like a marketing deal with MS for wider adoption of the format.
  - eli 18y ago
    You're missing the key feature: DRM. The studios won't sign off unless they trust the DRM.
    - codeview 18y ago
      Flash does have DRM support. My understanding is that Amazon's Video on Demand implements it.
staunch 18y ago
They have a deal with Microsoft to stream to the XBox. I always assumed Microsoft "evangelized" Silverlight to them.

Does anyone know why they used Silverlight?

by pg 18y ago

Does anyone know why they used Silverlight?

elq 18y ago

There are several reasons but one of the biggest is that Microsoft's DRM solution is/was the most acceptable to the studios.

cabalamat 18y ago
Some quotes from disguntled Netflix customers: "You can bet I won't be renewing if they don't fix this garbage" "lower connection speed and lower quality than before Silverlight" "uggh, Individualization failed. Unable to playback protected (DRM) content. Error 8152. Still does not work on the Mac." "horribly pixelated, sporadic and painful to watch at times" "Never really had a problem with the WMP player. Now, I was forced to "opt" in to the new player. Video is jerky/choppy on all Starz titles and many others. And by jerky, I mean unwatchable. Thanks Netflix!!!!!!!!!!!!! What worked fine yesterday is now worthless. Amazing that they can actually make Blockbuster an option again." If the studios want to push people into downloading over BitTorrent, they're going the right way about it. Having said all that, kudos to Netflix for not pulling all the adverse comments from their website.
- jrockway 18y ago
  If the studios want to push people into downloading over BitTorrent, they're going the right way about it. Yeah, I only use Netflix out of utter desperation. If I really want to watch something, and just can't find it on Usenet or TPB, then I grudgingly accept the fact that I will have to use Netflix. The UI and video quality are both terrible. Why is it that I can stream full-HD video for free, but I am only able to pay for low-quality DRM'd crap?
eli 18y ago
My understanding is that is was the only viable DRM solution that was cross-platform. Apple won't license FairPlay and Flash-based DRM ain't quite there yet.
- elq 18y ago
  Widevine (http://www.widevine.com/cypher.html http://www.widevine.com/cypher.html) offers a flash based DRM that many of the studios like, but it's shockingly expensive.

tarmac 18y ago

1. time based animation (vs frame based) 2. content delivery network 3. scalable video formats from HD to mobile 4. media server licensing is cheap

codeview 18y ago
1. Player frame rate has zero impact on flash video playback 2. Established CDNs for flash delivery has been in existence for years(Akami,Influxis..) 3. Flash's video capabilities include playback of H.264,mp4,mov,3gp...(from HD to mobile!) 4. Red 5 is free as beer. I dont think its a feature based choice. Looks more like a marketing deal with MS for wider adoption of the format.
- eli 18y ago
  You're missing the key feature: DRM. The studios won't sign off unless they trust the DRM.
  - codeview 18y ago
    Flash does have DRM support. My understanding is that Amazon's Video on Demand implements it.

staunch 18y ago

They have a deal with Microsoft to stream to the XBox. I always assumed Microsoft "evangelized" Silverlight to them.