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PlayOn Brings Vudu and More to PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, Netflix Next
Posted by Mark Wilson at 3:20 AM on August 20, 2008
PlayOn, a program that allows Vudu, ESPN, YouTube and CBS streaming from a Windows PC to a PS3, Xbox 360 or HP MediaSmart TV, has just been released as a free beta to the public (well, the first 60 days are free, after that it'll cost US$30). And to make things even better, the software should expand to support Netflix streaming and the Nintendo Wii within the year. Finally, that whole console becoming as complicated as a PC trend is paying off. [PlayOn via PS3Fanboy]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
d
Posted August 20, 2008 8:24 AM
Great idea... too bad it doesn't work and their website doesn't provide any feedback channel.
PS3 says... The folder could not be accessed
This content may have been deleted from the media server
Their website says... contact us... you are not authorized to access this page.
Monique
Posted August 20, 2008 11:38 AM
I get the exact same message on my PS3. Sucks. I really want to try it out.
n
Posted August 20, 2008 12:23 PM
Yup, totally doesn't work. I can see all the content but the screen just goes black when you try and play.
Their forum and contact page don't work. So much for an informative beta.
DJ
Posted August 20, 2008 1:25 PM
Not only that but it caused my PS3 to "repair database". This happens sometimes when the PS3 thinks it has corrupted files. Pretty lame software.
Doug
Posted August 21, 2008 12:02 AM
This article needs to be revised. There is an obvious typo when referencing VUDU, the video store in a box. They mean Hulu, the website where you can watch tv and movies legally. VUDU does not work without hardware and never will. You should adjust the article accordingly.
Joe Rosenberg
Posted August 21, 2008 5:18 AM
The Netflix Roku Box is the best. I think this innovation (at the $100 price point) obviates the need for cable TV. My wife and I switched from Blockbuster to NetFlix/Roku and cancelled our cable TV. Roku needs to offer adult videos too! Otherwise the Vudu box is worth the extra money, and may win just like VHS beat Betamax. It would be nice for us to get our adult movies from SugarDVD.com via Roku instead of the postman!
Mike Brown
Posted August 22, 2008 2:08 AM
Good news in that the PS3 issue is solved with an update that came out yesterday. Check it out, at their site themediamall.com
Cableguy44
Posted 3:49 AM 20/8/08
Anyone else try this out yet? All I am getting is "the folder could not be accessed." "this content may have been deleted from the server"
Cableguy44
bosskev
Posted 3:47 AM 20/8/08
From the PlayOn website:
"Download and install PlayOn on your Windows XP or Vista PC (you will be instructed how to download after signing up for the Beta testing). Turn on your home-networked game console and find the PlayOn Media Server."
I am not clear why this is useful. You still have to have a Windows PC, right (and for now I will not grumble about the lack of Mac support)? The PS3/Xbox 360 can't do anything without the PC pulling in the media first, right? So why not just go direct from your PC to your TV, what's the advantage of involving the game consoles?
bosskev
PipeRifle
Posted 3:47 AM 20/8/08
@Mark Wilson: Then that's boss as hell.
@BanMeAgainBrianLam: TVersity has always given me transcoding issues, personally, though to be fair the last time I used it was on the 360, about 2 system updates and who knows how many TVersity versions ago.
PipeRifle
BanMeAgainBrianLam
Posted 3:44 AM 20/8/08
It looks like this is leveraging the DLNA media server architecture and performing transcoding on the PC side to make the content compatible. Quite ingenious really, they don't have to worry about the console's being compatible since they use an open standard to send the data. Tversity has been shifting some internet content this way for a little while, but this is the first I've seen that is claiming to be specially compatible with major stream sources Hulu/NetFlix.
BanMeAgainBrianLam
bandit
Posted 3:42 AM 20/8/08
And, I would add, brings it to my living room rather than my office.
bandit
bandit
Posted 3:41 AM 20/8/08
This is EXACTLY what I've been waiting for. Netflix to PS3 via WiFi. Hate watching Netflix streams on a 22" PC screen. This finally brings it to my 50" plasma.
bandit
phantam
Posted 3:40 AM 20/8/08
isnt netflix coming native to the xbox360 already?
phantam
Mark Wilson
Posted 3:40 AM 20/8/08
@PipeRifle: $30 for the software.
Mark Wilson
BanMeAgainBrianLam
Posted 3:36 AM 20/8/08
Great Googly Moogly that is sweet.
BanMeAgainBrianLam
Cableguy44
Posted 3:35 AM 20/8/08
hmm...i was kind of sad with this, it only supports you tube right now
Cableguy44
PipeRifle
Posted 3:35 AM 20/8/08
@SinAmos: A game console supporting YouTube means Microsoft/Sony/Nintendo entering into arrangements with Google and then you're talking huge money on all sides. It may come standard someday, but for now you're talking third-party.
And I personally admire that there ARE third-party solutions that can be integrated and work well on the new generation of consoles; I modded my original Xbox because I had no choice, but I'm more hesitant to crack one of my newer consoles and start mucking around.
PipeRifle
StealthNinja
Posted 3:30 AM 20/8/08
SO, once Xbox 360 Zune comes out with their computer phone gaming console; then technically Netflix will be available to watch on it too!
Awesome!
StealthNinja
SinAmos
Posted 3:29 AM 20/8/08
Take the streaming out of the equation. 3rd party apps for things that should be taken care of inside THE BOX itself. Mods for the win.
SinAmos
PipeRifle
Posted 3:28 AM 20/8/08
Where is the info for pricing after the beta ends? Is that $30 monthly, or a download fee for the program itself? Because it seems like a pretty great idea, but for $30 a month there are certainly other options (like watching YouTube on the computer.)
PipeRifle
ekasbury
Posted 3:27 AM 20/8/08
Netflix via PS3 = woot.
ekasbury
imTheKing
Posted 3:25 AM 20/8/08
thats pretty tight.
imTheKing
jipn
Posted 4:20 AM 20/8/08
Finally netflix on the PS3. What is taking so long. It's a pain to pull the HDMI cable out of the PS3 and into the laptop a PAIN. Then I have to plug in the computer cause it only last 1.5 hours on the battery. A pain I tell you. The setup doesn't look to good though. Not like the new 360 setup coming. Oh well I'll take anything. There's a couple new movies I would watch on netflix I could stream it. A couple good TV series too.
Side note. Who the 'f' buys $2 tv shows on the PSN network. Seriously are there any morons out there.
jipn
cearum
Posted 4:16 AM 20/8/08
Don't you mean Hulu not Vudu?
cearum
foolmartyr
Posted 4:03 AM 20/8/08
Still need the computer on and running. Not worth all the extra power consumption.
Bring it to the consoles directly.
foolmartyr
logicalnoise
Posted 4:00 AM 20/8/08
unless it requires a media center pc I fail to understand how it will work seamlessly with 360 which only runs signed code natively.
logicalnoise
jipn
Posted 4:39 AM 20/8/08
I wait for blu-ray on netflix at home subscription. It takes forever, but it's cheaper than $6 a pop.
Once and a while I'll get an HD comcast show. I just looked at Hulu offering. They have a great TV episodes. I'll be trying this tonight.
jipn
PipeRifle
Posted 4:34 AM 20/8/08
@bosskev: In my personal situation, I have a PC that is quite far from the TV, but is on the same network as the 360. Since I got the 360 to play games, anything else it can do (play videos off the PC's hard drive, etc.) is just a bonus. A lot of people are probably in the same boat.
If you were starting from scratch, it might make more sense to get a slingbox or a dedicated home theater PC, but for people who already have all the "base" items for this, it's a pretty cool solution.
PipeRifle
PhilK
Posted 4:33 AM 20/8/08
Neat idea, doesn't install on Vista x64 though.
PhilK
logicalnoise
Posted 4:24 AM 20/8/08
@jipn: not on PSN but I paid 2 bucks per episode for frisky dingo before it came out on DVD but all those episodes are mine for as long as XBL MP lasts. I rent HD movies from time to time as well.
logicalnoise
berribrand
Posted 4:51 AM 20/8/08
If they add in PSP streaming from the PS3, that would be even tighter! Imagine: Netflix in the palm of your hand via the PSP...
berribrand
BanMeAgainBrianLam
Posted 5:27 AM 20/8/08
@bosskev: For most people their PC is not near their TV.
@Noobs-R-Us: @foolmartyr: @logicalnoise:
I don't think you're really getting it. Making it run natively would mean they would have to work with Sony/Micorsoft, get their ok's, deal with their content restirctions, etc. Going through the DLNA media server channel they can avoid all that. Essentially this has the potential to work for any DLNA reciever, not just consoles. It's probably just limited now to ease development.
BanMeAgainBrianLam
keebie81
Posted 5:21 AM 20/8/08
woohoo now i can watch alf on my xbox. the hulu feature is great but it seems to only let you watch tv shows not the movies. unless im doing something wrong
keebie81
Noobs-R-Us
Posted 5:16 AM 20/8/08
They should make this work on the PS3, not through a PC! or else, massive fail!
Noobs-R-Us
TroutDeep
Posted 5:46 AM 20/8/08
@bozzkev: I was wondering the same thing...
The PS3 can already stream from a media server on your PC. Why pay $30 so that you can watch low-quality YouTube vids on your big TV instead of on your PC?
TroutDeep
flynt7
Posted 5:49 AM 20/8/08
The PS3 already does YouTube through its browser. It also streams media from a PC like others have said. I'm not going to pay $30 for something that the PS3 can already do for the most part.
flynt7
dinich
Posted 4:56 AM 20/8/08
Yeah I'm gonna go ahead and assume you mean Hulu and not Vudu. You'd have to capture video output from the Vudu on your PC before streaming it to the PS3/360 in order for Vudu support. Not pretty.
dinich
Mark Wilson
Posted 7:20 AM 20/8/08
@cearum: Yes, thanks.
Mark Wilson
tivoupgrade
Posted 7:58 AM 20/8/08
Well that sure was confusing. It still says VUDU in my Yahoo feed for this post, but the article now says HULU.
Meh. I'm a VUDU guy.
tivoupgrade
Canoehead
Posted 8:21 AM 20/8/08
LAME. Why do I want to go to the other room and fire up my PC so I can turn on my PS3 to watch Netflix on my TV. Putting aside the fact that my PC (actually a MacPro with Win XP and Vista boots) cannot stream Netflix because my evil KVM switch violates their HDCP B.S., I would prefer not to switch on every electonic device I own just to watch a movie (esp in summer where I am trying to keep the heat under control). There's no reason that Netflix couldn't have an application directly on the PS3. This is a Kludge.
Canoehead
jipn
Posted 9:40 AM 20/8/08
I'm sorry to be the one guy that loves this thing. I just downloaded it. It works flawlessly... you can browse content FAST. And the shows look same as SD cable on a HD TV (shitty), but watchable. No stuttering for the most part. Hulu is great!! this is the best thing since slice bread. I can watch all the episodes of TV shows I haven't watched. Don't knock it till you try it.
jipn
Enochrewt
Posted 10:08 AM 20/8/08
Wow, this thing is slick. For those that wonder the use of it, some people prefer to watch TV shows on their TV, not a web browser. I just recently canceled my cable because of the expense, and while I don't watch a lot of TV (probably 8 hours a month) It's nice to have something to watch every once in a while. Also, there's some real gems here. The entire run of Twin Peaks, Old Love Boat episodes, Hawaii Five-O, all the CSI shows, and every episode of the original Star Trek just to name a few, and I haven't gotten out of the CBS folder yet.
Enochrewt
CaptainSquishy
Posted 9:32 PM 20/8/08
GUAAAAAAAAAA! It doesn't let me download, kill me!
CaptainSquishy
churchstreet
Posted 9:33 AM 20/8/08
Heck, I like this. I slapped it on my media sever in the bathroom( yes my media server lives in the bathroom) and bam!!! Hulu on my PS3. The software is slick enough for me to buy also.
churchstreet
Gish
Posted 6:49 AM 20/8/08
I am having the same problem cableguy. Says that media may have been deleted off the media server. Still shows all the episodes in thumbnails, but no videos will play.
Gish
stonefry
Posted 3:15 AM 21/8/08
They are fixing some bugs, so the download is currently unavailable. Anybody have an alternate?
stonefry
AmishPhysicist
Posted 9:59 AM 21/8/08
Having to have another machine on to stream == fail.
AmishPhysicist
mepriestley
Posted 12:49 AM 22/8/08
I had been getting the "Folder could not be accessed..." error on my PS3 when I tried this out the other day. I emailed MediaMall to ask how to fix it and they sent me a link to a new beta. Seems to work fine now :). Here's the link for anyone who needs it: [www.themediamall.com]
mepriestley