There is currently no simple solution to watching streaming movies via Netflix (Watch Instantly) in Linux for any Linux distros besides Android based computers. Netflix has not released a player that will install in any of the others.

This is because they use Microsoft Silverlight plugin with DRM. Although there is a Linux alternative to Silverlight called Mono/Moonlight, it does not have any DRM built in and it is very unlikely Microsoft will ever make a DRM option for it. Netflix has stated they will not use anything without DRM. So if Netflix continues to use Silverlight, then there will be no Linux support.

This how to works around this problem in a very non-ideal way. It relies on running Windows in Linux. If you have a Mid to High end system this howto will probably play Netflix fine. If your system is Low end or an older system, this how to will still work, but video will be choppy. Audio will probably be fine.

Contents 1 Special note 2 Other Methods 2.1 Other methods that DON'T work 2.2 Other methods that may work 3 Method: Using a Windows virtual machine to watch Netflix 3.1 Requirements 3.2 Installing 4 Results of systems using this how to 4.1 Systems that have choppy playback. 4.2 Systems that work reasonably well 5 Tips

Special noteEdit

Netflix does not currently offer support for Linux (as of 3/2012),

This how to is by NO means, in ANY way shape or form an official or supported way of running the Netflix: Watch Instantly feature natively in GNU/Linux.

So the only way I have found to watch Netflix in Linux is by running a virtual machine. If you don't like it, complain to Netflix, not us. Their phone number is 1-866-716-0414 or you could sign the petition to add Linux support to Netflix. Petition to add Netflix "Watch Now" feature for Linux. Calling Netflix and signing the petition both is the best plan as the numerous times I've called has resulted in the call center person telling me that "...the more people who call and request linux as an option is noted by Netflix".

Other MethodsEdit

Other methods that DON'T workEdit

• Boxee (as of 9/2011)
  • Boxee only supports Netflix on Boxee Boxes and on Windows.
• Wine (as of 9/2011)
  • Wine doesn't seem to have worked for Silverlight since about version 2 beta (long ago): Wine AppDB Entry for Silverlight
• Mono/Moonlight (as of 9/2011)
  • Moonlight does not include DRM support and hence does not support Netflix
  • Mono FAQ for Netflix
• ChromeOS virtual machine, and use the Netflix plugin
  • This does not work. Only the offical ChromeOS loaded onto a verified computer will run Netflix. (Mostly because all other computers lack the Netflix plugin, above is the 'official' report.)
• Android SDK's Android emulator, and run the Android Netflix app
  • Android SDK
  • Android SDK's emulator
  • Note: This is rather unlikely to work on account of the slow speed of the ARM emulator.
  • Further note: this has been tested and does not in fact work with the current netflix app, which runs in the emulator, but fails when trying to play a movie (as of 9/2011)
• Using a Playstation II emulator and a hacked Netflix disc iso
  • There is no PCSX2 network plug-in for Linux. Rom opens, but cannot connect (as of 11/2011)
  • PCSX2 and Netflix
• XBMC
  • relies on silverlight

Other methods that may workEdit

• Using a Wii emulator and a Netflix disc iso
  • http://forums.dolphin-emulator.com/showthread.php?tid=10022

Method: Using a Windows virtual machine to watch NetflixEdit

Using a virtual machine is a non-ideal solution, but it works. But if you have a Win-XP CD lying around its not so bad. Just think of it as running a really inefficient video player program, instead of a really backwards workaround.

RequirementsEdit

• Windows XP CD or ISO
• Virtual Machine: Virtualbox
  • Alternative: You can use VMWare Player as the Virtual machine software
• Microsoft Silverlight

InstallingEdit

1. Install Virtualbox
   • Ubuntu: http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads
   • Debian: http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads
   • Gentoo: emerge app-emulation/virtualbox
   • Source: http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads
2. Start Virtualbox
   • Execute: sudo modprobe vboxdr
   • Execute: VirtualBox &
3. Create WinXP virtual machine
   1. Click 'New'
   2. Click 'Next'
      • Name: Windows XP
      • OS Type: Windows XP
   3. Click 'Next'
   4. Base Memory Size: set as default
   5. Click 'Next'
   6. Click 'New...', to create a new virtual disk
   7. Click 'Next'
   8. Image Type: Dynamically....
   9. Click 'Next'
   10. Image File Name: where ever you wish to have it
   11. Image Size: 5GB
   12. Click 'Finished'
   13. Click 'Next'
   14. Click 'Finished'
4. Install Windows XP onto the Virtual Machine
   1. Insert the 'Windows XP' install CD
   2. Click 'Start', to start the virtual machine
   3. This will boot the install CD in the virtual machine, install Windows XP on the virtual disk as you normally would
5. Open this page in the virtual machine.
6. Install required software and updates
   • If you are using WinXP, update Windows to Service Pack 3
     • http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com
   • Install Microsoft Silverlight
     • http://silverlight.net/
7. Go to Netflix and try view a video.
8. Install any other required plug-ins if requested

Results of systems using this how toEdit

You can list your results here, Please include Video Frames (rendered/dropped) and Bitrate at full screen. To find this out Alt-Shift-Left Click, then click A/V Stats.

Systems that have choppy playback.Edit

• System: 1.6GHz Core 2 dual core CPU/Integrated Intel graphics chip
  • VirtualBox settings:512MB RAM alloted
  • Results: Video is a little choppy.
  • Statistical results: Video Frames (rendered/dropped): 18/6 @ Bitrate: 500 @ Full Screen
• System: 3.3GHz P4 dual core CPU/nVidia GeForce FX 5200 video
  • VirtualBox settings: 256MB RAM alloted
  • Results: Plays choppy
• System: 3.0GHz P4, 2GB ram (Kingston Hyperx; hyperthreading enabled)/512MB PCI express video card
  • Settings: VMware used instead of VirtualBox, 1024MB RAM alloted, Noveau driver used
  • Results: Plays choppy
• System: 2.1GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+, 4GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 9500 GT
  • VirtualBox settings: 1500MB RAM allotted
  • Results: Plays choppy
  • Statistical Results: Bitrate 64/1750 (a/v) with frame 6/25 (rendered/dropped)

Systems that work reasonably wellEdit

• System: Intel 2.53GHZ Core 2 Duo, 512 MB Ram alloted to the VM. Integrated Video Card Intel GMA 4500MHD/Solid State HD
  • Settings: Recommend switching your audio driver from pulseaudio to ALSA so you can get synchronous audio, No 3D support installed on VM
  • Guest OS: Windows 7
  • Results: Video is smooth playback is fine
• System: Intel i7 2GHz/4GB Ram
  • Settings: 1.2GB RAM alloted, Activated Direct3D support for Guest, Installed Guest Additions
  • Guest OS: Windows XP
  • Results: Watching Instantly in Full Screen, not choppy at all.
• System: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 950 @ 3.07GHz
  • Settings: Allocated 2GB Memory. 128Mb video memory
  • Results: Works great
• System: Intel Pentium E6500 Dual Core @ 2.93 GHz/128MB ATI Fire GL V3400 PCI-EXPRESS GDDR3 DVI
  • Settings: default
  • Guest OS: Running Windows XP on Ubuntu 10.04.
  • Results: Works great
  • Statistical Results: Bitrate 64/1050 (a/v) with frame 20/10 (rendered/dropped) or alternatively bitrate 64/235 (a/v) and frame 25/5.
• Systems: Intel Core 2 dual core, 2.133GHz/nVidai GeForce 6800
  • Settings: 512GB RAM Allocated, 2 CPUs, enabled PAE/NX, enabled VT-x/AMD-V, enabled Nested Paging, 128MB video RAM, enabled 2D and 3D acceleration, Guest additions installed without DirextX
  • Guest OS: Windows XP
  • Results: Works OK
  • Statistical results:
• System: amd athlon II x2 250 3ghz dual core, onboard/integrated ATI radeon 3000, 256MB memory dedicated to video, 1920x1080 resolution, 4GB ram
  • Settings: default, vbox guest additions installed but no directx support, sp3, ie8, switched from pulseaudio to alsa to fix audio sync
  • Guest OS: Windows XP (under ubuntu 11.04)
  • Results: Works great full screen/HD
• System: Intel Core i7 980X 4.27GHz (Hex core), 2x GTX 480 SLI (3GB VRAM), 12GB DDR3 1866MHz
  • Settings: 4GB RAM allocated, 4 CPUs, PAE/NX, VT-x/AMD-V, Nested Paging, 128MB VRAM +2D,3D acceleration, guest additions.
  • Guest OS: Windows XP SP3
  • Results: Playback is perfect in all scenarios

TipsEdit

• Increasing alloted memory from 512MB to 1GB doesn't seem to make any difference
• Enabling Direct3D acceleration in VirtualBox with Guess Additions will enable video acceleration in Silverlight and allow for HD playback. Using Guess Additions and WineD3D together might break video playback
• Decreasing VirtualBox's window size improves playback
• Running Silverlight seems to play the same in Firefox and Internet Explorer
• Playing at a lower Bitrate improves playback
• Running Windows XP SP3 and Google Chrome Netflix WebApp in kiosk mode improves presentability and performance