Netflix, Hulu, and more on Nintendo Wii via PlayOn
I just watched a Netflix Instant Watch movie on my Nintendo Wii. Don't believe me? Here is the video evidence:
I am accomplishing this with MediaMall's latest version of their PlayOn media server. PlayOn is a program you install on your PC that transcodes video from various online services such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, YouTube, and CNN and streams it to your DLNA-compliant device, including the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. I have been using it with my PS3 and it works great, but Engadget leaked today that beta Wii support was added so I had to give it a try.
It all runs through the Wii's Opera web browser and uses Flash to play the video. You go to a special url which redirects you to the server at http://192.168.1.xxx:54478/. I went to this address on my PC and was able to see the same interface (which is how I got these screenshots) but was unable to play any video on my laptop.
It takes a little while for the page to initially load, but once you get going the interface is quick and is very polished. All the information about the videos you need is accessible, and I found it much easier to use than the PS3's generic DLNA media browser. The videos started quickly but the quality was not that great. It probably looks fine on a standard-def TV, but on a HDTV you really notice the compression and low resolution. The video quality on the PS3 looks much better in comparison.
So if you have one of the latest gaming consoles and are looking for a Roku Box alternative, then I suggest you give PlayOn a try. There is a 14 day free trial, then it's $39.99 to purchase. Here is a video of the
Now if you excuse me, I just noticed that Netflix put Dexter back up.
