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[Windows] How-to use WMC Netflix with XBMC (via entry on the Main Menu) - Printable Version

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+---- Thread: [Windows] How-to use WMC Netflix with XBMC (via entry on the Main Menu) (/showthread.php?tid=108043)



[Windows] How-to use WMC Netflix with XBMC (via entry on the Main Menu) - elmerohueso - 2011-08-18

I got the original idea from this thread.

I, like others, prefer the Netflix app in Windows Media Center to XBMC Flicks. However, I really don't use WMC for anything else. What I've done is written 1 script (as opposed to multiple scripts in the post above) that will open the WMC Netflix app directly with a simple way to get back to XBMC, and added a shortcut to the XBMC main menu for simplicity (and so I don't have to wade through the Launcher or Executor addons), all controlled with an MCE Remote.

Not: I did this on Windows 7 x64

Prerequisites:
Install the MCERemote addon in XBMC
Install AutoHotKey
Install the Netflix app in WMC

Procedure:
  1. Use MCERemote to set the big green button to send the key combination Ctrl+Alt+X (Reboot after applying settings)
  2. Set XBMC to open when Ctrl+Alt+X is pressed. You can do this by adding a shortcut key in the Windows shortcut properties (or another way you choose)
  3. Open a Run prompt in Windows and run the following command
    Code:
    "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" windowsmediacenterapp:{e6f46126-f8a9-4a97-9159-b70b07890112}\{982ea9d3-915c-4713-a3c8-99a4688b7c59}?EntryPointParameters=
  4. When prompted, allow the link to go through and WMC to be started, making sure to tell it not to prompt again
  5. Use Notepad to create the following AutoHotKey script
    Code:
    #SingleInstance force
    Run, windowsmediacenterapp:{e6f46126-f8a9-4a97-9159-b70b07890112}\{982ea9d3-915c-4713-a3c8-99a4688b7c59}?EntryPointParameters=
    WinWait, Windows Media Center
    WinActivate, Windows Media Center
    KeyWait, Control, D
    KeyWait, Alt, D
    KeyWait, x, D
    WinClose, Windows Media Center
  6. Compile the script to an EXE
  7. Edit the Home.xml for you XBMC skin (I'm using Confluence so this is at C:\Program Files\XBMC\addons\skin.confluence\720p\Home.xml) and find the section that starts with
    Code:
    <control type="fixedlist" id="9000">
    and then the section inside that says
    Code:
    <item id="11">
    ...
    </item>
  8. Edit the following code to point to your compiled script and paste the code after the code block for item 11 and save it
    Code:
    <item id="12">
    <label>Netflix</label>
    <onclick>System.ExecWait(LocationOfCompiledScript)</onclick>
    <icon>special://skin/backgrounds/playdisc.jpg</icon><thumb>$INFO[Skin.String(Home_Custom_Back_PlayDisc_Folder)]</thumb>
    </item>

You'll now be able to start XBMC with the big green button on the MCE remote, then you'll have an entry on the Main Menu after TV Shows (or Videos) that will open Netflix, and you can quit Netflix and go back to XBMC by hitting the big green button again.


- Mallet21 - 2011-08-18

Very cool...thanks for sharing !!


- ysutarko - 2011-09-08

Works great. But on my htpc, if i exit xmbc completely after watching netflix (xmbc - netflix - return to xbmc - exit xbmc) i cant start the xmbc again with ctrl+alt+X until i reboot the pc, then it works beautifuly. I have to use mouse.


- elmerohueso - 2011-09-08

I also noticed that, if you set shortcut keys in the XBMC shortcut, Windows will only let that shortcut work once (if you close XBMC, the shortcut won't open it anymore). I think that's a Windows issue (I even tried different key combinations). My work-around was to set the default (always running) AutoHotKey script to start XBMC when I pressed CTRL+ALT+X. That seems to work a lot better than having Windows handle the shortcut keys.


- ivseenbetter - 2011-11-18

I tried this and I get an icon on my screen but nothing happens when I
select it. A tried manually running the .ahk to see if that was the problem but it launched netglix just fine on its own. At a loss in what to do.


- elmerohueso - 2011-11-18

ivseenbetter Wrote:I tried this and I get an icon on my screen but nothing happens when I
select it. A tried manually running the .ahk to see if that was the problem but it launched netglix just fine on its own. At a loss in what to do.

Did you compile it to an exe? If that runs on its own, you may have created the shortcut in XBMC incorrectly.


- ivseenbetter - 2011-11-18

I'm not sure I compiled it correctly. I opened it in notepad and saved it as a .exe Is that what you mean by compile? When I tried clicking on the exe windows gave me an error. But it works fine if I click on it as an .ahk.


- elmerohueso - 2011-11-18

ivseenbetter Wrote:I'm not sure I compiled it correctly. I opened it in notepad and saved it as a .exe Is that what you mean by compile? When I tried clicking on the exe windows gave me an error. But it works fine if I click on it as an .ahk.

To compile it to an EXE you have to use the compiler in the Autohotkey program group.


- ivseenbetter - 2011-12-02

Thank you. Don't know how I missed that.


RE: [Windows] How-to use WMC Netflix with XBMC (via entry on the Main Menu) - Kriahi - 2013-03-30

i cant find where to place the script for other skins. im using aeon nox. not confluence. any suggestions?


RE: [Windows] How-to use WMC Netflix with XBMC (via entry on the Main Menu) - mase1981 - 2013-06-29

Hi guys, not sure if this thread is still active !!
i have followed the instructions to the T.
the script it self works flawlessly, if i run the *.exe alone it does start WMC directly into netflix.
when i edit the home.xml it does create the "netflix" link in the xbmc main menu page.
BUT
when i choose netflix in xbmc, it does open WMC into netflix but it does NOT close xbmc, in fact xbmc gets frozen and then i hear a noise from my speakers , same sound you get when u hit the back key on xbmc.
the sound will be continous and xbmc service is frozen. i have to manually kill xbmc service.

anyone seen this?
win7 32bit


RE: [Windows] How-to use WMC Netflix with XBMC (via entry on the Main Menu) - pluckyhd - 2013-07-26

Better off to use advanced launcher to launch the exe or lnk imho