How to watch netflix instant movies on your OSX Mac

And it looks like Netflix now lets you stream on the Mac! So I guess you can use this for linux.

Unfortunately, Netflix’s excellent instant video service is only available on windows.  I’ve gotten it working on my mac mini, here’s a walkthrough to save you some trouble.  Below the instructions, some thought on the ethics and implications.

  1. Download VirtualBox for Mac.  This is an excellent free virtual computer from Sun.
  2. Create a new virtual computer.  Install your legitimate copy of windows xp.  If you don’t have one, I hear that the amazingly illegal TinyXP is quite nice.  I wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot subpoena, but if you want to risk your children’s future by downloading it, I’ll give you some tips as well.
    1. Download these AMD network drivers and put them in a folder all by themselves. You need these to make tinyxp recognize your virtualbox network card.
    2. open your diskutility and create a new image from folder and point it at that folder.
    3. Set your virtualbox computer’s network adapter to be PCnet-Fast III.  When your virtualbox is powered down, choose settings and then look under network.
    4. download ISOlator and install it.  Open ISOlator and drag in the dmg file you created in step 2.
    5. Boot up your virtual computer and click on the little cd icon it has.  open the .iso file you created in step 4.
    6. install the xp driver from this image.  Now you have INTERNETS!
  3. In VirtualBox install the Guest Additions.
  4. Reboot and then choose “Seamless mode” – you can probably start it by just hitting open apple -L.
  5. Go to Netflix.com and install whatever it prompts you to install.
  6. You are done, go enjoy some alfred hitchcock.

Ethics wise, I’m using the most stripped down version of XP possible, I’m not using it for any function except to access my legal Netflix watch instantly movies.  It is much easier to just download the movies than to jump through all of these hoops.  This points out one of the primary concerns about any form of DRM:  It doesn’t slow down thieves and only inconveniences legitimate users.  I hope in the future Netflix removes the DRM locks and just ties movies to your account.

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