Just install our browser plugin, go to a netflix vid, hit "watch in AltspaceVR", and you'll have a virtual space dedicated for that netflix movie.
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/altspacevr/ijjkiof...
The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth! Politeness be damned!
But, if a long term HN-er (gfodor is) is here anyway and wants to jump in and pitch, I am happy to hear from them. For one thing, he probably knows a lot about this stuff.
Here's a video where 50 ppl/devices are blasting audio in sync - https://vimeo.com/71647538
Here's a video where we sync audio to video; drive in movie app - https://vimeo.com/93899424
IIRC Microsoft maintained this functionality however and not Netflix, which is probably why it was eventually discontinued and as far as I can tell Netflix has expressed no interest in making their own similar feature.
I never quite understood why Netflix removed it.
It seems to be similar in concept :)
It's a really neat idea, and it's basically second-best to watching a video in the same room as someone else. It's really fun to watch shows with other people, have discussions about the show, and share the experience.
References (I didn't make these):
https://github.com/calzoneman/sync/wiki/CyTube-3.0-User-Guid...
Of course, the biggest issue was that netflix offerings in the US were very different to those in the UK, so we'd spend about an hour where one of us tried to find dubiously legal ways to watch a programme the other could watch fine on netflix.
The skype is nice because it puts a thumbnail of their face that stays hovered over the netflix even while it's in fullscreen.
Check the screenshot: http://i.pics.rs/64I0n
Maybe I will open source it when it's done. Btw I used Qt and libVLC.
Actually, this is my first C++ project, I don't even know C++ (only a bit C from high school).
Did you start after Netflix switched to HTML5 video? I'm curious how you might've dealt with the old flash player- I basically gave up on any actual control of Netflix in my side project because it was too black-boxy.
Not that the flash on Hulu or Amazon are any better. I did have some luck with YouTube's old player and injecting their js->flash API, but still, HTML5 was a damn relief.
I have video chat, a synced shared web browser, and support for Netflix & Hulu.
If anyone is interested: https://www.distanceflix.com
I was thinking of using Skype screen-sharing with friends, where one user plays the movie and acts as the movie-host taking control of the pause/play, seeking controls and others watching the movie on Skype via the host's screen. Doing this provides us with the option of chatting real-time about the movie too - like how we'd do when seated next to each other in the cinema hall. The issue with this is that it would take up a lot of bandwidth to stream a movie and then share it with others simultaneously.
This - Showgoers - claims to solve many of these issues, so I'd definitely give it a try. One main downside is that Netflix still isn't available for users in my home-country India. And with limited movie-collections on Netflix and the other on-demand video services, I'd almost-never again be able to get the experience of watching a 'newly-released' movie at the cinema hall with a bunch of close friends.
Here's the source (https://github.com/kristopolous/emptyv) ... most of it was written during the 3 or so weeks that it had lots of traffic, coming from all places, Poland.
I worked hard on the anarchistic anonymous vj feature as a social experiment. It was interesting but not traction building.
One day I'll build something that can sustain traffic. One day...
The only problems I experienced were with the sound slider.
Zeebox/Beamly also had/have some good social features but I think they even struggled for people to actually use it. After the initial curiosity people just want to veg in front of the box. I think. http://beamly.com
One of you starts watching a movie, the others start watching the same movie and it asks them "would you like to resume from X". Just say Yes and you're all watching the movie in sync.
I love that you can do this with Netflix now though, this seems like one if those features that could have (was?) In the original release.
Just using netflix is definitly suitable for the masses too :)
Instead of commercial breaks they could have intermissions like old movie theaters allowing people to smoke and chat.
it works for YouTube and local files.
DRM loses again! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx3EMvZrFR4
