Microsoft Adding Netflix to Windows Media Center

Microsoft has reportedly struck a deal with Netflix to add their online movie service to Windows Media Center, said both companies last week. The new feature will be included for Windows Vista computers as part of Microsoft’s campaign to provide people with more entertainment options on their PCs. Windows XP owners, on the other hand, will not benefit from this most recent addition.

As of now, Windows Vista users can only play back movies that are available for instant streaming, also known as “Watch it now” movies. However, once the Netflix application is brought to the Windows Media Center, users will be able to manage their DVD queues and also search the entire Netflix library. Despite this added bonus, customers still cannot view these movies instantly—they’ll have to wait for their DVDs to arrive in the mail, just like before.

This latest deal is part of Microsoft’s attempt to boost the amount of content available on Windows Media. Ideally, they want to alleviate the need to bounce around from Web site to Web site to search for movies, news, sports, and TV shows. Microsoft would prefer everything to be in on place, making it even easier for users to find the entertainment they want to watch. The vice president of Microsoft’s entertainment division has said, “We’re continuing to work with the top content providers today to make watching TV on the PC a mainstream experience for the future.”

Of course, those who own Windows Media Center must first subscribe to Netflix’s rental service in order to access their library. The new application will automatically appear as a “tile” in the Windows Media Center menu. The app will then guide users through the installation process before taking them to the log in screen.