Microsoft And Netflix Get Reel

The content is accessible through the company's app on Windows Media Player and available only to Netflix subscribers who use Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate.

Netflix offerings can be found on Windows Media Center. A new Netflix tile appears under "TV + Movies." To stream movies and TV shows from Netflix, click on the new Netflix tile and log in with your Netflix account. Users can search the entire Netflix library from Windows Media Center, and manage both Instant and DVD queues. Netflix in Windows Media Center is powered by Microsoft's Silverlight video/animation plug-in.

This isn't the first time Microsoft has integrated Silverlight with Netflix. Late last year the companies began enabling Netflix subscribers to watch movies and TV shows on Intel-based Apple Macs.

Netflix and Microsoft struck a deal in July 2008 that let subscribers download video to Xbox consoles, but users were not able to play back movies. The new agreement now enables that function.

There are already other offerings in Windows Media Center, such as the Sports Channel, which features interactive content from CBSSports.com, FOX Sports and MSNBC.com.

Ben Reed, senior product marketing manager for Windows Media Center, told paidContent.org paidcontent.org that Microsoft is trying to address complaints from Netflix subscribers who have grown frustrated trying to watch shows and movies.

"The [lack of] of familiar controls, of pause, fast forward, rewind, that's one of the pain points we hear from consumers about the myriad ways you can consume TV shows and movies online. Each one has a different search and discovery experience; each one has a different player; some work great full screen, some don't," Reed said.