Until recently (November, 2012), Linux users have been unable to watch Netflix streaming videos. However, that has changed, at least for users of the Ubunutu 12.10 distribution of the Linux operating system. Eric Hoover has recently developed Netflix Desktop, an application that lets you watch Netflix streaming videos on your Ubuntu 12.10 PC.
This document can help you install and configure Netflix Desktop, which iheartubuntu.com provides through a Personal Package Archive (PPA). For more information, please see PPA for Netflix Desktop App.
Author’s Note: I developed the procedures below on my Ubuntu 12.10 PC. I could install and configure Netflix Desktop only on Ubuntu 12.10; I could not install and configure Netflix Desktop on my Ubuntu 12.04 PC.
Installing Netfllix Desktop
To install the Netflix Desktop for Ubuntu application on your Ubuntu 12.10 PC, do the following:
- As shown in the first image above, click “Dash Home” to display Dash, and then type “ter” into the search field to display the Terminal icon.
- Click “Terminal” to display it and its $ prompt, which is followed by a text-insertion point.
- As shown in the second image above, type “sudo apt-add-repository ppa:ehoover/compholio” press “Enter,” type your password and then press “Enter.”
- After the PPA message (You are about to add the following PPA to your system), press “Enter” and then wait for the $ prompt.
- As shown in the third image above, type “sudo apt-get update”, press “Enter” and then wait for the $ prompt.
- As shown in the fourth image above, type “sudo apt-get install netflix-desktop”, press “Enter.”
- Configure Netflix Desktop according to the next section below.
Configuring Netflix Desktop
To configure Netflix Desktop, do the following:
- Install Netflix Desktop according to the previous section above.
- After the prompt (Do you want to continue [Y/n]?), type “y”, and then press “Enter,” to display the first Package-configuration window (Microsoft license agreement).
- Use the “Tab” key to select (highlight) “OK,” press Enter to display the second Package-configuration window, use the “Tab” key to select “Yes,” press “Enter” and then wait for the $ prompt.
- Type “sudo netflix-desktop”, press “Enter,” type your password, press “Enter” and then wait for the Wine Mono Installer window.
- Click “Install” and then wait for the Wine Gecko Installer window.
- Click “Install” and then wait for Netflix to open for the first time.
- Press F11 to exit full-screen mode, click “Member Sign In” to display its dialog window as shown in the fifth image above. Note: Netflix Desktop always opens in the Firefox browser. Your default browser remains that which you have chosen, such as Chromium.
- Disable (uncheck) “Remember me on this computer,” enter your Email address and your Password, click “Continue” and then select a video to Watch Instantly.
Source:
Eric Hoover, “PPA for Netflix Desktop App”, iheartubuntu.com website
