Every Netflix fan knows the pain of trying to browse the Instant Streaming catalog, and I know I’m not alone in longing for a better UI. Fortunately, there’s an app for that. At least on the Roku.
The Instant Watch Browser for Netflix, developed by TheEndless, debuted as a Roku channel back in June. It’s a nice step up from the native browser, letting you dig deeper into the Netflix catalog for stuff you might actually want to watch. You can buy the full version for $2.99, or download the “lite” app for free. After adding it to my own Roku last week, I found several new TV series to drop into my Instant Queue.
The biggest perk with the Instant Watch Browser app is the ability to scroll through more titles in every genre. I haven’t upgraded to the full version of the channel yet, but even without it, I can see up to 100 selections in every subcategory of entertainment. For example, a click on TV Drama takes me to a list of shows divided up by Crime Drama, Courtroom Drama, Dramedy, etc. One more click on a subcategory and I can see the top 100 titles available for instant streaming. That doubles the number listed in the native Netflix browser, and even that artificial cap goes away if you pay the $2.99 fee.
There are other benefits to getting the full version too. Notably, you can run title searches with the premium channel, and add selections directly to your Instant Queue from the browser screen. According to the FAQ on the developer’s website, the full version also provides:
Oddly, the Instant Watch Browser has gotten very little attention online. Perhaps it just hasn’t been discovered yet by the tech-writing regulars? In any case, it’s worth a download. For the price of a latte, I’ll certainly be adding the full version to my Roku line-up.