14 DAY TRIAL // Kirk Kelsey, the developer of Understudy, has updated his Google code page with a tiny, but exciting piece of information. The Front Row plug-in that is Understudy now ensures that preferences load properly for first time users, but best of all, is in line to get YouTube support this month.
The Google code page where Understudy is hosted reveals that Understudy 0.6.1 ensures that preferences load properly for first time users. A more stable release, scheduled for “March 2009,” will (allegedly) bring YouTube support.
Last month, Softpedia reported that developer Kirk Kelsey had released a cool plug-in for Mac users and Front Row fans, enabling them to stream video from the likes of Hulu and Netflix through the Front Row interface of Mac OS X Leopard. While Hulu has dropped support for the likes of Boxee users, the software still makes a good asset, as it allows access to streaming video through Front Row, while the user can subscribe to multiple feeds, and select a video to watch. Currently, Understudy only supports Netflix.
Last week, the folks at Hulu officially stated that their content providers requested that they turn off access to their content via the Boxee product. Kirk Kelsey points out to the Hulu update saying that “support for fullscreen viewing of Hulu is not available. They have indicated that content providers do not want easy access to content on a TV screen.”
“Understudy is not affiliated with any of the streaming video sites the plugin supports, and will only work in cases where those site [sic] would (typically this means you must live in the United States),” Google code reveals.
To use the tool, start Front Row and select Understudy, Manage Feeds, Add, and then the provider you're interested in. You will be presented with a default set of feeds, and any that you select will appear in the main Understudy menu. Those already logged into their Netflix account through Safari should see a few more options.
Using the copy-to-clipboard method, with the URL “in hand,” enable Front Row and it will be available as the "URL in Clipboard" option. Be sure that you have a feed URL ready to be pasted, and not a regular URL.