Watching movies with friends in COVID19. We do not need to tell you that these are trying times. However, that is not why you are here. You’re interested in learning how to alleviate the loneliness associated with self-isolation and social distancing imposed by the coronavirus pandemic. And if you’re missing watching movies and television shows with others, we’re here to help. Each entry below takes care of synchronizing playback across various platforms, including Netflix, YouTube, Facebook, and even locally stored videos. So you can focus on hand washing regularly. The majority of them also allow for chat, and some even allow for voice communication. That is as good as it gets. All that remains is for you to align your schedules and, if desired, make some popcorn. Watching movies with friends in COVID19.
Netflix Party
If you searched for “watch Netflix together,” this is the one. It’s been around for a while — three years ago, we wrote about it.
Netflix Party is a Chrome extension that allows you to do just that, regardless of your location. It appears as a sidebar on the right and will enable you to communicate with other users in the room. The host of the ‘Netflix Party’ can elect to give everyone playback control. Watching movies with friends in COVID19.
All you need are individual Netflix accounts for everyone — and, of course, Chrome. The best part is that you are not required to create a Netflix Party account.
How to configure it:
- Open Chrome.
- Install Netflix Party.
- Navigate to Netflix.com.
- Play whatever you want.
- Click the “NP” icon in the top-right corner.
- Share the link with your friends.
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Watch2Gether
Consider this if you’re more interested in watching cat videos than in watching long-form series. Not only is there no requirement to register, but it also works in any browser. (You can create an account to reserve a room for your group permanently.)
You can use Watch2Gether to play any video or song that is available on YouTube, Vimeo, Twitch, Instagram, or SoundCloud. While everyone has playback control, you can customize the video quality.
How to configure it:
Open Watch2Gether.com.
- Click “Create your room.”
- Choose a video.
- Send the URL to your friends.
Facebook Watch Party
While everything else requires hacks, Facebook, being the social network, includes an in-built feature for watching videos together.You can invite any of your Facebook friends or even create one in a Facebook group or page using Watch Party. To do so on a page, you must be an administrator or editor. Naturally, everyone can communicate with one another, and the co-hosts you invite can add videos to the queue.
How to configure it: There are numerous ways to accomplish this. Here’s an example: Open Facebook.com, locate a video that interests you, and click “Share” > “Start a watch party.” Add other videos if desired, and then click “Start.” After you’ve logged in, use the “Invite others” section to the right to invite your friends.
Kast
Have the preceding options failed to cover your preferred platform — Amazon, Hotstar, Zee5, and so forth —? In that case, this may be of interest to you. To be sure, Kast’s free version includes advertisements and quality restrictions. Kast Premium is available for $5 (Rs. 375) per month.
Kast is essentially a community-based version of a screen-sharing application like TeamViewer. You may come across public parties hosting Marvel film marathons or popular anime. Alternatively, you can host your private party in which you can share any part of your desktop. Because it is sharing your screen, the quality will be lower than it was previously.
Everyone must be using a Windows or Mac computer, as Kast’s mobile applications do not support video sharing. Additionally, you’ll need to create a Kast account.
How to configure it: Visit the Kast website, download and install the application, create and log into your Kast account, and click “Create Party” in the sidebar. Once inside, click the “Turn on video” icon, select the content you’d like to share, and you’re ready to go.
Plex Virtual Reality
While everything on this list enables you to watch things together, it falls short of replicating the experience of being together. You know, someone who is seated next to you and conversing. That is the purpose of virtual reality.
With Plex VR, you and three friends can immerse yourself in a virtual environment (an apartment, drive-in theatre), create and customize avatars, and watch standard, 360-degree, and 3D videos. All the while, you can communicate with one another and play anything from your local hard drives. Again, because One individual will stream the videos from another individual, the quality will be determined by their Internet connection.
However, it comes at a high price. To begin, you’ll need either Daydream View or Gear VR — both are currently unavailable in India despite their official launch. Additionally, you’ll need a Daydream-capable Android phone. After that, one of you will require a Plex Pass subscription, which costs $5 (Rs. 375) per month. The first week of Watch Together is free.
How to configure it: Install and configure Plex Media Server, then install Plex VR on your phone. Put on your VR headset, open Plex VR, and add and invite friends to join in the “Friends” panel.
