Streamlining Movie Watching with Friends Online

Watching movies together online has become a popular pastime, especially considering the challenges of distance and busy schedules. But fret not, as technology offers an array of solutions to bridge the gap and make shared movie experiences seamless and enjoyable.

Choosing the Right Platform

Before diving into the movie selection process, it’s crucial to pick the right platform for your virtual gathering. Opt for platforms like Netflix Party, Discord, or Zoom, which provide synchronized playback and chat functionalities, ensuring everyone stays in sync and can share their thoughts in real-time.

Synchronizing Playback

Once you’ve settled on a platform, ensure everyone starts the movie simultaneously to maintain synchronization. This eliminates the frustration of one person being ahead or behind, allowing for a cohesive viewing experience.

Creating a Cozy Atmosphere

Enhance the ambiance of your virtual movie night by dimming the lights and grabbing some snacks. Encourage participants to cozy up with blankets and pillows, replicating the comfort of a traditional movie night.

Engaging in Real-Time Discussions

Utilize the chat or voice features provided by the platform to engage in lively discussions throughout the movie. Share reactions, theories, and favorite moments, fostering a sense of camaraderie despite the physical distance.

Exploring New Genres and Films

Expand your cinematic horizons by exploring new genres and films during your virtual movie nights. Take turns selecting movies, allowing each participant to introduce their favorite films or hidden gems to the group.

Conclusion

Watching movies together online presents a unique opportunity to bond with friends regardless of geographical constraints. By leveraging the right platforms and fostering active engagement, you can create memorable movie nights that rival the experience of watching in person.

Amid the Coronavirus pandemic, nearly all activities, from work to socializing, have shifted to the online sphere. A significant part of social life involves communal movie-watching, which might seem out of reach due to stay-at-home orders. However, there’s a solution: watching movies together with friends online. Various web services enable synchronized movie viewing, accompanied by video chatting, messaging, and interaction. Isn’t that incredible? In this guide, we present a comprehensive approach to watching movies with friends online, covering platforms compatible with YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, and more. Let’s delve into the details of how to enjoy shared movie experiences in 2023.

1. Metastream

Metastream lets you watch movies with friends and family online in sync with a chat option. No account creation or complex setup required. The best part? It supports various streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and more. Plus, it’s entirely free. Just note, it doesn’t support webcam or audio chat.

1. Download the Metastream extension for Chrome or Firefox.

2. Open Metastream’s portal, choose a display name, and click “Get Started“.

3. Click “Start Session“ on the next page.

4. Here, click “Add Media“.

5. Finally, paste any video link, be it a movie or a TV show. After that, click “Add to Session”.

6. Instantly, media playback will start on your computer. Now to share the stream with your friends, click “Invite” on the “Users” window.

7. Copy the link and share it with your friends. Once they open the link on their computers, you’ll receive a notification to approve the request. Click the green icon on the “Users” window, and your friends will join the stream immediately.

8. To chat with your friends, click the 3-dot icon and open “Chat”. The chatbox will appear on the left side of the screen.

9. Apart from that, you can also click the “+” button to add movies and shows to a queue.

10. From now on, you no longer need to manually open Metastream’s portal. When watching a video on Netflix or any other streaming site, simply click the “Metastream” extension on the toolbar, and the media playback will shift to Metastream. From there, you can share the stream with friends.

2. Teleparty

Teleparty, as its name suggests, is a popular method for watching Netflix content with friends and family. It provides seamless playback sync and a chatbox for interaction, but lacks webcam or audio chat features. Additionally, the service is free to use, but all participants must have their own Netflix subscription. Teleparty has been updated to support Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, and other OTT services.

2. Open Netflix, play your favorite content, then click the “TP” extension on the toolbar.

3. Click “Start Party”. You can select the “Only I have control” option to restrict playback controls to yourself.

4. Grant permissions to the extension to start your watch party by clicking allow.

5. Repeat the first 3 steps. Copy the link and send it to your friend so they can join your fun time together.

3. Scener

Scener is a platform for watching Netflix movies and shows together with friends online. The best part is, it allows webcam and audio chat, letting you video chat while watching movies together. Here’s how:

1. Download the Scener extension for Chrome.

2. You’ll be redirected to Scener’s website. Create your free account.

3. Sign into Netflix and open the Scener extension from the toolbar. It will open a separate window on the left side. Here, click on “Create Private Theater”.

4. After that, click on “Next” and choose “Yes” to enable the webcam.

5. Scener will offer you a link. Copy that and share it with your friends.

6. Now, your friends need to log in to their Netflix account first and then open the Scener link. After that, they will join the stream immediately. You can now watch Netflix movies and shows together with video chat support.

4. Syncplay

Syncplay allows users to watch downloaded movies with friends online. Playback syncing is seamless and the app is completely free as it’s open-source. Syncplay is available on Windows, macOS, and Linux, which is convenient. However, all participants must download the same movie file on their computer. Additionally, the setup process is complex, so if you lack expertise, consider using web solutions.

Note: The below process applies to all participants.

1. Download Syncplay (Free) and your choice of media player. Syncplay is compatible with VLC, mpv, MPC-HC, and more.

2. Upon installation, open Syncplay and select a server address from the drop-down menu. Name your room and take note of it. Then, click “Browse” to locate the media player’s EXE file in the C drive (e.g., VLC). Finally, click “Store configuration and run Syncplay.”

3. Subsequently, Syncplay and VLC will open automatically. In the Syncplay window, navigate to “File” and choose “Open Media File.”

4. Select the video file and open it. VLC will promptly load the file. Then, check the “I’m ready to watch” checkbox.

5. Gather your friends by sharing one participant’s room name with everyone. Then, enter the same name in the room field and click “Join room”. Everyone will then appear in the User window above. If they check the “I’m ready to watch” box, the icon will turn green.

6. Start the movie using VLC, and it will play simultaneously on all your friends’ computers. You can control playback functions like play, pause, and fast forward, which will sync across all devices. Additionally, you can utilize Syncplay’s notification window to communicate with your friends. This is how you can enjoy downloaded movies together online.

5. Rave

Rave is an incredible platform for enjoying online content with friends. It covers all major OTT platforms and free sites like YouTube and Vimeo. Available on all platforms, Rave ensures compatibility across devices, facilitating easy connection with friends through voice calls.

To get started:

1. Visit Rave’s official site and choose your preferred platform to download the app.

2. After installing the app, sign in using any social media account to create your Rave profile.

3. Upon signing in, select an avatar and enter your desired username and handle to proceed.

4. Your rave account is successfully created. Connect the OTT service you want to watch with friends. In this demo, I’ll choose Netflix.

5. Enter your Netflix credentials.

6. After reaching Netflix’s homepage, select the movie/show and hold. Invite your friend if they have a rave account or ask them to follow the steps to create one. Share the link to join the party and enjoy!

Amazon Prime Video Watch Party

If you’re wary of third-party apps and sites for watch parties, Amazon offers a solution. You can now host a watch party using your Prime Video account for up to 100 people, hassle-free. Here’s how:

1. Navigate to Prime Video and select the movie or show you want to watch with friends. Look for the watch party icon next to the download option and click it.

2. Start the watch party by entering your chosen display name and clicking Create Watch Party.

3. With the watch party successfully launched, it’s time to invite your friends and get the party started.

7. Discord

Discussing Discord without acknowledging its role in facilitating enjoyable social interactions feels incomplete. Throughout various circumstances, Discord has served as a vital tool for countless individuals worldwide. It has enabled people to maintain connections and enjoy themselves, regardless of the challenges they face.

Primarily recognized for its emphasis on gaming, Discord offers a platform and services tailored to this community. However, its versatility extends beyond gaming. For instance, did you know that Discord features an integrated YouTube Activity function? This feature allows users to watch YouTube videos together, fostering a shared viewing experience.

Curious about how to synchronize movie-watching sessions with friends on YouTube through Discord? Numerous legal channels and playlists are available for this purpose. Here’s a straightforward guide to effortlessly enjoying movies together on Discord:

1. Open Discord, either through the browser or the desktop/mobile app, opting for the desktop web version.

2. Sign in to your account.

3. In the left panel, navigate to the Direct Messages list to find the friend you wish to watch a movie with on Discord.

4. Click on your preferred choice between voice call and video call at the top.

5. During the call, locate the Discord Activity button and click on it.

6. A Suggested Activities window will appear.

7. Choose YouTube from the options.

8. Wait for YouTube to load.

9. Once loaded, use the Search Box to find the desired show to watch with your friend.

11. Hover over the video you wish to watch and click to play. It will start in the playlists section of the YouTube Activity screen.

8. Kast and Similar Services

Here, I’ll mention alternative services for watching movies together online. Previously, Rabbit was popular, but it transitioned to Kast. However, Kast lacks some basic Rabbit features, such as playing media from YouTube or Netflix via web URL. Instead, you can only screen share an application window, which limits interaction and quality.

TwoSeven offers video chat features for Prime Video, Hulu, and other platforms, though some features require a subscription fee. Additionally, Vemos allows video chatting while watching Netflix and Prime Video. Caracal offers good bitrate for online movie viewing.