In an odd move, on-demand video streaming provider Netflix has released instructions on how to build a Netflix Switch, a device that it says will help facilitate all the activities pertinent to a movie marathon. This includes turning on televisions, dimming lights, silencing phones, and even ordering food.

It's not a simple process. The website recommends that interested parties should at least be comfortable with soldering irons, and have a "solid understanding of electronics and programming." Underneath the deceptively simplistic exterior of the Netflix Switch, there are electronics such as the Particle Core, a microcontroller with built-in WiFi. The development platform, along with virtually anything else in the materials list, can be swapped for another if need be, however. Add-ons, such as additional LEDs, can also be used.

To program the Netflix Switch, the company requires users to first set up an application server that allows the device to communicate with the Internet. From there, users add code relevant to a particular service or API, such as instructions for summoning food or silencing your phone—Netflix has conveniently provided the Android app source code for the latter on the website.

While certainly out-of-the-box, Netflix’s foray into maker culture—a technology-centric initiative typically focused on electronic genesis—is a little belated. Maker culture has existed for some time, and is slowly being integrated into the mainstream consciousness. Big companies are buying homebrew ventures like Makerbot for millions of dollars, while brands like General Electric are supplying maker groups with equipment and spaces to work. Even Microsoft is getting in the action by offering a special version of Windows 10 for smaller IoT devices.

The idea behind the Netflix Switch isn't entirely new either. Earlier this year, Amazon released the Dash Button, a small $5 device that can order a specific product from the retailer and have it delivered with just a single button press.