I, too, use VLC by choice for playing 'media', but when I linked it to NASA TV (via MediaPlayerConnectivity 0.8.3 ) it refused to work.
My problem may be that I'm too tightly controlled by my 'security' systems . . . (I'm too scared to lower my protection in case of intrusive attacks - I am where I am after three years of 'fiddling' and I can't remember what does what.)
Edited to add:- having thought through the above, I cannot see that any firewall or anti-virus programme will cause NASA TV to deselect its usual option and substitute the small icon that calls up the 'external' WMP.
My other (currently away for repair) Vista machine works OK, as does the new W7 machine that I have bought for my daughter.