another new product coming soon: Beyond Media

[devguy]

Hello Cayars

I am not arguing the product quality. Straight out Beyond TV is a great product and is the best in it's class. I just hope snapstream does the right thing for the current customers of Beyond TV.

[Eric3a]

Devguy said:

I just hope snapstream does the right thing for the current customers of Beyond TV.

The "right" thing is pretty subjective thing, however Snapstream have shown a level of attention to the needs of their customers that is quite high in the software industry (a bad mark on support maybe, but we'll help if we can).

I have no doubt they will do the "right" thing, but honestly I don't think that when I bought a PVR solution (not a MEDIA CENTER or a HTPC front-end) I expected it to do other non-PVR functions for free.

Media Center is not a competitor of BTV, it is a competitor of BTV/Beyond media/IR200L/Firefly solution.
I mean that MCE is a front-end, with a PVR, and so on.
BTV is a PVR.

BTV was never sold as anything else than a PVR only.

Price both solutions, even making high assuptions for Firefly and Beyond Media, and compare functions: Snapstream's answer compares quite favorably.

Eric

[Eirikso]

I think the approach of two sepparate products is great. An example: the stupid solution with a VHS built into a Television Set. Extremely annoying to deliver your television for repair because your VHS broke. Extremely annoying to look at that obsolete VHS-player that is stuck in your TV long after you bought a DVD-player...

In other words:
Separate pricing, separate upgrades, the freedom to choose. Good choice!

I have been less than satisfied with my configuration and possibilities in myHTPC. I have been looking forward to a product like BeyondMedia.

However, after some more configurations, a change to Zoom Player as the playback application, a change to J River Media Center as the music handling application and integration to my PocketPC through NetRemote things have changed.

Beyond media has to be _really_ amazing to beat my current system.

So, I am glad I have the possibility to benefit from the excellent PVR-functionallity of BeyondTV and still have the freedom to choose other components to run my music, video archive etc...

_eirikso

PS. Still looking forward to the release of BeyondMedia. If it supports metadata-files with content from IMDB for the movie archive, the ability to crop movie playback on the fly while playing, plugins like a simple web-browser, weather, news reader etc... I will consider it.

[kanman]

Eirikso,

This is how my setup is right now also (ZoomPlayer, MC9, and Snapstream) with Netremote and an ATI remote wonder. Do you use Girder to tie this all together? This is were I'm struggling...I have great control of J River MC9 with 2 zones in my house via my PPC and ATI but I have not found the sweet spot for adding these additional apps...could you give a quick run down of your setup? Let me know...you can PM me to keep this thread on track if you wish...Thanks

I can't wait to see what Beyond Media will be able to do!

Kevin

[Mntneer]

Is it too much to ask for an update on the development of Beyond Media? I notice this thread started way back in Jan, and we're now in late March. Any chance we could get some new info, maybe a potential release period?

[roygon]

An update would be great! I need Beyond Media to polish off my HTPC. Right now it is a combination of myhtpc, snapstream and some custom software that I wrote but you lose that fully integrated look. I know they are hard at work finishing off 3.5 so hopefully Beyond Media isn't too much further away.

RG

[AcIdGoD]

Is this going to work with any of the MCE remotes. It would be cool if you made it do that. oh and when is this thing going to be released.

[Brett]

It should work with the MCE as the MCE can be controlled by girder.

No ETA is available at this time, its still in development. The January post was because they actually demostrated it at CES back then.

-Brett

[rakeshagrawal]

A quick mention to everyone that a new area in the forums has been created for Beyond Media (and this thread has been moved there).

http://forums.snapstream.com/vb/foru...?s=&forumid=31

[dcbraund]

I have an AVerMedia video card featuring an FM radio tuner. To compete with MCE 2004 it would be great if you could incorporate an optional feature for a radio tuner in Beyond Media.

[Brett]

Joanie (Magnifics), Spamming is not tolerated. I have deleted both your post, if you post the message again I'll ban your IP and report your email address to aol.

-Brett

[dequire]

Originally Posted by DanielS

I am so happy with Beyond TV for the piddly $50 I paid for it that I'd have paid twice that amount in a heartbeat. If another few bucks helps to keep Snapstream in business (and thus Snapstream.net free) then that's just fine with me; I'll buy their next product too.

Isn't America a great country? I am a happy BTV and Firefly (Great job, guys!) customer who came here after MyHTTPC and KnoppMyth (MythTV). As stated earlier, you get what you pay for. MythTV is very good with the Hauppaugge 250 IF YOU KNOW LINUX and have LOTS of time to kill and are not running a VIA chipset. It's not so much a MythTV thing - it's a Linux thing.

I can't wait for Beyond Media and will gladly pay the $50 bucks (assumably) when it finally gets here. In fact, the waiting is the only hard part right now!

[codered97]

Please please please include support for OGG. I have a large quantity of OGG files (open source + sounds great = microsoft stays away) that MCE will not handle easily. I really like the idea of a better program than windows' media center, but it would have to support OGG. Thanks for making such great products!

[ratt57]

The screenshots for this look great... but what would make it even better would be if there were more video support, similar to the features in music. Folder thumbnails for .avi and .mpg files aren't enough... why can't BeyondTV or Cyberlink's Power Cinema provide listings for .avis with a separate page for descriptions, a graphic, etc. the way it does for music?