Beyond Media Plugin Ideas

[cfaslave]

I've been pondering what kinds of plugin's would be nice to see some day on Beyond Media, and thought I would list them here & start the discussion. Since I was a Meedio user a while back, many of these ideas came from their vast collection. Here's my "short" list :

1. Flickr Browser - a plugin for BM that would allow picture browsing of pictures on Flickr--not on the local hard drive necessarily, but hosted on Flickr.
2. Internet Browser w/onscreen keyboard - just as it says. A TV friendly browser for those of us with wireless keyboards. Obviously would need to be easy to read from distance (couch)
3. Yahoo Launch Videos
4. Youtube Browser - watch and browse youtube or some similar video site via internet on BM (like this)
5. Instant Messaging AIM etc. (I think MSN Messenger is one that is available now)
6. News Ticker and/or Sports Ticker that updates from web (Geoffstewart released NHL Scores and NFL Scores plugins that work nicely for scores and standings updates)
7. BTV Progress for showsqueeze & smartskip
8. Calendar Plugin that syncs with a free online calendar like myyahoo calendar -- Address Book could sync with myYahoo Addresses
9. A plugin that makes thumbnails of all video files (then BM should show the thumbnails for those video files)
10. Recipes Manager or import from allrecipes.com
11. Webcam browser - ability to tune streaming webcam from internet etc.
12. Sirius Radio Player (Tmar89 has released a XM Radio plugin that is working now)
13. Winamp-based Music Player
14. Screen capture by clicking on a certain key
15. Keyboard remapper - Ability to remap keys if needed --this might be better offered by Snapstream as a core function
16. Quiz/Trivia Game - could be a music, name-that-tune game based on MP3 files on HTPC or it could be a trivial pursuit type game.
17. Last.fm Plugin
18. Pandora Plugin - this plugin is now available thanks to Craig-see here
19. Soduku Game
20. PPC &/or Palm plugin - remote control with feedback from BM (see zetavu's post below)
21. X10 controller
22. Contact list/Address book that allows e-mailing etc
23. Video chat within BM (using IM program of choice)
24. Apples Movie Trailers
UPDATED WISH:
25. Web Admin feature similar to BTV's where you can update settings, view files, stream music etc from a web browser

I am not a programmer so I've never taken a stab at writing plugins, but I might give it shot eventually. There are many talented HTPC users out there so feel free to take any of these plugin ideas and run with it. Add to this thread if you have ideas of your own that I've missed. Let me know if I'm listing anything here that is already available on Beyond Media.

Brent

[Asytray]

Also be able to play transferd recorded shows on a link laptop both cable and HD with all the controls including file delete when not hook up to your lan or internet

[cfaslave]

Soduku Game would be nice. I see MP has this one already. [added to original list above]

[ZetaVu]

A ppc plugin - remote control that provides feedback, in other words, I can browse music or video libraries on the ppc, select music or shows (or channels in btv) to play without needing to see the tv/monitor itself. Then I could track the playing of the item and read info (id3) about the item. Some examples are MP's MPBlue plugin, MediaControl (free program works with WMP), and you get this with netremote.

The video thumbnails should get created automatically if you have I think the elecard decoder, one of the two that comes with klite codec pack.

A proper weather module with animated dopplers (multiple that you can link online) and ability to change cities.

X10 controller

Contact list - like an address book, so if you have a modem you can call with your tv or email with an email plugin

On screen keyboard, something that works like the keyboard in btv, for when you don't have a wireless keyboard handy and jsut want to use a remote. This needs to be integrated into the web browser.

[cfaslave]

Originally Posted by ZetaVu

A ppc plugin - remote control that provides feedback, in other words, I can browse music or video libraries on the ppc, select music or shows (or channels in btv) to play without needing to see the tv/monitor itself. Then I could track the playing of the item and read info (id3) about the item. Some examples are MP's MPBlue plugin, MediaControl (free program works with WMP), and you get this with netremote.

The video thumbnails should get created automatically if you have I think the elecard decoder, one of the two that comes with klite codec pack.

A proper weather module with animated dopplers (multiple that you can link online) and ability to change cities.

X10 controller

Contact list - like an address book, so if you have a modem you can call with your tv or email with an email plugin

On screen keyboard, something that works like the keyboard in btv, for when you don't have a wireless keyboard handy and jsut want to use a remote. This needs to be integrated into the web browser.

All good ideas zetavu. I updated most of them in the first post. For the weather module, I think that needs to be a fix in BM itself instead of a separate plugin. I've listed that sort of thing here

[draven]

I'll second my vote for X10. It woud be great to be able to dim the lights from from BM when I go to watch a movie. Or even better if I could automate it. As soon as I play a movie, the lights dim, and come back when I stop it etc...

I also wanted to add that I'm not a programmer, but if anyone needs graphics for a plugin, PM me and I'll be glad to help.

[cfaslave]

I made this list to keep sort of a central location that would contain ideas/requests for future plugins. Hopefully once BTV & BM are integrated (notice I say "once" and not if), we can convince more plugin writers to help us out with some. cncb had done a tremendous job with many plugins and so have others, but I think BM has to show some signs of life before much further is done. So, let me know if you have any other ideas and we'll add it to the list and keep on dreaming/hoping

[draven]

something I would love to see, but probably won't appeal to the masses is video chat within BM. By this I mean, use Yahoo, ICQ or one of teh other IM programs that support video, and integrate it into a BM plugin. I travel alot, and if I could video chat with my kids right over the TV, they would be more likely to sit and talk to their old man

[ZetaVu]

Actually I'd like that as well. Specifically if you set it up in btv/bm link and set that up to work over the internet. You could use it as another tuner (say a usb webcam) and use the livetv function to view. Likewise, btv base would also have to be able to chose a remote tuner. Run them simultaneously.

Of course, this is more of a btv not bm plugin, and I think SS has to setup the ability to stream over the internet to a link device (or to firefox/Opera, since I assume the camera would be considered a software encoder) Say the remote laptop issues a connection by sending the ip of the remote tuner, and connects to the fixed tuner on the server. You could video conference from the livingroom tv to the remote laptop, something my family could handle.

But, this is completely off topic and should be given its own thread. While on that, are there any good "free" pc to pc videoconference solutions out there? I used ot use phonefree and something before that that I've long forgotten, I have three webcams gathering dust.

and the thread is hijacked...

[cfaslave]

Originally Posted by ZetaVu

and the thread is hijacked...

I don't mind. Always interested in a good conversation

[cncb]

Originally Posted by draven

I'll second my vote for X10. It woud be great to be able to dim the lights from from BM when I go to watch a movie.

I actually started working on something like this. I am a little hesitant to do more work on it at the moment until some things are made clearer...

[cfaslave]

Originally Posted by cncb

I actually started working on something like this. I am a little hesitant to do more work on it at the moment until some things are made clearer...

Understood. That's a good reason to keep the list so we don't forget while we wait for that BM/BTV Integration thing...

[cfaslave]

Besides Craig and Kilrsat, who is actively maintaining and developing Beyond Media Plugins these days? Is there anyone else out there or has the community given up until further BM development?

Don't want this to become another complaint thread, but I was wondering how many are even out there wanting to work on plugins for Beyond Media now or after integration happens...
Brent

[geoffstewart]

I've written one (NHLScores) and I'm halfway through a second, but it's stalled because of no time, not because of waiting for integration.

Geoff

[cfaslave]

ok, a little more looking around and here's the plugin writers I know of:
cncb (Craig) - Call Center, JRiver Media Center, Netflix, PSE Photos, Minidisplay, Pandora - UPDATE: cncb no longer updating his plugins for BM
Kilrsat - DVD Library, Game Library, Movie Showtimes, System Status & Joystick Control
geoffstewart (Geoff) - nhlscores & nflscores
79DieselRabbit - mixed drinks
Brett - Game Library, MSN Messenger, PIN Plugin, BTV Recorded Shows
Mickwall - POP3/SSL Email
Mockware - Calendar, Web Videos
Deuce911- BM Tuner View

Not sure if I missed anyone or which of these plugins are being kept up for sure, but I think most if not all of the plugins listed above are working.