Does BTV3.7.2 mean..........

[wilsonj]

that Snapstream isn't putting all there resources into producing a combined BM and BTV program?? And just working on updates still????
Personally I thought that BTV3.5.X was good enough for now. What I was hoping to see was a frontend that incorporated both programs, instead of the clumsy way it is currently done. Especially as its been over 6 months since the release of BM, with no real changes/updates.

Any thoughts?

[not_Shorty]

would be nice, but then they couldn't soak us for two products...same reason BTV Link requires a license for every single machine, even if only one of them is in use at any given moment. Should really have it allow/deny based on the number of clients in use. Not the number of installed machines, it's silly.

[nanook105]

Originally Posted by wilsonj

that Snapstream isn't putting all there resources into producing a combined BM and BTV program?? And just working on updates still????
Personally I thought that BTV3.5.X was good enough for now. What I was hoping to see was a frontend that incorporated both programs, instead of the clumsy way it is currently done. Especially as its been over 6 months since the release of BM, with no real changes/updates.

Any thoughts?

Are you suggesting that they stop fixing bugs, supporting new hardware, and supporting new drivers until the new version is out ? Doesn't make sense to me - they still have to support the current product.

[Papa Smurph]

Based on other comments posted to this forum, my understanding is that the BM team is working on integrating the BM UI into the BTV product. I don't know exactly what this means, but I hope it means that they release BM and BTV as seperate products that work together when both installed, kind of like BTV being a plugin into BM or something.

If this understanding is correct it would leave the BTV team free to continue making improvements to Snapstream's core product, which would seem like good business sense.

[wilsonj]

Well, yes I guess I am suggesting they stop fixing bugs in the short term. For the most part 3.5.x works fine, and its not like 3.7.2 has no issues anyway. On my system it created more problems than it fixed.

I know SS are working on integrating the two programs, thats why I get a little annoyed to see that after 7+ months they still haven't released it. Its really clumbsy the way the two programs work together. Its almost like they could be from two differnt companies!

Yes, a plug-in style would be great. That way you don't have to have both progs if you don't want to.

[balticgreen]

Originally Posted by wilsonj

that Snapstream isn't putting all there resources into producing a combined BM and BTV program?? And just working on updates still????
Personally I thought that BTV3.5.X was good enough for now.

First of all, 3.5.x was horrible for many people. I am glad that it worked for you, but it didn't work for many of us and our problems are no less important than your desires.

Second, assuming that it even worked more often than not, why should we have to settle for "good enough for now?" When I purchase something, I expect nothing less than excellent. 3.7.2 is as close to excellent as I've seen since version 3.4.

I am sure that Snapstream is working on integrating the two products, but that cannot be done overnight. In the meantime, they must continue to support their current products and fix the bugs. Microsoft has been talking about Longhorn now for years, but that didn't mean they stopped working on XP and told everyone, "Screw you guys, you don't need SP2, Longhorn is coming." It's the same thing for Snapstream, although obviously on a smaller scale.

[wilsonj]

Without getting into a debate about it, and I don't want to. It would be hard to quantify how many people had problems with 3.5.x compared to 3.7.2 Or do you actually have numbers?

I agree about expecting excellence when I pay good money for something. But excellent is very subjective. I'm sure many thought 3.5 was excellent until 3.7 was released. There will always be something "better" that will make the previous version look less.

I just hoped we would have seen something more significant by now.

Here's a thought. Maybe they haven't released much in the way of BM as they are working on something big for that, but are still working away on BTV updates as normal???

[Rich A]

Originally Posted by not_Shorty

would be nice, but then they couldn't soak us for two products...same reason BTV Link requires a license for every single machine, even if only one of them is in use at any given moment. Should really have it allow/deny based on the number of clients in use. Not the number of installed machines, it's silly.

Hmmm. Interesting point about the multiple BTV-Link installs. I've got "one" paid for BTV-LINK installed on three computers myself. They all work .. but only one at a time AFAIK. I'll have to double check that as I very seldom use any of the links these days. Are you sure " BTV Link requires a license for every single machine, even if only one of them is in use at any given moment " is correct ??

[nanook105]

Originally Posted by Rich A

Are you sure " BTV Link requires a license for every single machine, even if only one of them is in use at any given moment " is correct ??

I'm 99.99% sure that this is correct. It seems a little excessive, but I have four Link licenses just because of this (even though there are never more than 2 running at a time)

[Rich A]

Thanks for the "note" Nanook105. You know I think I'll have to sit down and build myself another HTPC. My problem is that I've been part of the beta and pre-beta for a long time. And I only have one pc setup with all the SS programs. Which I use every day, 24/7. Sooooo, since I haven't seen an actual released candidate of the product for some time, I really should keep my comments to myself ... lest I confuse matters. It could be that since all my applications (except Beyond Media) are "beta" versions, then maybe the limit of one license per installed BTV-Link does not hold true.

I will check tonight for sure. I just happen to have an extra PVR-150 laying around and a Shuttle-X-box as well. That way I can run the two environments separately.

I "confuse" easily.

[Rich A]

Well I wasn't as confused as I thought. Indeed after checking on each computer, my BTV-Link works fine (one paid-for, registered version) on multiple computers. BUT only one will work at any given time. When I try to run two or more Links from two or more locations I get a message saying this license is currently being used.

I have the single additional license version installed on my laptop, my editing machine and my normal day-to-day computer. And they all work, but only one copy at a time, which seems reasonable to me and the way it should be. If I wanted to have more than one simultaneous connection, then I'd have to buy another license.

But then I am running a beta version of everything here. Don't know if that's diffferent, but I can't imagine it working any other way.

[nanook105]

I agree that it does work that way, but I'm sure that the license is worded in a "one per PC" way. Actually, it also requires that you run/use a link license for the MediaMVP, even if the MediaMVP server is running on a link or BTV server PC.

[Rich A]

Originally Posted by nanook105

I agree that it does work that way, but I'm sure that the license is worded in a "one per PC" way. Actually, it also requires that you run/use a link license for the MediaMVP, even if the MediaMVP server is running on a link or BTV server PC.

Well here's my feeling on this:

I re-read the licensing blurb. It's "sorta" open to interpretation. I think they should write it a little differently. In actual execution, the software "allows" me to install multiple instances of one license on various workstations. But the "enforcement" of only one client per license only gets "enforced" upon running any of those installs.

In the 'server" world, software devs. are mostly concerned with multiple simultaneous access of the server .. If you have 20 clients but are only licensed for 10, then the limitation is how many of those 20 can be used at the same time. Otherwise they should word the license to say, "You can only install this software on ONE computer and you can only run it on that one computer". Or something like that. There ARE client applications that ONLY allow you to install the product once, where the client software is linked to the installed computer and only that computer. BTV-Link is not one of those.

I think they could have coded the original program to only allow it to be installed ONE time. But they didn't. The point is, I if have three computers and ONE license for Link .. there is nothing wrong with me installing it on computer A. And subsequently uninstalling it and putting it on computer B. And uninstalling that and putting it computer C. The "deal" is that I cannot use multiple copies of that license at the same time. But I surely can install it or un-install and re-install it anywhere I want. So what's the difference really if I just leave all three installs in place and only use them one at a time and never simultaneously? I'm complying with the intent of the license which is after all, allowing me only ONE ACCESS to the server.

Anyway, if SS tells me differently I would of course un-install all but one copy of the LINK. Or if I need to access the server from more than one location at the same time, then I would be happy to buy another license so I can run two links simultaneously.

[nanook105]

I agree, it is as clear as mud, and it probably doesn't make sense, but I've certainly seen this model in the corporate software world (Oracle recently switched from a concurrent to an all users license).

I'm pretty sure that I have seen responses from SS on this topic before, but I can't seem to find them. Might want to PM one of the admins.

[Rich A]

Originally Posted by nanook105

I agree, it is as clear as mud, and it probably doesn't make sense, but I've certainly seen this model in the corporate software world (Oracle recently switched from a concurrent to an all users license).

I'm pretty sure that I have seen responses from SS on this topic before, but I can't seem to find them. Might want to PM one of the admins.

Now that I think of it .. I pride myself as a big supporter of SS. Another BTV-Link license (or two),for me would be a small price to pay for their continued developement. And some day I'm sure I'm going to want to watch a show from the back deck via my laptop while my wife watches something else somewhere else.