"Take my VFD, PLEASE!"

[DanielS]

Rodney Dangerfield (EDIT: MannyTC points out it was Henny Youngman) may be gone but our VFDs/LCDs are alive and well. Unlike in other HTPC environments like Microsofts's MCE, however, they are, hardly thriving. These gorgeous creatures adorning our purpose-built Home Theater cases are sitting like drunken dinosaurs staring into the headlights of the oncoming SnapStream semi-truck. Either they are completely dark, or we have had to seek out sometimes hard to find, very often difficult to configure and install (just read some of the threads in the plugins section) third-party software to get them to come to life at all. When they do flicker into existence, they are blisfully ignorant of their HTPC environs, reporting only mundane hardware statistics.

Folks we NEED Official VFD support in Beyond TV and Beyond Media and this is why I have started this thread: to hopefully serve as a central repository / brain storming area for ideas, our ideas to be collected and discussed until we are happy with them. Then each of us could officially submit Feature Requests to SnapStream and reference this thread. Then maybe we can get the company to take notice of our desires on the subject.

We need YOUR help and YOUR ideas. But I really don't want this to become a SnapStream bashing session. A "SnapStream gotta give me my VFD or I gonna take my marbles and go home!" toned thread doesn't lend credibility to our cause.

Also please remember that SnapStream is a good company with a great product and we want and need them to get it right for us. It is more important for them to get the core functionality working and stable and then add the features. So we should be patient and respectful in our requests, but as a community of custumers we can also be firm that this is something we demand of the product.

I should also explain why I put this thread in the General section and not somewhere else. The answer is simply that I wanted the widest possible exposure for both the long timers as well as the new people dropping by who wouldn't normally go to some of the more obscure categories. Also VFD support, by its very nature crosses product lines. If you are a strict PVRist who uses only BTV, then your VFD display should still function and show data reflecting your environment. But if you own the full suite of SnapStream products, currently, Beyond TV, Beyond TV Link and Beyond Media, then your VFD should reflect this also.

To get the discussion started, here are some examples I came up with:

BTV / BTV Link Only:
1. Your LCD, in addition to whatever else it shows (like LCDSmartie does now, could show your currently recording show and the next two shows set to record.
2. Your last Guide data download, success or failure, and the next scheduled download date/time.

Beyond Media / BTV:
1. All information from BTV, above.
2. "Playlist: playlist name"
3. "Track: track name"
4. "Album: album name"
5. "Artist: artist name"
6. Current Weather
7. Weather forecast
8. News Headlines
9. Info from Motherboard Monitor and/or SpeedFan
10. etc.

Anyway, you get the idea. This is just to get the discussion started. You people have much better ideas of what makes a great VFD display than I do. I just know it when I see it.

Finally, to whet your appetities I will post video of one of my current VFD displays in action. This was all made possible due to the Open Source work done on LCDSmartie and the great BTVSmartie plugin by 79DieselRabbit. Although this shows are working VFD it does so via a plugin which in my opinion is NOT official SnapStream support. Your opinion may be different. That's what the discussion is for.

Thanks for your time, I know you're all busy poeple! And please contribute.


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Here are two videos of my VFD display from HTPC#1 to whet your appetite for the discussion. This may not be all that exciting for those of you who have your displays up and running but it sure will be for those who don't yet and for those newcomers who are trying to decide whether or not to invest in a case that has a VFD/LCD display.
Also for anyone who hasn't seen the LCDSmartie plugin in action yet, here's your chance!

The first video shows a single tuner recording in a BTV 3.5.x / BM 1.x environment on a P4 3.2 GHz. The second video is the same except that while recording I am simultaneous playing back the recording to show the affect on CPU utilization.

I have put up files at 4 separate bitrates. If anyone on the forum has trouble streaming the files, post or (better yet PM me) and I'll put up additional bitrates for you. Enjoy!

VFD Record Only 768k
VFD Record Only 512k
VFD Record Only 340k
VFD Record Only 150k

VFD Record & Play 768k
VFD Record & Play 512k
VFD Record & Play 340k
VFD Record & Play 150k

Enjoy!

[MannyTC]

Originally Posted by DanielS

"Take my VFD, PLEASE!": Rodney Dangerfield may be be gone.......

Great post! I too would love to see this support integrated into the SS Products.

Oh, and I think you were thinking of Henny Youngman.

[DanielS]

Originally Posted by MannyTC

Great post! I too would love to see this support integrated into the SS Products.

Oh, and I think you were thinking of Henny Youngman.

Thanks Manny for the assist. Post edited accordingly, with due credit of course.

[dequire]

Really, the plugin works pretty well for BTV. It BM that has no VFD support. This is where the effort should come into play. I researched this a while back, and found an open-source prog that read media info from WMP and put it into some type of formatted output. I thought that it might be a good start for BM - VFD integration. I'll see if I can dig it up again.

[DanielS]

Originally Posted by dequire

Really, the plugin works pretty well for BTV. It BM that has no VFD support. This is where the effort should come into play. I researched this a while back, and found an open-source prog that read media info from WMP and put it into some type of formatted output. I thought that it might be a good start for BM - VFD integration. I'll see if I can dig it up again.

Yes, dequire, the plugin works flawlessly for BTV and 79DieselRabbit is to be highly commended. So the question becomes, is the plugin route the way to go for Beyond Media or should there be some level of support from SnapStream? If YES, then at what level: full, just an API or somewhere in between? Then if SnapStream provides this support in Beyond Media why not BTV? I like having the option of having vendor supported AND plugin. Choices are good, yes? As I understand it, at some level anyway, BM and BTV are being integrated, so VFD support in BM might just carry over to BTV.

dequire, thanks for your comments, and keep it up! And if you do locate that WMP source, please come back and share it.

[chasw98]

Daniel:

I have started seeing your threads pop up on the discussion boards here lately. You make some very good points about VFD's. I personally opted for a Silverstone case without VFD primarily because of lack of support! On the other hand, having been poking around these discussions for a few months now, I am finding that people like Jason (Kilrsat) with DVD Library plug in, and Brett (an Admin) have written some really good stuff for BM & BTV. In a way I see BM as the bastard child of snapstream because they had to offer a solution to the complete HTPC program rather than just BTV for PVR's. (By the way, I would not have paid for BTV & BM had it not been primarily for the DVD library plugin).
If you do a search of these discussions, you will find that S/PDIF digital output is not even officially supported by snapstream!
I applaud your efforts in trying to get the company to know that they have loyal customers who "carry their message" and just want a better more complete product. But BM is version 1.X and BTV is version 3.X. Where are the developers putting their effort? I don't think VFD's or S/PDIF is high on their priority list. I would like to know what is on their priority list. Maybe someone from snapstream can see if you have realistic requests of the company. I don't know, but I like their product and recommend and install it on other friends HTPC's!

Just my $.02

Chuck

[DanielS]

Chuck, I just popped in quickly on a break from major spring cleaning. Got a group here and we"re going great guns! Your $0.02 is worth $1,000s; keep it up! I'll respond to your points later on this evening when I get some free time.

[DanielS]

OK Chuck, I'm back after a long. physical day and a nap. There's something about abolishing a New England winter's worth of grease and grime that does one's sole good and clears the mind. Now I can try to address your points. Bear in mind that these will only be my opinions because I don't claim to know the collective conscious of SnapStream Media.

Originally Posted by chasw98

I have started seeing your threads pop up on the discussion boards here lately. You make some very good points about VFDs.

Yeah, New England winters can do that to ya, but Spring is here and so am I. Thanks, VFDs are important to me, and apparently to a lot of others as well, evidence the number of case manufacturers building them in or offering them as options. Why would they continue to do that if users weren't buying them?

I personally opted for a SilverStone case without VFD primarily because of lack of support!

Sorry to hear that it worked out that way but I can see why you went that route. I just wasn't going to give in. I KNEW that there had to be a way, or would be someday.

I am finding that people like Jason (Kilrsat) with DVD Library plug in, and Brett (an Admin) have written some really good stuff for BM & BTV.

Those guys are simply amazing aren't they? And 79DieselRabbit with LCDSmartie for BTV! And the others who have written and are writing plugins and add-ons for BTV/BM ... They are all producing such great work. It makes me long for my days as a Software Engineer, but I haven't programmed in 12 years. I'd like to again, but I can't see to find the time.

In a way I see BM as the bastard child of snapstream because they had to offer a solution to the complete HTPC program rather than just BTV for PVR's. (By the way, I would not have paid for BTV & BM had it not been primarily for the DVD library plugin).

Let's take the second part first. Yes, I believe the DVD Library Plugin has been profitable and could become a goldmine for SnapStream in terms of selling copies of Beyond Media. I hope they know and appreciate what Jason has done for them!

In terms on your first statement I don't think I necessarily agree. True BTV came first, but that's always going to be the case with any company that's making their way into the marketplace. And we're finally starting to reap the benefits of BTV's maturity. Now whether SS originally intended to offer Beyond Media or decided to midstream is anyone's guess. The fact is we have it now and it works, mostly (more on this in a minute).

If you do a search of these discussions, you will find that S/PDIF digital output is not even officially supported by snapstream!

Yeah, that's a real sore spot for many. But that's NOT what they are saying. They are saying it's experimental. To me all that means is that we'll see it, in the words of Jerry Pournelle, "Real Soon Now." Any you can get it temporarily now with AC3Filter as not_Shorty keeps trying to pound into my thick head.

I applaud your efforts in trying to get the company to know that they have loyal customers who "carry their message" and just want a better more complete product.

Well, first it's the right thing to do. They have a GREAT product and people should know about it. That's why I use it myself and why I chose it for the HTPCs I'm building for sale. Second it's to my benefit and to all of our benefits. We WANT SS to succeed, right? Otherwise, we get left with a product with NO support and a dead-end as far as advancement.

But BM is version 1.X and BTV is version 3.X. Where are the developers putting their effort? I don't think VFD's or S/PDIF is high on their priority list. I would like to know what is on their priority list.

Wouldn't we all like to know the priority list. But NO company is going to let out strategic planning information like that and give a jump on the competition. So we don't actually know where S/PDIF is. I expect with all the clamoring, they ought to be aware that user's are unhappy about S/PDIF. If not, then they just aren't paying attention or user's aren't sending in official problem tickets. What SnapStream feels about VFDs is anyone's guess, which is why I started this thread and WHY I WANT LOT'S OF PARTICIPATION.

Now let's get right to the heart of the matter. We know that SnapStream is a small software company. Most software companies these days just DON"T survive. SS has beaten the odds so far and seems poised to continue to do so. But you never can tell. Being small means you have finite resources in terms of personnel of all types including Developers. That means Developers to fix bugs and Developers to write new code for features both for Beyond TV and Beyond Media. Things can only happen so fast folks, we need to have patience. I know it's hard to wait when your box is sitting there partly non-functional. I know it's excruciating when BTV craps out on a show. But I have a completely stable PVR because I always keep the last known working download and a system image of the Windows Partition. Practice defensive computing and you can be almost assured of having a working BTV. And BTV keeps getting better and better. Beyond Media will too! You'll see, but it will take time. But you have to show up to be part of the process.

All of us have seen the "peek-a-boo" poster. You know the one: "Hey, did the trial, had problems, gave up. MCE-2K seemed, easier, better, greener, taller, less filling, got me more women. Good Luck! I'm Gone!" Well those people will be the losers because they will never know what they could have had if they had stayed through the pioneering days as Paul (user pdaughe) calls them.

Well, I ramble ...

[DanielS]

OK folks, the videos ffrom my VFD display showing 79DieselRabbit's BTVSmartie plugin have been added to the end of the first post. Enjoy!

[wackychimp1]

Not too much to add, but I plan to use a Matrix Orbital MX4 in my case (the one with the play,FF,rew buttons on it) and I would definitely like to see SS support for this.