Vote Now! Top Feature Request!

[richt]

For me the problem with BM / BTV integration is the relatively uninteresting feature set of Beyond Media. Without development and improvement there, I don't really care if the integration happens. Open it up and let the programmers in the community at it and there's a good chance that after a few months it will be more appealing.

[bshinkle]

Originally Posted by richt

For me the problem with BM / BTV integration is the relatively uninteresting feature set of Beyond Media. Without development and improvement there, I don't really care if the integration happens. Open it up and let the programmers in the community at it and there's a good chance that after a few months it will be more appealing.

Have you used any of the plugins? There is already a good deal of community development that has occured to-date. Some of the plugins are quite excellent (DVD Library, Game Library).

One of the biggest reasons people ask for integration is that it should open the way for true BTV plugins, which will really open up possibilities for community development.

Integration would do wonders for the futures of both BM and BTV.

[Brett]

Originally Posted by bshinkle

One of the biggest reasons people ask for integration is that it should open the way for true BTV plugins, which will really open up possibilities for community development.

Exactly

-Brett

[richt]

Integration would do wonders for the futures of both BM and BTV.

Not unless they open up the code. Personally, none of the plugins, as excellent as they are, provide the features I want. (Remember this is subjective.) As it sits, every other front end out there has comparable "plugins". If Snapstream will open up the code and give the community of programmers a chance, it could tip the tables. At present, NO ONE (except Brett) appears to be jumping up and down to write more. Probably due to the current lack of support by Snapstream. As it sits, the music player is sub-par as is the DVD player. The picture viewer is pretty good, but not going to tip the balance with these deficiencies.

My point is this.
1 - Snapstream has pretty much said that they are not going to do any major develpment with Beyond Media.
2 - The core of Beyond Media is average or below average in comparison to other competing products.
3 - Plug-ins Rule! Without community involvement, none of the competing front end products currently available are all that exciting.
4 - At present, Beyond Media doesn't appear to have a very active plug in development community.
5 - I don't need to integrate a product that basically doesn't meet my needs and isn't being actively developed.

One the other hand
1 - IF Snapstream OPENS up the code for Beyond Media and provides a good API in BTV for integration, it really could save the whole project.
2 - Do I want the code opened up and this project to move forward? - YES!
3 - Go Brett!!!

[ClamsTheCat]

What features do you want that beyond media doesn't already have via plugin or the software itself? Just curious.

[richt]

Originally Posted by ClamsTheCat

What features do you want that beyond media doesn't already have via plugin or the software itself? Just curious.

Top 3
# 1 - A customizable backend database! (like Meedio had) Scanning my folder structure for MP3 file information is pretty low tech.
# 2 - Ability to categorize, sort, and manage views of files stored in the database. As with many others, I currently have around 2000 video files. Only 400 of which are movies. (I've been using BTV or Snapstream since version 2)
# 3 - Ability to handle TV Series information and do the stuff listed in number 2.

[cfaslave]

Originally Posted by richt

For me the problem with BM / BTV integration is the relatively uninteresting feature set of Beyond Media. Without development and improvement there, I don't really care if the integration happens. Open it up and let the programmers in the community at it and there's a good chance that after a few months it will be more appealing.

Rich,
I think you are ultimately really after the same things we all are. Lets just say that with integration and/or the ability to use BM plugins in BTV would in itself encourage more plugin development. I don't think there is any question there at all. I think open or shared sourcing the Beyond Media might help towards plugin development also and might be what this is really all about anyway.

Just curious, of those items on the list above did you vote? If so, what did you vote for?

[John Sparks]

well I voted for PIP for dual tuners. That would be sweet.

But what I really want wasn't listed:

Variable Slow Motions speeds, including frame-by-frame stepping

and Frame Grab/Capture ability.

[cat6man]

an observation or 2

1. QAM is a strong 2nd here
2. QAM + DVB + firewire = 25 votes

looks like adding support for new hardware (QAM, DVB, firewire) is way up there in the aggregate

[cfaslave]

Originally Posted by cat6man

an observation or 2

1. QAM is a strong 2nd here
2. QAM + DVB + firewire = 25 votes

looks like adding support for new hardware (QAM, DVB, firewire) is way up there in the aggregate

No question about it cat6man.

Using the same train of thought, Beyond Media comes in 1st by a longshot with "BM Integration / BTV Plugin Support" at 40 votes & BM Fixes at 6 votes -- 46 total! as of this post.
QAM, DVB and firewire are without question the #2 top request.

I'm betting that even with more voters we will see the same trend.
Brent

[rakeshagrawal]

Just to throw some additional data out there, we did a survey not too long ago asking people what they wanted to see next in the product -- similar to the survey here.

I can't give all the results of the survey for competivive reasons, but out of the 10 features that were listed, integrating photos, music and videos into Beyond TV was ranked number 7 by current Beyond TV users.

Of course with a survey like this, there's the problem that the audience is self-selecting -- it's like asking the current Beyond TV users if they want DVB-T support. Obviously, there aren't going to be many supporters because few people wanting DVB-T would have become Beyond TV customers. Nonetheless, this survey data is good because it was a random sample of more than 1500 Beyond TV customers.

[cfaslave]

Originally Posted by rakeshagrawal

Just to throw some additional data out there, we did a survey not too long ago asking people what they wanted to see next in the product -- similar to the survey here.

I can't give all the results of the survey for competivive reasons, but out of the 10 features that were listed, integrating photos, music and videos into Beyond TV was ranked number 7 by current Beyond TV users.

Of course with a survey like this, there's the problem that the audience is self-selecting -- it's like asking the current Beyond TV users if they want DVB-T support. Obviously, there aren't going to be many supporters because few people wanting DVB-T would have become Beyond TV customers. Nonetheless, this survey data is good because it was a random sample of more than 1500 Beyond TV customers.

Very interesting Rakesh. I'm a little surprised to hear that. I'm assuming you didn't poll Beyond Media customers because they are so few? I think you might be missing the big picture of potential HTPC users out there by ignoring potential customers or lets say customers of your competitors.

Here is the features those survey-takers had to choose from: (full survey info here)

Beyond TV Extender
DVB-T/S support
DVD burning integration
DVD playback integration
iPod/PSP video sync
Photos, music, video integration
Picture in picture / split-screen views
Placeshifting
Wishlist recordings (by keyword)
Watch TV while browsing program guide

Of those, DVD burning integration & Ipod/PSP video creation are already possible via an addon today.
SS has told us they aren't currently working on DVB-T/S support or Beyond Media integration/plugin support (which includes DVD playback integration, photos, music & video integration.

That leaves PIP, watchingtv while browsing guide, placeshifting and wishlist recordings. Without the other functionality you will not be able to compete (IMHO). I guess this is the reason the integration has been withering under SS's watch.

[cat6man]

Originally Posted by cfaslave

No question about it cat6man.

Using the same train of thought, Beyond Media comes in 1st by a longshot with "BM Integration / BTV Plugin Support" at 40 votes & BM Fixes at 6 votes -- 46 total! as of this post.
QAM, DVB and firewire are without question the #2 top request.

I'm betting that even with more voters we will see the same trend.
Brent

i think you're correct and suggest that we quickly move into the development phase

priority 1: BTV/BM integration (although it is low priority with me, it is a clear winner here)

priority 2: get QAM/DVB/firewire capability (and, most critical, be ready for OCUR QAM on Vista by spring at the latest)

[ZetaVu]

Originally Posted by rakeshagrawal

Just to throw some additional data out there, we did a survey not too long ago asking people what they wanted to see next in the product -- similar to the survey here.

I can't give all the results of the survey for competivive reasons, but out of the 10 features that were listed, integrating photos, music and videos into Beyond TV was ranked number 7 by current Beyond TV users.

Of course with a survey like this, there's the problem that the audience is self-selecting -- it's like asking the current Beyond TV users if they want DVB-T support. Obviously, there aren't going to be many supporters because few people wanting DVB-T would have become Beyond TV customers. Nonetheless, this survey data is good because it was a random sample of more than 1500 Beyond TV customers.

Of course the biggest issue with surveys is properly matching the form and presentation to clear any bias and get an accurate representation. For example, in your survey, BM functions were poorly represented although one can argue they show up as ability to play dvd and pics, movie etc. In this survey, BM is clearly the top winner and a function like DVD burning doesn't even show up. Based on the mass difference in results, I'd say neither makes an accurate comparison. The fact however that your survey you chose the options responses were limitted to, and this survey allowed users to create the items to choose between, well, that heavily weighs the credibility in favor of this survey. Self selecting, though not an unbiased basis, does more accurately reflect the desires of the participants. (although it will have a tendency to overwhelm certain answers and bury others)

Funny how people see what they want in results. The DVB/QAM crowd see their requests are most important, the BM crowd see's theirs, and SS seems to feel new revenue features are what is desired most. Surveys are like statistics, they can easily be manipulatd to say whatever it is you want to hear.

Here's hoping that some of that development time will go to everyone's requests.

[wxboy]

I'd say Vista support is number 1. After that, Firewire, and eventaully Cable Card!