BeyondTV 5.0

[ZetaVu]

5.0 should be the integrated product, no reason to start a new build unless you are rebuilding the basic backbone. They are already doing enough with 4.x to last them at least well through the year. Although it looks like we are back to being a consumer driven model.

I have been pushing for the module approach to integration, meaning that BM plugins, then modules, can be added to BTV. (DVD library would be the first and obvious choice, but plugins for the netflix player and streamed content would also be up there). Once this happens, I expect a return from a lot of prodigal children who moved over to Sage (ok, some may prefer Sage, but I bet there are a lot that prefer BTV but Integration was the dealbreaker).

I would love a platform independent product, but that is a massive rewrite, so not holding my breath. Of note Wine 1.0 comes out June 20th, hopefully there will be some work to getting BTV and Link to work under Wine, that would definitely be a good head start.

I think before 5.0, expect a deal with a media extender (might help bridge the gap to a link version on linux, since that's what the extender is probably running.

I'd be pissed if SS focused on a mac version vs a platform independent or Linux version, mainly because it makes little sense both from market share and mindset of user.

Features like PIP and CC could easily make it into 4.x, remember there is nothing saying they can't make a 4.10 or 4.11.

For now, better support for the HD PVR should and hopefully is the top priority. That is the product that will move their consumer (and possibly enterprise) business forward, especially in light of m$ DRM fiasco with NBC last month.

[hvymetal]

I wish BeyondTV 5.0 would have a network tuner that can support recording from UDP/RTP/MMS/RTSP streams just like the functionally that is built into VLC.

[spyboy]

How about "remove from recordings in X days" so you can set it to whatever you want (like 180 days)

K

Originally Posted by Darkk

Some shows may get canceled for whatever reason. For example Smash Lab (yes I know some you guys hate it so don't go there) I don't see any re-runs or any new shows for awhile now so thinking they may have dropped it. Cities of the Underworld is also another example. Rather than mark my calendar to delete it in 3 or 4 months from now let it do it's own deletion or expiration based on this scenario. Of course the user should have the ability to specify how many days or months for it to expire.

Probably easier way to describe it is if the recording doesn't have any activity in 90-120 days it should be removed. One time I had almost over 100 recordings and it was a mess trying to go through them all to see if there is anything going on.

Darkk

[rugby]

Originally Posted by ZetaVu

I'd be pissed if SS focused on a mac version vs a platform independent or Linux version, mainly because it makes little sense both from market share and mindset of user.

If they made a java-based Link this wouldn't be a problem at all, it would work on everything. Mac Mini's would make perfect link clients if an extender wasn't available.

[ZetaVu]

Platform independent is the only way to go, I agree.

[MickP]

• DVB Support
• Full htpc integration including video library, music library, weather, online google & youtube support, photo library
• Multi platform support including linux and Mac clients and servers
• Placeshifter support for remote viewing with full interface
• Plugin architecture to allow users to add capabilities eg: Video editor, Netflix, Recipe viewer, JRMC browser, Google Calendar, Slim player etc (all the stuff that is/could be available in BM)
• BTV Hardware extender supporting the full BTV experience in HD with all menus and plugins
• Solid hdpvr support

Get that list sorted and I reckon you'd likely see a bunch of new and returning users checking out BTV.

Mick.

[jonzzz]

Beyond TV Link on PS3 and/or XBox360.

[tommax]

My personal top 10

1. HDPVR Fully supported
2. External box (cable, satellite etc) in use check (ie: this means is if I have an HDPVR on a box and set it's lineup to HD only channels and I have a tuner w/S-Video input on the same external box that BTV will be smart enough to know the external box is in use and not allow channel channel changes and will also set conflicts accordingly not just based on tuner, but external source as well).
3. Some of the BM features such as DVD Lib, weather and a robust plugin model for 3rd party devs.
4. Multi-Tier custom post process (ie: instead of having to pick 1 launch point, setup BTV tasks to take place and add custom post process anywhere and as many as you want). Example: I have my post process set before showsqueeze which uses video redo to remove commercials based on the smartskip file, once showsqueeze is complete it would be nice to have it launch another.
5. Colored guide.
6. PIP
7. Windows based admin (Web admin can be very slow)
8. Download Movie covers *adding a dvdlib type feature overrides this.
9. Search recorded shows
10. See #3 Robust plugin model and SDK with example in multiple .NET languages, lets get the VB guys writing some plug ins.

[jkirk]

Originally Posted by Darkk

Some shows may get canceled for whatever reason. For example Smash Lab (yes I know some you guys hate it so don't go there) I don't see any re-runs or any new shows for awhile now so thinking they may have dropped it.

Darkk

actually discovery has pushed back the new episodes of a few of their shows till after the olympics. this may be one of them.

[ajw]

Number 1 on my list is closed-captioning.

I don't give a damn about anything else.

I'm at the age where the tv gets louder and louder (for everyone else) and I still can't hear it. Combine that with loss-of-hearing of highs and lows - (I have trouble distinguishing between fffff and sssss for example) - and I'm hosed.

My BTV machine crashed a few months back. I didn't bother working on it for 3 weeks because I just didn't care - I mostly can watch in the evenings after work, but once everyone's gone to bed I can't turn the volume up loud enough to hear it.

I actually went back to live normal regular tv because *then* I had closed captioning.

Recently I'd use BTV for the program guide, then go watch live. (with cc of course)

I know there are hacks, and I had one running but it stopped when I installed some update and I haven't gotten it going again.

priorities:

1. closed captioning
2. closed captioning
3. closed captioning
4. everything else

- Al Weiner -

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by ajw

Number 1 on my list is closed-captioning.

Considering that the main feature of their Enterprise version is to search the closed-captioning, it is surprising that they can't get it to work reliably in their customer's edition...

[ZetaVu]

Is there enterprise system setup for multiple cards or just a few?

Closed captioning works just fine if you edit the settings.xml file , change tryCC from 0 to 1. I still don't understand why they don't put that in as an option in viewscape, even if it requires a viewscape restart (currently requires a server restart). Sure, doesn't work on a lot of cards, but put the switch in for the cards it works on. I tested my system, works automatically on my HVR1600, A180, and if I do the reg hack (insertCCinDVD) on my PVR250. Does not work on the HD PVR, haven't tried to do anything with that.

Main issue with CC is that is scored very very low on people's priorities, QAM and integration scored highest, they ignored integration.

Seriously SS, at least throw a switch in for what works, how hard can that be?

Hell, I'd like the closed caption search from enterprise, can we get that as well?

[cfaslave]

Originally Posted by ZetaVu

Is there enterprise system setup for multiple cards or just a few?

Multiple for certain.

[ccarlin]

Yes but they control the hardware meaning that the card(s) in each system are fixed so they can code the captions to work for that specific card. My understanding is there is no universal way to handle captions across the different capture card vendors and in a lot of cases the individual cards per vendor are different as well.

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by ccarlin

Yes but they control the hardware meaning that the card(s) in each system are fixed so they can code the captions to work for that specific card.

So SnapStream simply would have to publish on which cards they support CC and how to enable it, that would remove the guess work...