Feature Request following 3.0.3 beta

[snoopy]

I LOVE the new beta. The GUI changes and the new icons released shortly after go a long way toward improving things.

REQUESTS:
1) Save the last selection in the recordings view.
2) Make it 'even easier' (as it's already fairly easy once you get used to it) to tell which recording in the recording list is currently highlighted. The new white color was a big improvement toward this effort.
3) Fix the channel changing bug (older Java version 1.4 doesn't do the trick).
4) Disk Space status bar.
5) Comm Skip
6) Global time 'offset' setting that would affect everything in the schedule.
7) Extend the effect that changing the 'padding' settings would have on things already scheduled. Note that 'padding' and 'offset' are separate features entirely.
8) Full PIP (picture in picture) support. Cayars had done a really nice job of at least allowing you to see the preview window on nearly every screen. The beta v3.0.3 doesn't yet do that yet. Full PIP for each tuner would be really neat.
9) Better compression abilities with good quality video.
10) CATEGORIES. Similar to Microsoft Outlook (OK OK bad example) where you could take shows for Susie, and shows for Sally, and shows for Emily (some overlapping), and give each person thier own list. The ability to 'select' which categories a show or favorite belonged to, would need to be accesible from within the new manual recording and scheduling screens. Of'course, one would then need to be able to easily tell, which shows are "mine" and which shows are "theirs" without any extra effort. This is my biggest wish.
11) Remember what the previous menu was and don't take me somewhere else (examples in posts following)
12) Remember the last location on previous menu.
13) Recent First Airing icon (perhaps one that could be customized, last 6mos icon OR 2005 icon OR stuff BEFORE certain date icon for those that like older shows even -- lots ot possibilities there) next to each show. This "recent airing icon" would be usefull to 'me' for instance, for movies and such that obviously aren't first airings. Everyone could have their own use for it. If this icon was viewable from both the guide and recording list (among other places), one could easily sort the new'er' stuff from the really old stuff or vice versa depending on the viewers preferences.


PS. The above are only my 'suggestions', SAGETV is already fantastic and has everyone else beat HANDS DOWN IMHO!

[aperry]

#6 is available as an import. See this thread and look for "Default record padding".

Now, I have three BIG suggestions/complaints. I doubt they'd be considered at this point, but I'll throw them out there anyway. Here goes:

1. When I hit stop while watching a recording, don't go to the main menu, that's not right. Go back to where I started watching the recording from (maybe giving me options like nielm's Multi-Function Stop import does to delete the file first, etc).

2. When I reach the end of a recording, don't just go back to the recordings list. Ask me what I want to do, Cancel, Delete, Restart, etc. This would probably only be needed/wanted for recordings, not library stuff. I delete stuff as I watch it, and it's a hassle to have to go select the program again, navigate to the delete option, then delete it. At the very least, highlight the show I just finished watching to make the delete process easier.

3. When in the media library, if I watch something, at the end, it takes me back to the top level of the media library. I'd rather go to the place I started the video from, with the one I just played highlighted. It's a pain to have to remember what I just watched and navigate back to the location.

Anyhow, those are my thoughts so far. I realize that these "where to go back to" items have been in Sage for a while, maybe forever. My main thing is to simplify things, fewer clicks. I hope that the Sage developers can get some or all of these addressed, but if not, maybe I'll try and bribe nielm to implement them though imports or something...

[snoopy]

Originally Posted by aperry

#6 is available as an import. See this thread and look for "Default record padding".

Yep, that helps but it doesn't affect the already scheduled favorites, only the ones that come after. The 'time offset feature' is what I most want out of that and that's different entirely.

[snoopy]

Originally Posted by aperry

I hope that you can get some or all of these addressed, but if not, maybe I'll try and bribe nielm to implement them though imports or something...

ummm... I'm just another SageTV user

[aperry]

Sorry... The "you" I was referring to was the Sage developers. I edited it to make it more clear.

[Halstead]

This is a small thing, but a major issue for anyone who wants to use Sage as a media center: Configurable, nested views for media.

On the video side, this is currently accomplished by passing along folder structure, which is certainly of some use. However, I'd much rather see a Meedio-style Tag Mask Importer.

On the audio side, I think nesting is critical. In other words, the ability to click on an artist and then see the artist's individual albums, followed by individual tracks. I hate having to choose between browsing for artists or albums.

[JUC]

Originally Posted by HALSTEAD

I think nesting is critical, In other words, the ability to click on an artist and then seethe artist's individual albums, followed by individual tracks. I hate having to choose between browsing for artists or albums.

I agree, 'nesting' is desperately needed and is a HUGE oversight IMHO. This is my biggest complaint with the Music Jukebox---even a folder structure option would work for those that have their music folders set up artist-->Album-->song.
JUC

[Ryokurin]

I would just be happy with the refresh media folders actually checking for new content instead of assuming that if the disk's name hasn't changed then theres nothing new myself. Because of Nero's default setting I would say that at least 80% of the CDs I have of content have a name of NEW.

[Stobor]

One UI portion that desperatly needs a slight change is the "search by description" in the "search for programs to record" menu. When you enter it the "back" option is highlighted. Which means if you type in your description and hit enter ... you end up back at the menu screen without a search. In order to actually do a search you must enter your search description then hit the arrow keys a couple times. It should highlight "done" when you first enter that menu.

[src666]

One of my biggest peeves is the fact that the Sage Client goes totally catatonic if it can't find the server. At least let us use the local functions (like playing DVD's) until the server comes back up.

[RedR]

Heya,

Better late than never, though Im sure this is a bit too late..

1) Seeing how we are talking wish list here, how about a RSS reader thats in Sage, not one that fires up a browser. As well a comic reader again in Sage, not external.

2) A custom display box (alike Cayars disk space window) that we can use to import/hook into to populate with our own text/data. My personal interest here is something like Speedfan or Motherboard Monitor values perhaps.

Anyway, V3 is great stuff! Keep up the awesome work guys!!
RedR

[snoopy]

The recordings list should not wrap. It should STOP with a soft audible 'bong' at the end of and at the top of the recordings list. This would make it much easier to discern where you are. Perhaps the numbers should be moved also to the outside of the outlined selection and be replaced by little white/silver bullets with the numbers inside of them. The white/silver bullets being the same color as the 'selected/highlighted' show would aid visualy in quickly determining where you are.

Edit: I found a nifty little capture program called Snagit. It's the bomb for illustrating stuff. Attached is an illustration what I mean.

[mightyt]

This post made me wonder ...

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12219

Kind of out of the box and I've never heard anyone request it before ...

Sage imports a 2 week guide ... Why not have a button on the Guide Screen UI that would send a formatted guide to the default printer ... I'd hit that button every other Saturday wouldn't you? ... Anyway, I think it would be a neat v.3 feature or import if someone wanted to be creative.

[silkshadow]

My wishes (after 2 days with the beta)

1) I would actually like to see Sage somehow allow itself to integrate with another Jukebox program. Its just painful to use Sage's Music system after using Meedio with J River. Theres just no question, great music playback/interface is not high on Sage's goals (nor should it be) so why not allow users to pass that task off to another app smoothly?

2) Please? Unicode support? Please? You have customers in Asia Frey, there are alot of us out here (potential customers not to mention the OEM market). This would go a long way in helping us out.

[Naylia]

How about since TS files will be supported it should be possible to support firewire a little more natively, (assuming the user can properly install drivers on their own, but you already do that with all your other hw)

[Halstead]

Originally Posted by silkshadow

My wishes (after 2 days with the beta)

1) I would actually like to see Sage somehow allow itself to integrate with another Jukebox program. Its just painful to use Sage's Music system after using Meedio with J River. Theres just no question, great music playback/interface is not high on Sage's goals (nor should it be) so why not allow users to pass that task off to another app smoothly?

Agreed. J. River is the gold standard for library organization on the audio side. It has a very extensible and accessible interface (including a uPnP & browser-based ones). Note the plugin integration with programs like Meedio. I wonder if a MC library plugin/custom menu could be written?

[JasonJoel]

It absolutley could, if you could make a decent COM <-> JAVA wrapper for its automation object.


I looked into this, and I know a few others in the forums did. I don't think anyone ever got their COM object working satisfactorily in JAVA. I know I didn't...

But if you could make a wrapper, then you could have full JRMC integration. But keep in mind, it isn't as easy as it sounds...

Jason

Originally Posted by Halstead

I wonder if a MC library plugin/custom menu could be written?

[Halstead]

Originally Posted by JasonJoel

It absolutley could, if you could make a decent COM <-> JAVA wrapper for its automation object.


I looked into this, and I know a few others in the forums did. I don't think anyone ever got their COM object working satisfactorily in JAVA. I know I didn't...

But if you could make a wrapper, then you could have full JRMC integration. But keep in mind, it isn't as easy as it sounds...

Jason

A buddy of mine wrote a Java component to embed IE via the COM component a few years back. He said that overall, creating a specific Java to COM bridge using the Java Native Interface (JNI) shouldn't be too hard. Now If I can just convince him to code it...

[salsbst]

Originally Posted by JasonJoel

It absolutley could, if you could make a decent COM <-> JAVA wrapper for its automation object.


I looked into this, and I know a few others in the forums did. I don't think anyone ever got their COM object working satisfactorily in JAVA. I know I didn't...

But if you could make a wrapper, then you could have full JRMC integration. But keep in mind, it isn't as easy as it sounds...

Jason

I made an HTTP/XML bridge for the JRMC COM API and a Java client for it that recreates large portions of the COM API. This architecture has the advantage of not requiring that JRMC (a Windows-only app) be running on the SageTV machine. The downside is that some tricks are necessary due to the latency and batch-orientation of the HTTP/XML bridge.

I also put together a partial implementation of an STV to browse and playback.

Then I ran out of time.

[Halstead]

Originally Posted by salsbst

I made an HTTP/XML bridge for the JRMC COM API and a Java client for it that recreates large portions of the COM API. This architecture has the advantage of not requiring that JRMC (a Windows-only app) be running on the SageTV machine. The downside is that some tricks are necessary due to the latency and batch-orientation of the HTTP/XML bridge.

I also put together a partial implementation of an STV to browse and playback.

Then I ran out of time.

Duuuuuude, that is so exciting. I only wish I was a programmer. How much needs to be dome? Could it be used as a plug in to an existing STV a la comskip?