STV: Cayars17 Ultimate STV (Release 17 - Jan 18)

[Cayars]

Originally Posted by samson

exactly
maybe
1. recorded favorites
2. ir recordings
3. all recordings

That works for me. This will probably be the "D" version of the STV however. I doubt it will make the "C" version. I'm working on one display issue and as soon as this is done the "C" version will be released.

Carlo

[Cayars]

I must say the "C" version is quite nice and adds a lot of new functionality. It probably contains 95%+ of all functionality found in all other STV files plus new original stuff.

However, I've hit an implementation snag and need feedback on how it should work.

The code for the mini-guide is basically done and does work, but I'm not sure how it should be implemented to get the best functionality from it.

I need feedback on this:
1) If the mini-guide is enabled should it work in concert with the built in traditional channel changing from inside the OSD or should it replace it?

2) If it should work in concert/addition to the "normal" built in method, how do you do this with a remote? It's easy with the keyboard as you can use the PgUp/PgDn as the normal channel changing method and use the Up/Down arrow keys for the mini-guide (How it's coded at present). BUT, how do you do this with a remote with limited buttons? Do you use seperate buttons?

3) Can someone describe how this worked in Mlbdude2??? I've loaded it up and tried it but it's not making sense to me. I've got a mental block on this.

4) Does anybody have any ideas for a "newer" possible better way to implement this functionality from a remote/keyboard perspective?

Unless I can get this straightened out I'm going to release "C" without the mini-guide and release it as a point release or as part of "D".

Carlo

[mls]

Originally, if enabled, while you are watching a show using the Up/Down on the remote would pop up the mini-guide and allow you to step thru channel listings. Then hit the OK button to go to that channel. Would also automatically disapear by itself if no more input to change up/down.

Or, just enter numbers and hit OK to go directly to a channel (if needed).
Worked slick. Been waiting for you to get it into your STV.

Otherwise, you could always hit the Guide button on the remote to get to the normal Guide listings as usual.

In other words, just change it to use the standard channel up/down from the remote like normal instead of whatever you rigged it to only use the Page Up/Down.

[abasu2003]

1) should replace it

2) (doesn't really apply I guess since I picked replacing) but I guess you would map 2 extra buttons as you say

3) in mlbdude it replaced it

Just to make clear, the functionality would be this. You press "up" while watching live tv, and it shows the mini-OSD and whats playing on the channel that is after (or before) the channel you are watching. To actually change the channel, you then have to hit "ok" or "enter."

I think if you separate this mini-guide from the actual act of changing channels, it can get confusing as to what you are controlling.

The only disadvantage to the way i outlined would be that to change channels, you have to now hit an extra "enter" or "ok" button. I personally would take this tradeoff in a heartbeat (as most digital cable users gladly took). Its just one extra key stroke between any channel changes, and that extra key stroke adds so much functionality.

One thing I would do which mlbdude's didn't do was this. If I am on Channel 24, and I bring up the miniguide, it starts at channel 24. Now lets say I scroll up to channel 45, lookign for something and don't find it, so I exit the miniguide now. Now, the next time I bring up the mini-guide, it should start at channel 24 (resetting itself). Mlbdude's would just start at the last place you left it, and it was sometimes confusing as to what channel you were on.

[mls]

Originally Posted by abasu2003

Mlbdude's would just start at the last place you left it, and it was sometimes confusing as to what channel you were on.

Ya, it would, but think it had to be that way because otherwise if you were taking time reading the description and it timed out and disappeared you would have to step back thru all the channels again to get to where you left off.

Maybe a longer delay would help, but don't know how one would work around it otherwise.

BTW: I think it mlbdude2 there was an option to use it the other way also by calling it up with the Guide button, but I never used it that way. I believe your last relase was doing it that way. However, I preferred the other way using the Up/Down on the remote for the mini-guide and the Guide button to go to the normal guide list. That way I could use either one.

[gotuitdan]

Originally Posted by Cayars

I must say the "C" version is quite nice and adds a lot of new functionality. It probably contains 95%+ of all functionality found in all other STV files plus new original stuff.

However, I've hit an implementation snag and need feedback on how it should work.

The code for the mini-guide is basically done and does work, but I'm not sure how it should be implemented to get the best functionality from it.

I need feedback on this:
1) If the mini-guide is enabled should it work in concert with the built in traditional channel changing from inside the OSD or should it replace it?

Access to both ch up/down and the mini-guide is nice I guess, but I could go either way. "Ambivalent" is my official response.

2) If it should work in concert/addition to the "normal" built in method, how do you do this with a remote? It's easy with the keyboard as you can use the PgUp/PgDn as the normal channel changing method and use the Up/Down arrow keys for the mini-guide (How it's coded at present). BUT, how do you do this with a remote with limited buttons? Do you use seperate buttons?

Maybe it's just me, but with my various used remotes, I had separate up/down and ch up/down. ch up/down was also page up/down, and I used up/down for the mini-guide. The remotes I've used were Tivo, a Philips Universal and, now, a Harmony Remote. So yes, I mapped separate buttons but, as I am now using the MVP client, I don't even know if it has separate ch up/down and up/down. In that case, I'd vote for replacing channel up/down with the mini-guide.

3) Can someone describe how this worked in Mlbdude2??? I've loaded it up and tried it but it's not making sense to me. I've got a mental block on this.

i don't remember, but i think you got an answer already.

4) Does anybody have any ideas for a "newer" possible better way to implement this functionality from a remote/keyboard perspective?

Unless I can get this straightened out I'm going to release "C" without the mini-guide and release it as a point release or as part of "D".

please release it with "C". i'm chompin' at the bit! :-)

Carlo

Thanks!

[Cayars]

Darn, just what I was trying to avoid. 2 people with different views as to how it should work.

Tell you what, I'm going to finish up the other stuff and get "C" ready to go without the mini-guide. There is so much new stuff in "C" it's not worth having you guys wait for "C" to get the mini-guide. All the mini-guide code will be ONLY in the STV so I can release this as a drop in when it's ready.

By doing this I know I'll have "C" released on 11/1. I really doubt the mini-guide will be more then a day or two out from the "C" version.

Why don't you guys hash out here in this thread how the mini-guide should work and if it's doable for me to code I'll do it that way.

Carlo

[mls]

Unless I missed something, we all said the same thing as to how it worked in mlbdude2, and I believe we all said that was how we wanted it to work. I muust have missed something, I'll go back and read things again here.

[abasu2003]

yeah, Cayar, we've all said the same thing.

Stop stalling, and give us the miniguide.

EDIT: Just to make things completely clear though, I am saying the exact same thing mls is saying, so if his is the easiest to understand, go by his. But in answer to the original question, i think we all want to "replace." But I think even more importantly, we all want it now.

[mls]

I think I spotted what Cayers may be missing. In the enhanced OSD Options there is a setting for "Bind Mini-Guide to GUIDE command in OSD".

Way it worked in mlbdude2 (if I remember correctly) is that with that option disabled the mini-guide would come up when hitting the Channel Up/Down on the remote.

With that option enabled, the mini-guide would only show up if the Guide button on the remote was hit first. The Up/Down buttons would then work directly changing channels.

As it was in the "B" release the mini-guide only worked with that enabled setting and not at all with that setting disabled. That setting should have been a toggle for which way it worked and one of the other options should be there to turn on/off the mini-guide completely.

Is this making more sense to you now Cayars?

[abasu2003]

I agree with what mls is saying.

Not to sound overanxious, but I think these details are really just that, details. I think you have the overall concept, and definitely have some main details with the info in teh thread. I would say to make a mini-guide, and for better or for worse, send it out. If people have problems with the functionality, they will let you know really quickly . One problem i think everybody is having is that its been so long since we've had the mini-guide that people have forgotten what they had and what they wanted.

[mls]

As I pointed out in my last post above, the mini-guide does work in Cayars "B" version. However, it only works with the "Bind Mini-Guide to GUIDE command in OSD" set to enabled... which sets it to only show up if you hit the Guide button on the remote first.

So that part is working already. What is not working is when that is set to disabled then the mini-guide should show up by just hitting the Up/Down buttons (and the Guide button would then go back to the full TV Guide listing).

I'm not sure what Cayar has the Mini-Guide Look Ahead option doing, but I suspect that is what should be to completely turn on/off the Mini-Guide functionality.

So, it's half working already. Just missing one piece.

[hchucky]

Cayars,

Please forgive me if this has been brought up already. I would appear that in most cases you have removed the back mouse icon in favor of a back menu item. This works well on all screens except Detailed Setup where there is not a back mouse icon nor is there a back button. Obviously this is not an issue if I have a remote or keyboard handy but if i'm trying to navigate the menu with only a mouse i'm stuck.

Would it be possible to add the back mouse icon here?

Thanks,
HC

[gotuitdan]

well, despite my ramblings, i *thought* i agreed to whatever mlbdude2 had been doing... either way, i was ambivalent. :-)

thanks!

[mls]

Took a closer look back at Mlbdude2 to double check how things worked for the Mini-Guide. It appears to require the entire mlbdude OSD enhancment "package" to work. That changes the way the show discription, volume control, and time position indicator are displayed.

All of that (including the Mini-Guide) are turned on/off with "Use Enhanced OSD" in Detailed Setup. I knew there was some setting for turning it on/off somewhere.

Under "Enchanced OSD Options" the setting "Bind Mini-Guide to GUIDE command in OSD" when enabled requires pressing the GUIDE button on the remote to bring up the Mini-Guide. With that setting at disabled the Channel Up/Down buttons automatically bring up the Mini-Guide.

In either case, using the Up/Down buttons move thru the channels and pressing the OK (or Select) button then changes to the channel listed.

The "Mini-Guide Look Ahead" option turns on/off the ability to move sideways in the Mini-Guide (forward/back time slots) using the Right/Left arrow buttons (or the volume buttons on a Hauppauge remote). This lets one view what is coming up at future times.

In all of the above, one could also use the Record (and I believe also Favorite) buttons for selections from the Mini-Guide.

Anyway, looks like the entire Mlbdude OSD enhancement "package" needs to be there for the Mini-Guide to function properly.

I hope this helps Cayars figure out how to impliment this into his STV.

[Cayars]

Thanks guys, this has helped me.

OK I'm back to working on the mini-guide. As soon as I've got it working along with the other enhanced OSD options I'll release "C", since that is what I'm hearing you want.

[silkshadow]

Oops, good point Andy, i forgot about that.

Silkshadow, tray it again renaming the properties file, but also make sure to rename the backup file too. We just tested nothing.

*lol . If I wasn't such a raw newbie, you wouldn't have to tell me that so, my bad. Ok, this time object DB is backing up and compressing itself took a while, so I think we actually are testng something now . And, bang! It loaded .

Edit: Got it working! Thanks alot Cayars!

[Cayars]

Glad you got it working SilkShadow.

I've got the mini-guide working correctly now and I'm about to load it on my main machine and do some testing. I've got a couple of little things to take care of that I just discovered but these aren't a big deal.

I could also use some help from somebody with a decent graphic program. See this thread if you can help: http://forums.freytechnologies.com/f...5369#post65369.

I'll have the "C" version released sometime today for sure.

Carlo

[Cayars]

Version "C" is release. See the first message for details.

It's a very big release
This baby has everything but the kitchen sink in it.

Just to answer a couple quick questions I just saw:

It does have the MINI-GUIDE.

hchucky, I modifed the theme to put back mouse functionality. That should have never been removed in the first place.

I believe I have fixed the roll-up/roll-down scrolling issue as in the left pane of Detailed setup and certain File Detail screens. If anyone notices any other problem screens like these let me know.

Have fun and enjoy!
Carlo

[mls]

Might help if the .stv file was included with everything else ?