New STV features in v3 RC2

[Opus4]

I know the RC2 release notes list the changes, but sometimes it can be difficult to wade through such change notes. Since the updated manual isn't out yet, I figured I would mention some of the new things. The first few are:

Update: v3.0.14 RC3 now contains all the changes, so check chapter 8 for a list.

• Weather - There is now a built-in local weather screen showing the current conditions and 10-day forecast for a location that you choose. Go to Media Center -> Online Services -> Weather.
  
  The first time you go there, you will be asked to configure your location -- enter a zip code or city to search for to get a list of places to choose from. After that, you can see the weather for that place. The first screen has all the current conditions in nice large print, along with a short term forecast. Choose the "10-Day Forecast" button to see an overview of that forecast all contained on a single screen. Oh yeah -- select any forecast button to see forecast details for that day & night. Use a variety of up/down arrow commands to quickly scroll through the days while that pop-up is open.
  
  
• There are quite a few menu tweaks, including a "Watch Live TV" option on the Main Menu.
  
  
• When selecting an airing/recording/video, you will see a pop-up dialog showing all the available actions you can do. Among the new things here is the ability to unarchive recordings.
  
  
• The menu header now has mouse icons for toggling Full Screen mode and putting SageTV to sleep. Similarly, the playback screen includes a Stop icon that you can select with the mouse.
  
  
• If you use the Record command on an airing in the Program Guide (used to be "LiveTV Guide"), a new feature is the option to "Record one of N future airings". This button is available when multiple future airings of a show are found, so you can now easily select which one to record. It only lists the shows with the same ShowID, so only the same exact episodes should be listed here.
  
  
• The time bar in the playback screen now shows any padding before or after the actual airing time. There are markers showing the airing's start and end time, when the recording is padded.
  
  
• After you use the Stop command during media playback, you will be returned to an appropriate menu for that media rather than always simply sent back to the Main Menu. If you were playing a recording, you will be sent to SageTV Recordings; imported video: Video Library; liev tv: Program Guide; etc.
  
  
• When a group of airings or recordings is highlighted (the single group item in a list), you can use the Watched, Don't Like, and Delete commands on the entire group. This works for the groups listed on the search results/additional airings/historical airings/etc. lists also, not just SageTV Recordings.
  
  For the Watched and Don't Like commands, you will be asked whether to Set or Clear those markers for all shows in that group. That reminds me: when a group is highlighted, the first few shows will be listed in the top info area, along with the icon markers that apply.
  
  For the Delete command, you will be asked whether to delete a) all the recordings, b) just those that have been Watched, or c) only those that are marked Don't Like. As a safety feature, you will be asked to confirm the group deletion and the proces will delay between each deletion, giving you a chance to cancel the action. ** Any recordings already deleted when you cancel the process will remain deleted, of course. **

- Andy

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by Opus4

[*]The menu header now has mouse icons for toggling Full Screen mode and putting SageTV to sleep.

This is really nice, and the best of the menu changes, IMHO.

Don't care for the new way of deleting a program if you're watching it (right click, detailed info, more options, delete, four different choices of why you're deleting). Far to many mouse clicks just to delete a file. Now it's easier to FF to the end to get the delete file prompt.

Also, the watch live TV option on the main menu seems unnecessary. First, how many live programs does the typical person with a DVR watch? Second, it seems like a crap shoot in that you don't know what channel it will take you to, unless you happen to remember what you were watching last. I'm not saying it should go away, just that it's not that useful of a change.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by Goodspike

Don't care for the new way of deleting a program if you're watching it (right click, detailed info, more options, delete, four different choices of why you're deleting). Far to many mouse clicks just to delete a file. Now it's easier to FF to the end to get the delete file prompt.

If you have room on your remote, you could assign the "Delete" command to a button. But, since you are talking about using a mouse, perhaps you are also near a keyboard? If so, simply press the Del key. (You can delete the show while watching it.)

- Andy

[Goodspike]

I don't have a remote set up at all, and the keyboard is typically tucked away in a cabinet. I'm a mouse only type of guy, in part due to using a Gyration mouse. SageTV offers excellent mouse support.

[maddhaze]

Great work!!!

Does this version of SageTV play .mp4 files? Nero Digital is great, both picture quality and speed wise. Unfortunately, I have had a tough time getting it to work in SageTV. Long time agao it worked but not recently. Also, any way to get native support for the FireFly remote (or a SageTV specific remote). I know girder can be coaxed into working, but for the life of me it won't work on my server box, just clients.

Good stuff!

[Opus4]

maddhaze: you might want to try asking in another thread, since this one is about the capabilities of the STV. I don't use mp4 files, so I can't say one way or another.

------

To add another STV change: when you use Stop during media playback, you will be returned to an appropriate menu for that media rather than always simply sent back to the Main Menu. (I'll add that to the list in the first post.)

- Andy

[Opus4]

This one is not new to RC2, but I don't remember whether it was mentioned before: when a group of airings or recordings is highlighted (the single group item in a list), you can use the Watched, Don't Like, and Delete commands on the entire group. See the updated first post for details.

- Andy

[Goodspike]

My weather report is three days old. Also, cannot enter the zip code or city with a mouse. Will report it.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by Goodspike

My weather report is three days old.

The only thing that _should_ cause that is a problem with the online access. SageTV still has complete access through your firewall? You could try deleting or renaming the weather_cache.properties file in your SageTV dir so it will start over.

Also, cannot enter the zip code or city with a mouse. Will report it.

Those NTE buttons on pop-up dialogs are not 'active', so you can't select them with a mouse -- you'll note that they aren't actually highlightable buttons. That is intentional for now for reasons I know about & might change in the future.

- Andy

[RAlfieri]

Originally Posted by Goodspike

Far to many mouse clicks just to delete a file. Now it's easier to FF to the end to get the delete file prompt.

I agree. I liked the previous menu arrangement better as well; although I understand that some of the menu items have more choices now. Perhaps a cascading menu style that would go deeper for sub-options where needed rather than always having to click "options"?

Rob

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by Opus4

The only thing that _should_ cause that is a problem with the online access. SageTV still has complete access through your firewall? You could try deleting or renaming the weather_cache.properties file in your SageTV dir so it will start over.

The problem went away on its own. When I went to do what you said, the weather report was current. Very strange since the computer had been on for over 5 hours when I noticed it, and it did have Internet connectivity.

In case you don't know, the three days was not three real days because I upgraded to 3.0.13, then back to 3.0.11, then back to 3.0.13. But it did have a full day as 3.0.13 without updating.

[blade]

For those that don't like the new menus......

If you hit play instead of select the show starts just like always and bypasses the new menu.

Also if you press the delete button instead of selecting delete from the menu the show deletes with the same old yes or no choice just like before, whether you do it while watching the show or from the list of recordings.

Basically if you use the play and delete button for what they were designed for (I used to use the select button for play as well and deleted from the menu) then everything functions as it used to. Select just gives you easier access to the options that used to be buried a little deeper such as setting watched status and other options.

Of course there will be situations where people don't have enough remote buttons or are using a mouse only, but for the rest of us Sage can work pretty much like before we just have to use the commands like play instead of select. BTW I like the new menu now that I'm used to it.

[DIBU]

hi

is weather working in germany? i have set the zip code as weather.com GMXX0040 and i become a error.

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by DIBU

hi

is weather working in germany? i have set the zip code as weather.com GMXX0040 and i become a error.

It uses Weather.com, so unless they support Germany, I doubt it works.

[rickgillyon]

It works in the UK, just search on your city name and see if that works.

[michelkenny]

Yeah, I live in Canada and I had to search by city instead of postal code to get it to work.

[owilsky]

Originally Posted by michelkenny

Yeah, I live in Canada and I had to search by city instead of postal code to get it to work.

Hi,
I live in Bielefeld, Germany. Weather.com does not know this city, but if I choose Hannover or Dortmund it works fine.

Simply choose a big city near your hometown and it should work.
BTW: I did not enter a zip but the name of the town.

Oliver

[Opus4]

The weather system configuration just uses's weather.com's location search system. I see that www.weather.com mentions entering a "city or US zip", so perhaps that means it can't search on codes like the de.weather.com site seems to say it can. But, as mentioned by others above, just enter some city, or at least something that is close to you if entering your own city doesn't find anything. Just to pick some city in Germany: you can enter "Berlin" to find lots of Berlins, or you could enter "Berlin Germany" to find 2 locations in Germany to choose from.

- Andy

[nielm]

brussels, belgium works (location code bexx0005)

[DIBU]

Originally Posted by Opus4

The weather system configuration just uses's weather.com's location search system. I see that www.weather.com mentions entering a "city or US zip", so perhaps that means it can't search on codes like the de.weather.com site seems to say it can. But, as mentioned by others above, just enter some city, or at least something that is close to you if entering your own city doesn't find anything. Just to pick some city in Germany: you can enter "Berlin" to find lots of Berlins, or you could enter "Berlin Germany" to find 2 locations in Germany to choose from.

- Andy

That what i missed...it workes perfect...

great job...