STV Import: Malore Style Online Browser

[ChaOConnor]

Tom, thank you for a great STV!!!

Not directly related, but I was wondering if there was a way to use the Malore style for my media library. I'm using the standard STV, have the hidden extra's enabled, and it used Malore for the recorded items. Plus w/ your import, now I get it for the online videos. But what about for the media library of movies, tv shows, music that I have?

Does that exist?

Thanks again!

[tmiranda]

That doesn't exist as far as I know. I always thought it was very strange that Sage decided to have different interfaces for video and that's what prompted me to do this STVi.

There is hope for a more unified interface:

- Pluckyhd is working on something he has called "media wall" that will probably be a big improvement.

- There is "team Ortus" that is working on a completely new STV that will also probably be very good.

- There is "team Phoenix" that is working on a new STV to supercede SageMC.

- And finally, Jeff (Narflex, Sage CTO) mentioned in an intervew several months back that updating the UI was a high priority item.

Tom

[ChaOConnor]

Originally Posted by tmiranda

That doesn't exist as far as I know. I always thought it was very strange that Sage decided to have different interfaces for video and that's what prompted me to do this STVi.

There is hope for a more unified interface:

- Pluckyhd is working on something he has called "media wall" that will probably be a big improvement.

- There is "team Ortus" that is working on a completely new STV that will also probably be very good.

- There is "team Phoenix" that is working on a new STV to supercede SageMC.

- And finally, Jeff (Narflex, Sage CTO) mentioned in an intervew several months back that updating the UI was a high priority item.

Tom

Thanks for the post. Yes, I always thought it odd we had different interfaces as well.

Appreciate your hardwork!

- Cha

[brandypuff]

I just tried this with a PC client and when i click the Online Services menu, the wheel spins for awhile and then nothing happens.

[tmiranda]

I've never seen that. Can you provide more info such as:

- What STV fileset are you using? (The easiest place to find this is by going to Setup->Detailed Setup->Advanced and looking at the "Check for STV update" button, it will tell you the current fileset.)

- Have you entered the "secret code" to enable the other malore menus? (This should not really matter but it will help me debug.)

- What's in your OnlineVideos folder? Are you using the stock .properties files or have you edited them? What version of those do you have?

- Do you have any custom .properties files in the OnlineVideos folder?

- Double check that you have downloaded the latest version of the STVi.

Thanks,

Tom

[Eckwell]

How hard would it be to make a Malore style DVD browser? so TV and DVD browsing was the same in the default STV?

[tmiranda]

Originally Posted by Eckwell

How hard would it be to make a Malore style DVD browser? so TV and DVD browsing was the same in the default STV?

I was thinking the same thing ... Probably not as much work as the Online Browser. I just don't know if it would be useful or not. There are other options that are a lot more visually appealing (Sage Movie Wall, TV Explorer, iMovies, probably others). If there is interest I will look into it further.

[brandypuff]

this is a neat application however i am having an issue with it.

When i browse, i get the category tree on the left. if i select Comedy, for example, i see a list of comedy shows on the right. If i select, say, Comedy Central, a Comedy Central category item appears on the left with the various shows on the right. This is all fine.

However, after playing a comedy central show, i can't get back to the categories tree. If i go left it brings me back to the online videos menu.

what's up with this?

[tmiranda]

It sounds like a bug. I'm headed out of town this weekend and will not be able to look at it until next week. In the meantime can you zip the contents of your OnlineVideos folder and upload it here so I can reproduce the problem?

Thanks,

Tom

[brandypuff]

ok-thanks-here's the folder

[tmiranda]

I just tried this before taking off for the weekend and can't reproduce the problem. I do not even see a Comedy Central category. I see Comedy and then 3 Comedy Central videos under that (Behind the Scenes, What New, Stand-Up) and each of them play find and return as they are supposed to.

The .properties files are old, dated 10/3, and there have been lots of changes since then. If you have no done so already please try this:

- Update to latest STV (2009112501)
- Make sure you are using the latest STVi (1.2)
- Rename the .properties files in the OnlineVideos folder so you are guaranteed to get the latest ones. (11/27/2009)

I won't check back here until Sunday night or Monday but please post your results.

Tom

[brandypuff]

I will try this out tonight (i hope) and let you know. Thanks.

[voidstar]

I had the same/similar issue. For me, it was a problem with the STV update interface:

I thought I updated to latest STV but the UI only updates you to the next update. You actually have to redo it multiple times until you are fully up to date. After doing it five times I was done and I could see the menus.

[brandypuff]

What is the STV and what is the STVi?
I'm confused. I only have downloaded the Malore Online Browser Beta 1.2.zip
file.

[tmiranda]

James,

The STV is the default user interface used by SageTV. An STVi (short for STV Import) alters or adds functionality to the STV.

To use the STVi unzip the Malore Online Browser to your install directory (probably C:\Program Files\SageTV\SageTV and then go to Setup->Detailed Setup->Advanced and add the Malore Online Browser Beta 1.2. stvi to your list of imports and force a rebuild.

I hope that helps. Post here if not.

Tom

[Eckwell]

Originally Posted by Eckwell

How hard would it be to make a Malore style DVD browser? so TV and DVD browsing was the same in the default STV?

What I woudl really like to be able to do is include DVDs in the TV Explorer under movies. My family doesn't understand why there are DVDs, Movies, Videos, and TV... seems clear to me though!!!

if everything was under the TV browser, or even a tab for DVDs it would be much smoother.

How hard would it be?

[brandypuff]

Thanks.

I still can't get this thing working. I renamed the properties file on the online videos folder.

I am running SageTV V6.6.2.218
When i downloaded the latest Media Center V6.6 server kit, it asks if i want to do a modify, repair or remove. I don't remember this before. I used to be able to install right over the current version. Also, now it appears to want to install to a SageRecorder directory rather than the SageTV directory? What is that all about?

My Online Videos version is 2009100201
Extender Firmware: 200906111
Current STV: STV3_withimports_<longnumber>,xml Version 6.6.2.0 Jul 24, 2009

[brandypuff]

Also, the lates OnlineVideosLinks.properties file it just downloaded after i renamed the current one is version=2009100201

[gplasky]

If you're reinstalling you will need to update the STV to the latest. Your current STV is dated July. The latest is December. This may take 5 or 6 updates to complete. Go into Detailed Settings-Advanced-Check for STV Update. You need the latest for everything to work.

Gerry

[tmiranda]

Originally Posted by brandypuff

Thanks.

I still can't get this thing working. I renamed the properties file on the online videos folder.

I am running SageTV V6.6.2.218
When i downloaded the latest Media Center V6.6 server kit, it asks if i want to do a modify, repair or remove. I don't remember this before. I used to be able to install right over the current version. Also, now it appears to want to install to a SageRecorder directory rather than the SageTV directory? What is that all about?

My Online Videos version is 2009100201
Extender Firmware: 200906111
Current STV: STV3_withimports_<longnumber>,xml Version 6.6.2.0 Jul 24, 2009

James,

I think you are doing something fundamentally wrong here that has nothing to do with the STV Import. It sounds like you are trying to update sage but have the wrong download. Maybe you have SageRecorder instead of SageTV Media Center?

First let's make sure your base SageTV install is correct and up to date:

1. Shutdown Sage and the service (if you are running in service mode).

2. Go to Windows "Add or Remove Programs" and see what Sage stuff you have installed. If you have "Sage Recorder" installed, uninstall it.

3. Go to here http://www.sagetv.com/download.html?bbidx and download "SageTV Media Center For Windows". It should be the first download link.

4. Install SageTV.

5. Fire up Sage and make sure everything works OK.

6. Go to Setup->Detailed Setup->Advanced and "Check for STV Updates". As gplasky said, you may have to do this several times until it tells you that no updates are available.

Once you have that done let me me know.

Tom