Internet Browser

[paulie]

Is there a way to add internet browser capabilities to sage. (Firefox, chrome etc.) If so could it be used through and extender. This would be a fantastic addition to sage.

[sm4284]

I agree would be very handy. Maybe with an app. plug-in

[Brent]

I've asked that very question and was told the answer is yes, it is possible - even on the extenders. The question is will they do it.

What would you use it for? Just curious.

[RetroBox]

It isn't integrated within Sage, but I use Kylo as my HTPC Internet Browser - it is designed for the 10' interface and it is free. In the absense of Dynamic Customizable Menus, you will have to come up with a way to launch it - I have a button on my remote control to do that. This solution will require a PC /MAc for it is an installed application, so it will work on the server or standalone PC-based client. I highly recommend it.

[jdamore]

Originally Posted by Brent

I've asked that very question and was told the answer is yes, it is possible - even on the extenders. The question is will they do it.

What would you use it for? Just curious.

I think this would be the icing on my cake.. I have my sage server connected to my projector ONLY for firefox. Otherwise, I just use my HD200.

Just to name a quick few for me:
Google Maps (mostly for Phone numbers)
Weather.gov for detailed weather
OWA Exchange server for work
Social networking
Sage forum :P

I think the hardest part about a web browser on an extender is not having a mouse. It would have to work like a Black Berry or something.

You'll also have a to have a keyboard compatible to the Extender.

[cncb]

Originally Posted by Brent

What would you use it for? Just curious.

Netflix, Pandora, Slacker, ESPN360, Comedy Central, ... What wouldn't I use it for ?

[pjpjpjpj]

Originally Posted by cncb

Netflix, Pandora, Slacker, ESPN360, Comedy Central, ... What wouldn't I use it for ?

So you're wanting a new plugin to access a bunch of applications that are already accessible with an existing plugin?

[cncb]

Originally Posted by pjpjpjpj

So you're wanting a new plugin to access a bunch of applications that are already accessible with an existing plugin?

Playon does not give you direct access to these sites (and the highest quality streams). There is also no Slacker and Pandora access is kind of a joke with no control. I could have listed many more sites not covered by Playon not to mention new sites that haven't come about yet but I thought you would get the idea...

[Biggen]

Originally Posted by cncb

Playon does not give you direct access to these sites (and the highest quality streams). There is also no Slacker and Pandora access is kind of a joke with no control. I could have listed many more sites not covered by Playon not to mention new sites that haven't come about yet but I thought you would get the idea...

+1

I would love to be able to have some sort of browser support in Sage. To be able to stream Netflix right into Sage via the browser would be great (without a lower quality PAID FOR Playon plugin..

[sm4284]

Originally Posted by jdamore

I think this would be the icing on my cake.. I have my sage server connected to my projector ONLY for firefox. Otherwise, I just use my HD200.

Just to name a quick few for me:
Google Maps (mostly for Phone numbers)
Weather.gov for detailed weather
OWA Exchange server for work
Social networking
Sage forum :P

I think the hardest part about a web browser on an extender is not having a mouse. It would have to work like a Black Berry or something.

You'll also have a to have a keyboard compatible to the Extender.

I also would use it for all that and as for a keyboard my Logitech diNovo Mini already works great

[paulie]

My reasons for the wanting a browser plugin are all of the above. I think this would give sage everything that any of the similar media software has to offer and more. No other media centre software has this option. (That I am aware of.) An internet browser is the only real edge Google TV has over sage. Elsewhere sage has Google tv covered and much more.

[Jimmi24]

Also... playon doesn't have the most updated content for most of the sites. Like MTV, they don't have any of the current season episodes for shows like Fantasy Factory and Nitro Circus.

Grooveshark and million others would also be great.

[OneOfMany]

I agree on the need to launch a browser, or any exe from within Sage. It is another one of the things that has prevented me from deploying Sage7. My v6 setup on PC Clients have customized buttons to launch the url for my video website (or Maximus Arcade), grab the RF keyboard or controller for nav, and playing, then when done, exit back to Sage homescreen.

I have no desire to minimze or exit Sage to run the few specific apps I use, instead keep it as the shell.

Grant

[pjpjpjpj]

Originally Posted by Brent

I've asked that very question and was told the answer is yes, it is possible - even on the extenders.

I suppose that would require either remote-control based navigation of the webpage (sorta like when you surf a web page on a non-touchscreen phone), or else the ability to use the extender's USB ports for a keyboard... this must be ridiculously complicated to implement, or else Sage (or some dev) would surely have done it by now.

As for client PCs... I don't have a client PC in my system - but there's something I don't get. I'm not being critical here, I really am just curious because there has to be a legit answer... I have always wondered why, when using a PC client means you are effectively viewing a "maximized window" for Sage, you don't just minimize Sage and open a web browser. In other words, if you are going to be using a keyboard/mouse to navigate the web page anyway, why do you need to be able to pull up the browser from within Sage? What am I missing?

[Brent]

Originally Posted by pjpjpjpj

I suppose that would require either remote-control based navigation of the webpage (sorta like when you surf a web page on a non-touchscreen phone), or else the ability to use the extender's USB ports for a keyboard... this must be ridiculously complicated to implement, or else Sage (or some dev) would surely have done it by now.

Well USB keyboard support on the extenders already exists so that's not the problem. It's an embedded Linux (hope I'm not butchering the terminology) where they would have to add a web browser into that firmware. Not sure if its really difficult but rather a matter of what to shove into the memory of the box and how functional that specialized web browser would be.

Personally, I'd love to see web browser support. But I'd rather see official Netflix support more.

[OneOfMany]

Originally Posted by pjpjpjpj

As for client PCs... I don't have a client PC in my system - but there's something I don't get. I'm not being critical here, I really am just curious because there has to be a legit answer... I have always wondered why, when using a PC client means you are effectively viewing a "maximized window" for Sage, you don't just minimize Sage and open a web browser. In other words, if you are going to be using a keyboard/mouse to navigate the web page anyway, why do you need to be able to pull up the browser from within Sage? What am I missing?

The reason for me is simple.. We have numerous PCs in the house. Some are used for PC stuff. They as a rule are NOT used for Sage, although the Client can be launched if required, or Placeshifter launched if not at home.

I have dedicated client PCs that are hooked to the big screens for the sole pupose of being a frontend for my media center. They load Sage at startup, and are used primarily as browser/players for audio & video. MCE remotes are used as the primary control.

As an option on these systems, it is nice to be able to load specific external applications (such as Maximus Arcade - emulator), Windows PhotoGallery Live (if I want to import and tag some photos to my server) etc.

Also nice is the ability for anyone to launch Netflix.ca by pressing a button in Sage, have it log into my account, and be ready to navigate/play an offering (without Playon). Simply picking up the RF keyboard/pointing device allows using their site, and when done, simply closing the window reverts back to the Sage interface. By providing the path url, it just goes to the FEW sites we want to directly.

Again, I prefer on these clients to use Sage as the shell if possible. Also, by providng the path url, it just goes directly to the pages we use. What is so hard to comprehend? It is a Media Center

Grant

[blade]

I really like the idea of a browser that would work on the extenders; however, it would need mouse support or I probably wouldn't use it much.

[wayner]

Originally Posted by pjpjpjpj

As for client PCs... I don't have a client PC in my system - but there's something I don't get. I'm not being critical here, I really am just curious because there has to be a legit answer... I have always wondered why, when using a PC client means you are effectively viewing a "maximized window" for Sage, you don't just minimize Sage and open a web browser. In other words, if you are going to be using a keyboard/mouse to navigate the web page anyway, why do you need to be able to pull up the browser from within Sage? What am I missing?

The OP (paulie) seems to be asking the question about extenders - therefore it is not an issue of just switching to your browser. But even if you did that, which I occasionally do on my HTPC, it can be very hard to read a normal browser window as you really want a browser optimized for a 10 ft UI rather than a 2 ft UI - but I guess this could be solved with the suggestion below by RetroBox to use Kylo. You could also force your default system font to be larger, which I have tried, but it causes other screens to look fugly.

[paulie]

I had a look at "Kylo" and it looks just the thing. To have this launch from a sage extender would be the business. Then there is no need for add-ons to cater for any internet content.

[pjpjpjpj]

Originally Posted by OneOfMany

Simply picking up the RF keyboard/pointing device allows using their site, and when done, simply closing the window reverts back to the Sage interface. By providing the path url, it just goes to the FEW sites we want to directly.

I see your point - but I guess it always seems to me that people who have full-blown HTPCs attached to their clients are always complaining about how they can't get this or can't get that, and I just always thought, "isn't that a fully-functioning PC attached to your TV? Use it." But I do see your point about wanting the ability to just have one or two specific features where you can jump right in and jump right out. Although, general web-surfing - the topic of this thread - seems to be something more than just a "jump in/jump out" function.

Originally Posted by wayner

...it can be very hard to read a normal browser window as you really want a browser optimized for a 10 ft UI rather than a 2 ft UI...

Now, that is one thing I had not really thought about. Good point. Of course, that same issue would apply if you implemented web-surfing on an extender... I guess the extender would need to have some sort of auto-font-size changer that was adjustable, and which switched back when you left the browser.