STV: MlbDude2 1.8.7 - July 5

[ToonGal]

Hi MLBDude,

I've stayed 'mainstream' until today, because I wanted to familiarize myself with all the base options, but am simply amazed by what you can do with 'studio'. Some questions and requests:

- Help: Red circle F in certain listings - can't find any info on this anywhere. thought it was favorites, but not consistant.
- Help: info.my format - which parameters are relevant? only what is on screen, or all info in the .my is displayed?
- Request: add hybrid video library view - folder view, for all hierarchy levels; list view, if no subdir folders
- Request: relocate channel logo so image less centered on screen. locate channel logo / detail at bottom left/right? swap orientation of logo and detail in place instead?

Been playing / configuring this for the last 4 hours and having fun. Probably more things later, when I have more time. Son home from school now.

Great stuff MLB.

[ErsatzTom]

I think I can help with the first. I believe the f is for first run.

t

[ToonGal]

Thanks, ErsatzTom. Looks right to me.

Put the boy to bed, and spent the last hour reading the entire thread to avoid retracing past ground. Really love this .STV, and the more I play, the more I want to know... Great stuff, MLB. Anyway, more items (REQUEST=soon, I hope; WISHLIST=if/when possible):

- BUG: Weather forecast L/R arrows only work for k/b and remote, NOT by mouse
- HELP: "time_marker.png" has no desitnation dir specified and can't make work. where to put it?
- HELP: Can multiple episodes be categorized in a single .my file? (I want one .my file per directory/TV series). have it working single .my file now, but unwieldly.
- HELP: Is .my info limited to "Title", "Released", "Overview", "Files"? Tested others with no success
- REQUEST: imported video library - after completing playing a file, please default to last used directory, instead of root directory. Annoying to directory renavigate to find the next Wiggles song video for my son.
- REQUEST: imported video library - config option to browse - want the .my 'title' info to be used, if present, instead of the full file name
- REQUEST: imported video library - config option to remove "Delete Now"; don't want end-users allowed to perform potentially harmful file functions
- COMMENT: imported video library - not sure I like the select item -> item detail screen. Better might be to select -> play; w/ the .my detail in the hybrid (last post) list. Only thing I've found that I think should be reorganized, but no 100% design in my head yet. Thinking...
- WISHLIST: Possible to add mouse icons for REW2/FF2? Even better, more mouse icons like in v1.4? Configurable, for those who don't like mice/icons. Will req specifics if possible / likely.
- WISHLIST: .mov, .rm file support?
- WISHLIST: .cbr, .cbz (comic book) format integration, with CBReader?
- WISHLIST: Stock quotes / sports scores anywhere in the crystal ball?

Can't get enough of this. I'm falling in love with Sage all over again due to the STV customization. It's what I always hoped HTPCs should be. Looks like all that time playing with Meedio might now be in vain. Glad I didn't buy it yet.

Great stuff, MLB. Last general q, next version imminent, or possible to get some of this in it? Ideas on if/when releasing?

Thanks again!

[Opus4]

OK, I'll take one...

Originally posted by ToonGal
- HELP: "time_marker.png" has no desitnation dir specified and can't make work. where to put it?

Put it in the "STVs\OriginalV2" subdirectory under SageTV, where the other general-purpose png files are.

- Andy

[ToonGal]

Thanks, Opus4. That did the trick. Tried in every subdir in MLB. Never occurred to me to try it in the non-MLB main dir, given this was a mod.

Two and a half more hours of testing and playing, and I think I tested every major section I'd use regularly. Here's the final additions to the list for the night:

-COMMENT: Never saw it mentioned - want to give props; you sort my 3 PVR250 tuners, instead of base STV display of #2,"",#3. Nice...
-BUG: Browse by category - Tokenizer done by string, not by token; example - {Science} currently incorrectly includes all {Science fiction}.
-BUG: Browse by category - top line stops updating in certain items (i.e. "Football"); no correlation which update and which don't - easily replicable
-BUG: .my file format - you use only lower case letters ("title") where many conversion programs use random ("Title", from MovieMgr2MY-1.0); lower(token) first?
-MINOR: Main menu - When mini-guide enabled, down / left arrows overlap; down arrow should be above mini-guide
-ISSUE: Not sure if MLB or Frey - 3 tuners, 1-2 "open", watching a favorite or sched recording live, change channel, and recording of fave/sched ends; should choose an "open" tuner. If none "open", bring up that dialog box warning, like the 2 min pre-change warning elsewhere
-REQUEST: Weather - TV screen stops. Either TV integration (preferred, esp since empty area in right place) or more weather.txt data in the dead space
-REQUEST: Archived SageTV Recs - Categorization display exactly like the main recordings, if possible
-WISHLIST: Browse by category/Favorites - combine categories. {Sports event} and {Football} each have too much junk, but {Sports event/Football} what I want.

A little more detail on my .my file understanding. For my test data, here is my directory structure and here is my sample info.my file (lower case tokens in the live one to make it work) for the TV show "Between The Lions".

The section token (i.e. "[1]") separates the various entries in an info.my file. From what I understand of your implementation, there are two possibilities:
1) only one movie, maybe made up of multiple parts, per directory, and the file is called "info.my". The token in the file is irrelevant.
2) multiple movies, with each entry having a "<filename>.my" corresponding entry. [NOTE: <filename> should be "a.avi.my" not "a.my" as you have done; multiple instances of a.mpg and a.avi in the same directory.] Again, token ignored.

If I'm right in my .my assumptions, I'd propose a 3rd alternative, a hybrid of the two, conforming to the myHTPC standard. I don't think this should be too hard to integrate:
3) multiple movies, with a single "info.my" file. The token separating each entry is an exact [<filename>] match. In lieu of finding an exact match, you could either use a [default] token, or use the current method of using the last [token] entry.

Well, I hope you see my 3 posts as celebrating what great work you've already done, with some constructive criticism only in the spirit of making it better. This really does take great strides in moving a single/integrated HTPC package, and I'm eager to do what I can to help. I'm an experienced s/w diva, so anything you care to offload (testing, programming, anything), please don't hesitate to ask.

Thanks again MLB for the great work product. What a fun day I've had spending my time with this...! Be seeing you!

[Grey_Goose]

Possible bug... when I'm in my Recording list (mlbdude old style) I can't arrow left to get to the title list... I'm stuck in the episode list...

[Opus4]

That's an old known problem -- you can use REW to get back to the left pane.

- Andy

[mlbdude]

Originally posted by Grey_Goose
Possible bug... when I'm in my Recording list (mlbdude old style) I can't arrow left to get to the title list... I'm stuck in the episode list...

I assume you are using the default STV or somehow got into the two pane recordings list Frey distributed. That is old and unsupported. There is a new two pane view in either of my MlbDude STV's though that does not have that problem.

[pimpbot]

Thanks for making this, mlbdude. I had a problem with tearing on the default sage dvd player, so I turned to the skin that you created which allows me to launch theatertek.

I have a question though. When sage launches theatertek, theatertek quickly loses focus to the sage screensaver. Is there any way around this? I would rather not minimize sage, but if that is the only way then I will look into it.

[mlbdude]

Originally posted by pimpbot
Thanks for making this, mlbdude. I had a problem with tearing on the default sage dvd player, so I turned to the skin that you created which allows me to launch theatertek.

I have a question though. When sage launches theatertek, theatertek quickly loses focus to the sage screensaver. Is there any way around this? I would rather not minimize sage, but if that is the only way then I will look into it.

You will have to disable Screen Saver on Sleep in Sage. BTW, TT only uses Overlay and not VMR9. You can get rid of the tearing in Sage by telling the DVD player to use Overlay as the renderer.

[pimpbot]

Originally posted by mlbdude
You will have to disable Screen Saver on Sleep in Sage. BTW, TT only uses Overlay and not VMR9. You can get rid of the tearing in Sage by telling the DVD player to use Overlay as the renderer.

Thanks mlbdude. I tried overlay in sage for the dvd player but then sage lost the ability to adjust the aspect ratio to the source so all my 16:9 dvds would come out as 4:3.

[mightyt]

Mr. MlbDude ... sir ... OK, enough sucking up.

I am sure you are in the midst of enhancing MlbDude2 or maybe even working on 3. So, here is my question.

More and more combo skins seem to be coming out. And they all have some great features from several different developers and a few add-ons of their own. Of course this puts us in a quandary. After getting OTB Sage I used it for a while and then got turned on to malore and your skins. I like the features you gave us best; A nicer / clean UI, Weather, the mini-guide, the ability to modify some main menu items, Search by Category and Movies only, Icons and more. It's all good!

I have recently tried nielm's STV and love a few things (in order of importance, well 2 and 3 may be a tie).

1 - Completely Customizable Menu (very little XML knowledge needed)

2 - Nice looking On Screen Video Disk Space option

3 - Weather Suite

4 - News Feeds

I tweaked it to use my own photo background, which I already can do with yours.

So, my problem is nielm only added some of your stuff, mostly from earlier MlbDude releases.

What are the chances of you adding at least the 4 items I mentioned above to your skin?? You see, I want it all ... MlbDude2, "and" the four above. Of course improving the Jukebox, and optional Commercial Advance would not hurt in the process ...

What to do, What to do ... I still have MlbDude2 as my server setup and nielm on my client. They both hare things I really want. My problem is I just want it all !!!

So, what say ye??? Don’t you want to be the ultimate MlbDude!!! How about a grand slam ...

Thanks, T.

[mlbdude]

The only item that I am currently considering to add is #1.

I don't use disk space monitors since I let Sage manage my disk space and they always read almost nothing left.

The weather module may go in there after it is used for awhile, however, I am not a big user of weather modules and when I do I just want something fast and simple.

I currently would not put news feeds into my PVR.

I agree it is not a great situation to be in for most end users that want more than the stock SageTV. It kind of sucks having to choose between the different "views" of a perfect PVR. But I guess it is better than having no choices at all.

[mightyt]

Originally posted by mlbdude
The only item that I am currently considering to add is #1.

I don't use disk space monitors since I let Sage manage my disk space and they always read almost nothing left.

The weather module may go in there after it is used for awhile, however, I am not a big user of weather modules and when I do I just want something fast and simple.

I currently would not put news feeds into my PVR.

I agree it is not a great situation to be in for most end users that want more than the stock SageTV. It kind of sucks having to choose between the different "views" of a perfect PVR. But I guess it is better than having no choices at all.

Thanks for the quick reply!!

I understand and appreciate all that you guys do for the benefit of the community.

I am happy to hear about adding greater menu and sub menu customization to your STV. That's more important to me as I am sure others. The Disk Space OSD is a handy tool for me more from a, "am I at the point where my patterns require I upgrade storage" point of view. The weather suite is a great nice to have for those periodic need to know now times. The news feed is cool to have, but if I have to give up something it would be that. Especially since I still have a standard TV and can't see the browser too well. In fact I'd certainly give it up over a Jukebox redesign and Commercial Advance as well.

You are right though ... with all of you creative Studio users, the choices are growing and making our decisions tougher. And absolutely, it is definitely better than no choice at all. I expect one day we will all have the "power"!!! ... And then we'll "all" be posting our creativity by pushing Sage to the edge ... and learning or borrowing from each other.

Again, thanks for what you have freely offered us all ... T.

[ToonGal]

Since long posts didn't seem to ellicit any response, I'll fire off a short one.

MLBDude, are there any release plans imminent, or standing pat? If so, any ideas what you will be adding into it? Complete rewrite, or feature enhancement? Time frame?

Staying true to your STV, because it's changed the way I use SageTV. Thanks again for the great work, MLB.

[mlbdude]

Not sure exactly. I intend to put out another release at some point for MlbDude2 with some fixed items and some new features. I do see MlbDude2 coming to a close soon though. I think something completely different is in order for the next full version.

[Rob]

Originally posted by mlbdude
... I intend to put out another release at some point for MlbDude2 with some fixed items and some new features....

I'm looking forward to it.

I'll also look forward to seeing what your next full release holds.

[mightyt]

Originally posted by mlbdude
Not sure exactly. I intend to put out another release at some point for MlbDude2 with some fixed items and some new features. I do see MlbDude2 coming to a close soon though. I think something completely different is in order for the next full version.

Please make sure not to lose all the goodness in MlbDude2. I like completely different, but also like the features you have provided thus far. More intuative, easy to manipulate, more powerful and improved features all great. Just please don't take away what works good.

Thanks, T.

[kny3twalker]

Hey mlbdude

why is it that malore's two paned sagerecording menu works fine with page up and down but yours does not?

furthermore any other menu with page up and down work fine (they are two paned)

I am just wondering why it is a bug with SageTV yet there are two instances of this working correctly

and some Custom Menus would be nice

my favorite is Series Premiers and Specials
but "Upcomming Movies" is good too
just kidding

[mightyt]

Originally posted by kny3twalker

"Upcoming Movies" is good too

Actually MlbDude2 has a couple of cool searches;

1 - Browse by Category
2 - Browse by Movie

These are two of the things I love and don't want to lose. As for Browse for Movies, I spend 15 minutes every once in a while and scan through about 600 movies in a row to record what I like. It compiles a single list of all movies, all channels, all days in the EPG!

Check it out ...

** Update!! -- Guess I was wrong ... MlbDude's Movie Menu Item is called "Upcoming Movies" as well, not Browse by Move as I indicated above. I am messing with so many STV's now I am starting to get a bit confused. Sorry .... ... T.