Media Player Firmware Wishlist

[aasoror]

BUG REPORT: ES-51-283G-PCMPBO25-P53 - Beta

when mine finishes playing one video file, it would jump to the next file by itself. That is normal but what is not normal is the next file would not have sound. I have to stop and play the file again to get the sound back.

hope this will be fixed soon. thanks.

Try the latest firmware P61 and see if that issue still persists.

[ludeguy]

^

P61 does fix the problem and gives it a nice menu. thanks!

[wigout]

I hate to contribute to this long thread of crushed dreams, but here goes:

I want a firmware that:

When browsing:

1. Has at least ten listings in a more modest sized font.
2. That does not pre-read the headers of the file, thus slowing down browsing.
3. permits adding files and folders to playlists. (I know this can be scripted even if DvdPlayer's sources are rigid- if you can't change it inside DvdPlayer, change it outside DvdPlayer and call it)
4. permits saving, loading and shuffling playlists (again, can be scripted, should not be a problem)
5. If there is anyway in heaven to have the preview box removed, on the fly (like choose do not display preview box) or otherwise, consider it. It would make browsing lengthy filenames much easier.

The filesystem itself should:

1. be squashfs for best reliability and compression
2. however, pretty much ALL of the /etc folder ought to be symlinked to the /usr/local/etc so that users can have control over the startup process.
3. should have an /opt directory
4. should incorporate parts of /opt into the gui:
   
   1. set time to an internet clock
   2. integrate torrent management
5. The /usr/local/etc ought to be set a good large size approaching the maximum allowable.

New directions:

Build php for the pbo and include it in the firmware. Add some calls to it to the DvdPlayer.

Utilize a more traditional ttf font approach so that alternate-language users have a chance of finding a satisfactory alternative font.

Release enough of the kernel source code so that:
a working kernel can be compiled by the end user.
and
enough of a working environment to permit users to successfully build/compile their own programs.

Release a second, simple DvdPlayer-like program that has an onscreen interfaces that may be used:
to start up and set more system related settings, make early startup choices.

Utilize unused buttons (in certain screen/contexts) on the remote to call scripts of the users own making. This would mean encoding that from the Home/Startup screen, pressing one of the following: SLOW, OPTION, CM SKIP, CONFIRM would launch /usr/local/etc/custom-scripts/slow.sh, /usr/local/etc/custom-scripts/option.sh, /usr/local/etc/custom-scripts/cm_skip.sh, or /usr/local/etc/custom-scripts/confirm.sh. slow.sh might cause the player to copy all the media from the usb drive to a designated folder on the hardrive: cp -a /tmp/usbmounts/sdb1 /tmp/hdd/volumes/HDD1/new-media/ . option.sh might prepare a playlist using the newest files on the hardrive: find /tmp/hdd/volumes/HDD1 -mtime -31 > /tmp/hdd/volumes/HDD1/m3u.All

The more customization options you give (via scripting), and the more customization options you permit (by releasing a fuller sourcecode) the better the experience will be.

-wigout

[Patriot_Z]

too much to process..... but will add on the back burner.. still got a few more things planning to add first.

thanks all for great feedbacks.. we still keeping an eye on this thread .

[ivan]

I haven't read through the entire thread, so I dunno if someone else suggested these things. And perhaps some of this stuff is already implemented, but it's not easily accessible, or apparent to me. After using the PBO for half a week, I wouldn't mind seeing the following things:

- Be able to check the free internal HDD space from within the PBO (under the options button)
- When copying files to the internal HDD, state the speed it's copying files at, and perhaps an estimated time remaining
- Make when you hit the display button, while playing a movie, the speed the movie is streaming at appears
- Of course an internal "JukeBox" that goes out to the internet and pulls down all the movies metadata and thumbnails by itself, instead of having to make them on the computer and upload movie sheets with Telnet
- Be able to make shortcuts to certain folders (perhaps you can, but its not a simple, hitting options button, type of process), and then put the shortcuts on the first, and main window
- I'd love to see an implementation of live tv of some sort, not just pod casts (is that possible?)
- Keyboard and mouse enabled
- Be able to upload menu background images, and easily select which ones to use as the menu backgrounds
- Make an "All playback" command, so we can choose if we want to play next show after automatically, or not

I think that's pretty much everything I would like to see.

[jakir]

I too would like to see more titles on the screen when searching through directories, and not loading of data from the file before it's selected. I find it tends to freeze up for a moment when moving from "page" to page of files in a folder. Is it just me or does the new firmware seem to take longer to move from file to file? I switched back and it seems faster now. Also, I like how the new firmware goes to browse first, but I found the old layout more intuitive. Random on audio files would be good to, I know the new firmware said it did that, but I couldn't find it (not that I spent long looking)

[Patriot_Z]

you need to be in the media player mode.. start playing and it'll switch over. On the page you will find shuffle, loop and etc play mode. Once set, you can always hit display button to switch back to browser mode. The play back should be in the background as you browse until a new file (video/ audio) is selected to play.

[kyle.s.l]

I have a 3 terabyte hardrive and would love to play it with the Home Box Office. I believe the most it can read is 2 terabyte though.

is there a firmware update available to solve this issue????

[aasoror]

I have a 3 terabyte hardrive and would love to play it with the Home Box Office. I believe the most it can read is 2 terabyte though.

is there a firmware update available to solve this issue????

Buddy, at least confirm there is an issue,
Kindly try the latest firmware and try your HDD and see whether it works or not.

[scboley]

Buddy, at least confirm there is an issue,
Kindly try the latest firmware and try your HDD and see whether it works or not.

I haven't seen the architecture structure of the mips processor but if it's 64 bit it will go way over 2 terabyte but if it were only 32 bit 2 terabyte is the limit and no way it can go over it.

Like he said try it and let us know if it works. If it does it's a 64 bit if not we know its 32 bit.