Archive for the ‘Windows 7’ Category
5 Things I Like About Windows 7 (RC) Media Center
Posted by banger@epgstream in Random Thoughts, Windows 7 on June 8th, 2009
About a fortnight ago I upgraded from the Windows 7 Beta to the Windows 7 RC distribution, but it’s only been the last day or two that I’ve had the time to sit down and really enjoy it’s Media Center component! Right off the bat I’m liking what I’m seeing …
#1 – Broadcast EPG Data
I really thought I would hate the EPG data broadcast by the television networks, but I have to say I’m satisfied with it. I’m not saying I’m impressed by the quality and consistency of TV network data, but at the same time I’m not saying I’m disappointed by it! I can definately see the quality of programme data improving with FreeView providing a unified EPG stream and a move toward MHEG-5.
I normally scan the TV guide for the upcoming week at least once to make sure all my favourites are recorded and to see what’s new. Just keep an eye out for multiple names for some of your favourite shows like “The Simpsons”, “All New Simpsons” and “The Simpsons Marathon” … But once you’ve worked out and recorded all the variations then you’re set!
#2 – Colour Coded Programmes
Annoying at first, but the colour coding of different genres has grown on me. My niece especially likes it because she knows her children’s programming by colour … (she can’t read yet).
At least the TV network are taking the time to categorise the shows they broadcast!
#3 – Intelligent Recording
Don’t you just hate when you schedule your favourite show to record and the show before it runs overtime? You end up missing the last 30 minutes of your show and then get an ear bashing from your better-half because the “stupid Media Center” isn’t doing it’s job! Not so anymore …
It seems that when shows run overtime, the TV networks are performing “last minute” updates to their broadcast EPG, which Media Center is smart enough to detect. This means Media Center automatically adjusts your recording’s end time to ensure all of it will be recorded! Take that live television!
#4 – Seek Preview
One thing I hated about the old Windows 7 and Windows Vista video playback was seeking backwards and forwards. Jumping 10 seconds backwards and 30 seconds forwards gave you a kind of epilepsy as frames jumped about. Now the latest Windows 7 RC version has a “mini” preview window that allows you happily seek without interrupting the main playback. Once you’ve found where you want to be in the preview window, Media Center then jumps to it!
#5 – Fast Video Playback
My absolute favourite feature I’ve noticed in the Windows 7 RC release is the fast video playback with audio. I can now fast forward and still have audio … in effect letting me watch TV shows and videos at x1.25 playback speed. A great feature that allows my brain to absorb 25% more data … in 25% less time!
And there you have it, 5 things in the latest incarnation of Windows Media Center which caught my eye! I’m sure there are dozens more features … I’ve just got to find the time to experience them! 
Time flies when you’re very busy!
Posted by banger@epgstream in Windows 7 on March 14th, 2009
I just realised I haven’t made a post on our Windows 7 Guide Compiler (wmcGuideCompiler7) for a fortnight now so I thought I’d just drop a journal entry to let everyone know what’s happening.
Thumbing through (or should I say clicking through) my diary tonight and realised I’ve only spent about 10 hours in total over the last 14 days working on the compiler. To my surprise, the majority of that time was spent on designing and developing the user interface!
“Everybody’s working for the weekend …”
Posted by banger@epgstream in Windows 7, XMLTV on February 28th, 2009
Well, maybe not everybody works for the weekend, but I’ll definitely start working again tomorrow on the XMLTV to MXF compiler (wmcGuideCompiler7) again! The core functionality is all done so I’m just finalising some deployment and configuration components.
If you hadn’t already worked out from my previous QR Code entry, I proposed to my long-time-suffering girlfriend today so I’ve been busy this week getting a few things finalised for today! I won’t bore you with all the details but, needless to say, I did all the right things … “asked the dad”, “consulted the mum” and “got down on a knee”. Oh, and she said “Yes!”.
So without further delay (tomorrow) …
The third cut of our Windows 7 compiler!
Posted by banger@epgstream in Windows 7 on February 24th, 2009
I *finally* found a little bit of time yesterday to complete a 3rd revision of our wmcGuideCompiler7 (XMLTV to MXF) compiler with some very good, clean results being produced! My QR Code from the weekend will give you a little insight why things are a bit hectic right now.
I think it’s about time to call for a handful of alpha testers next week to start giving me some feedback on all the base product features, and then hopefully if all goes well I’ll add those nice pretty features that users crave for a beta release!
We don’t need that many alpha testers, but I am looking to rank which users this first cut is available for:
- You’ll need to be a current site sponsor and have an existing epgStream.net license.
- If you are from Australia, preference will be given to NSW users, preferably Sydney.
- Only a very limited number of overseas users (New Zealand included) are required!
Just flick me a private email to the address shown below and I’ll get back to you with some basic details as to when and how you’ll get your alpha.
Thanks a bunch!
Good News from Mike-rosoft*
Posted by banger@epgstream in Windows 7 on February 19th, 2009
I got a speedy response from Mike Hayton yesterday about the MXF data I had sent him and, bar one or two minor tweaks, it looks like everything is good to go! I’ve got a few more base-line features I want to build support for so you should be seeing a pre-release version of our wmcGuideCompiler7 coming soon!
The reason I’m keen for a wmcGuideCompiler7 beta/pre-release is because our current versions of Windows 7 are, obviously, still in beta. I’m sure that between now and the final Windows 7 release we’ll see some more Media Center features added, existing functionality break, and dozens of bugs fixed!
Knuthing better than The Art of Computer Programming
Posted by banger@epgstream in Random Thoughts, Recommendations, Windows 7, XMLTV on February 18th, 2009
I don’t know about you guys, but I find I have to throw out books and whitepapers from my professional library every few years. I recently tossed out a few old Visual Basic 6, Microsoft C++ and Microsoft .NET 1.x books which were taking up valuable space and came across some old friends …
Aside from my Bruce Schneier books, I really love my well-read “The Art of Computer Programming” (TAOCP) volumes by Donald E. Knuth and was happily side-tracked for a hour as I thumbed through some familiar chapters. Keen to see if there were any new Knuth editions published, I temporarily abandoned the library cleanup and checked on Amazon to find:
The Art of Computer Programming (Vol. 1-3) – US$149.18
3 updated editions, a boxed set and all hard covered to boot! How could I not buy these computing classics in the hopes that one day I could pass them onto my computer-literate grand-kids? Needless to say I promptly purchased these tax deductible references and then returned to the purging of my professional library.
Two weeks later (i.e. yesterday) this heavy boxed set turned up on my doorstep, and much to my surprise, in pretty good condition after being shipped from the USA. Ahhhh… nice white pages with no notes in pencil or dead mosquitoes stuck between the pages. Now I can take my tattered old TAOCP paperback copies to work and not worry so much if any “light fingered” work colleages are going to borrow my books for months at a time!
If you haven’t heard of Donald Knuth before then take some time out of your day to find out about his work. This is especially important if you want a better understanding of the “hows and whys” of software development fundamentals, or maybe just need to write lean, mean, industrial strength code.
Oh… errr… I finally sent off the sample Windows 7 EPG MXF data to Mike Hayton this morning for critique. I would have sent it last night but I was too busy flicking through TAOCP, Volume 2. Hopefully Mike will give it the thumbs up and we can start looking at releasing a new wmcGuideCompiler7 version!
The second cut of our Windows 7 guide compiler!
Posted by banger@epgstream in Windows 7, XMLTV on February 17th, 2009
I had been planning to send Mike Hayton some sample MXF data on the weekend but I ended up being side-tracked by the Valentine’s Day and a surprise itinerary planned out by my girlfriend! Needless to say I got very little work done, but I did have time to think about how to progress the XMLTV to MXF compiler project.
The original plan was to release a new version of our Guide Service Proxy application which included a Windows 7 MXF guide compiler. After a little refactoring and a lot of reflection and I decided that we should bundle the compiler as a new application, rather than trying to stuff it into the currently stable Guide Service Proxy.
A logo is worth a thousand words …
Posted by banger@epgstream in Windows 7, XMLTV, XMLTV: Guide Pack on February 11th, 2009
Well, as of today I can cross the TV program images off the “TODO” list with addition of this extra eye candy to our Guide Service Proxy compiler. I decided to go with programme/movie images rather than network icons first because they are more visually pleasing. As the days go by (and I find the time) I’ll add the network icons to the mix!
First cut of our XMLTV to MXF compiler!
Posted by banger@epgstream in Windows 7, XMLTV, XMLTV: Guide Pack on February 9th, 2009
It’s Alive! It’s Alive!
I managed to dodge all the distractions of a lazy Australian Sunday and build a fairy clean, first cut version of a Windows 7 XMLTV to MXF compiler! 
Using XMLTV data from ozTiVo.net I was able to load guide data for 15 glorious channels directly into my Windows Media Center guide!
Writing a new XMLTV compiler for Windows 7!
Posted by banger@epgstream in Windows 7, XMLTV on February 7th, 2009
Ok time to get busy! I’ve cleared my schedule for the rest of the weekend and plan on writing a new guide compiler for the Windows 7 beta. I had spent some time a few weeks ago looking at the new Windows 7 internals to try and figure out how to load and display the XMLTV data. I could load the data but unfortunately could not get it to display correctly.
Reviewing Mike’s recently released documentation, the internal objects look very similar so hopefully it won’t take long to knock up a working compiler!
Wish me luck!
