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UbuStream v2.0 is now finally available. It's an almost complete rewrite of the original plugin and adds a host of new features. Take a look at these screen shots so you can see some of the things it can do.

You can find out more and download it from the UbuStream wiki page.

If you haven't used UbuStream before, it's a plugin that lets you play web video and audio streams with GB-PVR. You can either pick them from a list (like the media libraries) or you can select them as channels (like live TV).

If you already use UbuStream, your existing station database will be automatically converted to the new format. In addition to the functionality you're already used to, here's just some of the new capabilities:

• Organize your stations into groups for ease of navigation.
  
• Instant database synchronization with the Worldwide Media Project. Stations and groups can be automatically downloaded from your personal “favourites” lists on the WWMP web site.
  
• Automatically download on-demand video/audio links. New stations and groups from a variety of web sites (CNN, BBC, etc.) are created in real-time so you always have the most recent streams.
  
• Capture your favourite video clips from YouTube and Google Video as UbuStream stations so you can watch them from GB-PVR.
  
• Automatically import podcasts from your podcast receiver so you can play them with UbuStream.
  
• Import/export station playlists using standard M3U or PLS files (or using UbuStream’s “extended PLS” format PLX files).
  
• View a description of the station (or its current media content) before playing it.
  
• View a station’s schedule web page from the UbuStream menu.
  
• Create media playlists on the fly with the Play Group button.
  
• Delete stations from the database without having to exit GB-PVR.
  
• Option to listen to audio streams with the player hidden. You can view your recordings, scan the TV Guide or check the weather while the station is playing. If you prefer watching vizualisations, switch the option off.
  
• Add/change stations without having to restart GB-PVR. The station database is continuously refreshed while the UbuStream plugin runs, so any changes you make using the config app show up instantly.
  
• Standalone configuration console so you don't need to run the GB-PVR config app in order to maintain the UbuStream station database.

Much of the new functionality has been created using a new architecture that extends UbuStream via "Dynamic Source" mini-plugin apps. This architecture is intended to open up the UbuStream platform to allow anyone to write a simple (or complex) app to capture content for use with UbuStream. Some of the Dynamic Source apps included in the v2.0 release have been written by UbuStream users who wanted their favourite media streams to be automatically available.

Here's a bugfix patch: [ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]. Just copy the dll to your Plugins folder. This contains the following changes:

• Fixed bugs affecting m3u/pls file import and plx file export.
  
• Fixed major bug that was disabling the manual AutoSynch process.
  
• Support for 64 bit Windows installations.
  
• Other minor bug fixes.

I've also included an updated sample plx file (UbuQuickstart.plx). The original version was missing some station descriptions and schedule web site URLs.

VLC Notes:

1) The AFTV movie stations in the sample plx file require a specific VLC preference to be set. I've included the instructions for this in the station descriptions but, if you missed it:

To receive AFTV streams with VLC you need to enable rtp over tcp. From the VLC menu, select "Settings>Preferences", choose "Input/Codecs>Demuxers>RTP/RTSP", then check "Advanced options" and check "Use RTP over RTSP (TCP)". You only need to do this once.

2) The video links captured by the Google video mini-plugin will produce a pop-up warning message if you are using VLC 0.8.5. (If you close it, the video will play normally - but it's annoying.) VLC 0.8.4 plays the video fine without generating the error. So does the 0.8.6 beta version (and also, presumably, the 0.9.0 builds, although I haven't tried them yet).

UbuStream v2.1 is now "officially" the current, stable version. Unfortunately, I have not got around to updating the wiki pages to reflect this so the documentation, screen prints, etc. still pertain to v2.0. A document describing most of the changes, README_UbuStream.v2.1.rtf, can be found in the Plugins\UbuStream directory.