Needed features for mvpmcx2/NMT

[psycik]

Hi, by chance sub was good enough to show me a popcorn hour running over the weekend, and I must say I was impressed but the responsiveness of it, and the look of the HD content he had.

While demoing it, he did point out the differences to the MVP, and all in all it seemed like a good way of doing things (passing the video off the to the PCH to deal with natively rather than make pvrx2 control it as happens on the mvp).

The only thing wrong I see with this scenario is the lack of OSD, and possible the lack of access to the tv guide.

Now the OSD is not so bad, potentially with buy in from the manufacturer (or firmware producer), the episode information could come from somewhere else to be displayed (some .txt file, or xml file etc).

Of bigger problem to the WAF is the ability to look around the tv guide while inside a program, you see an ad for an upcoming show and decide to record it. Having to stop playback to go and record this from the guide would become annoying.

Do we know if it might be possible to inset the window (eg as gbpvr did before pvrx2 came on the scene) - so that control could be given back to pvrx2 and have access to the menus?

This is just my thoughts and in now way am I criticising the work that has already been done with this great little device...

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Hi psycik,

Some time ago I posted my suggestions for the PCH in the wishlist: http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?t=33833

Chris

[psycik]

HI, ok, yeah. Glad to see people are on the same wave length...

[sub]

I'd love to add this, but I dont see it happening in the near future. As long as we're depending on the playback app from the device, we dont really have any control over these aspects.

[mvallevand]

I have a few questions for all GBPVR users before I respond,

Do you really want HD or do you want to avoid it as long as possible? I am amazed at the hoops some people go through just to watch video on their MVP.

Is quality or quantity of video most important?

Do you really think Hauppauge will solve the problem with an HD-MVP?

Is building a $600 GBPVR client (or two) to get an OSD a la gazoo http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?t=34082 for you?

Martin

[psycik]

I have a few questions for all GBPVR users before I respond,

Do you really want HD or do you want to avoid it as long as possible? I am amazed at the hoops some people go through just to watch video on their MVP.

Is quality or quantity of video most important?

Do you really think Hauppauge will solve the problem with an HD-MVP?

Is building a $600 GBPVR client (or two) to get an OSD a la gazoo http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?t=34082 for you?

Martin

These are just my personal opinions.

For me I do want quality of video, but more so i want the device to be more tolerant, the MVP has a couple of issues with my digitally recorded video (skipping etc) - so tolerance of that is key.

My MVP is a bedroom only device for watching pretty much only recordings...but that's because that's what I find it well suited for. It's a bit slow and doesn't really like other types of video. But it works and it very watch able..

Now the PCH on the other hand is capable of a lot more, so yes i'll probably stick on in the bedroom. BUT, it's also a potential pvrx2 client replacement - for the lounge.

Now if it's going to be a client replacement for the lounge then I think it's should be able to do things like dropping back to the tv guide while watching live tv to record something else.....now I'm not talking via the OSD like we currently have, because I realise that is probably impossible, but some sort of inset mechanism (I notice the MVP via filesystem can do this, and sub showed off the zoom function on the PCH). Or we're basically loosing functionality, or the PCH will be relegated to a bedroom type device.

Remember this is just my view on the world. And if it comes to it, I could just buy a mini mac and use that for a client. I'm at a cross roads for a decision. I'd like the PCH version, it's about $700 cheaper!!!

[jksmurf]

Do you really want HD or do you want to avoid it as long as possible?

HD.

Is quality or quantity of video most important?

Quality.

Do you really think Hauppauge will solve the problem with an HD-MVP?

Don't know enough about the device.

Is building a $600 GBPVR client (or two) to get an OSD a la gazoo http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?t=34082 for you?

Maybe, but I prefer the PCH for queitness and simplicty. Still would REALLY LIKE an OSD, although ... not imperative.

k.

[mvallevand]

Due to underwhelming number of replies it's pretty hard to get motivated to respond further, but my bet is that most users in the GB-PVR community don't really want to admit it, but they really want a machine capable of delivering 100% MVP functionality and aren't willing to make any tradeoffs to get HD, but will accept the tradeoffs to turn HD into SD. There is also no doubt a significant WAF at play here too.

In some ways this is disappointing because this goal is clearly unattainable in the short term and it may never be. Syabas have told me bluntly that with their media player I will never be able to do what I would like to do to get an OSD over video. The only positive spin I can put on this is Hauppauge would also still say the same thing but some pretty clever people were able figure it out on their own and hopefully we can find some more clever people.

This doesn't mean that the work that sub and I have done is wasted far, from it. The purchasers of the NMT didn't expect a PVR and they get a great one with many functional improvements on top of it. I also have a good base of knowledge that I can bring back to the mvpmc project and build on it. Working with a machine that doesn't have a brain-dead network card is a dream too. I'm also kind of lucky here, my wife never used GB-PVR on the MVP so I don't have to deal with retraining and I think it will be running it my living room for the first time.

Martin

[sub]

The mvpmcx2 client with PCH has already passed the bar at which it'd be acceptable by my family. The speed + file formats it'll play + highdef capabilities + picture quality is definitely worth it. Having the OSD and normal playback controls etc would have been nice to have, but not essential.

I'm actually wishing I had a second unit. The current one is used for development in my bat cave. If I had another one it'd already be in my bedroom replacing my client PC.

[mcervi]

HD is definitely a requirement for me--the MVP had become a brick. The only major roadblock I'm facing now is comskip support and I know that has to come from Syabas.