First Pre-Release Status Update

[stevenhanna6]

I've fallen a little behind schedule on my stuff, so I can't upload a full blown installation program yet. I will upload some screenshots though so you can see what we are doing.





Ok so as you can see from the 1st screenshot the install will be using a new skin, it will incorporate all of the features xlobby has to show off its capabilities.

The next two screenshots are a work in progress, but they shows the new built in media player. One screenshot shows an rss video screen to watch streaming video off the net...I couldn't get a shot of the video because it's running in hardware mode and video wont show up in screenshots in that mode. The last screenshot shows the media player playing a dvd, again you dont see a dvd image since its rendering directly to hardware.

Something I can't show in a screenshot is the new built in audio player, I still have to add a feature to select which sound card output to use so we can to do multi zone stuff.

All the new internal audio, video stuff is built on top on directshow in case anyone is curious. So you will need directx9 I think, you will of course still be able to use foobar or winamp or zoomplayer or whatever to run media like before....I haven't removed that capability because I know some people will want it. This built in stuff is for people who dont want to use external players, the nice thing about the built in media players in particular is the ability to make skins around them like you see in the screenshots. And yes you can do multiple media players in one skin, but from my tests so far you will only be able to play one dvd at a time.

There is other stuff to that has been done, xweather updated, spiders updated, bug fixes....I dont have time to list that here though.

I hope to get the full install ready by monday for you guys.

[lar282]

Really cool Steven
One question. If the download is done Monday, then I assume the price is set too?
So, how much will it run us to use the new build?


//Lasse

[stevenhanna6]

There is no price for pre-releases, its free to download but it will expire after a few months. We plan on adding alot more stuff than what I briefly listed, and once we get all the new features into xlobby than we will annouce a price....and before someone asks, we can't give a price on something that doesn't exist yet.

[CiXel]

Will the new built in audio player offer any sort of say Winamp plugin support to run post-processing on the audio, or are there plans to integrate post-processing into the new internal scheme (ie. Replaygain and Multi-band compression and the like...)

[samgreco]

and before someone asks, we can't give a price on something that doesn't exist yet.

Steven - I like the direction that you're heading, but I will ask anyway.

I am about to put in a bunch of time to get where I need to be with my system, and before I put that time into Xlobby, I need to know that I'm not wasting it, if you understand what I mean. I wish that my timing more closely matched yours

I am going to design my skin and the functionality based on the Pro version as I read it now. RS232 support being the biggest thing for me.

But if I put in all of this time and then it turns out to be $1000.00, I'm going to be very unhappy. Will your new model include unlimited clients? Or will it cost more if I add over a certain amount? Will PPC support be included or extra? Will I nedd to buy plugins for alot of my gear? Or will drivers be included?

I don't mind buying something that fits my needs. I don't mind spending a couple hundred bucks. Or even more. But I hate to put in weeks or months, that might be wasted.

I gotta think you at least have the model in place by now.

Sorry to be so pushy, just need to move forward.

[S Pittaway]

i know you dont want people asking

but sam is right, no one expects a "it will cost exacly $xxx.yy" reply, but a rough ball park figure is needed.

whatever the price I will happily try out the new releases and give some feedback...

but if the final price is going to be too high, i should really spend some time looking at alternatives (as apposed to exteding my current skin or fixing plugins for other people).

[S Pittaway]

or putting it another way


i have spent ages messing arround with my xlobby install...

i have converted a few other people into using it aswell

I am active on the forum (i have figured out how to do a few things in the last year, so if i can help i do).

If i knock a plugin up for my own use i release them...



There are a lot of people on here that can say the same...

i think we deserves a ruff idea on pricing so we can plan ahead.


Sean.

[CiXel]

Truth is, no matter what the final pricing structure, they can always lowball the number and consider it "special introductory pricing" allowing us to continue to develop it. I find myself in a similar situation, ready to revamp my skin and setup, and hadn't actually considered the potential price implications. . . . None the less, it's out of our hands.

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

Sam and Sean have already stated all theres to it. I have nothing to add. Except:

+1

[fletch]

All the new internal audio, video stuff is built on top on directshow in case anyone is curious. So you will need directx9 I think, you will of course still be able to use foobar or winamp or zoomplayer or whatever to run media like before....I haven't removed that capability because I know some people will want it.

Steven does this mean that the new versions will require DirectX 9 simply to run xlobby? I hope not. I currently have some under-powered touchscreens that I plan to use as fat clients. They won't actually be playing media directly, but instead act as zone controllers and display information from Homeseer and a few other things. But none the less they certainly don't have the horsepower to run DirectX 9. If this is a requirement, would you consider the possibilty of making the internal audio and video players a plugin that could be eliminated on older hardware systems? Or maybe creating some sort of "slightly overweight client", one that is neither the thin client but also not the full blown fat client?

Aaron

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

If steven is only using DirectShow (like i suppose)... It was few years back transfered from directX SDK to platform SDK, so that makes me believe that atleast newer SPs of XP will contain all that is needed as is. But this is just bear quessing.

[lar282]

There is no price for pre-releases, its free to download but it will expire after a few months. We plan on adding alot more stuff than what I briefly listed, and once we get all the new features into xlobby than we will annouce a price....and before someone asks, we can't give a price on something that doesn't exist yet.

thanks for the info. It was the expire info I was lookong for.

looking forward to try it out.

//Lasse

[rhinoman]

Looking forward to trying out the multizone audio side.

[Marbles_00]

Are the plans to still use .Net2 or are you using .Net3?

[PhilB]

Since you are now integrated functions that were normally provided via external apps directly into XL, I am hoping that your new product has much better spider/profiler integration.

Thanks,
PB