I have been writing a piece of software that is similar to Microsoft's XP Media Center Edition.
I have been a software developer for a long time and have a nasty habit of "writing my own" when I see a product that has great potential but obstacles. I like the idea of Media Center, and I would like to have it at home, but I don't want to buy a whole PC and get locked into its limited features.
My yet un-named software is making great progress and a beta release will be out soon. I'm looking for ideas or suggestions from you.
The premise is that it will be a windows application, capable of running on Windows 2000 or XP, that it will allow themes and multiple users, that it will support remote control directly through IRMan and that it will have a very consistent and simple interface.
The software will consist of
1) a login screen where you select the user ( or skip if there is only one user ). Similar to XP's welcome screen.
2) a main menu that will allow you to select the module ( such as My Pictures, My Music, etc )
3) sub-menu's that will execute the function, such as browsing the pictures or searching for and playing the music.
4) a configuration application that will allow you to configure all aspects of the main application.
Some modules I have planned so far
1) Pictures. Allows you to specify named categories of pictures each with a folder. Categories can be PIN protected. When you select a category, you see a browser that shows you thumbnails, lets you sort, navigate sub-folders, view the pictures full-screen and view slideshows.
2) Music. Allows you to navigate and play your audio files using artist, album, genre and playlists. This will use WMP 9 as the player.
3) DVD player. Using WMP 9 will et you play DVD's from either a DVD drive or from disc, by specifying a VIDEO_TS directory.
4) CD player.
5) Video library. Similar to pictures but plays video files on disk.
6) Video camera. Allows you to control a firewire camera.
7) E-mail. allows you to check and read your e-mail on-screen. will support PIN protected categories.
8) Web sites. Will allow you to specify URLs that you can view on-screen. Each one will have a category name and will be launched from a menu. For example, you could have one called 'Weather' that launches http://www.weather.com/weather/local/
9) Programs. Will allow you launch other programs.
10) Calendar and contacts. Will give you access to a calendar and contacts stored in an external application ( such as outlook ). So, next time you need Joe's phone number, it will be a couple of remote-control clicks away and you won't have to get up off the couch.
11) TV. PVR functionality supporting major video capture cards.
12) X-10?
Any ideas would be great....
Thanks,
Pablo Pissanetzky
I have been a software developer for a long time and have a nasty habit of "writing my own" when I see a product that has great potential but obstacles. I like the idea of Media Center, and I would like to have it at home, but I don't want to buy a whole PC and get locked into its limited features.
My yet un-named software is making great progress and a beta release will be out soon. I'm looking for ideas or suggestions from you.
The premise is that it will be a windows application, capable of running on Windows 2000 or XP, that it will allow themes and multiple users, that it will support remote control directly through IRMan and that it will have a very consistent and simple interface.
The software will consist of
1) a login screen where you select the user ( or skip if there is only one user ). Similar to XP's welcome screen.
2) a main menu that will allow you to select the module ( such as My Pictures, My Music, etc )
3) sub-menu's that will execute the function, such as browsing the pictures or searching for and playing the music.
4) a configuration application that will allow you to configure all aspects of the main application.
Some modules I have planned so far
1) Pictures. Allows you to specify named categories of pictures each with a folder. Categories can be PIN protected. When you select a category, you see a browser that shows you thumbnails, lets you sort, navigate sub-folders, view the pictures full-screen and view slideshows.
2) Music. Allows you to navigate and play your audio files using artist, album, genre and playlists. This will use WMP 9 as the player.
3) DVD player. Using WMP 9 will et you play DVD's from either a DVD drive or from disc, by specifying a VIDEO_TS directory.
4) CD player.
5) Video library. Similar to pictures but plays video files on disk.
6) Video camera. Allows you to control a firewire camera.
7) E-mail. allows you to check and read your e-mail on-screen. will support PIN protected categories.
8) Web sites. Will allow you to specify URLs that you can view on-screen. Each one will have a category name and will be launched from a menu. For example, you could have one called 'Weather' that launches http://www.weather.com/weather/local/
9) Programs. Will allow you launch other programs.
10) Calendar and contacts. Will give you access to a calendar and contacts stored in an external application ( such as outlook ). So, next time you need Joe's phone number, it will be a couple of remote-control clicks away and you won't have to get up off the couch.
11) TV. PVR functionality supporting major video capture cards.
12) X-10?
Any ideas would be great....
Thanks,
Pablo Pissanetzky
