[Blight]

Zoom Player v2.60 Beta 2 is ready, quite a few fixes (minor issues) and several big features!


The inter-process communication interface for LCD display is in, including a sample application+source to show how it works (link below).


A new File Navigator interface, easily controlled through a remote device.


And lots more, check it out.


Here's the changes from v2.50:
Code:

* New File Navigator Interface.
   The File Navigator Interface allows you to navigate your entire
   file system using simple keystrokes which can be mapped to a
   remote control device.
   Using the UP/DOWN arrows you cycle through the available files
   in the current directory, using the ENTER key you pick which
   file to play or Enter/Exit directories.  Using the RIGHT/LEFT
   keys you switch between file and drive selection.  Pressing
   ENTER on a drive will set it to it's root dir, otherwise it
   will go to it's last recalled path.

 * New LCD Communication Interface.
   While not directly controlling LCD devices, this interface
   allows external programs to use certain Zoom Player playback
   information for LCD display.
   See "zplcd100.zip" for more information.

 * New "External" entry on the Options dialog.

 * You can now set the WinDVD DeInterlace and Audio Output modes.
   These settings only take effect if the WinDVD filters are not
   currently active (playing some video) and may not work with
   the trial version of WinDVD.

 * You can now set the PowerDVD DeInterlace and Audio Output modes.
   These settings only take effect if the PowerDVD filters are not
   currently active (playing some video) and may not work with
   all versions of PowerDVD.

 * Faster Folder/DVD image resize code.  Not as good at downsizing
   compared to the previous filtering code, but it's A LOT faster
   and the image still looks very good.  It also gives better
   quality when upsizing the image.

 * Faster Gradient draws (skin script).

 * The Ctrl+"B" Cycle Subtitle track function will now work for
   subtitles displayed using VobSub.

 * The Shift+"B" Disable Subtitle function will now work for
   subtitles displayed using VobSub.

 * New "/CD:[n]" Command Line Parameter to set the Active CD/DVD drive.
   Example: "zplayer.exe /CD:F" will set the Active CD/DVD to drive "F".

 * New "/ADD:[path]" Command Line Parameter that adds entire paths to
   the play list.  For Example:
   "c:\\program files\\zplayer\\zplayer.exe" "/add:e:\\my video files\\"
   Notice the "", if this parameter isn't encased, spaces in the given
   path would be considered a different parameter.

 * New keyboard/remote mapping function "exInterface" to explicitly
   Toggle specific interfaces.

 * New DVD Setting "Assume DVD Menu at all times".  This setting will
   make Zoom Player assume you're in a DVD Menu at all times forcing
   the arrow keys to work only as menu navigation controls.  This is
   useful for problematic discs which seem to confuse DirectShow into
   thinking they are not in a DVD Menu while they are in fact in one.
   When this setting is enabled, you can't use the Arrow keys to
   position the video in DVD Mode, however, you can still use the
   Shift+Arrow keys to perform the same task.

 * New "Set as Default" button on the Overlay Colors dialog that allows
   you to save the current Overlay Color settings as the default values
   which are used each time you press the "Restore Default" button.

 * The mouse double click can now be assigned to Toggle the Overlay
   Color Control interface.

 * The Media mode "Subtitle" context-menu entry has been changed
   to "Language".  It should now behave exactly as the Media Player
   "Language" entry works, and as such should also display OGG
   Audio/Video selection entries.

 * As per the change above, OGG stream selection should now work.
   If both OGG and VobSub are in use, OGG takes precedent.  So make
   sure your ogg subtitles are actually within the OGG file.

 * You can now set the CD/DVD drive through the "DVD->DVD Values"
   interface.  This is EXACTLY the same setting as the one at
   "Values & Tools->Interface", I duplicated the setting so people
   could find it when looking for it in a DVD Context.

 * You can now associate the M3U play list extension.

 * You can now disable the Mouse Cursor from Auto-Hiding.  Also,
   the Auto-Hide setting for the Control Bar has been moved next to
   the "Hide in [n] Seconds" value in order to make it more accessible.

 * The Volume Increase/Decrease keys has been changed from "Home"/"End"
   to Shift+"Home"/Shift+"End". I've also changed the play previous/next
   files in directory keys from "PgUp"/"PgDn" to Shift+"PgUp"/Shift+"PgDn"
   The idea behind these changes is that now these keys are available
   for use in the navigation interfaces.

 * Modified the DVD Menu detection code once again, this time it's
   a hybrid between the old system and the newer system, hopefully
   this should work best with most discs, especially the odd ones
   with very deep menus which confuse directshow.

 * Fixed a skin issue with the Volume and Rate bars.

 * Going in and out of fullscreen mode no longer breaks Drag&Drop
   onto the Play List editor.

 * Pressing Space in Checkbox lists should no longer jump to different
   settings.

 * Enter key now works in the Play List Editor and the Chapter/Bookmark
   editor to play an Item.

 * Removing items from the play list, no longer interferes with the
   playback order.

 * Removing the currently playing video from the Play List will
   now stop playback and close the video.

 * Fixed list index out of bounds error when opening play list files
   with Random Play enabled.

 * Exiting Zoom Player while in Zoom/Fullscreen mode will no longer
   set the window position to the top left corner.

 * Mute status is now remembered upon exiting Zoom Player.

 * Opening a Directory will no longer add files that contain acceptable
   extensions as part of their base names.
   For example, this file name is no longer considered valid:
   "my.avi.list.txt".

 * Deleting items through the Play List Navigator is now works.

The LCD Control Sample Application:
zplcd100.zip


The beta:

Mirror 1: zoomplayer260b2.zip

Mirror 2: zoomplayer260b2.zip

 

[Blight]

Oops, the file navigator is activated with Shift+"F".

 

[Brian Hampton]

Blight,


I'll try this new version to navigate Avia with and without enabling the stay in menu option and report back.


Will take a while though since in Ca it's only 2pm and I won't be able to get this done for another say 7 hours.


Thanks and Good Luck,


Brian

 

[Brian Hampton]

Hey,


I checked it out and Avia (which had previous navigation problems) can be navigated fully with or without the assume menu function checked.


Also navigation "seems" faster and more responsive.


This is certainly a case of amazing that's getting better and better.


-Brian

 

[windtrader]

Blight,


When I Shift-F, I get the interface with a list of drives. I can up/down arrow arrow, right/left arrow, and enter but I see no files or directories in any drive list. I did not see any options that might be related.


Don

 

[Blight]

Does pressing Enter on a drive do anything? And you should only see directories and media files, not all the files.


Brian:

It's all in your mind Navigation speed isn't really controlled by ZP itself, it's a filter thing.

 

[Blight]

It seems that the file navigator simply doesn't work well under Win98 (probably 95/ME as well). The problem lies in the fact that I was setting the root path as "C:\\\\" instead of "C:\\". Now WinXP ignores the extra "\\", but Win98 is freaked out and returns an invalid dir, which basically meant that users were not seeing any files, doh!


So here's the reason why I needed direct access to mirrors, a quick fix! (which hopefully works).


Download here v2.60 beta 2.1 here:
zoomplayer260b2.1.zip
zoomplayer260b2.1.zip

 

[tr4veler]

Wow Blight, the file broweser kicks ass. The fade on the file list, the fonts, the new options dialog, it all screams quality.



Feature requests....


After selcting a drive in file broweser focus should be put back to the left frame


In the new file browser "alt-d" brings up a windows file browser instead of using the currently highlighted dir.


On play complete.... Play next track in dir


In the new file broweser an "add to playlist" would be nice as well.



BTW this was on an NT 4 sp6a / fat32 box and it's running great

 

[Blight]

tr4veler:

I'll have it change focus if you press enter, cause if you just scroll up and down on the file browser, it goes to the previously visited directory on that drive (remembered between sessions too).


Alt-D is a completely different interface, the file navigator was designed for easy access through a remote and as such, can't really contain too many features (due to limited control range).


I'll consider next track in dir, not sure if it's practical due to technical constraints, I'll have to check.


AS for "add to playlist"... Again, the file browser wasn't designed for this, as such it clears the current play list and then adds the selected file to it and plays that.

 

[kromkamp]

File Brower Interface = Awesome.


Now all that's left to do is the integrated Trailer support, and Zoom Player will be complete


Thanks Blight,


Andy K.

 

[Blight]

Well, I just spent the last 3 hours making the file navigator support user defined fonts and colors.


Also set that backspace goes up a dir and that pressing enter on the drive list sends the focus back to the files column.


Now I have to make the fonts thing work on the playlist and bookmark navigators, fun fun fun. I'll leave it for tomorrow I guess.


I must say though, that it's funny looking at the file navigator using Diploma font, makes my files seem more important somehow.

 

[tr4veler]

Makes sense to me Blight....


I was using it to play mp3's at the time, not exactly zoom's playground. It was cool to play a mp3, and as it got near the end open of the file browser (which did not stop the current tack,you realy do kick ass blight) and then start a music video.


The only one that was realy odd was the focus issue I would right arrow, select a drive, hit enter, then down arrow expecting to be back in the left frame. It's partialy a matter of re-training myself but, it felt odd.


Ok I'm running on my Win2000 box. Transparent filebrowser over video, sweet.


I did notice one more thing, auto repeat on navigation key's does not update the display. It waits until you release the key to update. Probaly not fixable under cpu usage constraints.

 

[Phat Phreddy]

I take it by the surge in post count and new ZP Beta's your back from the islands ??? How was the diving BTW ??? I hope to get a dive in on Monday (possibly the Similans if I can) as my time is getting short... Arranged the rental of a Villa yesterday so my (em)migration from the colder N Euro base to the tropics is becoming very real...


Back to our regularly scheduled discussions....

 

[Blight]

tr4veler:

that's a CPU thing I'm afraid, if you disable the background, it updates faster, but well... doesn't look as pretty.


Phreddy:

Yes, I returened on april 22nd. And chugging along at new betas.

Diving were nice, saw a shark, a big big wreck, and didn't have to carry a single air tank! they spoil you.

 

[windtrader]

Blight,


The new beta fixes the file navigator problem under Win98. Thanks again for the superman response.


Don

 

[Chris Cunanan]

Quick question regarding Zoomplayer...


Whenever I start using ZP, I get the following message "Unable to set the Zoom Player Priority" in a message box prior to ZP starting?


Any ideas on how to fix this?


Thanks a lot,

Chris

 

[Blight]

Chris:

I's fully explained
here .

 

[Chris Cunanan]

Gotcha......great and many thanks.

Quote:

Originally posted by Blight Chris: I's fully explained here .