Topic: Media Jukebox/Media Center Changes (Read 3261 times)

JimH · « **on:** November 21, 2002, 12:17:13 pm »

You may remember a long discussion we had a few months ago about the future of Media Jukebox. We asked whether you wanted a music-only product or an all-media product. Some of you wanted one, and some the other. Based on that discussion, we decided to split MJ into two products.

Below is part of the text of the next newsletter. I'm putting it here to make sure it does a reasonably good job of providing what you told us you wanted. Please feel free to point out any bone-headed mistakes and tell us whether you're reasonably happy with what we're offering.

Thanks,

Jim

-------------------------------------------------

If you have been using Media Jukebox, we have some good news.

A NEW VERSION, MJ 9.0, is in beta now and is already stable. It will be released in about two months as JRiver Media Center. This version compares favorably with Windows XP Media Center -- more below. It will be priced at $39.98 on release, but we have a better offer for you now.

UNTIL DECEMBER 1, you can purchase this new version for the current price of MJ -- $24.98. If you already have a version 8.0 license, you can download and install version 9.0 now -- the 8.0 license will work with 9.0 if you make the switch before December 1. After that an upgrade charge will apply.

[download link]

With this new version, JRiver is splitting MJ development into two product lines

Media Jukebox (8.0 and all future versions) will be dedicated to music -- they will not include video, TV, or DVD. MJ costs $24.98.

Media Center (currently in beta as MJ 9.0) will serve ALL MEDIA -- Music, video, TV, DVD, and images (jpg, bmp, gif, etc.). MC will cost $39.98. An upgrade from MJ will cost $19.98 after December 1.

Media Center is a convergence product that will help bridge the shrinking gap between Television and Computers, bringing all media under one program and one set of controls. MC has these new features

Flexible database that allows new fields to be added.
Cover view that shows album art for each track or for an album.
Detail view that shows MJ-style information.
Hairstyle, a new customizable full screen mode for easier access with a remote. Includes PIP. Ideal for output to a TV.
TiVo-style TV recording and instant-replay with fast forward, rewind, and pause.
Image management and tagging for use with digital camera images and other image files.
Improved organization and tagging -- undo & redo, easy-to-use search wizard, and more.
Integrated slide show for music and images.
Auto Smartlists with presets -- 1 hour of random music, 1 data CD of favorites, etc.
My Computer -- browse your drives directly.
Plus -- many improvements in speed and ease of use, and many other new features.

sub-24 · « **Reply #1 on:** November 21, 2002, 12:55:29 pm »

Will V8 continue to be developed as a music only product ?

What features are likely to be added in new versions.

Let me get this right - If i upgrade to V9 before Dec 1st the upgrade is free and will last forever as long as i have a valid V8 licence.

RemyJ · « **Reply #2 on:** November 21, 2002, 01:09:05 pm »

Jim,

What's not clear is that many of the advanced features in the list will also apply to Media Jukebox where it makes sense. (I HOPE this is the case!!)

Obviously the TiVo style recording and image/slideshow support wouldn't but the rest should, no?

Flexible database that allows new fields to be added.
Cover view that shows album art for each track or for an album.
Detail view that shows MJ-style information.
Improved organization and tagging -- undo & redo, easy-to-use search wizard, and more.
Auto Smartlists with presets -- 1 hour of random music, 1 data CD of favorites, etc.
My Computer -- browse your drives directly.
Plus -- many improvements in speed and ease of use, and many other new features.

Chico · « **Reply #3 on:** November 21, 2002, 01:11:35 pm »

What is the cost to upgrade to MC before 12/01? If you can buy the full version of MC for $24.98 before 12/01 and the upgrade for $19.98 after 12/01. If I currently am running MJ8, it seems it would be cheaper for me to wait untill after 12/01 and upgrade to MC.
(am I making any sense?)

JimH · « **Reply #4 on:** November 21, 2002, 01:59:07 pm »

Quote

Will V8 continue to be developed as a music only product ?

What features are likely to be added in new versions.

Let me get this right - If i upgrade to V9 before Dec 1st the upgrade is free and will last forever as long as i have a valid V8 licence.

That's correct.

We will continue to offer a music only product. At first it will be based on the 8.0 code. About 5 or 6 months from now it will switch to the 9.0 codebase, but it will still be music only.

I can't answer the future features question other than to say we will continue to listen to what you want.

JimH · « **Reply #5 on:** November 21, 2002, 02:01:11 pm »

Quote

What is the cost to upgrade to MC before 12/01? If you can but the full version of MC for $24.98 before 12/01 and the upgrade for $19.98 after 12/01. If I currently am running MJ8, it seems it would be cheaper for me to wait untill after 12/01 and upgrade to MC.
(am I making any sense?)

If you're running 8.0 and you have an 8.0 license there is no cost to make the switch now. If you wait until after December 1, you'll need to pay an upgrade fee if you want to switch.

Sam · « **Reply #6 on:** November 21, 2002, 02:31:40 pm »

Jim,
Since MJ9 is stable, would you remove the "scary warning"?

Sam

KingSparta · « **Reply #7 on:** November 21, 2002, 02:35:58 pm »

>> Since MJ9 is stable, would you remove the
>> "scary warning"?
No Don't Do it!!!!, I Kind Of like it!!!!!

Maybe in Glowing Red next time....

Listening to: 'Danger Zone' from 'The Best Of Kenny Loggins' by 'Kenny Loggins' on Media Jukebox Charted At 02 In 1986

Kurt Young · « **Reply #8 on:** November 21, 2002, 02:39:04 pm »

I'm excited about MC9, that's a fact. I saw the demo of Windows XP MCE, and what their Media Center program can do, and I gotta tell you... I have VERY high hopes for Hairstyle.

Go buy a Maxim and check out the demo CD that shipped with it. I'm in no way encouraging software plagarism, and I don't know if any of y'all at J River have managed to actually play with MCE, but after watching that demo... all I can say is... "Wow. I hope MC9 is gonna be like this."

rocketsauce · « **Reply #9 on:** November 21, 2002, 04:47:21 pm »

So, is version 9.0.81 the one we should download?

Rob

JimH · « **Reply #10 on:** November 21, 2002, 04:58:01 pm »

9.0.81 is a good build.

AussieBill · « **Reply #11 on:** November 21, 2002, 07:47:25 pm »

Hey Jim,

You said: "the 8.0 license will work with 9.0 if you make the switch before December 1. "

I have had 8.0 for a while and decided to make the switch....Do we need to get a new key for future installs or does your system know we purchased it before Dec 1?

JimH · « **Reply #12 on:** November 22, 2002, 04:13:22 am »

Quote

Jim,

What's not clear is that many of the advanced features in the list will also apply to Media Jukebox where it makes sense. (I HOPE this is the case!!)

Obviously the TiVo style recording and image/slideshow support wouldn't but the rest should, no?

Flexible database that allows new fields to be added.
Cover view that shows album art for each track or for an album.
Detail view that shows MJ-style information.
Improved organization and tagging -- undo & redo, easy-to-use search wizard, and more.
Auto Smartlists with presets -- 1 hour of random music, 1 data CD of favorites, etc.
My Computer -- browse your drives directly.
Plus -- many improvements in speed and ease of use, and many other new features.

Remy,
It isn't clear to us yet where we will draw the line between the two products. We've struggled with features vs. simplicity for a long time. Two products will make this easier.

I also think that some of the music features being requested really appeal to a small segment of our customers. If we do them, we are going to need to get a higher price.

I hope that helps answer your question.

Jim

JimH · « **Reply #13 on:** November 22, 2002, 04:15:53 am »

Quote

Hey Jim,

You said: "the 8.0 license will work with 9.0 if you make the switch before December 1. "

I have had 8.0 for a while and decided to make the switch....Do we need to get a new key for future installs or does your system know we purchased it before Dec 1?

Bill,
Our system knows everything about you. For example, we know you forgot to brush your teeth when you went to bed late last Saturday night.

Your key is good.

Jim

shAf · « **Reply #14 on:** November 22, 2002, 04:55:18 am »

Quote

Our system knows everything about you. For example, we know you forgot to brush your teeth when you went to bed late last Saturday night. ... Your key is good.

Just for clarification: I'm presently building a computer, and MJ, possibly MC, will be its primary application. My present license is for MJ8 (temporarily a laptop which plugs into my entertainment center). So ... if I install MC9 on this laptop (before Dec 1), the migration of the installation will work properly on the new computer(?) That is, I'd be able to download MC (e.g., in January, as long as I DL'd it before Dec), and install it with my current MJ8 license(?)

( I don't know what it is, but something about this policy is difficult to grasp in the context of moving the installation to a different computer)

BTW ... this policy seems very fair ... I'm happy with your support of current users.

JimH · « **Reply #15 on:** November 22, 2002, 05:23:09 am »

I'm sorry this is hard to communicate. I'll try again:

Anyone who has bought or does buy MJ 8.0 or 9.0 by December 1, 2002, will have a license that will work with 8.0 or 9.0 in the future.

If you haven't bought previously, you are best off to download 9.0 and buy it. If you don't like it, you can switch to 8.0 and your 9.0 license will work with it.

bardau · « **Reply #16 on:** November 22, 2002, 11:59:12 am »

I actually bought MJ 7.2 three months B4 V.8 came out. My licence transferred to v.8, which wouldn't work on my Win98SE system. I took the forum advice & installed a new video card & MJ8 works fine now.
Have looked at the Purchase FAQ & am still unsure whether my licence will apply to MJ 9 if I d/load it prior to Dec 1, could you tell me whether this is so?

JimH · « **Reply #17 on:** November 22, 2002, 12:11:31 pm »

From the V9 FAQ:

A version 9.0 license will also work with version 8.0.

If you previously purchased MJ version 7.x, that license will NOT work with 9.0. There are no special upgrade prices from versions prior to 8.0.

duhva · « **Reply #18 on:** November 22, 2002, 12:11:55 pm »

Quote

I'm sorry this is hard to communicate. I'll try again:

Anyone who has bought or does buy MJ 8.0 or 9.0 by December 1, 2002, will have a license that will work with 8.0 or 9.0 in the future.

If you haven't bought previously, you are best off to download 9.0 and buy it. If you don't like it, you can switch to 8.0 and your 9.0 license will work with it.

Jim, sorry to be thick-headed, but please bear with me.

I bought v8, and installed it on my desktop and laptop. At the moment my desktop is (hopefully) in a container moving across the Atlantic. My laptop is here with me as I type away.

1. If I download the beta version 9 to my laptop before December 1st, I do not have to pay an upgrade fee for the MJ sitting on my laptop when the production version is released.

2. I also won't have to pay an upgrade fee for my desktop when it finally arrives in a few months and I download whatever the latest v9 is at that time.

3. And if I decide I don't like v9 I can uninstall and reinstall v8 and happily continue using that with no problems.

Are 1,2, and 3 correct?

Thanks. -duhva

bardau · « **Reply #19 on:** November 22, 2002, 12:26:44 pm »

Jim H, thanks for the clarification on that.
Another pertinent question. I have to continue with Win 98SE, as I dual boot, & my other [unsupported] O/S has severe issues with XP, eventually I hope to get a new system & network the 2 machines together.

If certain versions of MJ 9 have issues with Win 98, am I correct in thinking that I could trial MJ v 9 by installing it to a different folder from my present MJ 8?

JimH · « **Reply #20 on:** November 22, 2002, 12:52:57 pm »

Quote

Jim H, thanks for the clarification on that.
Another pertinent question. I have to continue with Win 98SE, as I dual boot, & my other [unsupported] O/S has severe issues with XP, eventually I hope to get a new system & network the 2 machines together.

If certain versions of MJ 9 have issues with Win 98, am I correct in thinking that I could trial MJ v 9 by installing it to a different folder from my present MJ 8?

V9 shouldn't normally have any issues with Win98. There is a FAQ on switching between V8 and V9 under Jukebox/Purchase above.

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Author Topic: Media Jukebox/Media Center Changes (Read 3261 times)