INTERACT FORUM
More => Old Versions => Media Center 14 (Development Ended) => Topic started by: JimH on May 28, 2009, 06:24:35 pm
-
We're thinking about major directions for MC 14, and we could use your help.
There are some obvious ones -- better movie metadata, polishing, DJ tools, etc. These will happen.
What's more challenging is to find a big new direction. Here are some of the ones we're thinking about. Please add your own.
1. Whole house media network
2. One remote (http://www.oneremote.com/)
3. Synapse (http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=49762.0) (a media PC)
4. Open the MC database to a coalition of software companies -- RockBox, foobar, MP3 tagger, dbPowerAmp, Zoom Player, etc.
5. Database as a hub for developers (similar to #4, but oriented more toward individual developers.
6. MC Market -- a list of vendors who provide add-ons and a way for them to get paid with MC one click
7. Contacts and other amorphous information organization -- may need to be done as a new program
-
I like #s 1 & 2. Depending on what you mean by one remote.
I also like the idea of finishing/polishing what we already have.
-
Here's a crude answer:
One remote (http://www.oneremote.com/)
It's our domain.
-
1. Theatre view must be opened up for third party plugins.
There's so much that could be done, but at present this isn't happening. With any luck, you'll find that this also has the knockon effect of attracting more customers. Add in the ability to have free or paid for addons to this, and I think that MC could easily be built into one of the premier HTPC frontends.
2. Your #1 is a good idea, but needs considerable work from the current form. In essence, you need true multi-user access to the database, as opposed to one user opening it and the rest being read only.
3. I'm still looking for multiple images per file ;) (I could really, really do with the ability to add the poster and DVD cover for movies, and the episode thumbnail and DVD cover for TV episodes)
4. Finally, the pet wish of many of us- A relational database. As you're adding more ways to display & use metadata, it becomes more and more important to have some degree of relativity, however basic.
5. Opening the DB (Your #4/ #5) is an idea, but one I'd personally approach with caution. By all means provide ways of accessing it better (UPNP improvements?), but by opening full access you risk losing your best selling point. I'd much rather see you improve the DB you have to maintain its best in class status than open it to others and risk dilution of your ideas.
6. One Remote? No thanks :) Again I fear dilution here- Focus on what you do best, not on iffy hardware developments. Building your own Ajax based web control system would be nice, and I'm sure would have plenty of supporters, but there are third party plugins that do this already.
Cheers
-Leezer-
-
For me:
1. Whole house media network -- Very important, however this MUST include multi-client editing
4. Open the MC database to a coalition of software companies -- RockBox, foobar, MP3 tagger, dbPowerAmp, Zoom Player, etc. Sounds like a great idea, though I'd like to know more about what you're thinking in this regard. If you open the DB, will it mean people wont use MC if they can get a free player?
5. Database as a hub for developers (similar to #4, but oriented more toward individual developers). Sounds good, again, I'd like to know more.
6. MC Market -- a list of vendors who provide add-ons and a way for them to get paid with MC one click I'd say this is a must in the current climate. iTunes Store, AppStore, Microsoft Market Place... it's where everyone is going...
7. Contacts and other amorphous information organization -- may need to be done as a new program I like it. It should interface with MC however for a seamless environment.
Regarding Leezer's points...
1. Theatre view must be opened up for third party plugins. This is imperative. I agree that it will likely attract customers. Hopefully vendors too... I have a Xonar soundcard that comes with an MCE plugin, I'd love for it to be able to work under MC as well (even via an MCE plugin wrapper)
3. I'm still looking for multiple images per file This sounds like a common and reasonable request.
4. Finally, the pet wish of many of us- A relational database I'm keen on this so long as the performance and overall functionality are maintained.
You dont mention linux or Mac... I know you've gone away from MS based controls, but are still heavily reliant on directX - where does that position you in terms of cross platform? Is it something you are even considering?
I'd like to see:
1. More TouchScreen support. My wife just got a HP TouchSmart TX2, and while MC Theater View can function on it, it is by no means a nice system - I will post more on that this weekend. The included software is much nicer to use than MC on the touch screen.
2. Intelligent multi-display support. I've posted on this before, and I know you've seen it ;) This can tie in with the touch screen support for touch based HTPC boxes.
3. A more flexible Theater View skinning system. While MC allows some flexibility in it's Theater View skins, it does not allow anywhere near the complete look and feel changes that other skinning engines can. (I cannot comment on their ease of skinning however). Note that I am not suggesting changes to the navigation system as such.
4. Vendor engagement. I'd love to see MC shipping with hardware/software. It'd be ideal for certain editing apps as a library manager for them, and there's more HTPC stuff going out, why not try and get MC bundled with some of the better systems?
5. Device support. I think you really have to get the iPhone support happening - even if it's via iTunes. A library sync to iTunes would be a great start. the new Zune's on the way .. let see if anything's possible with that. Ultimately, managing a media library is wonderful, but if you cant get it onto the devices you want, pointless.
6. Performer MC and MC = one product.
C.
-
I agree with everything confishy has to say. Every point.
-
Thanks for asking for our input Jim.
I really can't add much to what Leezer3 and confishy have already said, there are lots of things I'd like in added/fixed in MC14 but I'll leave all that to another thread as this is the bigger picture items.
The whole home media network (although this needs more clarification) is a biggie for me, along with a multi-user database (with security control!) and PMC/MC integration.
I also wonder if MC is too complicated for the "normal" user out there and is aimed too musch at "power users". I don't consider mysef a "normal" MC user any more (and not a real "MC power user" either) but I know when I've shown friends MC they find it all quite confusing. Could having Novice/Advanced modes be an option?... might make it less daunting for new users but all the power is still there under the hood if/when wanted.
I guess the big question is what will people be looking for over the next year or two, of course if we all knew this... well I wouldn't be sitting here at my computer in my office.... my computer (with MC of couse) would be sitting with me on a large cruiser somewhere warm and nice!
Richard
-
a. Blu-ray
4. Open the MC database to a coalition of software companies -- RockBox, foobar, MP3 tagger, dbPowerAmp, Zoom Player, etc.
3. Synapse (a media PC)
2. One remote
x. Bundled CODECS so videos can play well without having to tinker with add ons (there is probably a cost, would be willing to pay extra for this feature)
y. iPhone/iTouch support - driving through iTunes as sync engine is acceptable
1. Whole house media network
-
* More mobile interaction. More and more uses their cell phones for stuff, playing your library on your hpone could be nice for example
* True multi-user
* Relational db (I've mentioned motivation for this so many times, I won't go there again)
* Good streaming of video (MS has done LAN version for a while, apparently WAN:ed it W7, I thought you'd be there ages ago), a part of the media house thing?
* Expanding and perfecting Theater View!!!
-
We're thinking about major directions for MC 14, and we could use your help.
1. Whole house media network
What does this mean?
2. One remote (http://www.oneremote.com/)
3. Synapse (http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=49762.0) (a media PC)
4. Open the MC database to a coalition of software companies -- RockBox, foobar, MP3 tagger, dbPowerAmp, Zoom Player, etc.
5. Database as a hub for developers (similar to #4, but oriented more toward individual developers.
6. MC Market -- a list of vendors who provide add-ons and a way for them to get paid with MC one click
Today Xbox announced a content partnership with SkyTV for simulcast TV broadcast. BBC iPlayer works on Nintendo wii. AppleTV has itunes on it. There are popular open source solutions that can be installed onto games consoles or extend Windows Media Center functionally.
I feel the circle closing around JRiver MC. All the other MC software out there is bundled with popular hardware, or has market leading content stores inside them. They weren't very good until recently, but they are making progress. JRiver's controlability is superior in every way to the competition, but it needs to hit some kind of critical mass in takeup pretty soon. A JRiver "Device" would have to be a killer device to survive in that market. Not just a simple HTPC. If the PS3 or XBox gets to the point where "it's not perfect but it's good enough" then that could be the beginning of the end for jriver MC's chances at mainstream. They're getting closer and the market is almost mature.
Look at popular sites like Lifehacker. they have regular rankings of "best mp3 tagger" or "best Media center software" and jriver never ever gets a mention. People dont know it's out there.
I'd say that MC needs to be in a "Firefox" type position, where "alternative media center software" would be synonomous with "JRiver". It needs widespread community support, and needs to be installable on a games console, or any other device that can be hacked. It needs to be trendy with sites like Lifehacker. It needs some or all of: youtube, hulu, netflix, itunes video store, amazon video store to be built in and "more comfortable" to use/buy content/stream content than simply browsing with Firefox.
Opening up to third party developers even more, or doing something that will allow people to extend JRiver in a way that is impossible with other Media software would get you up on stage at least.
"Streaming content" might end being the thing that gets people to commit to one comany's MC software over another's. "hoarder's" of data might like JRiver's software over others because of it's organization, but ultimately might get tempted away by other software that has more diverse content sources built in.
Media Jukebox was a great way of introducing people to MC. Media Jukebox with instant "switch on" features such as Images, Video etc. would be better than having MC as a separate product.
Synching with the itunes library is another excellant idea. Better infact, than being able to synch with the iphone directly. There will always be users in the house who want to use itunes. If MC could keep all the itunes libraries up to date too, that would be a real selling point (would also help for mixed mac and windows homes).
Browsing from Firefox, iphone, mac etc. also seems to be getting more and more urgent. JRiver can beat the competition easily by allowing us to browse by more than just "Genre, Artist, Album". For now, "browsing only client" on a mac, would be better than using itunes. Organization on a mac could come later.
7. Contacts and other amorphous information organization -- may need to be done as a new program
Good idea if you can sync all that data to your phone. Without a "better than the native phone's sync software" sync experience in MC, no-one will want to use MC to organize all that data. Why organize it if you can't use it.
-
1) Not exactly sure what that means. MC has multizone support....
2) Definitely interest there though I don't think 'one' remote is the answer, but rather many different types of remotes suitable for each situation. When someone is watching TV and I can't access MC but still want to use it in some fashion from that same media hub, I need another way to have access to it.
3) Definitely interest here because I just spent the past 2 weeks (several hours each day) setting up a new PC from HP that just has way too many problems than it should have to make the perfect HTPCI. Things such as processes slowing down the machine that have nothing to do with servicing media, pop-ups and updates that interrupt the usage of media, noisy components, and many many other faults that I hope someday someone can solve these fundamental flaws in Windows and pre-built PCs that really just doesn't have to be that way!
4) That could be cool, but what would you project as possible things these companies could add that your company could not built in and do it better. I think there are likely lots of things, just haven’t thought about it enough.
5) ""
6)""
7) If you think it would add value, then go for it, I just don't see that much value in it yet, but possibly in the future, I guess
As for what I what I want to see, I really really would like more on demand content built in to MC. Things like Performer MC, Netflix, Hulu, Youtube, Amazon On Demand, and other things that make it easier for me to ditch cable in one simple place (Theater View).
I think that as far as overall direction entertainment should still be the main focus, and anything that you can do to help myself and others make ditching cable would be on the top of my list.
-
It was simple.
= WAF = :D
-
I'd love to see a JRiver Media Extender more than I'd like to see the Synapse. This would be a system that boots into an improved MC Theater View, and can open your library files, but that's it. No tagging necessary. You have to have a back-end PC running MC, but my PC is on 24/7 usually anyway. Basically, it's a SageTV-like system, but using MC instead.
The idea is that these boxes are much cheaper than HTPCs and users can buy several of them for different rooms. I'd get at least one or two, and probably give a few more as wedding/birthday presents.
-
I'd love to see a JRiver Media Extender more than I'd like to see the Synapse. This would be a system that boots into an improved MC Theater View, and can open your library files, but that's it. No tagging necessary. You have to have a back-end PC running MC, but my PC is on 24/7 usually anyway. Basically, it's a SageTV-like system, but using MC instead.
The idea is that these boxes are much cheaper than HTPCs and users can buy several of them for different rooms. I'd get at least one or two, and probably give a few more as wedding/birthday presents.
That could be useful, but for example how would you browse the internet or call other external programs such as playing a blu-ray disc? These are things that MC Theater View does not do on it's own. I also like to play Nintendo roms through another emulator and so the extender would have to be able to do this, or it would just be too limited for me.
-
I agree that to go to MC14 you need at least one "Big" item to differentiate from MC13 and justify the upgrade in the eyes of the users so JR is not seen as just “Milking” the existing user base (there are already post on this in the main board).
=====================================================
The items I'd suggest fall into the "Big" thing category are build around MC's core strengths + they have Mass Appeal in the marketplace with the ability for existing users to easily justify the upgrade AND for new users to be acquired.
To me the big Q is.....Do you want to regain the crown as supporting and managing ALL media? To realistically claim this and keep up with the competitors the "Big" things you need to look at in MC14 are:
A. Blu Ray: Stop dodging this one, what are you going to do? It can be as simple as integrating the other players (Arcsoft, PDVD etc) as is done by MS Media Centre. Even Slysoft is coming out with a “Free” player (minus the decryption bit!)
B. iPods: I'm not an Apple IPod user and while I've not followed the threads closely it seems that you built a big community from supporting this device and are now suffering as Itunes takes them back.
1. Whole house media network: If this means having the ability to manage and play all my media on any device in the House then this is terrific (as it will have to include the streaming/transcoding of Video as part of that) and will open up a whole new user base to JR. As I referred to in http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=51974.0 the user base of progs like TVersity is as big MC!
============================
The following all have their own merits but none of which I think are the next "Big" thing in itself primarily as much of these ideas don't have a Mass Appeal in the market:
2. One remote: May be of interest to some but for me (many) we need to control both MC AND a bunch of HW using IR. I'd be sticking with my programmable RC.
3. Synapse (a media PC): While I think there is an OEM opportunity to have MC14 preloaded and configured on HW devices I'd be talking to existing HW Co's on this instead of trying to go it alone. It is also NOT and MC14 feature - but rather a potential distribution channel for MC14
4. Open the MC database to a coalition of software companies -- RockBox, foobar, MP3 tagger, dbPowerAmp, Zoom Player, etc.: Mmmm could be, but I'd be taking a slightly different path of looking at how to "present" the collection to various clients (eg the whole UPnP/DLNA etc etc) rather than letting other apps hit the backend directly.
5. Database as a hub for developers (similar to #4, but oriented more toward individual developers.: There have been a number of calls for an open DB. While I don't directly care personally it does stifle innovation. It's like you’re own container format for recording DTV, unnecessary and negatively impacts a small portion of your user base.
6. MC Market -- a list of vendors who provide add-ons and a way for them to get paid with MC one click: Could be a new source of revenue but it is not a MC14 "big" feature for us users.
7. Contacts and other amorphous information organization -- may need to be done as a new program: I don't see the synergy or market demand (and hence no increase in resultant sales/uses) from adding PIM to a media player.
When it come to the many post on refinement of existing implementations, these are obviously always required but to me is not a “Big” reason to jump to MC14 and should be done anyway.
Thanks
Nathan
-
I'm splitting a few threads off on their own.
Whole House Media Network (http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=52166.0)
Mac (http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=52165.0)
Relational Database (http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?board=13.0)
-
I'd love to see a JRiver Media Extender more than I'd like to see the Synapse. This would be a system that boots into an improved MC Theater View, and can open your library files, but that's it. No tagging necessary.
I think it needs a bit of tagging, at least a simple way to adjust ratings.
-John
-
I think it needs a bit of tagging, at least a simple way to adjust ratings.
-John
Sure that'd work for me too.
-
That could be useful, but for example how would you browse the internet or call other external programs such as playing a blu-ray disc? These are things that MC Theater View does not do on it's own. I also like to play Nintendo roms through another emulator and so the extender would have to be able to do this, or it would just be too limited for me.
Internet browsing would be restricted to video sites like YouTube etc.; it isn't a fully fledged PC after all. Alternatively, surfing is easily done without too much computational power, so it may be possible to have a browser. As for BluRay, I think they'd need to be ripped as m2ts as they can be played now on MC. Again, if you need a BD player, build an HTPC.
-
i really would like chapter support for mkv files. im still using an other player for those files i use that. would love to use mc only... the same for angles etc.. so more support for mkv files.
:)
gab
-
7. Contacts and other amorphous information organization -- may need to be done as a new program: I don't see the synergy or market demand (and hence no increase in resultant sales/uses) from adding PIM to a media player.
Neither can I , it seems an odd direction to go into ?
I guess they are trying to apply the power of MC's viewing skills to contacts. And the fact that you can sync tunes on a phone so why not also contacts.
Maybe its good if you have tens of thousands of contacts but most prolly have less than a thousand. Which means you could pretty much use any existing app and get by. Thats the metric (in music albums) i use to determine whether to recommend ppl should try out MC or not.
It might help retain existing customers but does nothing (i think) to attract new ones.
B. iPods: I'm not an Apple IPod user and while I've not followed the threads closely it seems that you built a big community from supporting this device and are now suffering as Itunes takes them back.
Apple giveth & taketh away !!
-
What I said was:
may need to be done as a new program
Our technology is good at database, search, device support, and customized presentation. Seems logical to me. Maybe not to the same market.
As someone else pointed out, the cell phone is likely to win as the "all in one device" -- phone, organizer, media player, GPS, camera. PDA's are dead now. Media players or GPS could be next.
-
I'm also a bit confused by the contacts talk.
Now I use:
* One program for syncing contacts and calendar. It's good at what it does.
* MC for syncing music. Very good! ;)
But for syncing contacts/calendar, the other program hooks into Outlook. Should MC do that as well? Or do you want it to replace Outlook? I hope not, there's not even a simple datepicker in MC! How would it handle a standard calendar then?
So, by separating contacts into MC, that means:
* One program for syncing calendar
* MC for syncing music and contact
* One program for syncing contacts between Outlook and MC (since you need to keep your contacts in Outlook and can't ditch it)
Nah... too much syncing between syncing programs. Sorry!
-
As for BluRay, I think they'd need to be ripped as m2ts as they can be played now on MC. Again, if you need a BD player, build an HTPC.
Not quite right, MC has (like with any media) the ability with the correct Filters installed to play the content that is included in Blu-ray disks (eg Video: MPEG2, AVC, VC-1 Audio: DD, DTS, DD+, DTS-HD, DD-MA etc). Currently there are NO Blu-ray navigation filters or AACS/BD+ support so there are three options:
1) User rips all Blu-ray / HD-DVD Disks to a single file: This option has always been available and does not mean MC supports Blu-ray rather just file playback.
2) MC adds native Blu-ray support: I don't see this happening as I'd imagine that it is very expensive with the required licencing etc but ??
3) MC adds support for Blu-ray players: eg, This is what MS does with it's Media Center. Arcsoft has a plugin that allows it to be called and controlled from withing MSMC if you have it installed. To the user you now have Bly-ray playback inside MSMC.
Jim - Can you please outline your thoughts so I can at least stop posting the same "can we have Blu-ray support" post over and over.
Thanks
Nathan
-
As someone else pointed out, the cell phone is likely to win as the "all in one device" -- phone, organizer, media player, GPS, camera. PDA's are dead now. Media players or GPS could be next.
The current trend certainly appears to be heading this way, but we may not yet be able to see where this is all heading, and the market could split. Take, for example, the people who feel they no longer need a camera now that their phone has a 7MP camera in it. This will certainly take a bite out of the camera market, but it will never kill it. There is simply too large of a quality gap between phone cameras and "real" cameras due to lens and sensor size issues.
Personally, I'd rather have a larger screen on a video player, GPS, and organizer, and I want a larger, more powerful amp in my music player (and a larger screen as well.) I want a phone, however, to be as small as possible. Of these devices, the phone is the ONLY one that I want to have with me at all times. What I DON'T want is to listen to music on a phone with a tiny, crappy amp in it, or to try to use a calendar on a screen that's just too small. I also don't want a honking big phone (like an iPhone) that I have to carry around all the time. I don't know what the answer is, but there might still be enough disagreement in the market that more than one approach will continue -- i.e. that "all in ones" might not end up wiping everything else out. I certainly hope we end up with some alternatives.
Larry
-
We're thinking about major directions for MC 14, and we could use your help.
There are some obvious ones -- better movie metadata, polishing, DJ tools, etc. These will happen.
What's more challenging is to find a big new direction. Here are some of the ones we're thinking about. Please add your own.
1. Whole house media network
2. One remote (http://www.oneremote.com/)
3. Synapse (http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=49762.0) (a media PC)
4. Open the MC database to a coalition of software companies -- RockBox, foobar, MP3 tagger, dbPowerAmp, Zoom Player, etc.
5. Database as a hub for developers (similar to #4, but oriented more toward individual developers.
6. MC Market -- a list of vendors who provide add-ons and a way for them to get paid with MC one click
7. Contacts and other amorphous information organization -- may need to be done as a new program
Thanks for asking.
I think MC is unique and excellent. It should have a lot more visibility and market share than it does. I suspect JRiver is small with constrained resources. And for whatever it is worth, I think the 93% of economists that are predicting a recovery by early 2010 are complete idiots and it will get a LOT worse before it gets better.
Therefore I like ideas like 4,5,6 that leverage other people's effort with MC's core strengths. And I do not like ideas like 2,3,7 that could overextend or defocus JRiver. Idea #1 sounds promising but I have no feel for scope so cannot comment.
-
Our technology is good at database, search, device support, and customized presentation.
This sounds like an excellent starting point for brainstorming :)
4. Open the MC database to a coalition of software companies -- RockBox, foobar, MP3 tagger, dbPowerAmp, Zoom Player, etc.: Mmmm could be, but I'd be taking a slightly different path of looking at how to "present" the collection to various clients (eg the whole UPnP/DLNA etc etc) rather than letting other apps hit the backend directly.
I think so players like rockbox, foobar, mp3tagger can incorporate MC's database for faster operation.
-
I can't remember any specifics, but I can remember some sort of mention of a JR brand handheld media player a while back. I'd love to see a handheld that had MC's attitude towards customization.
Larry
-
Jim - Can you please outline your thoughts so I can at least stop posting the same "can we have Blu-ray support" post over and over.
We haven't decided anything. It comes up regularly. It just isn't priority #1.
-
I'm going to add to the list...
An audio "receiver" mode, maybe part of Media Server, that acts like a sound card, but transfers the audio via Ethernet to MC (probably Media Server again) running on another PC.
So any audio program running on one PC could "play" its audio on another PC.
This is one of the elements of the "Whole House Media Network" in my first post.
-
We haven't decided anything. It comes up regularly. It just isn't priority #1.
Thought I'd mention... I finally took the plunge and threw one of the LG combo-drives (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136133) in my HTPC. I haven't used it for BluRay yet though. Mainly, I'd been having trouble with my old Samsung DVD drive, due to a flaky PATA cable I suspect, and decided to just replace it with a newer SATA model due to wiring concerns more than anything.
When I went to buy it, since the LG drive was pretty cheap anymore, I decided to just take the plunge... Like I said, I haven't had cause to use it for BluRay, and I don't know how often it'll happen, but...
If MC supported it directly without too much hassle, maybe I'd check it out.
-
I'm going to add to the list...
An audio "receiver" mode, maybe part of Media Server, that acts like a sound card, but transfers the audio via Ethernet to MC (probably Media Server again) running on another PC.
So any audio program running on one PC could "play" its audio on another PC.
This is one of the elements of the "Whole House Media Network" in my first post.
This would be nice. Would you basically "tune in" to the first system's MC feed from the second system -- i.e. like "tuning in" to a radio broadcast, with all systems in sync with each other?
Thanks,
Larry
-
I like a lot of the ideas in this thread, but think MC14 really needs a "WOW" feature that is clearly demo-able and different.
I think some kind of automatic DJ/VJ function would fit the bill. It would include something like:
1) "Genius" playlists like iTunes, maybe based on AudioScrobbler or MusicBrain or something like that
2) Combined with the ability to manage parallel audio and video playlists - associate a video or a folder of images or a visualizer with a given audio track (or list of tracks)
3) Incorporate some kind of automatic video mixing, like Animoto (animoto.com)
The idea would be to easily (eg. pick a single song) generate an automatic audio/video experience that would be aesthetic and occasionally surprising.
-
+1 for those ideas. The Wow needs to be there! :-)
-
I think JRiver is in a kind of tricky situation. The wow experience should of course be there, but also finishing what they started in several areas, especially for us veteran users that's waiting for this to happen.
-
I think JRiver is in a kind of tricky situation. The wow experience should of course be there, but also finishing what they started in several areas, especially for us veteran users that's waiting for this to happen.
...and as a good 'for-example'--tagging of files in MP4 containers. I'm pretty sure folks (well, me) started asking about this back in the MJ9 days, but back then there was no guarantee that the format would stick around.
I think it's pretty clear now with the advent of non-DRMed files even available from Apple that the format is going to stick around for a while.
I wouldn't call upgraded tagging a 'wow' feature, but it sure seems like a sizable hole in today's digital audio world. :)
brad
-
gpvillamil has a good idea.
How about a tie-in to last.fm, MusicBrain, Pandora, etc?
I do like the ability to create dynamic playlists.
-
Yeah, I agree with the last few posts. You only need one new wow feature. Something like blu-ray support or something (it wouldn't "wow" me, but I guess it's a very marketable feature). The rest of the time would be better spent on polishing existing features, and implementing other smaller feature requests.
-
Hi,
I know I have mentioned this before, along time ago. But I would like to see MC split into three distinct components.
1. server; this does nothing but maintain data, record from TV, serve files, possibly some transcode jobs
2. playbackengine; another service like component. simply completes playback of audio pictures and video.
3. userinterface; 10', desktop and touchscreen in various sizes; playback window can show playback engine output
2&3 would ideally built on top of a multi-platform toolkit to enable execution on Mac, Linux and Windows
Each of the three would be able to communicate within a single PC or split over a network
This would enable a system where we can have multiple playback engines on a single pc running on different monitors. or spread over an entire network of PCs
From this base developing the system for true home automattion would be a logical development (turn the lights down and close the curtains, when a movie is played in the lounge) and provide many more userinterface opportunities. This seperation would extend the new feature of Netbook as a remote.
-
Allow Users Who Have Paid Media Center To Play Music On Performer Music
-
If I was Mr. River, I would explore number 4/5. Not sure how this would play out, but I suspect there's a market there for helping other companies make their players useful. This is how I interpret number 4/5.
BTW, a hearty congrats on MC13 and a thank you for keeping my login open, which is all the use I've been. Here's to MC14!!!
-
1. Whole house media network
2. One remote (http://www.oneremote.com/)
3. Synapse (http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=49762.0) (a media PC)
4. Open the MC database to a coalition of software companies -- RockBox, foobar, MP3 tagger, dbPowerAmp, Zoom Player, etc.
5. Database as a hub for developers (similar to #4, but oriented more toward individual developers.
6. MC Market -- a list of vendors who provide add-ons and a way for them to get paid with MC one click
7. Contacts and other amorphous information organization -- may need to be done as a new program
After some consideration I think only the number one has something to offer to me.
I'll go to the dedicated thread...
EDIT
It would be nice if you could explain what you mean by 4. and 5. No one except jgreen* has commented on them and I too am a bit unsure of what they could be.
EDIT 2
* and leezer3
-
Alex,
Please feel free to add to the list if you can see another direction.
By #4 and #5, I mean this:
Join with other competent media software companies to present a more united front. We might, for example, offer hosting services, e-commerce in some cases, licensing technology and access to our database. We have several servers that might be useful, too. YADB, for example. It might be possible to use the same forum software, the same wiki, and so on. We could standardize SDK's so that developers could increase their reach.
If this were done well, it might be able to challenge Apple and Microsoft.
I have no idea whether there would be any interest by other groups.
Jim
-
Alex,
Please feel free to add to the list if you can see another direction.
By #4 and #5, I mean this:
Join with other competent media software companies to present a more united front. We might, for example, offer hosting services, e-commerce in some cases, licensing technology and access to our database. We have several servers that might be useful, too. YADB, for example. It might be possible to use the same forum software, the same wiki, and so on. We could standardize SDK's so that developers could increase their reach.
If this were done well, it might be able to challenge Apple and Microsoft.
I have no idea whether there would be any interest by other groups.
Jim
I would love to see something like this. You know I love MC, and there's still so much to the program that I haven't ventured to explore yet (just started using expressions this weekend for rudimentary tagging for example). For me, being more video-centric I'd love to see the power of MC's media management with a 'wow factor' TV interface. I think the wow factor front ends would be of limited use for a video library the size of mine without the MC like capabilities. On the other hand MC lacks the glitz of some front ends. I prefer to use MC because the wow factor is just icing. The cake HAS to taste good - it's no use to me if it's all icing. Bring the cake, team up with some icing and let's all get fat!
-
Bring the cake, team up with some icing and let's all get fat!
Ahmen!
-
I like to have an external encoder option for video conversion.
-
My suggestions of big changes:
1. Whole house media network is more and more important today. After the Triremote thing is completed it could be extended to give some real read AND write possibilities from all clients. Preferably with a user or a machine login, so you can control rights for each part of the server library (Music, video, images and documents).
2. Finish the development of Theater View for Movies and Series. MC have been Audio centric for many years. Something have to be done to attract the video and series watchers as well.
There should be a possibility of different views for Music and Video/Series. Video and Series view should contain reviews/plot, year, genre, actors, rating, seasons, episodes, how many watched.
Filters for Watched/not watched should be in place, filter on year and genre as well and athe possibility of a combination of this.
All of this could be possible today, with some good skin design I believe. Only thing that have to be added is the possibility of changing the stack of thumbnails for a Series/Show and replace it with one single Series/Show artwork. The same can then be applied for music so you get Artist art for each artist. This would be amazing, and it's something that have been asked for year after year. That way it would be possible with all those gorgeous backgrounds when selecting a series or an artist in Theater View.
With a possibility of getting a kick in the groin by Jim, I have to point out Mediastream skin as a skin the developers should be aiming at. Not copying, but borrowing a few ideas. It's simple, clean and drop dead gorgeous.
3. To make all the Video/Series info look good, you also have to have a database for this. Build out you're YADB to support Videos AND Series, and things will pop in fast from for instance the My Movie (was it the correct name?) import that is used today. Or alternatively find an open database with good quality and let MC users use that.
Series/movies update:
TV Series could be updated with info from the database if the directory and filenames added had certain criterias like: directory(series name)\Season\a.name.s1e10.xxxxx. The database could easily filter away the dot's and thereby get the name, the series name and season from the directory. Control the season with the filenames and finally write the episode number from the filename. This would simplify alot of the work done today. Similar things with dot removal etc. could be done with movies as well.
4. Remote control. With you're current possibility of using a MC14 client to remote control other servers, the only thing that's left imo is to build a really good HTML based, or even better, a Java based remote control who can support a lot of devices and platforms.
-
I'd give my vote for #1 and possibly #2, generally MC needs more plugins, and more skins. I don't know why there are so few now, but something should be done to make the availabilty better. And focus on the theater view, make it look snappier and better. Other front-ends have extremly nice skins, JRMCs skin is ok, but nothing special. Either by making it easier to make skins, or by suppling new ones.
-
My idea isnt really a big one, just one that seems to me to fit with what MC already is.
I have seen alot of talk about opening it up to be a document/file manager in addition to "entertainment media" Manager, which i actually dont think is a bad idea (i like the contacts database notion), but why not start with supporting other "entertainment media" . Ebooks are getting to be decent business and achieving significant market penetration, and the devices have matured to the point of usefulness. Why not manage those, you already have device sync features, i imagine supporting these readers would be doable without to much fuss (many sdks out there for exactly this). You wouldnt have to offer a purchase system, but you might be able to make some cash that way. bottom line its an "entertainment media" type that i currently have to have another program to manage, and i wish it was a good as MC. Also eComics, again, not a huge market, but another media type i have to manage in a seperate program thats not as good as MC at metadata management.
Again , these aren't the barn burners you are looking for, but its a step towards some of your other ideas that dont diverge from what you currently have, yet offer users the opprotunity to dump some less mature programs in favor of yours.
-
Hi,
It would be great if the 3D view was more flexible with enqueuing, drag & drop functions. Maybe the list of songs of a selected album should appear in a pane underneath for it to work...
Thanks,
Sheugel
-
galahad,
Thanks for the ideas. ebooks may work now. Kindle does. Others could be probably configured in MC by a user.
-
i would love the ability to incorporate something like comic rack into jriver. where i can view my endless library of ebooks, pdf's, and .cbr files. that way all my media files are in one program. and looks nice and neat and can be sorted to my hearts content
also loving the one remote idea :)
-
My two cents for a big direction:
Web media integration in theater view
integration with online television source such as hulu, abc online, fox online, netflix, youtube, etc. Checkout hulu labs desktop viewer or netflix player as examples.
I want to be able to access them, switch between shows in theater view, without leaving my potato chips (so I can use only one finger, mouse is out of question). This may require some negotiation with content providers but who ever does it first, rules the future of TV (and the world consequently). I am nominating MC for world domination.
-
integration with online television source such as hulu, abc online, fox online, netflix, youtube, etc.
here here...
Ive been playing with MythTV and LinuxMCE. Both could learn alot from MC and more importantly; the other way around. Myth has integration with various stream providers including YouTube, Apple Film Trailers and all from their 10' UI.
and heres some other ideas:
Talking about UIs I still think the 10' UI has limited life left as the main UI. It will always be around but the main control system for devices I believe will be tablets and touch phones, where the information is shown on the tablet screen and the playback of the selected media on the TV. In some cases there will be a need to interact with the 10' UI (like when the other half asks to read the programme information) and in that case the information on the tablet and the info on the screen should be syncronised...
Although I think context based systems like LinuxMCE (auto dimming of lights and closing of curtains when you start playing back a film) has its place... I just dont think they'll be mainstream for at least a number of years and will likely remain the preserve of new-build and pro-install... they just require too many wires (like new lighting circuits and radios and even power to the curtains rails).
Further ideas;
Scheduling programs to record via a web interface from a web EPG for record while out and about - to take it one step further it'd be great if this could be controlled from the same interface for the iPhone and Android phones (as described in the above paragraph) the phone interface would need to sense it is not on the (right) wifi network and gracefully reduce functionality to enable EPG and scheduling, system status etc).
I think the TV portions need to be boosted (record multiple shows out of a single multiplex simultaneously - Myth can record every channel in one multiplex simultanously using a single tuner); and support for multiple tuners across multiiple channel providers (UK - FreeSat and Freeview simutaneously) although I have not looked at MC TV capability quite a while; but I haven't seen any announcements about improvements.
Commercial beginning and end flagging; so you can auto skip to the next program section.
Auto video transcoding (so the program is smaller and can be streamed fully by MC to other devices)
Full client/server editing of the library (with a privilege system to prevent unauthorised changes).
So. I'd stay away from this context based tech which has and will remain the preserve of the few; and lets embrace the tech which is already in the mainstream ( well mainstream with the folks who would buy this sort of software - iPhones, Android, tablets like the Nokia N800). These can be used to create a more integrated environment.
Wouldn't it be cool to be watching a program in one room move it seamlessly to another all controlled from your personal phone.
Rich
-
you can manage ebooks as a document type, but all the fields need to be custom created, and it will not let you view or configure and export to other formats. in addition it won't sync to the sony (second to the kindle in popularity). Check out Caliber (http://calibre.kovidgoyal.net/) for an idea of whats needed, but nowhere near what MC could do.
-
galahad from readng and following this post i went into options and chose import pdfs for one folder. they all come into jriver, but they all have df icon and ya cant see the covers, and when ya double click on it to view it it just opens up abe pdf reader... are you saying you've managed to show covers and read the pdf's from within jriver? if so could you maybe post directions in the forum somewhere? i'm REALLY intersted in using jriver to view instead of Comic rack...TY for your time
-
No, im saying i wish i could do that, and with more useful formats than pdf. right now i use caliber. i was saying you could use mc to organize the files locations if you wanted, but not much else. I have about 20,00o Ebooks right now, so i use Caliber. Id love to use MC.
-
Could you start a new thread with details on what you need?
-
Sure!!
-
The current trend certainly appears to be heading this way, but we may not yet be able to see where this is all heading, and the market could split. Take, for example, the people who feel they no longer need a camera now that their phone has a 7MP camera in it. This will certainly take a bite out of the camera market, but it will never kill it. There is simply too large of a quality gap between phone cameras and "real" cameras due to lens and sensor size issues.
Personally, I'd rather have a larger screen on a video player, GPS, and organizer, and I want a larger, more powerful amp in my music player (and a larger screen as well.) I want a phone, however, to be as small as possible. Of these devices, the phone is the ONLY one that I want to have with me at all times. What I DON'T want is to listen to music on a phone with a tiny, crappy amp in it, or to try to use a calendar on a screen that's just too small. I also don't want a honking big phone (like an iPhone) that I have to carry around all the time. I don't know what the answer is, but there might still be enough disagreement in the market that more than one approach will continue -- i.e. that "all in ones" might not end up wiping everything else out. I certainly hope we end up with some alternatives.
Larry
Cell phones shouldn't really need powerful amps. If you want to listen to high quality audio, you've gotta be kidding yourself if you think any mobile device can deliver. For "on the go" music experience, I find Bluetooth A2DP stereo audio, off loading the amp responsibilities to powered headphones more than satisfying.
-
I would like to see J River offer a true jukebox experience. I know several attempts have been made in the past, but they still fall short of what, as a true jukebox afficianado, I am looking for. The following features would be great additions for the true barroom jukebox experience.
- A 'jukebox' mode that would prevent the removal of tracks from the playlist, and not allow users to skip tracks or add their music to the top of the playlist.
- 'Jukebox' profiles that would only allow access to certain tracks, based on tag criteria (if you wanted to make only 70's music available from your collection, for example). It would also include the ability to only display certain albums while browsing, while making other tracks available via search (for very large collections).
- Having tracks removed from the playlist once they have been playlist
- A flexible shuffle feature, that would approximate a real jukebox (only shuffle the top x percentage of tracks in the playlist, for example).
There are lots of others, but these are the basic effects that would transform J River from a quality personal music organizer into a smash party jukebox.
-
I would like a developing team to continue to add features to the product.
I share the vision of making MC to be the first and last software for all needs (I am tracking it from V8) and also share the vision to make the PC into the center of the media life. I started connecting my computer to my stereo and TV a long time ago but till the media center's came I was frustrated.
for this MC lacks many things that I have to find else where.
I would like to see MC be able to do:
1. dbpoweramp convert (explorer extension)
2. dbpoweramp yellow-pop up tag info (explorer extension)
3. nero video convert to make DVD's
4. nero / super / avi-ocnverting software to convert from one format to the other
5. search / embed sub-titles for video files
6. search / embed lyrics for audio files
7. conversion of all audio file using replay gain to other/same format (mainly loss-less ones)
8. goldwave capabilities like more editing capabilities for audio/video files (cut/paste..)
9. more photoshop basics for images
10. CR2 support for cannon raw photo (mainly better brousing speed, able to control the negative parameters)
As you can see, I am using the MC as a work/edit platform and less as presentation because I don't have enough time to sit down and play with all the great media-center features. if I get the time to view a chapter of a title, I grab the file into a USB stick and plug it in the DVD and watch it. not enough time/disk space to be able to start browsing in my library of video titles.
-
It is good to see a thread opened to talk about grand ideas of the next Media Center. There are many good ideas in the thread.
Like some have said, I am still waiting on MC to get the basics done right. I would like to see the following:
1. A Status column in the burner window that is really useful. When it's preparing an ISO, why not show a progress bar for the file currently being transcoded like the way it works in the device synchronize window?
2. In this age of dual and quad core chips, I want to be able to set the number of LAME transcode threads during a data CD/DVD burn. It's currently locked to one.
3. Native support for M4A. This is less an issue that it was for me because I converted everything to FLAC. I converted because MC works far better with FLAC, a natively supported format, than M4A.
-
There are lots of good comments in this thread--I enjoyed reading about some of the future prospects (along with those in the "Where do we go next" thread).
I recently bought a Acer Aspire AX1700 that was on sale for under $400, and replaced the Vista drive with Windows 7. For me, this machine is right in that price point for the MC/PC device, given that I needed to add a USB tuner and any software.
(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b17/nodyad/Stuff/th_P1010041.jpg) (http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b17/nodyad/Stuff/P1010041.jpg)
My biggest pain point with my current setup is the remote hell I live in... the TV coordinates many of the picture inputs, but not the audio--so I need my multi-input Onkyo to switch between input sources in order to hear the video streams. Only the BD player integrates its audio with the TV remote via HDMI. I would get rid of the digital cable box in a heartbeat if FIOS or U-Verse were in my neighborhood--so I'm stuck with that box and remote for the time being. The Acer box, at least, lets me tap access the media throughout my LAN using MC. I'll need to upgrade the DVD player to a BD player someday, but I use more streaming video than discs anyway. I just can't get the Pinnacle 80e TV stick to work under Win 7 yet, otherwise the OTA TV option would be fully a done deal as well on one media device. So if I can eventually drive all my media services onto this Acer box, I think I could get by with just the TV remote and the RF keyboard and mouse.
Anyway, if you had a way to simplify any/all of this non-wife-approved mishmash and get to one control (saw your site, fully agree), I'd be mighty grateful, and would purchase such a device.
-
I just can't get the Pinnacle 80e TV stick to work under Win 7 yet
Their Vista driver works for us on W7. Please start a new thread on the TV board here if you need more information.
-
It would be finally great have some type of online webcast/video to show how all your
options for this software works. I know it has many but I only use it to store and
play my music. This think this would widen the use of your software to more and
more people if they knew how to use all of its options.
Skylar
-
i agree, and whenever a new version comes out, a more detailed explanation on where to find the options and what the technicals terms do.. this way people / new customers will know what each option is and located
great idea!
-
Anyway, if you had a way to simplify any/all of this non-wife-approved mishmash and get to one control (saw your site, fully agree), I'd be mighty grateful, and would purchase such a device.
I don't know if such a device will ever really exist ... I ended up using girder, netremote, a Dell Axim x51v, some serial ports on my PC (Use serial to control TV amd amp) and a USB-UIRT to send IR stuff from the PC to the IR devices.
I now have "Almost" 100% WAF score, except when windows/MC or Girder crash!
Richard
-
I'm not sure if its been mentioned anywhere for a while - esp. wrt to MC14, but I'd really like the following couple of things....
- TV PiP,PoP ... This is almost a necessity in my house! (maybe as a second zone even?)
- Showing *something* on an Audio-only station (OK, I know there's often better options, but hey, it's convenient to use sometimes)
-
What about adding support for XM/Sirius online? I'd love to be able to pull up a view on the TV with the current song title/artist and be able to set up some favorite channels.
-
I loaded .11 on my thinkpad tablet this weekend and configured it as my client. The Thinkpad is probably a bit overkill but I already own it so I figured why not. I tried to use the thinkpad as a tablet PC with the touchscreen interface only just to see how user friendly MC can be. I passed the tablet around to some average people that were over for a party and made some notes. Here are a few of my observations/suggestions:
1) Allow a configuration option to restrict MC to Theater View only. Existing out of Theater view will exit MC completely. Currently if the user exits Theater view and ends up in library view it gets ugly with a touchscreen and uneducated user. For a maintenance perspective the shortcut keys (CTRL-1, etc) would still work for maintenance.
2) Clicking menu items in Theater View should adhere to the same rules as the Pressing Enter option (open item or show menu.) Without that menu feature attempting to start playback of a playlist just opens the contents and leave the user confused.
3) I noticed that people enjoyed browsing or searching my music collection. Naturally they want to add tracks to the current playlist as they browse. Every time somebody pressed Play they reset the playing now playlist. I know they can Add as nect to play or Add to end, etc but it would really be neat to have the ability to send the track to an 'On The Go' playlist. This allows people to build a playlist while browsing media and playback at any time. Plus, in the event that somebody uses the play option and clears the Playing Now list the On The Go list can be restarted.
4) Zone playback from a client. Even if it isn;t possible to switch zones on the fly maybe it could be an option when connecting to the library server along with "Play Here or Play There" I could live with that.
5) Related to the above item: A bottun in Theater View that would close and re-launch MC. This would allow the switching of zones. In addition it would give the flexibility to control "Play Here Play There." For Example, I lauch MC and choose Play There. I select an audio playlist and start playback. While listening to the playlist I may want to browse other media (images, etc.) I would re-lauch MC and choose Play Here. Now I can playback a slideshow or any other media from the library server on the client PC. The ability to restrict to Theater view from #1 above would also be a viable alternative since it would be easier to exit and restart.
Just my $.02. I'm sure there will be more along the way.
-
SeaDrive,
Thanks for the feedback. You might be able to do #3 by changing the setting in MC. Tools/Options/General/Behavior.
-
I loaded .11 on my thinkpad tablet this weekend and configured it as my client. The Thinkpad is probably a bit overkill but I already own it so I figured why not. I tried to use the thinkpad as a tablet PC with the touchscreen interface only just to see how user friendly MC can be. I passed the tablet around to some average people that were over for a party and made some notes. Here are a few of my observations/suggestions:
1) Allow a configuration option to restrict MC to Theater View only. Existing out of Theater view will exit MC completely. Currently if the user exits Theater view and ends up in library view it gets ugly with a touchscreen and uneducated user. For a maintenance perspective the shortcut keys (CTRL-1, etc) would still work for maintenance.
2) Clicking menu items in Theater View should adhere to the same rules as the Pressing Enter option (open item or show menu.) Without that menu feature attempting to start playback of a playlist just opens the contents and leave the user confused.
3) I noticed that people enjoyed browsing or searching my music collection. Naturally they want to add tracks to the current playlist as they browse. Every time somebody pressed Play they reset the playing now playlist. I know they can Add as nect to play or Add to end, etc but it would really be neat to have the ability to send the track to an 'On The Go' playlist. This allows people to build a playlist while browsing media and playback at any time. Plus, in the event that somebody uses the play option and clears the Playing Now list the On The Go list can be restarted.
4) Zone playback from a client. Even if it isn;t possible to switch zones on the fly maybe it could be an option when connecting to the library server along with "Play Here or Play There" I could live with that.
5) Related to the above item: A bottun in Theater View that would close and re-launch MC. This would allow the switching of zones. In addition it would give the flexibility to control "Play Here Play There." For Example, I lauch MC and choose Play There. I select an audio playlist and start playback. While listening to the playlist I may want to browse other media (images, etc.) I would re-lauch MC and choose Play Here. Now I can playback a slideshow or any other media from the library server on the client PC. The ability to restrict to Theater view from #1 above would also be a viable alternative since it would be easier to exit and restart.
Just my $.02. I'm sure there will be more along the way.
1) MC 13 allready has this abilitiy to exit the program completely. Just press Exit and then choose the second option System Sleep, Shutdown, and More... That will give you the option to exit close MC out.
2) You can control whether the menu is displayed or not under Tools -> Options -> Theater View -> Behavior -> Enter Key Action: ...
3) I'm not sure how that would be usefull? Seems like it would make things more confusing.
4) That would be nice!
5) Th doesn't make sense to me. If you are on the client, just use the client to playback from the server?
-
1) MC 13 allready has this abilitiy to exit the program completely. Just press Exit and then choose the second option System Sleep, Shutdown, and More... That will give you the option to exit close MC out. Plus, I'm not crazy about allowing just anyone the option to shut down my system.
2) You can control whether the menu is displayed or not under Tools -> Options -> Theater View -> Behavior -> Enter Key Action: ...
3) I'm not sure how that would be usefull? Seems like it would make things more confusing.
4) That would be nice!
5) Th doesn't make sense to me. If you are on the client, just use the client to playback from the server?
1) I know that this already exists but if you choose "Exit Theater View" which is probably a natural choice for most you are retrned to library view. I'm referring to a 'lockdown' of the interface so the user can't get to library view at all.
2) Waht I'm saying is that the Enter Kay action does not apply to a mouse click. If you are using a touchscreen a press of the button emulates a mouse click. Regardless of the Setting of the Enter Key Behavior a mouse click always opens the item.
3) I'm thinking similar to an iPod where you can create an 'On The Go' playlist while browsing your media.
4) Agreed.
5) Not really a big deal. I can easily create a macro that closes MC and re-launches automatically. I just liek the idea of controlling my main media centerand also having the ability to put my portable unit to good use while listening to music or watching videos.
-
SeaDrive,
Thanks for the feedback. You might be able to do #3 by changing the setting in MC. Tools/Options/General/Behavior.
That's what I thought too but the Play option from theater view doesn't seem to honor this setting it just replaces playing now with the selected item regardless of the behavior setting.
-
3) I'm thinking similar to an iPod where you can create an 'On The Go' playlist while browsing your media.
Ahh. I definintely do not like that option on my ipod. I never ever user it. I really wish they just had a normal playing now/live queued list. It's like they are stuck back in the 80's or something. ;)
-
3) I noticed that people enjoyed browsing or searching my music collection. Naturally they want to add tracks to the current playlist as they browse. Every time somebody pressed Play they reset the playing now playlist. I know they can Add as nect to play or Add to end, etc but it would really be neat to have the ability to send the track to an 'On The Go' playlist. This allows people to build a playlist while browsing media and playback at any time. Plus, in the event that somebody uses the play option and clears the Playing Now list the On The Go list can be restarted.
Theater View places the last used menu option at the top of the context menu. Therefore, the first time you choose ADD, this will appear at the top automatically meaning users simply need to hit Enter to add content.
This doesn't solve the problem of users hitting PLAY on the remote though and blowing away your playlist. I've complained about this for years and would love an option for PLAY to equal ADD when playback is in progress. This would solve the problem for me and probably for others by the sound of it also.
-
SeaDrive,
Thanks for the feedback. You might be able to do #3 by changing the setting in MC. Tools/Options/General/Behavior.
The problem is that play clears the wholw playlist, even with settings that makes double-clicking just add files, the same happens with the play buttons on podcasts and similar. Frankly that behavior is a bit annoying.
-
This doesn't solve the problem of users hitting PLAY on the remote though and blowing away your playlist. I've complained about this for years and would love an option for PLAY to equal ADD when playback is in progress. This would solve the problem for me and probably for others by the sound of it also.
yep, i also think its a bit of a pain. i would prefer that the play options as can be set for standard view, would also work for thv. in my case, play playing now.
:)
gab
-
> We're thinking about major directions for MC 14, and we could use your help.
> There are some obvious ones -- better movie metadata, polishing, DJ tools, etc. These will happen.
There are some audio-related things I and others have been asking for.
> What's more challenging is to find a big new direction. Here are some of the ones we're thinking about. Please add your own.
> 1. Whole house media network
I have some enthusiasm for more complete and polished whole house audio features.
> 2. One remote
Being able to use a hand-held device to control MC FULLY would be quite useful.
Plugins have limits and are usually built around an Artist-Album-(Song) Name view.
Right now, my wife won't use MC to play music most of the time. She drags out CDs.
Being able to turn everything on with one click using 12V triggering and wake-on-LAN are important too.
> 3. Synapse (a media PC)
No thanks.
> 4. Open the MC database to a coalition of software companies -- RockBox, foobar, MP3 tagger, dbPowerAmp, Zoom Player, etc.
Might be some value for dBpoweramp. The Rockbox effort seems to have trouble keeping up with new MP3 models.
Foobar is and Mp3Tag are tweaker products. What's the point? I'm using MC because it is a lot less pain to get things done. (Foobar used to be the darling of the PC audiophile set. Vast numbers of raving fanboys. It is just another choice now.)
> 5. Database as a hub for developers (similar to #4, but oriented more toward individual developers.
How can you make money doing this?
4. and 5. will introduce risks of instability and crashes. More support too. What's the point.
> 6. MC Market -- a list of vendors who provide add-ons and a way for them to get paid with MC one click
Are you using the iPhone apps market as a model? In the PC world, many people will pay thousands for audio or video gear but expect to get PC software for free.
> 7. Contacts and other amorphous information organization -- may need to be done as a new program
I see no relation to MC.
---
I'd like to see you fully exploit MC as an audio player:
- Make it easier and more obvious for newcomers. Your website doesn't begin to explain why MC is significantly different from other Windows-based players. Your documentation doesn't help beginners find the answer to questions that come up. I respond to questions about MC on other forums. Many people try MC by just installing it, importing some files and playing them. When they find that something doesn't work the way they want it to, they just condemn MC and give up.
- Simplify the interface and allow the user to customize it. MC has artifacts from years of interface evolution. I'd like to get rid of the Action window and Tag editing. I find that I want to simplify, customize and streamline most of the software I use.
- Keep making MC faster to start up and to perform routine operations. Some of the s/w I use (Firefox, Thunderbird and Open Office) gets bigger and slower with each release. I hate that. When I try something that is simpler, smaller and more streamlined to use, I want to change to that program.
- finish making MC usable for multiple rooms and with different forms of remote control.
- Put more effort into marketing. You don't have enough name recognition. Keeping trying partnerships with companies like Amazon to find ties that are worthwhile to JRiver.
You should broaden your market for MC. Make it attractive to more casual users.
Bill
-
DVB for Cable: DVB-C!!!!!! IrDeto support.
-
> 2. One remote
Being able to use a hand-held device to control MC FULLY would be quite useful
WHEN YOU SAY FULLY.
Does that mean allowing us to use such devices to 5 star and allow us to put songs into playlists from handheld?
That would be a must i think for us with large libraries, and for those of us who play our music shuffled. or listen to our playlists of music we've never listened to!
-
DVB for Cable: DVB-C!!!!!!
+1
Also DVB subtitles would be nice.
Finish movie meta data information in Theater View (should have been included already in MC13 really)
-
1. Whole house media network
Sharing DRM media would be a necessity - otherwise one won't be able to live without WMP and windows media connect.
Erik.
-
A move into corporate media management.
You've got a great base for it, now a truly multi-user database, customisable info 'tiles', and serving (think http) abilities would be awesome.
I'm comparing it to something like (for photos) Portfolio Extensis, and possibly Bridge ... though I've not really seen it.
-
I'm interested in pushing the HTPC setup further--more theater view abilities, cross-box control, etc. Although in some ways I don't like giving my interests because the features others think up tend to be appealing to me as well. Anything...'s good.
-
I'm comparing it to something like (for photos) Portfolio Extensis, and possibly Bridge ... though I've not really seen it.
Talking of photos, I forgot a major one: XMP and compatibility with Adobe lightroom.
-
XMP
XMP image tagging has been in Media Center since version 12.
-
Simple request: Command Line argument to force Play Here or Play There when connecting to a Library Server
-
Just a reminder that the purpose of this thread was "... major directions for MC 14 ...". It's not a feature request thread.
-
1. Whole house media network
It needs to be robust and flexible to claim a "whole house media network" as a feature, but yes, definitely. The problem accomplishing this is the number of methods different people are going to want to use, and the large variety of hardware they'll have at their disposal to do it. "Flexible enough" is a tough metric to measure against...
2. One remote
Some sort of reliable remote is a good thing. For my current needs a MCE remote is fine, but when going to the whole house media network idea, more is obviously needed.
3. Synapse (a media PC)
Lots of people are headed towards HTPCs, but it seems smarter to get MC put onto another (cheaper) vendors hardware. I don't see a real way for JR to compete price-wise with what is already on the market.
4. Open the MC database to a coalition of software companies -- RockBox, foobar, MP3 tagger, dbPowerAmp, Zoom Player, etc.
I like this idea in terms of its possibilities. For me Rockbox is the one that I care about. I imagine being able to have all of my MC metadata available to me and my customized Rockbox database views. This would be portable audio magic! I don't know how those other players would really effect me ever.
Along these lines though, hooking up with something along the lines of MusicBrainz, last.fm or Allmusic could prove very beneficial. If all of the MC metadata addicts could contribute to a more robust database than YADB (in terms of type of data stored) it'd become a huge source of information. I imagine I might be dreaming on this one...
Of course if you just expanded the fields involved in YADB, it'd get the same affect, but that's another story...
5. Database as a hub for developers (similar to #4, but oriented more toward individual developers.
Yes, let plugin developers get their hooks in. I don't know if I actually know what is possible here though...
6. MC Market -- a list of vendors who provide add-ons and a way for them to get paid with MC one click
I doubt I'd ever care about this, but as long as it didn't get in the way of the rest of the program (like tends to happen with the itunes store) I wouldn't mind.
7. Contacts and other amorphous information organization -- may need to be done as a new program
Interesting idea, but it reeks of spreading the program too thin and in too many directions. If it were done right, I might appreciate it, but doing it right sounds like a ton of effort for a minimal return.
Also of interest to me:
-Relational database (or data linking of some sort)
-Further access rights and party mode options.
Previously posted:
A more robust Access Control would be useful.
What I'd like to see includes:
Savable filters - it is aggravating to have to re-create a filter every time I turn Access Control on.
An on/off list for all of these saved filters - basically just a list of all saved filters with a check box to designate on or off. It would make sense to allow for different passwords for each filter too.
Default Filters - It would also be useful to set certain filters to default to "on", so that if one is turned off during a session it will automatically be turned back on the next time MC starts up.
Remote Client specific filters - I don't have need for this myself currently, but I saw it discussed someplace and it makes sense. Basically, for Kid A's room apply all filters, Kid B's room apply all but the PG-13 filter, for Ma n' Pa's room apply no filters, or something to that effect.
Only other reference to the subject I managed to find right now:
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=42744.0
Also, in regard to Party Mode, it would be nice to have the ability to lock the player into a certain view so that I can make a nice simple one that doesn't need to be explained to the many morons that I'm friends with.
There were also some "jukebox" features that I saw requested in another post (somewhere around here) that would work well as part of Party Mode.
Remember, Party Mode is also peak time for free advertising mode.
-
One way MC could add value to the user, thereby making it more valuable to purchase than paid/free competitors, is to make it both a master control for media files, and a master encyclopedia of media information -- at the track level.
Perhaps build on YADB to provide many more fields of data, the "this took research" kind of information that many of us dig out and add to our own libraries -- each of us reinventing the same wheels.
The current YADB reasonably echos the standard info of a CD. But it's clear that many MC users then add all kinds of extra data -- witness the available library fields, and the many custom fields that are often discussed (I use several). Yet we each do it separately, with no way to collaborate.
Of course, "what data" will vary with user, so it's not an easy idea. But many facts about a music track (or CD, or DVD, or whatever), are not opinion, and there's a lot more to document about a song or video than can be stored in today's YADB.
So, the idea is to build a public database of these facts about each music track, directly readable by MC from a shared database, and transferrable (under user control) to MC's library.
What is most easily compiled and shared are true, solid facts. For instance:
- The DVD/CD/album/single's label/publisher, catalog number, and similar facts.
- The original date of the recording (not re-release/repackaging or whatever)
- A standardized name for the artist/group, in addtion to the literal name from the CD
- All the major artists who perform on a track (a big thing in jazz)
- Facts about the principal artists.
- The song's composer(s)
- The song's primary music key and true tempo
- The type of recording: stereo, mono, rechanneled
- The genre of the music
- Etc, etc
One challenge can be see in YADB -- incorrect data. There are many tracks that have wrong information, perhaps because the originator didn't understand the question (is the date of a track when it was recorded - YES - or when a particular recording was published for the zillionth time, or when the user acquired the track, or when it was added/ripped?). There are inconsistencies, typos, etc. But this ought to be fixable, perhaps by controlling who gets to contribute. (Like a wiki, where "anyone" can edit it but only some such edits are retained.)
Also note that basic facts are not copyrightable so sharing would be "cleaner" than, say, cover art.
-
One way MC could add value to the user, thereby making it more valuable to purchase than paid/free competitors, is to make it both a master control for media files, and a master encyclopedia of media information -- at the track level.
Perhaps build on YADB to provide many more fields of data, the "this took research" kind of information that many of us dig out and add to our own libraries -- each of us reinventing the same wheels.
+1 I would love this. It's what I hoped MusicBrainz would turn into, but so few users have access to a program that is even capable of storing much of this information. They have fields for things like labels and musicians but very few (of my) albums have the data filled in. MusicHawk explained my thoughts on this very well, thanks.
Also, if expanded into movies and TV (maybe even YouTube and other internet content in an extreme attack on conquering all metadata the world over :o ) the reach towards potential users would expand even more. (I only really care about the music thing though ;D )
-
6. MC Market -- a list of vendors who provide add-ons and a way for them to get paid with MC one click
I'd be more than happy if that would allow the integration of a music and video store. Digital Performer and hopefully some alternative outside the US would be a significant progress. I'd love to use the MC interface instead of the 10 year old Napster client (it's the only choice here in Canada).
-
Please add your own.
8. Make MC a viable alternative to photo organization software such as windows live photo gallery or IMatch
This could include:
- more precise tagging (more customization on the tag types, XMP, XMP sidecar files, etc.);
- fancy features such as face detection;
- UI oriented toward a workflow;
- more customizable import feature;
- compatibility with the metadata of lightroom and live gallery.
-
My personal thought of the big 'where you go next' is in fact the opposite of what you might be looking for but might make a huge impact.
Instead of looking for yet another 'next big thing' to add to MC to try keep ahead of the times, just make your next 'big thing' a huge push on refining what is there, listen to user feedback a LOT and do a LOT of interaction about existing features, requests, etc and use that to polish MC.
It has tons and tons of features already, most of which are hidden under the hood or are extremely hard to find. Your next 'big thing' could just be to refine what is already there and make it all uber easy to use and super user friendly.
This would instead of trying to appeal to yet another type of user base with some new feature which wouldn't be fully refined, open up MC to a much broader audience and make it less scarey for beginners and simple day to day users.
Your next big thing could be just to take the power that is there and make it all so much friendlier that you make it something my mum could use.
Just start a thread for user ideas, mainly smaller ones and then get peoples opinions on how much they would help make MC easier to use and then use them to polish it.
In my own head, a month or more of just polishing would REALLY bring the features that are already in MC up to par with other applications that offer the same features and bring it ahead of them with the power it already has hidden under the hood for techies.
As a side note - a big feature area I would say would to be to design a GUI that is a lot more suited to tablets and visual interaction with a touch screen as Windows 7 is all about that and more laptops seem to be tablets these days (mine that I am on now is). A simple example being the demo you see all the time of a pile of pictures in the middle of the screen and the users dragging the pictures to piles in the left or right corner etc to group and sort them so that you are interacting with the computer in the same way you would deal with the pictures in real life if they were printed.
-
One way MC could add value to the user, thereby making it more valuable to purchase than paid/free competitors, is to make it both a master control for media files, and a master encyclopedia of media information -- at the track level.
An excellent list except please add Lyrics to it. We have cover art in YADB, let's get a Lyrics addition and do similar to what Doof did with his Lyrics Editor to make it easier to edit the lyrics instead of using a tiny text box.
-
1) iPhone integration
2) better remote control from iphone
3) Trye sync of clients (to allow for multi-zone sync from client pc's in each room)
4) Better ID tag updates (I do this separately in Tag & Rename now)
Thanks
-
I use MythTV, so would love to see integration with that (or an open standard if that exists yet) - this would be my killer app.
I liked the idea of PerformerMC, and would be willing to buy music through MC (and combining the products with the ability to 'turn-off' some functionality).
Navigation - Extend the 'Locate' function to more easily discover related/new music: I.e., right clicking on a song will allow me to see all songs by that ARTIST, all songs in the same GENRE, all songs recorded in the same YEAR, all songs in that ALBUM, etc. - think of the opportunities for expanding this to a recommendation engine (see PMC comment, above)
I have been looking at the Windows 7 Media Center app - it has a LOT of things in there you might want to look at and either compete or avoid on. Think about WHY people buy MC... for me it was the open-ness and incredible support for all media, which is now becoming more mainstream. The UI is also KILLER!
Good luck!
-
Library server running on Windows Home Server allowing multiple clients to connect round the home network.
This could be via DNLA / UPnP AV or stick with your proprietary client server solution.
-
Bumping this thread, started 6 months ago. We've made significant progress in several of the areas in my first post -- 1, 2, 3, & 7.
Please don't use this thread for feature requests. It was intended to promote discussion of strategic direction. I know that many would say "music only" or "better movie support", so please don't turn the discussion in that direction. We're working on many of the requested improvements.
-
> 1. Whole house media network
This is a natural direction for MC. It is also a direction I'm interested in as a consumer.
Other people have asked for a general separation of server, control and playback functions over a network. This would be a good long term goal for MC.
I think it is important for each zone to have a separate UI that the controller can use to select and play music. This UI should allow users to use a different view for each zone. Another good long term goal.
Being able to use a different library in each zone is also a good goal.
---
I'd like to see JR move toward having a less geeky product in addition to MC. Some integrated work on design, documentation and UI could make your product suitable to a wider audience.
I think that PC based audio playback is at an early stage like cars that you had to start with a hand crank. In a few years, viable products will have the equivalent of self starters then automatic transmissions and then air conditioning.
---
A related idea is to put the functionality of MC in packaged hardware. I don't see JR doing this by themselves. I think that your UI and database functionality, your file format support and your support for different output interfaces would be attractive to a company that wants to offer a packaged H/W + S/W product.
---
You mentioned companies you might partner with. Your examples were small geeky organizations. I'd suggest that you focus on larger organizations that are less geeky than JR and have complimentary skills. Google might be at the top of my list for their Android, Chrome OS and Chrome browser initiatives.
Bill
-
I'd say that you are still only at the foundations of the "Whole House Network" thing. It's still quite painful to setup, and only just bordering on usable.
Re: setup:
I have to remote desktop in to my server to install new builds. I have to install it in the administrator account if I want it to auto start on whs boot. "Search for local servers" from the clients didnt work for me when i tried it. I had to find the ip address and manually make a new library. Manually setting up port forwarding to access the library from outside isn't for the faint hearted either.
Finally, changing the settings on each new client so that they are pointing to the correct places for covert art etc. is a pain.
Re: Use:
We can sync tag and playlist changes. That is reasonable enough for the "wife" usage of MC, but still inadequate for organizing media.
We need a "client" version of MC, where certain functions (Library tools) are disabled, as they are dangerous. We also need to be able to save changes to views, and apply cover art from clients.
To me the biggest selling point of MC14 is the library server syncing with clients. (with big image preview pane coming in as a close second totally cool feature). I am hoping that you won't call MC14 baked until that feature is more fully implemented.
I have brief moments of weakness where I look at other options that would mean I wouldnt need to start up vmware fusion just to listen to some music, but I have to say that to MC's credit, every other option out there feels psychologically like a bigger pain than booting into windows.
-
The whole house media system really has to "manage" everything and all clients must stay in perfect sync and utilize their cross-communication well--all the ideas I've suggested over the years: continue watching this movie in the theater.
-
I'll also have to say that better and smoother client/server operations should be a focus. I also like to point out that there is still much left to do in Theater View. Both of this things is increasingly important, and there is stuff in both places that is pretty "half done". In fact, this is not the only place you find things that are not really done yet. It's a bit disturbing. I hope this is not a trend.
I also have to say I like Listener's suggestions. If you aim partnership with bigger companies like google, there might be som real benefits on both sides. Android don't really have any great Media Players for their phones. Why not focus on a great little player for this products? Android is growing big.
-
Client/server is a good idea I like.
But a big but! Most NAS servers for home use run Linux and not MS Win. MC enforces you to use MS Win for a server. Installing a server service on a Linux NAS requires a good understanding of how to do this, it is not straight forward.
So a server comes only for those that have a Win based server. How about this?
And I fully agree that on the side of theatre view, there are still a lot of loose ends that need to be cleaned up to make it more stable, “Dummy proof” and more intuitive.
IMHO at the moment MC is a pretty good program but too much tailored towards programming geeks that are familiar to dig their way by “trial and error”. I have recommended it to many but most trashed it because it is to clumsy to get rid of and the lack of a good manual. IMHO MC can have much more (paid) users if there is a decent and updated manual in PDF form. It now has too much the flavour of a hobby of (pretty good) programmers. Despite the look and the powers that are actually hidden in MC.
-
MC could import the files from a NAS server without having to be running on it.
-
That is the way I am using it Jim. And it suits me quite well. From that point there is actually no need for a dedicated library server running on its own.
Regarding NAS servers, what about running MC as a UPnP/DLNA client?
-
Cross platform support is a big reason why one of my ideas might work--build a totally new product for the server. It could start out quite simple. I'm not sure but it might take a brand new product to get it right from the ground up.
When a client connects, it should get sent the configuration settings. Each config setting should be able to be locked on the server end (client can never change them) or set + allowed to be changed or not set at all, use client default. EACH setting should get this option.
Then, send the db.
Next, as clients make changes, all updates need to be sent to the central server db, where the changes will get relayed back to all clients. Everyone always in perfect sync. INCLUDING library database (list of files). If I tag a file, MAKE THE SERVER update the tags. Offer a proxy through the server to get the file content: different criteria for this. I could go on and on...
-
I think you are on the right track. The database is certain fast and it is the best one I have found. I believe that if you were able to provide it on multiple platforms (Apple and Linux) it would be a major advantage over the competition. Opening it up to other developers is a great idea.
The whole house media network is also a sound concept.
I like the idea of opening up compatibility with other plugins some of which could become income producers.
As for hardware that is another business unto itself. There can be a lot of overhead associated with the hardware piece that you are suggesting. The margins are pretty slim in the hardware business.
I believe the overall key is to become a multi-platform provider.
I really appreciate the fact that you are addressing the DJ tools.
There appears to be a number of good suggestions throughout this thread. It would be nice if you could put a list together, as you see them, based on feasibility and benefit to both JRiver and the user community as a whole.
Tunetyme
-
Just wanted to add my 2 cents, after working several years with different versions of MC:
- database access: it would be cool to access the MC database by standard DB manipulation programs, opening it for third party companies (like MP3tag, foobar) would be also good (all these we use these days in a prep stage before importing into MC)
- settings export/import: you should really provide such functions or keep all settings in the database itself in a special section, it's just always a darn problem to set up a new version or an additional computer
- broken functions: please be so kind and repair the broken functions (which ran fine in former versions)! progress is fine, but keep an eye on the already available stuff too!
- Linux version: this would be great and many people would buy MC... that has nothing to do with open source at all... I just use Windows because I have to
No insult intended, understand me right, ok
-
I am bumping this thread. Hope it's ok. MC is moving in the right direction, and alot that has been mentioned in the thread have been improved/implmented. I know it has been mentioned before, but I think Theatre View needs to be a focus area, especially visually. THe available looks for Thatre View are pretty far behind for instance MeedOS (personally i run the evolution-skin), wich has a nice very smooth look, combined with dowloading of posters and fan-art. Eye-candy works :)
Improving theatre view is the main roadblock for using oonly MC.
-
I wanted give my 5 cents to this post. I'm using MC since version 9 and still enjoy it.
The only wish I have is a better display with video ( I'm using Nero 9 show time for this, even i don't like Nero) and the possibility to detect duplicated music files. Stay up with u good work.
-
Since this got bumped, I'd like to point out that my references to housewide media management, which are supported by several other users, truly references this thread. I think if the way I picture the server setup working was implemented, so many other advanced and groundbreaking features would be possible.
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=55695.0
-
As a fairly new Windows Home Server user I want to add my support to ben600s concepts.
As part of this it would be very helpful if JRiver had a true WHS version as an 'Add-In'. Several other small companies such as SageTV and MyMovies have done this, so I wouldn't think it to be too costly. I believe I read in another thread that JRiver said they will not do it, and I must admit to having difficulty understanding this. WHS is getting very popular
Rod
-
No new features - Polishing is my preference.
Individual customization, improving speed and handling, usability, possibilities to tune etc...
thx
-
No new features - Polishing is my preference.
Absolutely! I agree.
-
+1 for Theater View improvements. I would like to see plug ins for it as well...
-
Polish the basics and a little love for ebooks (pdf thumbnails and summary display).
-
Hi all,
To me client / remote editing (library syncing etc.) is pretty important. I have brought this up before as I think it should function now but does not. The ability to edit the server's playlists, create new ones and edit the server's meta data from a client would be fantastic. The option to auto, manual or restrict syncing would be great. Most of my Media Center music is played on a client. It is frustrating to have to make all my changes only on the server.
How about copying a smart list to a playlist so it can be edited? I find the smart list is a good starting point but would like the capability to edit the selections.
Add the ability for multiple hotkey or mouse button updates to play it now. ie, left click add to end, right click add as next to play.
DenS
-
I admit I didn't read this entire thread, so if this has already been mentioned, forgive me... But, one smallish thing that I'd really like to see would be to have MC stop using the IE control when displaying web content. I think there are other web rendering engines that would be much more capable, and would give us better options for font/image scaling and a better user experience. I also prefer to keep my IE engine locked down on my computers (I set the security settings on IE to "high" since I never use it and that helps to protect Outlook and Word and other apps that use the built-in IE engine), but this makes MC's web content unusable.
Along the lines of the "fit and finish, and polish" comments above. Plus, it would help further "OS-independify" MC.
There are two very good options available for web rendering engines (Gecko and WebKit). I think the license and features available for WebKit makes it the ideal choice. If Apple can use it to build Mobile Safari, and Google can use it for Chrome, then I think MC could probably do something very nice with it.
-
I would like to see a new Playback option- NO SOUND DEVICE. Why? My server has no sound card- all it does is serve up the media to the rest of the house. Yet because of some of the threading issues with the UI, it will inadvertantly try to play files when I want to edit the tags. Then it stalls and comes back to me with an error dialog. The menu system should disable all the playback options if there is no audio output presently configured.
-
I wanted to dig up this old thread, started as we were beginning MC14 development. Here was my first post. My comments follow it.
We're thinking about major directions for MC 14, and we could use your help.
There are some obvious ones -- better movie metadata, polishing, DJ tools, etc. These will happen.
What's more challenging is to find a big new direction. Here are some of the ones we're thinking about. Please add your own.
1. Whole house media network
2. One remote (http://www.oneremote.com/)
3. Synapse (http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=49762.0) (a media PC)
4. Open the MC database to a coalition of software companies -- RockBox, foobar, MP3 tagger, dbPowerAmp, Zoom Player, etc.
5. Database as a hub for developers (similar to #4, but oriented more toward individual developers.
6. MC Market -- a list of vendors who provide add-ons and a way for them to get paid with MC one click
7. Contacts and other amorphous information organization -- may need to be done as a new program
I think we made a lot of progress on #1, 2, 3, and 7. On #5, we made a WSDL interface called JRiver Web Services that has a lot of potential functionality available. We didn't get anywhere on #4 and #6.
I'm going to lock this thread now because I'd like to focus on where MC15 goes, but if you have specific comments on it, please start a new thread.