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[dkan24]

Well,  after many delays, Linksys has finally released the Digital Media Adapter.  This device works over 802.11b and hooks up to a TV and Stereo with RCA connections.  It streams over 11b.  http://www.linksys.com/splash/wma11b_splash.asp

I am very interested in this device for a few reasons.  There are also some drawbacks which I see.  Of course, we won't know anything untill actually using it.  I am comparing this device to a HTPC.

Pros:
1. Simple device - no boot up times (probably).  Easy reset.
2.  No hard drive, quiet
3. Small, little footprint
4. Cheap - relative to a PC

Cons:
1. Only 802.11b (for now) which means no video
2. limited formats- only mp3, wmp.  No lossless formats which makes it a no-go for me right now
3. Analog outputs- The quality may be good, but probably not as good as a high quality sound card.  No digital output.
4. upgradability- not sure about this one, but probably not as upgradeable as a PC running MC9.  

For me, I am sticking with a PC based system beacsue the Media Adapter needs to mature and get some basic additions - more formats, video.  But I see this device bringing the benefits of an HTPC to the masses.  For most people this will be good enough.

I will end this by stating that if Hairstyle was better, I think the HTPC would blow this away in every way.  But the interface is still too awkward.  Is there any developments here?  I would recommend an HTPC to all my friends if Hairstyle was better, but the Media Adapter just might be the thing for them.  

What does everyone think?

[JimH]

Have you provided details on Hairstyle improvements you want?

On limited formats, we do provide conversion from lossless (APE) on the fly to the TiVo and could do it for other devices.

I'm hoping this device supports upnp.

[dkan24]

I have just started playing around with Hairstyle, actually because I know my friends will need to use it more than I do.  I have HDTV so Mega-Me looks clear and I mostly use Netremote now.

But everyone I know only has a analog TV, so Hairstyle is very important for them.

For one, I think that choosing an album is very difficult.  You have to right arrow into the album, then left arrow back out to select enque all then go back up to hit play.  Why now just have 1 click and the album will play?

Another thing I would love to see- a screen that shows all of the info from playing now, without the added stuff found in Mega Me.  A simple screen with what song is playing now, with the time and cover art. Underneath that, the que which can me changed with the remote at any point.  I know that when you choose a song, HS goes to full screen mode, but I have yet to find a full screen skin that satifies me.  

Also, from a purely cosmetic perspective, I don't think HS measures up to all of the other screens on MC9.  Have you looked at myHTPC or even the 800x600 ccf from Wicked Ewok for Netremote?  Both are very nice.

As far as streaming, I did notice that with the Tivo and thought that was a very nice solution although still just a work around untill the hardware guys add more formats.  I would expect FLAC to be added, since it has become the lossless format leader, being open source and all.  I use APE and love it, but I don't really expect it to make much headway into this area.  But that is the beauty of lossless, I can change at any point.

I have been using MC9 now for a few months and am absolutely amazed at the speed in which you guys improve things.  I know that you have many othe rthings on your menu, but I personally think that HS should be near the top of the list.  You guys are going to have major competition from these Media Adapters now.  If I was running the business (major   ) I would develop HS and sell the inteface to these hardware guys.  Linked with MC9 running on a PC, that would be the ultimate soltuion!  I have full faith that you guys can pull off anything you want.  

[Oblong]

I have to agree with dkan24.

There are too may steps required to play an album.
A possible solution would be to make a distinction between "selecting" (Enter) and album and "drilling down" (right arrow) into an album.
"Selecting" and album (or for that matter, a playlist, artist, or song) would queue it for playback.
If we wanted to queue only specific tracks we could "drill down" to see the track list and make selections.


I would like to see improvements in the "Now Playing" screen as well.  For Example, the currently playing track is in no way hilighted or marked.  So it's difficult to tell at a glance which song is playing, unless you switch to TrackInfo view, but then you can't see the Now Playing queue.

We had a good Hairstyle discussion going on here:

http://www.musicex.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=MediaCenter;action=display;num=1056084057

Which I've just bumped.

Thanks.

Walter...

[lOth]

For one, I think that choosing an album is very difficult.  You have to right arrow into the album, then left arrow back out to select enque all then go back up to hit play.  Why now just have 1 click and the album will play?

Actually, once you're 'in' the album you don't have to use 'enqueue all', you can just arrow back and hit play.
I agree with you though that the 1 click solution would be better. I think that one implication of it is that HS should allow to configure different behaviors in different locations (e.g. 1 click on an album play the album, 1 click on an artist displays his/her albums).

Another thing I would love to see- a screen that shows all of the info from playing now, without the added stuff found in Mega Me.  A simple screen with what song is playing now, with the time and cover art. Underneath that, the que which can me changed with the remote at any point.  I know that when you choose a song, HS goes to full screen mode, but I have yet to find a full screen skin that satifies me.

As for me, I would be very happy with the possibility of displaying tag infos within HS. Tags info should be available on the model of location and time in the present HS.

I understand that what you're looking for is different though. I recommend you give a try to Track Info template called 'Just Easy'. It is simple and clear enough for analog TV in 800x600. It is listed as an MJ plug-in but it works perfectly with any version of MC. Here is a direct link for download/install :

http://www.musicex.com/cgi-bin/downloads/hit.pl?SKIN=623&download=plugin&version=8&url=http://www.musicex.com/mediajukebox/mj_data/trackinfos/justeasy.mjp

Have you looked at myHTPC?

Hell yeah...  

I only wish the existing MC plug-in would allow to interact with MC's library. If myHTPC 2 makes it possible and if HS doesn't become more configurable in the meantime, it's the end of HS for me.

As a consequence, I can only fully agree on this one:

I know that you have many othe rthings on your menu, but I personally think that HS should be near the top of the list

I would agree even more on this one if it was possible  :

absolutely amazed at the speed in which you guys improve things

[lOth]

A possible solution would be to make a distinction between "selecting" (Enter) and album and "drilling down" (right arrow) into an album.
"Selecting" and album (or for that matter, a playlist, artist, or song) would queue it for playback.
If we wanted to queue only specific tracks we could "drill down" to see the track list and make selections.

The music module in myHTPC does that very well right now with Enter to "drill down" and Space to enqueue (or the other way around, I don't remember but Girder does   )

We had a good Hairstyle discussion going on here:

http://www.musicex.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=MediaCenter;action=display;num=1056084057

That's right, but JimH answered in this thread and it had been a long time since a developper said anything about HS  

[Oblong]

The music module in myHTPC does that very well right now with Enter to "drill down" and Space to enqueue (or the other way around, I don't remember but Girder does   )

I was actually thinking of myHTPC when I proposed the select/drill down distinction.

If J River could merge the UI from myHTPC with the media library, and format support of MC, I would be thrilled.

That's right, but JimH answered in this thread and it had been a long time since a developper said anything about HS  

Didn't mean any insult by pointing it out.  Just wanted to give new readers, who may not have seen the original thread, a link.

Walter...

[lOth]

Didn't mean any insult by pointing it out.  Just wanted to give new readers, who may not have seen the original thread, a link.

No one was offended, I was just teasing about the fact that HS has not seen much change in a looooooong time  

As matter of fact, I bumped your bump in the other thread, I think it's time that HS users (and I'm sure they are many) remind the programmers of their existence and voice their eagerness and enthusiasm for some progress in the fullscreen frontend area.

[dkan24]

I understand that what you're looking for is different though. I recommend you give a try to Track Info template called 'Just Easy'. It is simple and clear enough for analog TV in 800x600. It is listed as an MJ plug-in but it works perfectly with any version of MC. Here is a direct link for download/install :

http://www.musicex.com/cgi-bin/downloads/hit.pl?SKIN=623&download=plugin&version=8&url=http://www.musicex.com/mediajukebox/mj_data/trackinfos/justeasy.mjp

I downloaded it and it does look like what I am looking for, but it is not displaying correctly on my computer monitor running at 800x600.  The song title and artist are overlapped, as is the time remaining and track number.

EDIT- I just tried it on my HTPC which is also a monitor running at 800x600 and now there is no time remaining or track number displayed at all.  Weird.  

[lOth]

You should try to tweak the index.html file in visualization/track info/just easy. Just play with the font size, covert art size, and cells dimension (may use % to define the height) and you should get close to what you want. You can even include other tag infos.