Re: [Freevo-devel] FB VT release, X11 functions, HTPC cases

[Aubin P. <au...@pu...>]

On Thursday, June 20, 2002, at 01:25  PM, Krister Lagerstrom wrote:

> That's easy to do, I'll add it. I'm thinking about adding stuff too for 
> better X11 support. The osds_x11 server can open a special "window" 
> (just the X11 object, no frame etc) where the window ID can be passed 
> to mplayer using the -wid option. This can be used for fullscreen 
> playing in a controlled fashion on X11.

Sounds good. Have you tried out the X11 fullscreen patch that I merged?  
Having the vt release in there would make it possible to use any SDL or 
directfb app without much difficulty, just

1. VT release
2. os.system -> app
3. VT lock
4. redraw OSD

> An application like that wouldn't really be part of Freevo. It would be 
> a nice auxiliary tool that you would run once in a while on a regular 
> Linux desktop box to update your mp3 library. So it would be something 
> to point out on the website/in the docs.

Sounds fine to me.

>>> It'd be nice to be able to have per-file covers too, a lot of my 
>>> stuff is without the whole album.
>> Wouldn't be too hard, not unlike the .mplayer option, just 
>> file.mp3.png or something.
>
> Yep.

I'll do that later today then. I noticed you fixed one of my 
unintentional bugs (the draw cover routine wasn't under the 'if' so if 
the cover didn't exist, it would break the ID3 display. It looks like 
you fixed it when you moved it into the skin.

> I'm aiming to make the menu structure configurable from the skin, we'll 
> see what happens there.

Sounds good to me. I don't even have a CD rom or DVD rom in my box yet, 
but I'm thinking about it now, just for watching DVDs.

> I was thinking more about the concept of using a PC at all, regardless 
> of the case. It seems like a valid point that a TIVO is a lot cheaper 
> and more userfriendly (for now at least) since it is plug and play. But 
> it'll never be able to do MAME, DVD jukeboxing from the HDD, etc.

Agreed. Plus, the TIVO only works in the US and the UK, the rest of the 
world doesn't even have the option. Even VDR only works in DVB capable 
areas in Europe.

Speaking of MAME, I've never run it myself, but is there an SDL capable 
version? If you want to try using it on the TV, you'll need to use 
something like directfb compiled into SDL because the fbcon doesn't seem 
to work on the TV.  Plus, directfb is really, really fast smooth. I 
played Indiana Jones and the fate of Atlantis on my TV using a wireless 
mouse, anti-aliases graphics, and the MIDI routed through Timidity. I 
love Scummvm :)

> There's a discussion group about HTPC cases etc over at 
> www.avsforum.com, haven't read it a lot though.

I'll check it out. I'd love to build a proper machine that fits in more 
aesthetically.

> I actually checked in some stuff yesterday, the skin code is now 
> selected in freevo_config.py, and the skins are in "skins/test1" etc. 
> I'm going to add some more stuff to show how to do skins that inherit 
> from other skins, add per-menu background bitmaps/buttons etc.
>
> But the basic concept of separating the function (menus, mp3 playing) 
> from the form is there now at least. So the mpg123 changes you made are 
> in the skins/test1 skin now for example.

Looks nice, simple and elegant. Very cool.

> > Want to set a TODO for the next release?
>> * XMLTV (optional support)
>> * PNG per mp3 and/or directory
>> * Emulator support code.  (I don't imagine it'll be done for a few 
>> days yet. I still need to get the module done. I want to associate 
>> file extensions with apps, so I want a simple, elegant design, not 
>> just a -> b associative arrays.
>
> I've been wanting to add real install docs, X11 stuff etc for the next 
> release, but maybe we're better off making smaller releases more often. 
> So yeah, it looks good. I'll work some more on the skin stuff, and 
> hopefully we can release 1.2.4 late sunday this weekend if you're done 
> with the stuff on your end?

Sounds like a plan. I'll try to get those things done today, since I'll 
be away this weekend (only bringing the Powerbook, no Freevo box ;)

I agree that more releases might help. A lot of things change quickly 
between versions, and both functionality and ease of installation should 
help.

Last of all, I was wondering if I could add an apt repository to the 
website. It's just binaries and apt source stuff. It's the easiest way 
to distribute the prepackaged stuff that mplayer uses for Debian (XMLTV, 
custom compiled mplayer, etc.)

By the way, what's a guy gotta do to be added to the Sourceforge project 
admins thing? :) -- also, I'm not familiar with Kolopert. Is he still 
around?

Aubin