Baddabing's project - fyi:modem burner images

[cmhardwick]

is the media-player built into that one? I'm assuming so since you're talking about streaming it across the network.

[Marbles_00]

Yep, supposedly it is pretty solid at DVD playback (I've only messed with it for TV recording/playback). Audio playback is built in as well, though I'm not quite sure as to which formats it plays. Solid PVR system too. For video streaming require third party software which is no longer available. Even then it took virtually all CPU resources regardless if a client was connected or not. It even has client support for audio zoning playback (I've only messed with connecting via PPC so I haven't had a chance to really play with it yet). Also with a bit of fiddling, I've controlled it via my Hauppauge remote without any additional equipment (aka USB-UIRT). As stated, it is a pretty solid performer for a HTPC/PVR without a lot of "flash and glam". Tony (the developer) has kept it simple, but pretty powerful.

Well, don't just take my word, try it out, and see what you think of it.

[samgreco]

GAM looks great but I invested in SageTV a while back and I am really pleased with it. Plus I need the external controls that CQC and the new xLobby offer with the AV switcher and UPB lighting and who knows what else. Plus if I decide on CQC someone there has written a very good driver for SageTV.

[Marbles_00]

That IVB guy has a great CQC setup I must admit. He's most likely the "Buddabing" of CQC .

The only thing I don't like besides the price with CQC...and this may purely be per individual setup, are the skins don't look the greatest...well at least the ones I have seen.

[samgreco]

That IVB guy has a great CQC setup I must admit. He's most likely the "Buddabing" of CQC .

The only thing I don't like besides the price with CQC...and this may purely be per individual setup, are the skins don't look the greatest...well at least the ones I have seen.

I mostly agree. IVB is amazing as far as his system and the logic he uses. But I think his skin leaves a bit to be desired Badabing's skins are FAR PRETTIER!

I think that it's probably just different groups and what they started with. CQC was always about control first. Then the graphics started to come up. xLobby started as a pretty frontend and evolved into alot more backend power. At least that's how I see it

[rembetis]

I've been so absent on these boards lately, that I've probably lost whatever say I might have earned myself, but if Baddabing's work doesn't merit a free copy of $$Xlobby$$ then I'd be inclined to boycott it on principal alone.

[Marbles_00]

if Baddabing's work doesn't merit a free copy of $$Xlobby$$ then I'd be inclined to boycott it on principal alone.

Couldn't agree more. +1

[samgreco]

if Baddabing's work doesn't merit a free copy of $$Xlobby$$ then I'd be inclined to boycott it on principal alone.

Couldn't agree more. +1

+100 Truer words have never been spoken...

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

I disagree.

Just on principal alone

[cmhardwick]

by P3rv3rt B3ar on Tue Aug 14, 2007 4:09 pm

I disagree.

Just on principal alone

Ok, who left the cage open this time? B3ar's escaped again!

[Marbles_00]

Defrag wrote:

how is Calrad going to deal with ppl just using the free version and maybe even running their own support?

I don't think Calrad is going to worry too much about it, they're basing projected sales on the integration/installer market and couldn't give a hoot about us few that have an old free copy...in time, us "freeloaders" on this forum will be replaced with individuals that have questions that pertain more to the up coming commercial version, look at all the new individuals that have been joining and asking questions now. How many do you think are actual Calrad customers...I think a few are. Wes said it himself...he doesn't expect us who have the free version to jump right out and purchase a commercial version. Heck, I'm envisioning that this forum will be replaced with something that only paid individuals and installers/integrators will be able to access, could be wrong...who knows. And as for running our own support for the free version, who's to say that we can't...we may not be able to openly do it here, but who's to say that we can't support it our own way. I mean, I'm already offering a link with info/plugin/skin support. I hope to add more skins...on skin developers permissions in the future, as well as plugins...just for the reason of loosing the support on this forum. As well, we have an open IRC channel that we can discuss things on (hubcakes.omofil.com server using the #xlobby channel), which is hosted by memoe. Dgemily is there often...I'm trying to get on it more. Also there are a lot of other HTPC forums that we could openly discuss xlobby, and issues we may have with the version we grew to love...and at times hate...not to mention the French-xlobby team and their forum.

I'm just trying to say that all is not lost, but could be a dawn of a new re-birth.

[wesblack]

In response to Marbles post.

We value everyone on the forum and I think the active user's here are fantastic and so far very supportive of our efforts, so many talented people. I am going to try and post some more details on what's been going on behind the scenes tonight or over the weekend. There is some really exciting things to talk about I will mention a few things, Insteon products are now working in xLobby as a stand alone widget, It's "Awesome", Russound integration is almost finished and I am writing tons of macro & event commands for some cool new multi-zone audio and music scenereos mixed with lighting scenes and rs232 controlled video matrix switchers. Today I just finished xLobby's new 12 page color brochure to send to the printer, I will post a few shots. Steven and I have been burning the candle at both end's to get xLobby ready for release and prepare all the technology that's going in the booth to the Cedia show in Colorado.

Oh Yeah, there is now xLobby T shirts for anyone who comes by the booth at Cedia in Colorado, not to mention meeting Steven and playing with all the toy's.

Thanks for everyones continued patience and support !











Wes Black \ Calrad

[gamejester]

That is sad news Baddabing; you have donated a lot of good skins over the years.
Can I be cheeky and ask if you could PM me a private copy of your latest skin?? Cheeky I know but I can offer you some cash incentive if you like!! (would save me easily a 100+ hours of skinning so worth it to me). It looks exactly like the format I am after to adapt to my automation needs, and obviously I would respect any of your wishes not to share.

As my postings show I have not been active with Xlobby for the last 18months as I moved over to a different product, Media Portal, that offers a better solution for my needs. In my old xlobby days I was always creating skins to work well with TV series episodes until I came across the TVSeries plugin for MediaPortal which is awesome. It now hooks into TVDB.com, automatically downloads episode info, episode screen shots, fan art, banners, etc.. It auto marks shows as watched when you have viewed more than 95% (configurable), can sort by latest episode, etc.... It also has plugins for DVD, movies, etc.... Recent stability in their TVserver offerings means I can now stream 4 independent DVB-T streams from the server to any of the 6 client machines around the house and it handles all the recording and scheduling, conflicts, etc.... It is all direct-X based and has inbuilt players for everything, which make use of standard media graphs for codecs, so you can hook in your ffdshow post processing and such easily.

So why have I come back to xlobby?
Well I am now implementing a dual complimentary system in my new project. So all the TV will still be handled by Media Portal, but the main projector will be under xlobby control. I have also enabled the XP SP2 hack to for multiple RDP session on 1 box, and have installed xlobby into the other session of each client pc. In this way I can use a thin wireless tablet device as a touch screen control, I use things like the nokia 770, airtablet, etc... Mediaportal cannot be used over RDP as it uses acitveX which is not support; but with xlobby in the other session it can be configured to control MediaPortal !

Xlobby is really running as a glorified remote, which it is ideal for with its easy skinning engine, but again I only have need for the free version!
The experience using RDP over wireless on a low powered device is great.

I still see a future for the free version, taking it back to its roots as a pretty frontend, it provides for excellent looking touch screens for x10 control, etc...and by passing commands to netremote, or grider, or whatever you can control anything you want from it. So like others have said, this is not the focus of the new product, and in fact I doubt the new Xlobby will work for these requirements, I have heard it now uses .net 3, what about direct-X; if it moves to direct-X then it will be of no use to me.

So maybe the future of xlobby should be 2 streams.
1. Xlobby 3 – for integrators, works with all these expensive high end devise and such. A one stop shop that does everything.
2. Xlobby lite – based on the old free version, just a shell that controls external apps. Try to keep it free, or very cheap. Do not do any dev on it, but fix any bugs to stabilise it as is. Then let people provide free plugins for it if they so choose and skins, etc…

Wow, I have gone on a bit!

[sharp_1]

* too busy oiling the "D"-button and tuning up the fireplace for upcoming "cease and desist"-letters, to read the forum *

...For those that are not interested in the new versions and where xLobby is going, please continue to use the last free version that Steven released and enjoy your systems. More details on the Lite and Basic versions will be announced in September.

Wes Black \ Calrad

This should clear the air a bit.

[BaddaBing]

updated images