Posts in HTPC
Meekell v0.6.0 Release

Sorry for the extremely long hiatus. Here's a new version for you to play with. Download it here.

I hope to follow this up with a quick maintenance release in a couple of weeks, so please email me with any issues you find.

As always, please let me know what you think!

Release Notes:

Meekell 0.6.0

Features:

  • V6 Video Compression!
  • EvilPenguin's DVD Burning!
  • External Drive Support (like standard STV).
  • "Browse Media Files" option (like standard STV, go to a import menu, hit 'options' button).

UI Changes:

  • Added Settings Item to toggle 'Delete' in Video Library
  • Added "Auto-skip commercials" toggle to "Enhancements" menu
  • Un-Archive now available in recordings menu
  • Incorperated Default STV End Of File Options

Bug Fixes:

  • Weird delete button size issue in Stanger's Imports menu
  • Channel Change deny prompt displays correctly
  • Commercial Re-detect popup now readable
  • Scroll Bar in main menu now works again. :)
  • Tons of other fixes - I lost track, sorry.
  • Various Theme Cleaning -* I'm SURE I broke some things doing this. Please let me know what looks weird. *
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HTPCVince AnidoComment
Meekell 0.5.0 Release!

Another bunch of features you all seem to want. ;)

Release Notes:

Meekell 0.5.0

Features:

  • mlbdude's External Program List ("Advanced->Configure Menu")
  • Malore's Custom Guide Menus! (add via Menu Customization)
  • -All Malore's menus can be renamed via 'options' command while in menu

  • Nielm's RSS NewsReader, w/ internal viewer! (add via Menu Customization)
  • Enhanced Disk Space Widget (like v3 hidden feature) ("Advanced->STV Enhancements")

UI Changes:

  • 1st Run Marking in Guide ("Advanced->STV Enhancements")
  • Added "Programs" and "Shortcuts" main menus. Shortcuts menu populates with Malore's Menus automatically See install instructions to get programs to show up

Bug Fixes:

  • Menu Configuration now reports correct menu being modified
  • Fixed all Watch Conflict popups (I think)
  • Added FSE Toggle to Settings Menu
  • Included Stanger's fix for Data Import. (fixes production year, and directors)

All users should download the entire package listed on this page. You can find the SageTV forum thread by clicking here.

To all my loyal Tablet PC readers: I promise I'm working on some great new articles and podcasts. They should be ready by next week.

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HTPCVince AnidoComment
Meekell 0.4.6 Release!

Short list, but BIG implications. Now that people can configure the main menu, I'm not scared to add new features and clutter the simplicity.

Release Notes:

Meekell 0.4.6

Features:

  • Configurable Main Menu Items ("Advanced->Configure Menu")

UI Changes:

  • Main Menu Animates (turn off in "Advanced->STV Enhancements", won't be activated if "MVP Enhance" is Enabled)

Bug Fixes:

  • 5-Item Menu bug squashed
  • Channel Icons and Status Icons in media player display correctly
  • Intelligent Indicator appears properly in Recordings Menu
  • You can find the SageTV forum thread by clicking here. You can download the files from the SageTV section of this site by clicking the "SageTV" link on the title bar of this page, or by clicking here.

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HTPCVince AnidoComment
Meekell 0.4.5 Release!

Okay, so it turned out to be a slightly bigger release than I had planned, but here we go.

Release Notes:

Meekell 0.4.5

Features:

  • Added Nielm's Info Popup

UI Changes:

  • Added setup for Data Import (Adcanced->External->Choose Collection.xml file)
  • Removed "Smart Folders" legend button to remove confusion. (it never did anything…)
  • Added icons to recording menu, option in "settings->advanced->enhancements->icons" - requested by multiple users (Thanks for the icons Iain!)
  • Manual/Favorite/Don't Like indication in media player
  • All menus should show current menu title in title bar
  • System asks if you want to import metadata for newly imported files automatically (uses DVD Profiler data import)

Bug Fixes:

  • Programs to Record - keyboard now has highlights for focus
  • Library Import - deleting directory now readable
  • Now warns before changing channel while watching live tv
  • Now catches channel change requests before canceling favorites recordings
  • Setup menu now shows if options exist out of view
  • Favorite Options now are fully functional and readable
  • Data Import now asks for .xml file if none set
  • A couple of other things I forgot about…

You can find the SageTV forum thread by clicking here. The new SageTV section of this site can be reached by clicking the "SageTV" link on the title bar of this page, or by clicking here.

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HTPCVince AnidoComment
Site issues & X41 Tablet update

I apologize. My site has been experiencing some issues with it's database server. I'm currently talking with my web host to get these problems ironed out, as it seems that my database server is the same as their own database server, so I'm inclined to think they want to fix it soon. In the mean-time, I'm taking a look into some wordpress caching plugins to take the load off the server and to keep the site working without the database connection. The downside of this is that I won't be able to keep track of how my site is performing with my stats program. Any wordpress gurus out there have suggestions? With that out of the way, I thought I'd post an update about my X41 Tablet PC order - it's back-ordered, and currently showing a July 19th ship date. This is getting dangerously close to my wedding date of August 6th, so unless I get it about a week before I leave for Tahiti, odds are I won't be able to play with it until the end of August - which would be torture.

I'm also working on some posts about Orb.com and using it to stream your TV recordings to anywhere in the world, using Meedio and DVD Profiler to setup a cool database for your DVD collection, and compressing your recordings for consumption on your Palm OS device using MMPlayer. The first of these should be finished in a couple of days, so keep an eye out.

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Dead powersupplies suck

If you've never had a powersupply die on you - consider yourself lucky. I must have the touch of death for powersupplies, because my Avid's PS is dead, my HTPC's just died, and my Mac at work has been acting up too. Here's what I've learned about powersupplies on their death bed: You'll never think it's the powersupply until you've done everything else. Because seriously, who has extra powersupplies laying around?

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