TV Snapshot beta test launched

[gaxco]

GAX S.A. has started beta testing its TV Snapshot application, which provides interactive features to people viewing satellite television on their PCs. TV Snapshot captures data sent by broadcaster in the satellite stream (specifically EPG data, as there is currently not much else), saves it on the user’s hard drive and links the data to related Internet content that can be accessed at the viewer’s convenience.

 

TV Snapshot requires the full version of DVBViewer. It is currently not a proper plugin of DVBViewer, but this is planned to be implemented before the end of the year.

 

The freeware application is available for download on http://www.tvsnapshot.com. We are currently looking for beta testers for this application. We will organize a prize drawing among all beta testers, the prize being a 256MB MP3 player (iRiver iFP-390T).

[Klausing]

which staions you want to provide with this? There are hundrets of stations and which information you collect about the user?

Could you burn a little light on for this?

 

And where is the profit for the DVBViewer and this community?

 

Steffen

[Guest Lars_MQ]

Well I couldn't resist und installed it.

 

First try: first started the prog and then DVBViewer, well it effectivly killed DVBViewer in startup phase. No chance of starting the DVBViewer

 

Second try: started DVBViewer then the prog. There was a red tv symbol in the statusbar and every time I clicked it or pressed space the tv-picture froze for 1-2 seconds. Nothing was shown in the browser.

 

Third try: like second but this time it actually showed something in the browser. after clicking the entry the browser commited suicide with a gpf.

 

Well I think I stick with our stuff, at least it does most of the time whats supposed to do

 

lars

 

[edit]by the way, is there a reason you can start the prog 8 times and it shows 8 times in the systray? I can only run one DVBViewer... [/edit]

[gaxco]

Hello Lars_MQ,

 

As stated above, TVSnapshot is under beta-testing.

What you describe works correctly on our facilities.

The problems you have with TVSnapshot are interesting for us. Do you want to be a beta tester and help us improve the product, Lars_MQ ?

Can you give us your configuration and reproductible errors ? It seems that all your tries lead to different results.

 

For Klausing,

TVSnapshot works with a lot of TV Stations (approximately one hundred). We would like to have partnership with a TV broadcaster for a better user experience but we have a generic interface that works with any TV Station that sends EPG data. The TV station are configured in the file (TVSnapshot directory)\data\TVSChannels.xml.

Concerning your worries about privacy, we do not collect any information about the user. Let me explain you how it works:

When you launch TVSnapshot and takes some snapshot by pressing the space bar, the snapshot data is written in a file (data\TVSnapshots.xml) and no internet connection is required (nor used).

When you double click on a snapshot in the 'browser', an html request is sent to a cgi script on our server with the snapshot data (taken from the TVSnapshots.xml file). So actually, it is exactly as if you browse a web page.

 

For everyone,

Do not be impressed by a bad user experience, try it and make your own opinion. All you risk is to win a mp3 player

[Guest Michael]

sorry... but i must confirm the problems that Lars_MQ found

 

1. tvsnapshot running, starting DVBViewer -> DVBViewer gets stuck on startup -> 100% CPU

 

2. DVBViewer running, tvsnapshot started afterwards, -> nothing happens, no new database entries, nothing...

 

and.... ihmo... i don't see the point in using the app...

 

it's only good for buying products from AMAZON wich match some EPG information and where you will get money for each bought piece, or not?

 

have i won the mp3 player now?

[Hartwig]

I have the same Problem like Lars_MQ and Michael.

And if I allow the Program to connect to the Internet without any connection, it doesn't work. I must kill it by the taskmanager. If I don't allowt a connection to the Internet, then it works, but not on RTL, VOX and RTL2.

 

In the Flash Demo I can see something from MTV, like the title of the songs...

But when I press space on a music channel, nothing appears. There appears only something from pro7 and Kabel1 and only sometimes.

[Guest Lars_MQ]

@gaxco

I'm sorry but right now I don't have the time becoming a beta tester for your program, I have too much to do testing my own plugins and other stuff for the DVBViewer, but I'm always willing to give a new version of your program a try

 

lars

 

PS: One thing: Don't allow multiple instances of your program, I think that was one cause of failure on my system. Speaking from own experience multiple instance can have really nasty effects

[gaxco]

Hello,

 

I am sorry for all the problems you have with TVSnapshot, I must admit I never tested it without an internet connection.

We will start to make a plug-in version which I hope will solve most of the stabilitie issues.

 

Thank you all for your reports.

 

For Hartwig,

The flash demo represents what we would like to do. We would like that MTV sends the title songs in a way or another so it is linked thanks to TVSnapshot to Amazon or MTV shop. Unfortunately MTV did not answered us so we implemented the epg thing as a demonstration purpose.

 

For Michael,

The purpose of TVSnapshot is to allow you to buy stuff related to what you are watching. I mean you probably already whatched a video clip thinking I would like to have this one...We are aware that without partnership with MTV or others, the application is less usefull, that is why we added a google search functionnality.

To answer your questions:

Yes we get a small percentage when you buy stuff from TVSnapshot but it does not impact at all on the price you get.

No you have not won the mp3 player yet, I do not decide who win it

[Griga]

I mean you probably already whatched a video clip thinking I would like to have this one...

 

Well, we can simply record it... for free! That's what the DVBViewer has been made for.

[Guest Lars_MQ]

well after looking at the gruesome screenlayout viva uses to play the video in poststamp size with all the stupid stuff around, they may have a point in buying the videoclip, so you can actually see it, without getting whoozy from watching all the running text

 

It's like the music stuff, I would sure buy the one or other song,

 

IF

 

- they would get the stick out of their a*** about right management

- they would take reasonable prices

- I could press a button and it would be electronically delivered without having to deal with their horrible sellingsystems.

 

and last but not least, IF there were music worth listening to and not the crap which rotates now

 

Your system may be a start, but I fear it's a long way, till this stuff gets accepted.

 

lars

[gaxco]

OK, we have released the new TV Snapshot beta version which is now a plugin of DVBViewer. This should solve a lot of the problems that were reported here.

 

It can be downloaded at http://www.tvsnapshot.com/

 

-Alex

 

(some of the earlier 'gaxco' posts were from Guillaume)