[vdr] Re: Some suggestions...

[s.huelswitt@gmx.de (Stefan Huelswitt)]

On 03 Jan 2002 huillier@web.de wrote:

> Features for the MP3 mode:
> 
> - I miss a function to add complete directories 
>   with subdirectories to a mp3-playlist. 

This is on the TODO list. If I get some time, I want to rework
the editor/browser a bit.

> - Due to the information in the ID3-Tag it would 
>   be nice to have more powerfull sort (eg. in a 
>   playlist) and shuffle functions. 
>   For example:
>   Select a directory, a special playlist or even 
>   all files and play randomly files from one 
>   author, genre or whatever.

Well, I don't see the point behind. For me this is why we have
playlists. If I want a special set of songs, I create a playlist
(this doesn't have to be with VDR, you could write whatever
script you want to generate playlists). And most people have
organised their mp3's in directories like /author/album/*, so if I
want a special author I play the directory.

> - Support for a database (single file which contains 
>   path+id3tag of each file) on a removable Media 
>   (eg. CD) would make these media more usable. 
>   Such a database was already used in some projects. 
>   One popular example is the pump project (see C't /99 
>   and 10/99). For a medium which do not contain an 
>   appropriate database the file should be created 
>   and saved on harddisk. So next time you use the 
>   CD, the database exists. 

If this is to speed up scanning of the id3 tags, I have to
mention that the MP3 extention is caching the tags on disk (since
version 0.31). The actual file is only scanned if path, file size
or file date has changed.

> Suggestion for SVCD,DVD and Mplayer mode:
> 
> - The menuitems of these playmodes should be 
>   combined to one. Then the user has not to decide 
>   which playmode is the correct, but only which 
>   media should be played.  
>   For example you can select in mainmenu an item 
>   "play media" (e.g. DVD Rom) . Then the software 
>   tests the selected media: 
>     -> If it is a DVD then the DVD mode is used.  
>     -> If it is a VCD/SVCD then  the VCD mode is used. 
>     -> If its neither a DVD nor a VCD the soft could try 
>        Mplayer or further modes which are probably added. 

I agree that we are getting to many menu entries in the main
menu. But in any case, we have to consider that DVD/VCD are
mainly played directly from media (not selection needed) while
most MPlayer files are on harddisk (selection needed).

-- 
Stefan Huelswitt
huels@iname.com  | http://home.pages.de/~nathan