Front Row on XP

I have been working on a Front Row application that will run on Win XP since the beginning of the year. Unfortunately a few things have conspired against me finishing the product - not least of which is free time as well as the upcoming release of Mac OS X Leopard with iTV.

The iTV software interface will in my opinion, replace Front Row in its entirety and that fact combined with the huge problem of addressing the multitude of Windows system attributes in existence, have meant that I have decided not to try and finalise its development.

I have put together a short preview of the working beta version here http://www.markraats.com/FrontRow_on_XP.htm, but users familiar with the real program will see that there are still a number of things that still need serious attention and some of these are:

1) The opening (and closing) desktop transition to the Front Row interface is not a real-time screen-grab, but rather a generic screen from my system emulation

2) The background aqua-bar behind the text menu's is not as wide or rounded as the original

3) The bar showing elapsed time in the music playback is not wide enough

4) The graded background plate does not extend high enough

5) One of the biggest technical problems at the moment is the accurate accessing of the music playlist information, the cover art and playlapse data. This results in (sometimes) lost infomation elements or failure to load the new music from the folder.

6) MOV files are also less successful in the video sections. I am studying the Picasa usage of the various video playback engines - this might assist in getting the quicktime engine in line.

7) The end transition from the viewing option (ie Photo's, Music) back to the revolving interface has not been resolved.

This has been a great experiment for me but please remember that this application was developed as an exercise and is submitted here for interest only

#425453

dude...gimme! i don't have front row so i can't compare the 'flaws' to the original, but, wow, that's awesome! your art's really good, too. but, not my favorite tull album, so you lose a point there...

#425462

Thats just cruel man, this is supposed to be a sharing community!

#425482

another temptation keeps flowing around

#425484

if you would release this it would make u the man, sarah media is just terrible and skining everything else out there just keeps crashing my system.

#460338

plz realse this cause this would be one of the top downloads ....cause sarha media sucks

#460342

What narstic said.....

Plz keep up the good work!

#460466

Thank you Samio!

Unfortunately, I am not intending to release the Front Row application because of the reasons I originally listed.

If you are interested, I have added a brief overview of the AppleTV app I developed using the backend I made for my Front Row.

http://www.markraats.com/AppleTV_on_XP.htm

#460499

Wow, it's so pretty....

Great job, I hope you decide to release it.

#460865

wow, absolutly awsome looking, as with iTV.

shame to hear that you wont be releasing your Front Row clone.

do you have any plans to release your iTV clone?

i'm sure it would be a huge hit with the community.

#462383

wow, absolutly awsome looking, as with iTV.

shame to hear that you wont be releasing your Front Row clone.

do you have any plans to release your iTV clone?

i'm sure it would be a huge hit with the community.

Not really and for the same reasons as the Front Row app. It all comes down to available time really and I don't have any to spare because I run a number of businesses.

With AppleTV as successful as it is, it would be silly to try and compete. It was cool when I had one running and nobody else had it working, but now they are everywhere and everytime Apple adds another feature (like YouTube), I have to rework it all over again.

These days the real thing works just fine..

#462437

Wow! Could you please release this?

#462889

How would you be competeing with Apple TV? You obviously have a community of people here that would use it that don't have one, or simply want to emulate it.

Plus, I don't think a bunch of people sitting at their desktop will find the youtube feature that important.

#463031

hope you decide to release this

looks great... keep it up

#463777

I got an idea.

Maybe if it's about having to maintain it, you could release it as open source or outright hand the project to someone else to carry the torch when you're done experimenting with it. Then you won't really have to worry about it yet it will be kept up and people will be happy because you put it out.

#464173

i agree. this is a huge advance for the emulation community, and i know for sure that the community would keep the project up to date! this would be tremendous hit, and everybody would thank you unceasingly!

#464174

Hi,

First, your work on Front Row and AppleTV is just great! Thank you for letting us know about it!

I understand that you are not willing to distribute it or sell it.

However, for educational purposes, it would be great to share it for the community, so that the community would be able to learn from your work.

Let us know if you want to discuss this specific issue.

Thanks again and all the best,

Don.

#467867

Hmm intreasting...

#468875

So,

You Make the stuff, just for fun, even though you said you were busy with running "many businesses"

so now all of us who are getting all excited due to your Front Row on PC app are let down because you don't have enough time

it's a shame people like you do stuff like this? if your not going to release it, why bother mentioning it?

but still, great work and thanx for dropping my hopes 6 feet under!

#478785

So,

You Make the stuff, just for fun, even though you said you were busy with running "many businesses"

so now all of us who are getting all excited due to your Front Row on PC app are let down because you don't have enough time

it's a shame people like you do stuff like this? if your not going to release it, why bother mentioning it?

but still, great work and thanx for dropping my hopes 6 feet under!

Well mate, sorry you are disappointed about the fact that some of the developers here also do research and development - and not only releases.

Some app releases, while a good idea when we start them, can become a huge challenge to manage and develop - specifically because of the vast differences in system setups, constant changes in OS's and installations. We can't always guarantee that something in development will be released but all in all, most people try and do what they can within the community...

In the case of this FrontRow/AppleTV application, all I can say is that the backend engine has been purchased from me by a well known OS developer. The conditions of that purchase is that they now own the software and they will develop it - if they choose to.

I may NOT (in accordance with the contract), reveal the name of the purchaser. I also may not develop for others or distribute it in any form but I can use it for my own personal use.

Sad, but thats the way the real world is....

That said, maybe some people will STILL be interested in what has been done in the past

#478824

yeah, raats! when you sold the engine for your app, you were apparently more concerned with chasing the big bucks than with how lewiswilson would feel. you selfish bastard! next time you do anything, just think: what would lewiswilson do? (WWLWD?)

also, thanks rubbing your success in my face. you're a working developer making money at your craft. then you post here, bragging how great you are. 'look at me, i sold an app! i'm great and you all suck!' wow, man, that stings. you completely forgot everything i said about WWLWD 12 seconds ago.

why, raats? WHY?

#478875

I won't say what I think because it would be the clone of shmengie's post. So I'll just say "+1 shmengie" !

Using us for experimenting without being warned makes me feel like a lab rat :/

"Some app releases, while a good idea when we start them, can become a huge challenge to manage and develop - specifically because of the vast differences in system setups, constant changes in OS's and installations."

You could have released it "as is", like if it doesn't work for a certain system, you don't care, but if it works, good for you since you made it for personnal use.

/me starts looking into VLC apis ...

"Sad, but thats the way the real world is...."

No, I disagree. This is just how YOU wanted this to be.

Even I have somebody willing to buy my media player, I would say no (I have my reasons, I don't want to explain them now) , well if they would give me 5 000$ we could talk about it xp.

#478882

Ha ha guys. Doooon't stress.....!!

No rubbing in at all intended here just answering the question asked.

I am far too old not to consider $$ from any source - as we all would be. Unfortunately, things we make as personal projects very seldom work to a script so there is no telling where these things end up.

Oh damn, maybe I am just selfish.

Hmmmmm...

#478959

i see no point for posting this.What do u want to hear? that you are a good developer? You wanna hear people asking for your work and having you answering:

"Um.. Sorry guys.Its not for public yet.I just wanted all of you to know how good i am"

(Or maybe you just want to advertise your site?)

ok you are.Congrats.But PLEASE,next time you publish NFR work go and rub it on someone else's face.

#478983

Let me get this straight. You guys bump a thread several months old just to harass a developer.

Good job... Members suspended; thread closed.

#478984