IceBox Enhancement Wishlist

[Mantorok]

I thought I'd start up a new thread where IceBox owners (or those thinking of becomng an owner) can post their ideas for enhancements or improvements to the unit.

I'll repeat mine from the other thread and add a few more.  Someone from Ice might like to comment as to whether or not they are feasible.

1.  Ability to transfer bigger files than 2Mb
2.  Support for WPA and WPA2 security
3.  Ability to do a Toppy firmware upgrade where it fetches the firmware from the Ice server
4.  Ability to add timer programmes to the Toppy via the web interface.  It would be cool to be able to add a timer via the internet from work.  This would need some added security though, like a password to get into the IceBox menu
5.  View EPG on Web Interface
6.  Ability to set up timers automatically for a particular TV show.  eg.  Enter "Doctor Who" and it will automatically record all TV programmes with that name.

[pvogel]

Thanks for the suggestions:

>1.  Ability to transfer bigger files than 2Mb
Possible but quite hard to do. It's on the "maybe" list.
>2.  Support for WPA and WPA2 security
Unlikely to be enough demand to warrant this.
>3.  Ability to do a Toppy firmware upgrade where it fetches the firmware from the Ice server
Would like to do this but the required information is not available from Topfield.
>4.  Ability to add timer programmes to the Toppy via the web interface.  It would be cool to be able to add a timer via the internet from work.  This would need some added security though, like a password to get into the IceBox menu
Unlikely to be enough demand to warrant this.
>5.  View EPG on Web Interface
We are considering a "widget" that displays EPG
>6.  Ability to set up timers automatically for a particular TV show.  eg.  Enter "Doctor Who" and it will automatically record all TV programmes with that name.
Would be nice - will see if there's enough demand.


Peter Vogel CTO IceTV

[Mantorok]

Thanks for the feedback Peter.

>2.  Support for WPA and WPA2 security
Unlikely to be enough demand to warrant this.

WEP offers very weak security.  In my WLAN environment I'm forced to use it (as WPA doesn't work over WDS) but one day I'd like to upgrade my WLAN and use WPA.

[mcretan]

Hi Guys,

Firstly, congratulations on your EPG implementation on the topfield box - its first rate.  I had to upgrade my USB driver and my topfield firmware and it all went without a hitch thanks to your instructions.  One problem I did encounter is that the topfield would hang when attempting to access my preexisting scheduled recordings - don't know if that was a topfield firmware thing or an icebox EPG thing, but after I reset the unit to factory defaults it came right.  Might want to put that in your troubleshooting section...

I have to say that whilst I am pleased with the functionality that the Icebox EPG provides within the topfield, I was a little dissapointed at the level of smarts it contains for recordng shows in a semi-automatic fashion such as by gendre, or by program name.

I was thinking about it and thought that since the topfield is connected to the PC at all times, and the PC has the Icebox application for downloading the EPG data, it would be really nice (as Mantorok has already suggested) to enhance the PC app to allow browsing of the EPG on screen, with search by gendre/program name, and then allow you to manually or automatically upload recording schedules to the topfield from the PC for programs of that name/type.  Possible enhancements to this are prioritisation of recordings according to remaining disk space; automatic deletion of older recordings on the topfield (i.e. a smart space management tool for the topfield HD); and on screen notifications of upcoming programs of interest.  

With functionality like this I'd easily pay my $3 per week - as it stands at the moment though, its a bordeline case, but I'll probably keep it going  

So keep up the good work, and I hope to see some TIVO functionality coming to my PC/topfield combo soon  

Regards,

Mike Cretan
Hobart

[mexiwi]

Thanks for the feedback Peter.

WEP offers very weak security.

Agree, I use WPA on my WLAN and would like to be able to connect one of the wireless thingos to my Toppy & WLAN

Another addition to the wishlist is a 3min skip - I've been using the ProgressBarKeys TAP for ages and love the 3min skip for ads, one press, no ads - It's on the Red button.

[kermit]

I have to say that whilst I am pleased with the functionality that the Icebox EPG provides within the topfield, I was a little dissapointed at the level of smarts it contains for recordng shows in a semi-automatic fashion such as by gendre, or by program name.

I was thinking about it and thought that since the topfield is connected to the PC at all times, and the PC has the Icebox application for downloading the EPG data, it would be really nice (as Mantorok has already suggested) to enhance the PC app to allow browsing of the EPG on screen, with search by gendre/program name, and then allow you to manually or automatically upload recording schedules to the topfield from the PC for programs of that name/type.  Possible enhancements to this are prioritisation of recordings according to remaining disk space; automatic deletion of older recordings on the topfield (i.e. a smart space management tool for the topfield HD); and on screen notifications of upcoming programs of interest.  

Mike you can do this with TEDS (http://users.tpg.com.au/adslhaj7/ted/)

[toppytools]

>2.  Support for WPA and WPA2 security
Unlikely to be enough demand to warrant this.

Peter Vogel CTO IceTV

Without WPA support I won't be using ICE...

[ChrisR]

Seeing this is a wishlist -

I'd like to see TIVO like functionality - I realise that this does not come from the EPG alone but is rather an interaction between the PVR and the EPG but I can dream little!!!!
 
- The ability to simply set record a show and not have to worry about  the timer ie the show carries some sort of ID tag and it doesn't matter if the preceeding show goes over the published finished time. The PVR & EPG will compensate.

-The ability to set the PVR to record all episodes of a show ( "Season Pass") no matter when they are broadcast. ( A good example is the current season of "24" on channel 7 - multiple episodes have been shown in differing timeslots. Imagine just having to set the machine to record "24"- All episodes  and it does the rest.)

-The ability to learn from what you record so that other similair shows or shows with same actor, director , whatever criteria you have set up on a preferences list maybe suggested to be added to a record list. Eg if you watch Star Trek then it might suggest you might like to record Star Trek: Next Generation or perhaps Boston Legal (because it stars the now rather rotund (?sp) William Shatner).

Just my 2 cents worth

Chris Ryan

[pvogel]

Thanks for the suggestions - we are certainly aware of these possibilities (I have been using TiVo at home for a couple of years now!) and we hope to see some PVRs with this capability on the market eventually.

BTW, MCE systems do the "season pass" thing alreay.

[RubberChicken]

Without WPA support I won't be using ICE...

Likewise. Far too many compromises on the current wireless product.

[froop]

Seeing this is a wishlist -
- The ability to simply set record a show and not have to worry about  the timer ie the show carries some sort of ID tag and it doesn't matter if the preceeding show goes over the published finished time. The PVR & EPG will compensate.

I know I'm coming in late here, but after having a laptop sitting in my hi-fi cabinet since I bought my toppy, I want to get rid of it, so I"ve started looking down this Ice/WGT634 route.

I currently use Up2Date,EPGUploader and JagEPG, which does just this. I just set it to record "Cheers", and no matter what time of day or what channel decides they want to run repeats of Cheers, I'll have it waiting for me.

Now that I've had it, this is one feature that I absolutely, positively, 100% cannot live without. So unless IceTV can do it, or if Ice generates TGDs that EPGUploader can use, I will have to live with the laptop in the cabinet, and every now and again downloading a new version of the ninemsn EPG grabber...

[srto2]

I currently use Up2Date,EPGUploader and JagEPG, which does just this. I just set it to record "Cheers", and no matter what time of day or what channel decides they want to run repeats of Cheers, I'll have it waiting for me.

Now that I've had it, this is one feature that I absolutely, positively, 100% cannot live without. So unless IceTV can do it, or if Ice generates TGDs that EPGUploader can use, I will have to live with the laptop in the cabinet, and every now and again downloading a new version of the ninemsn EPG grabber...

I can't see what you are worried about.  The WGT634U and ICEguide can be accessed without using the ICE tap.  The other taps you use are independent of ICE.  Instead of the ICE tap and letting the WGT634U access the net independently, you can get the ICE guide with TED.  TED will get the guide from ICE automatically, transfer the TGD's to the Toppy, and EPGuploader carries on from there. Jag's will still work.

And the best part is that the ICE download only takes a few seconds compared to the sometimes lengthy delays associated with JavaXMLTV etc.

Regards,
Rob

[froop]

TED will get the guide from ICE automatically, transfer the TGD's to the Toppy, and EPGuploader carries on from there. Jag's will still work.

That's what I had thought from my reading on this and on the Toppy forum, but I thougth I would just make sure since no-one has replied to this feature request, saying that it is already possible. Although it would make an even more seamless all-in-one solution if the ICE TAP could do name based recordings like JAG does. (And Peter also mentioned it was possible if there was enough demand. So I'm just increasing demand )

[srto2]

PeterU also posted a teaser on the Topfield forums that the 6MB file transfer limit of the WGT634U is just about fixed.

The ICE tap combined with the WGT634U provides the basic automatic functionality, when connected to the net, to silently keep the epg populated.  While I'm sure the ICE tap will be enhanced, existing taps and software already give you the functions that you like, and those taps will no doubt be enhanced, too.

Cheers,
Rob

[Sydney30]

If you want the TIVO like feature of setting timers by the names of the show. I.e. telling the Toppy to record "24" whenever it is on, download Jag's EPG. It is free and a great TAP. It also has a better GUI of the EPG data then the normal Toppy epg view.

Find it at:

http://www.topfield.cc/

Cheers and keep up the good work ICE.