I sent an email to ICE support asking for this but got little response so I thought I'd bring it up here for discussion.
I'd like ICE to consider adding a "generic xmltv" device to their ICE remote service which would merely save the recorded schedule to an XML file which could be downloaded explicitly by the user (or ideally the recording flag could be merged as an explicit new XML tag into the user's base XMLTV file although this may not be as easy for ICE to do?)
I would think this would not be difficult for ICE to do (at least compared to supporting a new actual device) but could then be exploited by the community solutions like TEDS etc? E.g. I use my own home grown script to pull down the ICE xml data and do favourites searching etc for my toppy 5000. There are other similar community solutions available. If I/we could programmatically get at the remote data then we could exploit the wonderful web/phone interface provided by ICE to set timers/favourites/series etc.
C'mon ICE, can't be that hard to add this? Failing that, can somebody from ICE please explain how I can set my remote preference to one of the existing devices and get the data programmatically?
Mark,
Currently our Remote Protocol is only available for use by selected partners under an NDA.
We are however currently working on an alternative that will suit your needs, we do not have a firm release date at this point but it should be within the next 3-4 weeks.
Our "Remote API" will be available in XML or JSON and should provide everything you need to support remote programing including series recordings and favourites.
We are really excited about this new API and look forward to seeing what the developer community can do with it.
We are currently developing an all new widget that will be available on the Dashboard for OS X, Konfabulator and hopefully as a Vista Gadget. The new widget will be built on top of the Remote API, so we will be eating our own dogfood on this one ;)
I'm sorry I can't give you any more details but the API is still under heavy development and the technical details may change before we release it.
Please be patient for just a little longer, I guarantee it will be worth the wait...
Cheers
Dan - IceTV Software Manager
Well, I can't complain about that response! :)
Thanks very much Daniel. I'll be waiting keenly to see what comes out.
Quote from: Daniel Drysdale on December 02, 2007, 08:11:08 PM
We are however currently working on an alternative that will suit your needs, we do not have a firm release date at this point but it should be within the next 3-4 weeks.
Please be patient for just a little longer, I guarantee it will be worth the wait...
Daniel, Any news on the Remote API ???
PS Happy New Year! :D
I'll let Dan respond in full in his own time (he's the best person to be talking about it), but it's likely that it won't be long. The IceTV office officially opens again on the 7th, so development will be at full pace again after that.
For the mean time, here's a teaser of the version 2.0 widget:
(http://homepage.mac.com/marcedwards/forumbits/widget_teaser.jpg)
As you might have guessed, we'll also have some of the I Watch This services in the API. It's a lot more than just remote recording.
waiting, waiting ..... :)
The IceTV Remote API is in testing right now and so far it's working very well. Documentation and other info won't be released until the widget has been out for a little while (we want to ensure what we're giving developers is stable).
We're really excited to see what you'll do with this though. Remote recording for Toppy's would be great!
Quote from: marc@iSlayer on January 22, 2008, 02:51:17 PM
We're really excited to see what you'll do with this though. Remote recording for Toppy's would be great!
We're also excited to see what we can do with it.
Though I think the really exciting stuff will happen after Beyonwiz release a firmware with Remote support.
Quote from: marc@iSlayer on January 22, 2008, 02:51:17 PMRemote recording for Toppy's would be great!
Ahem!! Haven't you heard of ToppyWeb? http://topfield.qmtech.com
Can you give us any updates on the remote API or Vista Sidebar gadget?
Thanks
Beta testing of a Yahoo! Widget Engine Windows widget will commence very, very soon. Please contact (http://www.icetv.com.au/contactus.shtml) IceTV support if you'd like to be part of the beta. We'll release the Windows widget as soon as we're happy it's all working well (it's looking very positive for a quick release).
It's looking like a Vista Gadget might be difficult at this point. That doesn't rule one out for the future, but the Yahoo widget and Dashboard widget are probably the most ambitious widgets I've ever seen and definitely the most application-like widgets I've ever worked on. Our testing has led us to believe that something that complex might not be easy to achieve with a Vista Gadget.
The API will follow the widget, however we need to make sure we have all the documentation in place first. It might be worthwhile also emailing support if you'd like to be one of the first to use the Remote API so we can make sure you're notified as soon as it all goes live.
I'm sure you've all seen it, but just letting everyone know that the Yahoo! widget has been released.
Still waiting for the Remote API... ::)
The Remote API is still being worked on, along with documentation for it as well. There is no firm time frame for when this will be available.
Quote from: Daniel Hall on April 18, 2008, 11:26:59 AM
The Remote API is still being worked on, along with documentation for it as well. There is no firm time frame for when this will be available.
Note that Daniel Drysdale, TceTV Software Manager said the following 4.5 months ago (see second post at top of this thread):
Quote from: Daniel Drysdale on December 02, 2007, 08:11:08 PM
we do not have a firm release date at this point but it should be within the next 3-4 weeks.
Dan - IceTV Software Manager
Moral of the story - never believe any software estimate!
Quote from: markb on April 19, 2008, 08:54:37 AMMoral of the story - never believe any software estimate!
We're sorry it's been pushed out. The good news is that the IceTV Remote widgets have been using the API for a while now, so it'll be very well road tested when it does get released.
Quote from: markb on April 19, 2008, 08:54:37 AM
Moral of the story - never believe any software estimate!
Or alternatively, "Software development always takes longer than you expect; even after taking this rule into account" ;)
Ok so it is now June, what is the latest with the Remote API?
We're using the API ourselves for the IceTV Widgets and plan to use it for other projects. To be brutally honest, we haven't had enough community interest to make it publicly available yet.
However, if you have an interesting project that you'd to use the API for then please get in contact (http://www.icetv.com.au/cgi-bin/webpage.cgi?op=show_contact). We'd certainly consider granting third party developers access if the idea was something we liked and thought might be useful for the IceTV community.
Quote from: marc@iSlayer on June 26, 2008, 04:50:32 PM
We're using the API ourselves for the IceTV Widgets and plan to use it for other projects. To be brutally honest, we haven't had enough community interest to make it publicly available yet.
It's hard to know what we third-party developers could use it for when we don't know what's in the API... :)
Anyway, message sent to you through the contact form. Thanks.
Quote from: futzle on June 27, 2008, 10:29:54 AMIt's hard to know what we third-party developers could use it for when we don't know what's in the API... :)
Anyway, message sent to you through the contact form. Thanks.
That's a fair call.
Generally speaking, if the widget can do something, the API has enabled it (remotely record, get the most popular list, get the recommended list, etc). Hopefully that gives you a feel for the scope.
We can certainly provide more info to anyone who contacts us directly.
Quote from: Marc-IceTV on June 26, 2008, 04:50:32 PM
To be brutally honest, we haven't had enough community interest to make it publicly available yet.
You are kidding right? You only need one clever and enthusiastic programmer to create the next great Beyonwiz/Topfield/MediaCentre EPG related application. For each device or application that supports IceTv there are at least 1/2 dozen capable programmers who could potentially develop the next TEDS type application for example. Just because they haven't contacted you it does not mean that aren't out there waiting.
Totally agree with .-1
toppytools & deangelj: Thanks. That's just the type of encouragement we need. We haven't forgotten about the API and we would love to see other developers take advantage of our data and services. I'm sure the community would build some good things we may never have thought of.
Mark - here's an example - I built this tool for the Topfield 7100 - it shows an EPG in a different layout to the one on the icetv website. I think it has a easier to read layout of programs and timers. What I'd like to do is to be able to set/change/delete timers from that screen to ice interactive which would then be scheduled to the 7100.
(http://users.bigpond.net.au/deangelj/images/7100-EPG2.jpg)
cheers,
john
I wholeheartedly second or third any calls for access to the API. The interactive functionality is very cool and I know others who have it working with supported devices, and I don't want to miss out just because I have mythtv. I'll happily make the fruits of my labour available for other mythtv users.
Ditto the above. Just because users don't clog up the forums with redundant threads about a topic doesn't mean it lacks support. How about introducing a "poll" function (like most good forums do) so users can suggest and vote on enhancements - if you don't build the feedback tools, you won't get the feedback - which could be seen as 'convenient' for the programmers...
Below is an e-mail I sent in last week requesting access. As yet no response but that's not surprising as I haven't had a response to any of the other e-mails I've written since the launch of PIMP and announcement of non-support for Toppy 5000's. >:(
QuoteHi IceTV,
I've been following the discussions regarding access to the API for your interactive service.
I'd like to request access to the API so that I can develop a solution for the Toppy 5000 for icebox1/2 and NSLU2 users. Incase you missed it I've also managed to get ftp working on the icebox1.
The solution I'm using at the moment through ToppyWeb and perlTGD works for me and does 90% of what I believe your interactive service does, only missing suggested programs, but has the added functionality of some device management.
This only works for me though because I have a home server I'm happy to administer. I imagine there are a lot of IceTV subscribers with Toppy 5000's that would use the interactive service if the community was given access to develop something for them.
It would also show them that they are still wanted customers. How many of the initial subscribers were Toppy 5000 users to help you gain a critical mass and stay viable? The needs of these subscribers now seem to be forgotten yet we are still required to pay the same amount as other users but get access to fewer features.
Looking forward to a response.
hubrat
Quote from: hubrat on October 02, 2008, 12:32:04 PM
Below is an e-mail I sent in last week requesting access. As yet no response but that's not surprising as I haven't had a response to any of the other e-mails I've written since the launch of PIMP and announcement of non-support for Toppy 5000's. >:(
Good on you, hubrat. I too have received a "first base" email from IceTV, but after that everything went silent. I've got similar goals to you: I want to be able to set timers on my TF5000+NSLU2 through IceTV Interactive. The TF5000 is so much more reliable than the EyeTV box in the next room, which lately has been crashing every couple of weeks.
Quote from: futzle on October 02, 2008, 01:53:02 PM
I too have received a "first base" email from IceTV, but after that everything went silent.
Ditto...
Just seen this thread. I too am waiting (since Feb. last year) for the API to come out to see if I can use it to create an iGoogle widget - embodies the Ice but rendered into any personalised iGoogle homepage. Don't use the Yahoo widget framework and don't have Apple stuff so I'm stuck with the full Ice webpage, plus want it to work on Linux.
Any further news on this? Is the project still in progress?
I have cut IceTV some slack with respect to new features while the court case was underway, on the assumption that their priorities were elsewhere. Now that the court case is done, I'd be very interested to know whether opening the API is something they are still committed to.
In December 2007 ...
QuoteI'm sorry I can't give you any more details but the API is still under heavy development and the technical details may change before we release it.
Please be patient for just a little longer, I guarantee it will be worth the wait...
I'm wondering if a release of this is still a remote possibility.
... and what the nature of that guarantee was ;)
Quote from: pixelassembly on September 04, 2009, 08:08:09 AM
In December 2007 ...
QuoteI'm sorry I can't give you any more details but the API is still under heavy development and the technical details may change before we release it.
Please be patient for just a little longer, I guarantee it will be worth the wait...
I'm wondering if a release of this is still a remote possibility.
... and what the nature of that guarantee was ;)
I can't see it happening before the Windows widget is fixed. Which, by the way ...
Mmmm, more than 12 months later - are we any closer guys?