Improvements on Home Videos & Documentaries - ‘File Size Limit’/default folder icon/NO THUMBNAILS under 60s - Support requested for new features
let’s face it…
‘File Size Limit’ of 2 is only useful for movie collections. ‘File Size Limit’ of any other number may be useful for other collections like youtube documentaries or home videos. So please make ‘File Size Limit’, collection dependant to make it useful for more than just a few split movies. Personally, I would make ‘File Size Limit’=1 for my documentaries and home videos. Other people may like to change ‘File Size Limit’=100 for their documentaries and home videos. Give people choice please – otherwise change the name from MEDIAbroswer to MOVIEbrowser.
The default folder icon is useful to replace the ugly transparent folder icon. While a welcomed feature, it would be nice if MB could do something more. I suggest a boxset-like folder icon generation as default instead of the default icon. ie. if the folder contains media, take a miximum of 3 samples from 3 different media files and display them in an assortment just like MC does. In this way, I can immediately recognize that it is indeed a folder and I do not have to make specialized boxset icons. You see, if I do make a specialized boxset icon, it will have to be more than just a screenshot of a single video, otherwise I would not recognize it as a folder amidst the rest of my media. So basically I am proposing a boxset-like folder icon generation as default instead of the default folder icon.
2 years ago I mentioned that NO THUMBNAILS are being generated for HomeVideos shorter than 60s. This is still true today. Can we please fix this so we can finally have a proper HomeVideo collection? What is the point for this restriction anyway? Does it even serve a useful purpose? I don’t see it. In any case please give people the option to have proper thumbnails for ANY length of media.
My suggestions are directed at making MB easier on the eye and our media gallery complete from the first run. MB should be complete and all encompassing covering all bases if it is to be called MEDIAbrowser. We want MB to be functional out of the box and not after a week of hard work!
Please people voice your support for this feature set request.
No comments?
I understand that most of us are content with the way things are with MB today. However, don’t you think that the suggestions made above will improve MB and bring it closer to perfection? Please support the suggestions if you find them useful.
Let me start of with my setup, no Internet access for MB metadata, all metadata is stored locally and because I am very particular and annal sometimes with how my metadata is being displayed I create most of it by custom PS pics and XML files custom made as the providers as well as MCM metadata fetchers can’t obtain it because of its uniqueness. In addition my views have to have media information displayed as icons, otherwise Google Images & Dogpile are my friends.
I create loads of custom icons for top folders of movie collections, documentaries, Mini series and other Special broadcasts. Often I spent more time creating the meta data then it takes time to watch it. I have gotten used to this and all my meta data is stored locally so the less then 60 sec doesn’t apply to me as I create my own thumbnails as well as posters, xml files and backgrounds.
Any solution like MB will only do max 80% of what individuals like the rest has to be customized that is the nature of the beast when you deal with thousands of individual preferences. Let me present my thoughts on your 3 points.
I am not sure what you mean by file size limit. I have documentary folders that have subfolders and have content in all sizes, ways and forms. I have not experienced what you perceived as a limitation.
I am using MB’s cover art and if it is not a folder it puts on it the type of media, BluRay, MPEG, DVD, XviD and what ever else. If it is a top folder it is just a folder no media indication. For example for Madagascar my top folder says “Madagascar Collection” with nothing else on it, but the inside folders have Madagascar 1 to 3 with the type of video indicated on the spine. I am very particular regarding my posters they are 400 x 600 ALL of them and so I modify many from 578 or 588 by 400 to 600 by 400. I hate Aspect Ratio distortion that Cover Art introduces when using discs sticking out or doing the fan folder type approach. I create my own including on some of them the title text that later on will serve as the Logo.
With custom or home videos I have done 2 approaches. A series.xml file with all the particulars in it plus a folder called metadata which includes the individual xml files plus the thumbnails. I have 30 sec commercials that are being displayed like that. To make it all look professional I am using Throg’s themes including Destiny (free) which has a decent Strip view that displays loads of episodes of different clips in a single folder. Using Ascendancy’s List view if they exceed 6 items, using Kismet Strip or Imperium poster view for less then 6 items. As long as any changes in MB’s core don’t break what I have spent time on I am satisfied.
I do agree that for Documentaries and single special broadcasts with several Discs or episodes they should be able to be handled without the season folder. John Adams and cancelled series with few episodes come to mind. Throg with his themes has allowed this when I can go straight into the episode thumbs from the top folder. What I would like to see is more items (Tags) from Folder.xml & Series.xml being exposed as well as allowing font formatting in the Overview or Description part of the xml files.
