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BoxStar Development Status

ChangeLog

If you're really bored you can look at the ChangeLog which is auto-generated by svn log at each release.

Status

DVB

DVB support is a major project and VDR has a huge head start. As an interim solution I've just written a boxstar module for using VDR. It works well enough that I've felt I can put boxstar to one side for a while to work on other projects, but I've always had enough gripes with VDR that native DVB support in boxstar was always a long-term goal, and since fitting a DVB-S card has highlighted more shortcomings in VDR I'm keen to develop this part of boxstar ASAP.

The main ways I'd like to improve on VDR are in channel management, support for Freesat's quirks, the client-server model, and video player front-end (initially MPlayer instead of xine, then hvid).

hvid (formerly boxav)

I've started work on my video playing library. I even got as far as getting it to play sound (with alsa) and picture (with SDL) together albeit with no attempt at synchronisation just yet (but it accidentally synced better than VDR's softdevice plugin and certain buggy versions of MPlayer!) and it didn't work properly with MPEG 4. This is available in the "try1" branch in svn. But then I started a major rewrite and now I've decided to start yet again. I've looked at the possibility of using GStreamer but decided it would be easier to use my own framework to support all the features I want.

Feature list (proposed)

• Use as much GPU hardware acceleration as possible, in particular VDPAU.
• I originally planned to optimise for TV output (interlaced CRT), but I've replaced my main CRT TV with an LCD, and also often watch on a PC monitor over the network so I won't be considering CRT TVs as a priority after all.
• Always use vblank/vsync even though it's tricky to achieve with X. This means interlaced programmes can possibly be played as-is on a TV and it avoids tearing in X.
• Use OpenGL for deinterlacing with negligible CPU load (see linuxtv.org).
• Ensure A/V sync is as close as possible, using audio resampling instead of skipping/repeating frames so the picture will stay smooth.
• Use the resampling code to play 24fps films on a PAL TV by speeding them up - again to preserve smooth video motion. On-the-fly pulldown for NTSC will be another option.
• Allow frames to be dropped deliberately to speed up playback so you can catch up after pausing live TV.
• Provide the output for boxstar instead of SDL, so it can overlay its menus on a TV picture.
• WSS when outputting a 480 or 576 line picture to a TV. I've heard of a patch for an existing player that can do this, so hopefully it might be possible to add to any compatible picture stream, although it might only be possible to send the signal "off-picture" with certain DirectFB drivers.

Roadmap

Here are my future plans for BoxStar.

boxstar		Command-line options for logging etc		Support Xine		Menu options for video items eg choose audio track, player app
		More input modules: LIRC and TTY		Support MPEG decoders like DXR3 and FF DVB cards
		Music jukebox
											Streaming client
				Choose and watch TV channels (DVB)		Manage timers and recordings		Management and control of advanced features
boxstard		XMLTV and/or DVB EPG		Make DVB cards select and play channels		Timed recordings		Automatic recording of favourites
								Advert skipping		DVD burning
						Web server		WAP server
											Streaming server
hvid (formerly boxav)		My own video player with special features for boxstar

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