New Program Idea

[KingAtRock]

First I'd like to say I have zero knowledge of programming and creating small programs.

Second, I'd like to say I think I have a some what good idea.

Here goes,
I have collected around 200 dvds (including a lot of tv dvd boxsets)
however I noticed I never watch the box sets but watch the shows when they're on cable. Here's my idea (fantasy):

A program that acts like virtual tv stations, where you create your own channels, by ripping the dvds to a folder (would take time I know) you could sort in folders or channel folders what dvds/mpgs go where.
Here's the tricky part; getting it to act like multiple tv channels that when you switch from channel to channel it jumps to random points in the videos/files. The idea being it's like all the channels are going at once.

With something like an overlay photoshop file icon (like a channel icon on real tv) for each channel for personalization, it would be like a custom set of virtual tv channels.

If it sounds way too unrealistic please let me know, I would love to know of any programs that already do what I described or someone who is interested in the project.

Thanks for reading
-King

[lumis]

oh wow.. that just sounds like a big waste of time & money..

you go out and buy (or steal) the dvd's because you watch what you want to watch, when you want to watch it..

you just sound like an indecisive person who would rather have someone make a choice for you, than have to make the choice yourself, no matter how trivial it is.

then again, i might be wrong, someone might make this program and make millions.. i doubt it though.. seems like a good waste of hard drive space though..

[jimmalenko]

I have to say that my first impression is "why bother ?". It certainly sounds like a novel idea, but I always thought that you bought the DVD so you could watch the exact section you want, whenever you wanted, and not be reliant on the TV stations' scheduling, didn't you ?

So with that said, it's simply a matter of putting in the DVD (or alternatively double-clicking on your AVI or MPEG file) when you want to watch it, no ?

[KingAtRock]

lol,
as I expected, thanks everybody.

hdd space is getting cheaper every day, indecisive maybe, maybe not.

However from people I've talked to I'm not alone when I say movies lose their freshness and you tend to forget about them if they're not at a moments access.

But thanks for your opinions.

[vhelp]

Sorry guys, I had nothing else better to do than to play along with
KingAtRock 's fantasy

Actually, as crazy as it sounds, its plausable. That is, I can understand
what KingAtRock is saying.

I want (wouldn't mind) both worlds. We all understand that there are times
when we need to be under control (speaking of what is being shown at any
given time on TV)
.
Then, there are times, when *we* want to watch something at a given time
within our choice modes.
.
*THEN* (KingAtRock's idea) there are times when we fantize (or ponder)
the idea of having a bunch of videos at our footsteps, and (say, 15 to 20
videos icons showing and playing at the same time) but, to choose from
instantly.

This is still not a bad idea. I think that you all got it wrong.

Hauppague WinTV; and ATI's MMC; have this, but they are *only* snap shots
of a given program channel. Hardly worth checking out, when you can't
see all the videos playing in the icon view.
.
But, I think the limintation is with the MUSCLE it needs to:
* get all the videos at one (say 20 channel icons are filling the screen
at 32x32 each) and each one is playing smoothly. When user views this,
he/she can pick what their hearts desire, and watch, *or* just channel
surf for the heck of it, because they can see in a-bundance all of the
channels programs.

I like the idea, and (but) as quickly as I fell in love with it, (first
saw it in my old ATI-TV Wonder pci card years ago) I fell *OUT* of love
with it because all the icons were just snap shots, and were not updated
with video. Anyways.

I thought about this some time ago, to try and squeez 2 videos inside
an 32x32 icon, and let them play. If that had worded, then I would have
uped the icon count to 5, and then 10 ... etc till it chocked, so that
I could get an idea of how much could be produced on screen, w/ an
acceptable choke-range. Anyways.

In one idea, I thought about an * sequential seeking* method through
channels, but I could figure out how to change channels on my card.
(It *was* an idea - anyways) ..as I was saying/thinking..
.
And then create a method to bitblt() to each 32x32 icon. This can be done,
through the use of threading. there is enough video (small enough)
to push onto each 32x32 icon, and w/out slowing/bogging down the cpu.
You just have to find the stress-point (per given CPU muscle) and use
that amount of icons on a given pc setup. So, one pc might require 5 icons,
while another might get away with 20 icons.

So, after the initializeation of find a given threshold level of a pc,
and assiging that number to the icon count (ie, 10 icons is the limit)
then, the Flow would probably look like this:

1 --> open channel device and assign the DC to it
  2 --> grab a frame
  3 --> push [ bitlit() ] it onto an icon
4 --> repeat 2 and 3 indefinately, until user selects a
      given Channel

Because everything is done in small 32x32 icons, it could be fast
enought to give the illusion of smooth video play.

The above is for a TV card. But, could be revised to fit the idea
of a bunch of videos stored on a hard drive. One would just have
to figure out a layout, and the best ability to catagorize the video,
but leaving each video open to be read in such a way.
.
But one confusing or strange problem to this, is how are you going
to initialize all of the videos (DVD's) on your harddrive. I would
guess that you can't.., but instead, you have just have to open
each one. But, from what point inside the video. Where do you
decide to start playing at.. etc. Do you start it whever you activate
the icon grid. I don't know. But these are things to think about.
.
If you have, say 200 DVD videos on a stocked hard drive. Then, you
have to devise of a method to parse through each one, but limit to
the MAX channels your pc can handle.., say 10 icons. That would mean
that you would have 10 movies playing at your finger tips. Ok. There
seems to be a limit already. But, not to despare. Lets change the
reality a bit.., and use "illusions".
But, don't forget, w/out sound. No need to include sound.
.
Those 10 icons (call them channels) playing your dvd movies, can looked
at, as pages. So, PAGE 1 would 10 channels of the dvd movies playing,
and PAGE 2 would be the next 10 channels playing ... etc.
.
Thus,

1 --> open channel device and assign the DC to it
  2 --> grab a frame
  3 --> push [ bitlit() ] it onto an icon
4 --> repeat 2 and 3 indefinately, until user selects PAGE
      n or Channel
      5 --O if Channel selected, goto line 11 and play the
            channel
      6 --O if PAGE selected..
          7 --> increment PAGE counter, and move to next
                11 Channels
          8 --> grab a frame
          9 --> push [ bitlit() ] it onto an icon
          10 -> go back to line 4 (lines 2 and 3 will have
                7,8,9 ref)
11 -> play channel

The illusion here, is that every DVD movie looks like they are
playing somewhere (though they are not) Also, there *is* some form
of Control *and* Freedom by all this.., because the DVD movies are
not playing 24/7/365.1 throughout. They are only playing when the
user activates the above (then watches the movie) etc.

I don't know.. was a good excersize.. what do you all think..

-vhelp 3355

[KingAtRock]

Exactly! Wow, talk about in depth (shows my knowledge of coding).

Thanks for clarifying some what.

[jimmalenko]

*THEN* (KingAtRock's idea) there are times when we fantize (or ponder) the idea of having a bunch of videos at our footsteps, and (say, 15 to 20 videos icons showing and playing at the same time) but, to choose from instantly.

I can do better than that ... I stand in front of my shelf in the living room and I have over 200 DVDs at my fingertips to choose from, playable in the 5 seconds it takes me to take the disc out of the cover and put it in the player

This is still not a bad idea. I think that you all got it wrong.

Each to their own