Unoffical empeg BBS

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#28759 - 29/03/2001 10:59 Customizing Displayserver
crazymelki
enthusiast

Registered: 16/02/2001
Posts: 373
Loc: Switzerland
Hi together,
Is there a possibility to customize with Frontpage 2000 the sites from the displayserver 1.1? I am thinking about to make some changes on the main site or add some additional information like pictures or tech datas....I wont to use that for demonstrating my wireless solution with the airport...?

Have someone any ideas?

Thanks cm

cm
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crazymelki.com

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#28760 - 29/03/2001 11:03 Re: Customizing Displayserver [Re: crazymelki]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31578
Loc: Seattle, WA
I have also thought about improving the layout of Displayserver's pages, but I'm pretty sure they're sparse for a reason: It takes RAM to serve up complicated web pages, and Displayserver is doing its best to conserve RAM. Very important on the empeg.

If I recall correctly, Frank has another version of Displayserver in the works. I do not know what changes he intends to make to the web pages if any.

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Tony Fabris
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Tony Fabris

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#28761 - 29/03/2001 11:10 Re: Customizing Displayserver [Re: tfabris]
loren
carpal tunnel

Registered: 23/08/2000
Posts: 3826
Loc: SLC, UT, USA
Something template based would rock. Each display component could be a placeholder like {memory} or something, and the template could be entered into a form and output to a static page that would be served up, which would make it totally customizable. Similar to Graymatter or Blogger ...


|| loren.cox ||
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|| loren ||

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#28762 - 30/03/2001 07:54 Re: Customizing Displayserver [Re: crazymelki]
fvgestel
old hand

Registered: 12/08/2000
Posts: 702
Loc: Netherlands
Currently, there is no way to do a thing like that, other than hackin up the source and recompile. As for frontpage, that would certainly be a problem, as frontpage requires serverextentions on the websserver. It can also use FTP as protocol, but that would require you to install some kind of FTP-server on the empeg ( which is doable though ).
I'm planning some of the functionality you guys suggested in the 2.0 release, but haven't had the time to setup a complete list of specs...
Things that are on the wish/changes-list :
- uploading/downloading of user-files (filetaxi) : doable and first tests are very promising
- empegApplet with remote : done, still some bugs
- customizable HTML-files (loren's suggestion) : doable, but requires some stable parser mechanism
- usable backup-functionality : in progress
- new framework design : still experimenting with different message-passing schemes
- logging of requests
- server-side daemon for "IP over USB"

Above list is from memory (I'm at work now), so I probably forgot some...


Frank van Gestel
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Frank van Gestel

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#28763 - 30/03/2001 08:21 Re: Customizing Displayserver [Re: fvgestel]
crazymelki
enthusiast

Registered: 16/02/2001
Posts: 373
Loc: Switzerland
We had today a customer event for IT-Manager with our company...Our company is spezialized in Mobile Computing with Handhelds like Palm and Windows CE in Groupware environments. On the end of the event I did a demo from my Empeg device with the Apple Airport in my car, the remote control from the independent vehicle heater to swich off/on the Empeg and Airport. They was very impressed from your Displayserver 1.1. It was really the highlight :-). Thanks again for your great job and hope to see the 2.0 soon...

cm
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crazymelki.com

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#28764 - 30/03/2001 09:48 Re: Customizing Displayserver [Re: fvgestel]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31578
Loc: Seattle, WA
uploading/downloading of user-files (filetaxi) : doable and first tests are very promising

Frank, you're my new best friend.

empegApplet with remote : done, still some bugs

Is this with the Rio remote or the Kenwood remote? (Please say Rio.)

___________
Tony Fabris
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Tony Fabris

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#28765 - 31/03/2001 08:17 Re: Customizing Displayserver [Re: tfabris]
jstrain
enthusiast

Registered: 18/08/1999
Posts: 202
Loc: philadelphia pa
is there a new remote shipping with the rio car now? if so, how different is it from the kenwood that came with the empeg?

jeremy

12 gig, green...
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12 gig, green...

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#28766 - 31/03/2001 16:18 Re: Customizing Displayserver [Re: jstrain]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31578
Loc: Seattle, WA
is there a new remote shipping with the rio car now? if so, how different is it from the kenwood that came with the empeg?

The new remote that ships with the Rio Car is a credit-card style remote, almost identical in shape and size to the Kenwood remote. It has the same number of buttons, but uses a slightly different key layout. There are a couple of new functions, such as dedicated keys for "Search", "Info" and "Visual". The hidden "tweak order" functions are now labeled. The Menu and Enter buttons are the same button. Some of the secondary functions can be accessed by holding down the button, something that the Kenwood remote couldn't do. Finally, it uses a completely unique infrared protocol so that it doesn't conflict with Kenwood equipment installed in your car.

Internet Explorer just locked up on me as I was trying to browse to the Rio site to locate a picture of it, so someone else will have to provide that link for you.

And to answer your next question, yes, the Rio remote will work with the Empeg Car player (as long as you're running software version 1.02 or later), and yes, you will be able to purchase them separately (although I don't know when).

___________
Tony Fabris
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Tony Fabris

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#28767 - 31/03/2001 18:18 Re: Customizing Displayserver [Re: tfabris]
pgrzelak
carpal tunnel

Registered: 15/08/2000
Posts: 4859
Loc: New Jersey, USA
I still would like that stun/kill option...

Paul G.
SN# 090000587 (40GB Green)
_________________________
Paul Grzelak
200GB with 48MB RAM, Illuminated Buttons and Digital Outputs

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#28768 - 01/04/2001 13:58 Re: Customizing Displayserver [Re: pgrzelak]
SE_Sport_Driver
carpal tunnel

Registered: 05/01/2001
Posts: 4903
Loc: Detroit, MI USA
I'd be willing to pay a small registration fee if you made this shareware instead of freeware. Maybe that'd help the development? :)

12gig Mk. II BLUE
Detroit, MI USA
www.PfeifferBeer.com
_________________________
Brad B.

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#28769 - 02/04/2001 17:10 Re: Customizing Displayserver [Re: tfabris]
tanstaafl.
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/07/1999
Posts: 5543
Loc: Ajijic, Mexico
Internet Explorer just locked up on me as I was trying to browse to the Rio site to locate a picture of it, so someone else will have to provide that link for you.

here.

tanstaafl.

"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"
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"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"

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#28770 - 10/04/2001 05:23 Re: Customizing Displayserver [Re: SE_Sport_Driver]
fvgestel
old hand

Registered: 12/08/2000
Posts: 702
Loc: Netherlands
When I first started coding for the empeg, I did it to experiment. It was pretty cool to have a webserver and LDAP-server on your car-stereo. ( I know, I am a geek ). I also started with displayserver for own use. The main use of displayserver was to have access to the display of the empeg, when it was connected at another location. I shared with other same-minded users and started making modifications. Before the takeover there were less than 50 users running it, so the concept of shareware didn't cross my mind. Another reason why it isn't shareware, is my ability to support the product. I am still reading this BBS regularly, but am also very busy with other stuff : I've got a busy job which doesn't always end at five o'clock, I've got two little children, which I don't want to give less attention and a wife, who also needs regular maintenance. Then there is the time spent in bars with friends, the periodic family-visits, driving around with the empeg at very load volumes, etc, etc.
Most of the time left is spent on computing, which is displayserver programming, some LDAP-programming on delphi, USB-over-IP on delphi/empeg, administer my hardware at home, experimenting with plan9/inferno and numerous other things.
Any time left is spent sleeping...
On the other hand, now that empeg is bought by Sonicblue, there will be an enormous userbase soon, which could generate a nice $$ from registration fees. Hmm, time to think about it...
I guess when the empeg really gets widely sold, the empeg/sonicblue guys will provide their own software with similar functionality...


Frank van Gestel
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Frank van Gestel

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#28771 - 10/04/2001 08:41 Re: Customizing Displayserver [Re: fvgestel]
Dava
member

Registered: 06/12/2000
Posts: 192
Loc: Bucks UK
Get in there now Frank!

IP doesn't just stand for Internet Protocol....

Maybe SB should just pay you a huge sum of money and save themselves some work. You can then resign and spend more time maintaining your wife (and Displayserver for us). ;-)

MK2 Red S/n 949
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MK2 smoked 32Gb S/n 090000949 MK2a Blue 20GB racked and out of sync

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#28772 - 10/04/2001 09:07 Re: Customizing Displayserver [Re: Dava]
SE_Sport_Driver
carpal tunnel

Registered: 05/01/2001
Posts: 4903
Loc: Detroit, MI USA
I am just amazed at the time and effort that you and other developers have put into your empegs (logo editor etc). It may have been for yourselves at first, but they have really been created so well (and are continuing in that development), that they really enrich the whole "empeg/riocar experience" for everyone.

I tell everyone that this BBS was my main reason for buying the empeg. No matter how great the product was (upgradable, database mngmt, burr-brown, capacity, etc) I was still warry of buying from a company that I didn't know and that could possibly go under one day. That is less of a concern now because of Rio's dominance in the marketplace. But, not only is the BBS a great way to get "unofficial support" and contribute to future development via user suggestions, it showed me that there are dedicated owners out there. So, even if empeg was never bought out and went out of business, I felt that there would be enough fellow owners out there to help with any issues that I may have.

So, if there wern't people like you guys out there writing software to work with the empeg, I don't think I would have bought one. I would have thought it was a great product designed by very creative and quality people, but I don't know if that would have been enough to drop nearly $2000 US.

Considering how much you guys have added to the value of empeg/riocar, I am sure Hugo or Rob or someone wouldn't mind giving you a little "inside info" on a confidential basis (such as: We're already working on this, spend more time with your wife) so you wouldn't waste your time reinventing the wheel.

Again, because of all this, I wouldn't mind paying a registration fee. Maybe you could even "bundle" some software such as the logo editor and make some sort of empeg suite! :) Then, put it on http://www.download.com and retire in Utah!

12gig Mk. II BLUE
Detroit, MI USA
www.PfeifferBeer.com
_________________________
Brad B.

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#28773 - 10/04/2001 09:08 Re: Customizing Displayserver [Re: fvgestel]
pgrzelak
carpal tunnel

Registered: 15/08/2000
Posts: 4859
Loc: New Jersey, USA
Wow! I haven't heard Plan9 in a very long time!!!

Keep up the excellent work! If you decide to turn displayserver into shareware, you can count on a registration here!

Paul G.
SN# 090000587 (40GB Green)
_________________________
Paul Grzelak
200GB with 48MB RAM, Illuminated Buttons and Digital Outputs

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