CoverArt 1.2 adds several new features and a few bug fixes.  The major points are:

• More Covers – Expansion of the standard covers in both the CoverArtCase and CoverArtClearCase image sets. There now are cases for most of the video types (xvid, divx, h264 etc.)
• More ImageSet Options – Some more new internal image sets to make for a little more flexibility. These include minimal versions of the above image sets that only have "the big 3" covers (DVD, BD, HDDVD) as well as a "default".
• Cover by Definition option – This is implemented at the profile level. So, you can define a profile that will choose a case based on whether the item is SD or HD. This only applies to movies and, right now, only applies to the CoverArtCase image set (but hopefully, will work for ClearCase as well before release). It will also work, however, in a custom image set you define.
• More Intelligent Previews – The config app is now more intelligent in the previews it shows you. For instance, it will only show you the default treatment for things like series and seasons because that is all they will ever get in the real program (those things don’t have "types" or definition).
• Automated Registration System – Ahhh, there it is – the introduction of a registration requirement for a MediaBrowser plug-in. This is a first and, I imagine, potentially controversial but it is unfortunately necessary for me to continue working on these things. I have chosen what I think is a very reasonable cost ($4usd) but, if you register in the next two weeks it will be half-price. Registration is only required once per household and is not a recurring/subscription item. The process of registering is fairly painless as well.  Please see the registration page for details. (Note: If you have previously donated, you will not need to donate again.  I will email you a registration key before the trial period expires)

Well, that’s pretty much it.  You can install or upgrade via the Media Browser Configuration Wizard now.  Thanks for your support!

Okay, I’m finally ready to put a “1.0” on CoverArt and call it official.  I’m sure there are still a ton of bugs, but it now has full configuration capabilities and I want to go ahead and make it real.

It’s available through the Configuration Wizard.  Enjoy…

Main CoverArt Page

CoverArt Setup Page

Sam has made the installation of plug-ins much easier by basically eliminating the need for third-party sources.  So, from now on, you won’t need to add the ebrSoft source to the Configuration Wizard (and you should actually delete it).  Our plug-ins will be available through the normal MediaBrowser source.

The Installation page has been updated accordingly.

Okay, I’ve finally done it.  I’ve got a lot of things I’d still like to do with both the core of MediaBrowser and plug-ins but the time it is taking is starting to make it more and more difficult. 

I’ve added a donate button to the site.  You should see it over to the right.  If you use my plug-ins (or even just the core features I’ve helped with in MB itself) and feel it is worth a few bucks to you, please consider donating to my efforts.

I really appreciate anything you can provide.  Thanks.

If you are familiar with Stark Covers and the fine program that tyborg put together to manage them, perhaps you’ll be interested in a new plug-in I’m working on to provide this same type of functionality directly within MB. 

These covers are being “Starked” by the plug-in.  Their original folder image files have not been modified by an external program.  In fact, some of them don’t have local images at all.

Come give me ideas for how to set this up here.

Okay, I’ve put up a source url and installation page (DemonSeed, you will notice I blatantly stole your artwork ).  You can now install betas of Films Like This… and Favorites.

Let me know what you think in the forums.

I have created a googlecode repository for the source for ebrSoft plug-ins.  It is mercurial just like MediaBrowser and can be found here.

It will be covered under the same GPL license as MB.

Hopefully, I’ll get motivated over the next few days and I’ll get some official betas of Favorites and Films Like This… up where you can install them.  Stay tuned…

I’m ebr.  Welcome to my new entity.

I’ve been spending A LOT of time lately working on the dev team for MediaBrowser.  If you’re here I’m going to assume you already know what that is and have probably seen me around stumbling through the forums and community tracker.

I’ve had a great time working as a dev on this awesome product that Sam and Jas (Soultaker) have created and hope to continue that work.  However, I’ve also had some ideas for some capabilities I’d like to see in the product that aren’t necessarily suited to be a part of the core implementation.  The last few iterations of features I’ve helped implement in MediaBrowser have been towards the goal of expanding the plug-in architecture to allow some of these things to be implemented.

My work on the plug-in theme implementation and the new context item menu are basically the architectural groundwork that allow the already great plug-in system to be even better.  With these features now inside of MB core, one can create extremely rich and flexible plug-ins that interact as if they were in the main program.  This allows many new capabilities to be added without making the core MediaBrowser experience too complex.  Thus creating a great product for both casual “I just want to install it and go” users as well as the super-tweaking power user (you know who you are…)

Anyway, so now comes ebrSoft.  I’ve created this entity to make it a little easier to distribute and support the new plug-ins I’d like to create.  But also, honestly, because at some point in the not-too-distant future, I may need to try and produce some sort of payback for all the time I am now spending on these efforts.  Now, rest assured, I have no plans of launching some sort of “bait and switch” tactic with crippled software and required payment or licensing.  I just want the ability to maybe ask for some donations down the road and be able to more easily manage the distribution and support of the things I create.

For now, however, I will just make my offerings available with no strings of any kind and endeavor to create and support them to the best of my ability.  Please register on the forums and post any feature requests, bug reports, ideas or general discussion in the appropriate place out there.

Thanks for stopping by.