News

12.02.2005 - VirtualDVR 4.11 released

In this release several minor bugs of version 4.10 are fixed. Furthermore command line actions now return a result (exitcode) which can be used to check if a command to VirtuaDVR was successfully exceuted or not.

The first release of this year mainly contains bug fixes but also some minor improvements such as support for an easy use of the windows time service and an improved overall handling as partially suggested  by users.

Unfortunately, the 4.00 had a serious bug which prevented active EPG updates. This has been fixed together with some other minor problems. There are still translators wanted to translate the lng-file of VirtualDVR into other languages. If you want to do this for a free registration, just contact me.

After more than one year of development VirtualDVR 4.00 is finally ready for download. Many suggestions of the feedback could be implemented. Here is a short list of the most important changes:

- new script system implemented, much easier to use and nevertheless more powerful - new help system, which allows even new users a quick start - BIOS-routines improved, they are more stable now and more BIOS versions are supported - EPG-Browser added, where jobs can directly be created from selected telecasts - new collision processing and a new feature to automatically merge jobs - EPG updates are now faster - update jobs can now have scripts too - EPGs can now separatly be updated - new DVBEPG supported, which allows it to get EPG data via DVB-s cards - all TV channels can have an own default script - one channel number can be assigned with several channel names - each script can have its own "channel override table" - the leadtime is now independent from the BIOS profile - numerous bug fixes such so the BIOS function did not work under win9x and the XMLTV update did not function at all - Drag&Drop support in the new script editor, so commands must not be learned and typed anymore - auto recording filters can now have an on-hit and a job script

After quite a while, the Beta-Test is nearly complete. Actually in the last months VirtualDVR was under heavy development. In a constant dialog with users the program has enormously been improved especially in a lot of details. Screenshots will follow soon. Furthermore new languages were added. If you want, you can still help to translate VirtualDVR into other languages. Just contact me. You will get all you need for this job (only ~35k text to translate) and after its completion, a free registration. The final release is planned for the 01.08.2004.

Just as planned, after one week of hard work, the beta test can be continued. As soon as it is finished, VirtualDVR v4.00 will be released. If you live in a non-german country, you now have the chance to get a free registration by helping to translating VirtualDVR into another language. Most important is currently French, Spanish, Italian and Swedish. If you are interessted in this job, please contact me (anonymous mails are ignored). The translation into Russian will be started within the next days.

This was a very short Beta Test. Thinking about the very constructive feedback, it just came up that some interessting things should be added, such as a new EPG interface to DVS-s cards and a new channel management system. On the other hand (bad news) the next release will be a bit more expensive (19.95 €). So I decided to release it as version 4.00. But (good news) users who have already registered or do this before the official release of version 4.00 get a free upgrade option just for the current price of 15.00 €. I hope to resume the beta test within the next 7 days.

After more than 2 months of intensive development, there is now a greater version-jump. While the extended network functionallity has not yet been implemented as planned, the script system was completely redone. VirtualDVR now gives the user a kind of control of his system that is normally only available to programmers.  No programming experiences are required and no learning of cryptic commands, just some basic Windows handling skills . The program will assist the user as much as possible. Furthermore some details have been improved. So scripts can be executed when jobs are automatically created. The 3.50 will - depending on the results of the Beta-Test - probably be released within then next 14 days. Users having CMOS acess problems with the 3.12 can download the extraordinary released version 3.13 meanwhile.

Not definitly planned but there were still too much bugs in VirtualDVR, so I decided to do a second Bugfix release. The BIOS part has once again been revised and I think I can now really recomment the use of this feature. Furthermore some problems of EPG Update jobs in connection with nxtvepg have been solved - it should work now also with “Merged Providers”. The program also caused some trouble with certain windows times formats - this should now not happen again.

Here now the announced BugFix release. Not much to say, download it if you had problems with the 3.10. I can not say when the bigger update with the mentioned new features will be available, but I think it will be this year :). At the latest then also an english board will be opened. Nevertheless you can also ask or comment in the forum linked at the german part of this page or just mail me.

The first update with new features since the release of version 3.00 is now ready for download. I was finally able to fully integrate xmltv (as an additional tool, not directly into the source ;) ). This means you can now also easily access EPGs for Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Netherlands, Norway, Italy, Spain, Sweden, UK and the USA when you create new jobs or want them to be created automatically if user defined keywords are found. You can even combine data imported from nxtvepg or the clickfinder with the data of xmltv. The next bigger update will focus on the script system and the network capabilities of VirtualDVR. At least the joblist can now be remotely updated - it will be automatically reloaded when changed. The script control system really needs a complete overhaul - but next version, I hope in about 4-6 weeks. Expect at least one bug fix release before this :).

The 3rd  BugFix update for VirtualDVR 3 is now available for download. A bigger update with new features including the missing xmltv support will presumably be available within in the next 2-3 weeks.

Not much too say, the 3.02 has just been released. Again you can also install it simply “over” an existing VirtualDVR 3.xx version. The BIOS functions have been updated to support some more versions and several bugs are fixed. More details can be found here.

VirtualDVR has just been mentioned in the c’t, a well known german computer magazine althought not in a way that I hoped of. Anyway, the current version still contains some rather annoying bugs. I will fix them as soon as possible and plan to do another Bugfix-Release next weekend. I will also add an english forum in the next days. Thanks for your helpful feedback.
Special greets go to a certain, very up-to-date russian website ;-).
Not so special greets to a certain chinese website, please stop to download the setup from my site if you only use it to apply your “update”.

The first update release after 3.00 is actually also a complete setup, so it can simply be “over-installed”. It contains some minor and language specific bugfixes and updates so it is suggested to download it, although no really serious bugs have been found so far. (Thanks to the long Beta-Test period.)

Finally, after several months of hard work, the release day has come :-). VirtualDVR v3.00 is read for download here. Unfortunately I can no longer continue to offer VirtualDVR as Freeware because the further development then would be impossible for me. So with version 3.00 VirtualDVR is Shareware. Anyway, all functions are available.

Page completely redone. Expect more news about the upcoming VirtualDVR 3.00 soon. After nearly 3 months, the beta test is almost finished.

Accessed times since 03.10.2002