MediaPortal, one of the more popular open-source and free HTPC software programs has released a new version. The focus on this version is stability and useability - both very important to the success of MediaPortal and HTPC software in general. This version includes an update feature that allows you to update from within the user interface of MediaPortal.
Highlights of the MediaPortal 1.0.0 release include:
TV guide:
- Improvements concerning the speed of the TV guide
- New group button which allows switching between TV channel groups more easily
TV-Server:
- Support for analog TV cards has been improved a lot, TV experience should be much smoother now
Performance:
- Animations of default skin feel a lot snappier
- Scrolling text is displayed smoother
- Subfolder navigation is much faster in certain circumstances
- Pictures plugin is more responsive during DB additions
- Better handling of network shares
- Faster channel zapping
Better error handling:
- Users will receive an error message when video files don't play due to missing codecs
- GPU recovery in Windows Vista will no longer hang the system
- Better handling of system wake-ups from standby
Configuration:
- Configuration now remembers the removal of optical drives
- Support for the DVD Navigator of PowerDVD 8
- The previous limit of 20 shares was increased to 128
Various others:
- The Refreshrate Changer is now integrated into MP
- Recordings can now be imported even if the channel does no longer exist
- Better handling of skin changes from within the MP GUI
- Subtitles can now be enabled / disabled from the GUI
- Integrate non-linear (smart) stretching of 4:3->16:9
- Automatic start of the TVService if necessary
For the complete changelog and installation instructions head over to the MediaPortal Website
