My Movies for Windows – Home and Essentials v5.13 Build 2

My Movies for Windows - Home and Essentials

The final version of My Movies for Windows – Home and Essentials 5.13 is now available.

Version 5.13 has the following change log:

My Movies for Windows 5.13 Build 2

  • Fix: There was some kind of build error causing the Collection Management program to be unable to start. We are sorry for the trouble.

My Movies for Windows 5.13

  • Added: Import of movies now uses collection numbers from personal data, when possible.
  • Added: The alert viewer have been added to the Collection Management application, as many users use this as their primary interface.
  • Added: Option to track digital copy types in the meta-data.
  • Added: Compare on movie updates. Currently only for data, and not images.
  • Added: Compare on TV series and episodes
  • Added: Checkbox on disc chapter editing where you can indicate that chapter names is not included on the release.
  • Added: Check for new data before contribution of TV series and episode
  • Added: Ability to track more than one type on a title.
  • Added: Mobile location editing for TV Episodes.
  • Added: Ability to configure iTunes to start under the My Movies service.
  • Added: Personal data for TV Series
  • Added: Convertion of Disc titles with mapped TV Episodes now adds paths to the episodes.
  • Added: Option to pause converting before next job, in Converter Tasks.
  • Added: Import/Monitoring of movie/disc titles files in a folder and its subfolders.
  • Added: Option to pause/resume converter in Dashboard
  • Added: Support for PowerDVD 15 in external players.
  • Added: The dashboard now remembers column width changes.
  • Added: Dennon remote handler have been updated to allow for adding custom buttons.
  • Added: JVC remote handler have been updated to allow for adding custom buttons.
  • Added: Preparation of 2160p video format.
  • Added: Hungarian language
  • Added: DLNA server for serving pre-converted MP4/M4V and MKV files to various devices.
  • Update: Kodi/XBMC meta-data storage handler have received many updates, now storing tv series, tags and set information on box sets.
  • Change: The complete percentage of box sets now reflects that various data should not be added on box set containers.
  • Change: The system now stores mymovies.xml files for TV Series
  • Change: Personal data is now stored in the mymovies.xml file.
  • Change: MP4/M4V meta-data tagging now moved to a separate storage handler, and now tags both movies and tv episodes also.
  • Change: For improved stability, the back-end service now checks the state of the SQL Server service, and starts it if it is not started, giving better details on screen for clients if there are problems.
  • Change: The music disc copier function now had the option through the MP4/M4V meta-data storage handler to add copied tracks to iTunes.
  • Change: Updates to media info reading, to read more information for multi-disc titles and mobile converted titles.
  • Change: Keys are now mapped to PowerDVD supported keys when using the My Movies remote control apps, as PowerDVD cinema does not respond to using the default WMC ones. Use the green button to return to WMC when playing.
  • Change: The mymovies.xml file is no longer encrypted, and can again be used by users for personal reasons. The file includes a comment that we consider the format and filename internal, and that other applications should not store files in this format.
  • Fix: Production companies for movies were not added correctly, when updating data on the movie.
  • Fix: Disc titles did not get their online id set, right after contribution of a new disc title.
  • Fix: An empty error message with headline database error could be returned when opening Collection Management right after an update.
  • Fix: My Movies bonjour interop dll was not added to assembly under WHS 2011 and Server Essentials 2012, which could generate unwanted errors.
  • Fix: Some log errors could be generated when system was restarting as a drive watcher caught the shutdown.
  • Fix: Play disc was shown in some situations where it should not be.
  • Fix: An exception could occur when trying to register AnyDVD.
  • Fix: Unexpected drive ids could lead to a crash.
  • Fix: Import of movies set the movie to be standalone if it was in the collection only belonging to a disc title.
  • Fix: Import/monitoring of movies now uses categories from personal data, when possible.
  • Fix: On TV Series update the result window only showed one line in the changed field. It now shows multiple lines.
  • Fix: If disc path is set to BDMV or VIDEO_TS folder, then ‘add to converter’ now accepts that.
  • Fix: Copying to WMA format for music discs could lead to a copy error.
  • Fix: TV Series had their group reset when episodes got added to it.
  • Fix: TV Series update will now add new episodes, and update names on existing ones, even when the series is locked.
  • Fix: Personal titles for movies were not shown correctly, for movies under disc titles.
  • Fix: Meta-data for movie profiles were not stored when running a combined meta-data update in settings.
  • Fix: Some wrong path handlings could cause various issues in the video converter.
  • Fix: Disc copy direct to video converter had some problems setting the correct destination path.
  • Fix: Known TV Series mapping was not used when converting directly from disc
  • Fix: Issue with MKV and TV Series episodes not mapping correct.
  • Fix: Various things using a randomizer was not truly random.
  • Fix: Cleanup in local database had created a problem with some of the sorting in WMC.
  • Fix: Some issue with categories that could block storage of TV Series
  • Fix: Minor issue where update of personal data on a movie could miss the data from the type field.
  • Fix: Personalized titles for movies were not always used in the title list
  • Fix: Starting data servers (API) after 10 seconds rather than instantly after service start, to avoid missing global assemblies on install.
  • Fix: iTunes process was started in a way that caused Apple TV to be unable to see it.
  • Fix: Mobile path wasn’t cleared when changing between episodes
  • Fix: Convertion of side B of a disc was not already mapped correct, and mobile paths could be set wrongly.
  • Fix: Copy Disc directly to converter only worked with one convertion profile. It now also uses the second profile if one is set.
  • Fix: Rare sql bug that made Collection Management open with an empty title list.
  • Fix: Episode count in bottom of Collection Management was not set correct.
  • Fix: Copy/paste of actors into a generic movie didn’t save the sort order of the actors.
  • Fix: Import/Monitoring would sometimes add side b of a disc, if the disc id couldn’t be found.
  • Fix: Import/Monitoring could end in an endless loop when checking folders with disc titles.
  • Fix: Indication of movie year inside () or [] in folder or filename was not used correctly.
  • Fix: Categories for movies wasn’t saved in client when doing sync down from webservice.
  • Fix: If an external player launched a second process internally, our external player handler would not close the player when WMC is restored. This affected PowerDVD.
  • Fix: If the machine was not connected to the internet, loading of covers could be slow.
  • Fix: If the machine was not connected to the internet, loading of person photos could be slow.
  • Fix: There could be some issues on which client that picks up which job when having multiple clients converting videos.
  • Fix: Location type could be incorrect when syncing collection from online service.

You can find out more about My Movies for Windows – Home and Essentials from here.

Add-In: Drive Bender v2.3.8.0

Drive Bender Logo

Plenty of updates to Drive Bender including windows 10 support (v2.3.5.0), an important update if you are running multiple pools (v2.3.6.0) and a fix for the slow, sometimes none finishing file system health check (v2.3.7.0)/

2.3.8.0 change log:

  • [u] Pool scanning tasks (aka health monitor, landing zone clearing and balancing) now cache folders for improved performance.
  • [b] Balancing and clearing of the landing zone tasks may not complete.
  • [u] The health monitor scanning frequency has been changed from every 4 days to every 7.
  • [b] There is not limit on the number of repeat notification email that can be sent (there is a limit on the number of emails that can be sent in a given time).
  • [b] When the pool is starting and system drives are inspected, the default timeout has been increased to prevent spurious warnings.
  • [b] If the landing zone clearing time is set to one minute, it can prevent the health monitor from starting.

As always the download is available from here.

The Home Server Show Podcast Episode 284

home_server_show_small

Episode 284 of the Home server Show podcast is about using the HP Stream Mini Desktop, Plex and Synology on the go. Not apps, in vehicles!

With Dewain Robinson taking us through his setup and how he synchronizes and views content from his home to his “home away from home” setup. This is a great hardware and networking episode which you can find here.

Add-In: StableBit CloudDrive v1.0.0.282 BETA

StableBit, the company behind DrivePool today announced a brand new product called StableBit CloudDrive which aims to be the best way to securely store your data in the cloud on Microsoft Windows.

stablebit_cloud_drive

What it Does:

  • StableBit CloudDrive creates a new virtual drive on your PC that stores its data in the cloud.
  • You can optionally encrypt your entire cloud drive with a key that only you know for trust no one full drive encryption.
  • StableBit CloudDrive learns which data you access most frequently and stores that data in a cache on one of your local drives for quicker access.

You can also use it locally in order to create fully encrypted virtual drives.

StableBit CloudDrive is available right now as a public BETA.

More information is available from the company’s blog, whilst the download can be found here.

Add-In: My Movies for Windows – Home and Essentials v5.13 Pre Release 4

My Movies for Windows - Home and Essentials

The pre-release build of My Movies for Windows – Home and Essentials has been updated.

Version 5.13 Pre Release 4 has the following change log:

  • Added: Convertion of Disc titles with mapped TV Episodes now adds paths to the episodes.
  • Added: Option to pause converting before next job, in Converter Tasks.
  • Added: Import/Monitoring of movie/disc titles files in a folder and its subfolders.
  • Added: Option to pause/resume converter in Dashboard
  • Added: Support for PowerDVD 15 in external players.
  • Added: The dashboard now remembers column width changes.
  • Added: Dennon remote handler have been updated to allow for adding custom buttons.
  • Added: JVC remote handler have been updated to allow for adding custom buttons.
  • Added: Preparation of 2160p video format.
  • Added: Categories to Kodi/XBMC NFO storage as "Tags".
  • Added: Hungarian language
  • Change: The music disc copier function now had the option through the MP4/M4V meta-data storage handler to add copied tracks to iTunes.
  • Change: Updates to media info reading, to read more information for multi-disc titles and mobile converted titles.
  • Change: Keys are now mapped to PowerDVD supported keys when using the My Movies remote control apps, as PowerDVD cinema does not respond to using the default WMC ones. Use the green button to return to WMC when playing.
  • Change: The iTunes control that was introduced in the prior pre release have been changed to run in a separate service.
  • Fix: Starting data servers (API) after 10 seconds rather than instantly after service start, to avoid missing global assemblies on install.
  • Fix: iTunes process was started in a way that caused Apple TV to be unable to see it.
  • Fix: Mobile path wasn’t cleared when changing between episodes
  • Fix: Convertion of side B of a disc was not already mapped correct, and mobile paths could be set wrongly.
  • Fix: Copy Disc directly to converter only worked with one convertion profile. It now also uses the second profile if one is set.
  • Fix: rare sql bug that made Collection Management open with an empty title list.
  • Fix: Episode count in bottom of Collection Management was not set correct.
  • Fix: Copy/paste of actors into a generic movie didn’t save the sort order of the actors.
  • Fix: Import/Monitoring would sometimes add side b of a disc, if the disc id couldn’t be found.
  • Fix: Import/Monitoring could end in an endless loop when checking folders with disc titles.
  • Fix: Issue introduced with new handbrake version – it did not like an ending backslash on paths, which could lead to the system not using meta-data for main movie detection.
  • Fix: Indication of movie year inside () or [] in folder or filename was not used correctly.
  • Fix: Categories for movies wasn’t saved in client when doing sync down from webservice.
  • Fix: Client PCs could as of latest Pre Release refuse to start service operations.
  • Fix: If an external player launched a second process internally, our external player handler would not close the player when WMC is restored. This affected PowerDVD.
  • Fix: If the machine was not connected to the internet, loading of covers could be slow.
  • Fix: If the machine was not connected to the internet, loading of person photos could be slow.
  • Fix: There could be some issues on which client that picks up which job when having multiple clients converting videos.
  • Fix: Location type could be incorrect when syncing collection from online service.

This pre-release version can be found here.

Add-In: StableBit Scanner v2.5.2.3100 BETA

StableBit Scanner Icon

StableBit Scanner the advanced hard disk surface scanner and monitor add-in has been updated.

Version 2.5.2.3100 BETA has StableBit CloudDrive compatibility and various fixes.

You can download this latest beta release from here.

Hard Drive Reliability Data Q1 2015

Backup company BackBlaze uses thousands of hard drives in its business and regularly publishes hard drive reliability data.

Hard Drive Reliability

In their latest report for Q1 2015 Hitachi drives (HGST) is still the reigning champion with no more than 1.83% of drives failing.

Regarding the 2 main players in the market, Seagate has the highest failure rate (as high as a third), whilst Western Digital has at most a 9% failure rate.

The full report can be found here.

The Home Server Show Podcast Episode 283

home_server_show_small

Episode 283 of the Home Server Show podcast is all about Plex, power and NAS:

“Power outages either cause problems or reveal them so @JCollison and I are talking power.  I’ve also got some Plex on NAS info for you as well as a follow up on Otixo and CloudHQ.  Lastly, CloudBerry Labs has some DeDupe for us! I’ll fill you in.”

You can find episode 283 here.

CloudBerry Dedup Server v1.1

CloudBerry Dedup Server

CloudBerry Dedup Server is a data deduplication software for Windows Server. It is designed to reduce size of your backups by recognizing and storing only one copy of identical blocks across all files.

The program works in conjunction with CloudBerry Backup and processes all the data received from client workstations and servers. After deduplication is completed all data is moved directly to your cloud storage account.

Version 1.1 has a couple of new features:

  • Compression – Use the cloud storage space even more effectively and save Internet traffic by compressing the data you send to the cloud.
  • Encryption – Stay safe by encrypting your backups with 256-bit AES algorithm.

Its not cheap at $299.99, but if you are interested a free trial version is also available. More details are available from here.

HP ProLiant MicroServer for Dummies

HP ProLiant MicroServer for Dummies

HP ProLiant MicroServer for Dummies is a free eBook in the popular Dummies series of books which will help you:

  • Server and network basics
  • Why the HP ProLiant MicroServer Gen8 is right for them
  • The benefits of the HP Just Right IT solution including the MicroServer Gen8, PS110 11n Wireless VPN Router, and the PS1810-8G Switch

This book is broken into several different chapters to allow readers to choose the information they need based on their level of understanding:

  • Chapter 1: Understanding why you need a server
  • Chapter 2: Defining Server Basics
  • Chapter 3: Defining Network Basics
  • Chapter 4: Introducing the HP Solution
  • Chapter 5: Detailing the HP ProLiant MicroServer Solutions
  • Chapter 6: Ten benefits of ProLiant MicroServer Gen8, PS110 11n, and PS1810-8G

You can grab your free copy from here.