Bulk Rename Utility, Howto Remove Accents.

With the introduction of Canola2 beta on the Nokia 770 comes the possibility that Canola will not play any files that use accented characters in the filename.

Ever the resourceful I thought to myself what is the best free program that would allow the quick and easy remove/replacement of accents from any filename. The program I found was Bulk Rename Utility.

Below are some images to highlight the option to use to replace accents with standard characters which highlights in green the outcome prior to committing the rename of the files.

a) First and example of the different accent characters in *.txt files, renamed to standard characters using BRU.

b) Applying the same technique to a typical set of mp3 files, where the filename utilises accented Characters.


I appreciate that a mp3 tagging program will probably do the same but the beauty of BRU is it can be used on many different file types and in many many different situations and therefore thought it worth bringing to the attention of Nokia 770, OS 2006 users and promoting in my blog.

I could not find a similar program in a GUI for MAC or Linux PC's, please do offer suggestions if you are aware of any.

Canola2 Beta Howto, Plugins (Page 6)

From Page 5

6a) Plugin icons in extras menu for Album Cover & Video Thumb Plugins. These and very soon hopefully more plugins will probably be found Here.


6b) Album Cover Plugin at work (Note: Requires internet connection)


6c) Album Cover Plugin Complete. (Simply close the window once script has confirmed task complete)


6d) Here is the resulting, Album cover view in Canola, where selecting an Album will provide more information on selected Album.


6e) You will notice that I selected the Tom Baxter, Skybound Album and am now provided with a list of tracks on the album in track list order. (Note: Kinetic scrolling is available for viewing the tracks)


6f) You can see that I selected the track "The Last Shot" which is now plying in the standard Canola player window, but with the addition of album art.


6g) Video Thumb Plugin at work (Note: this utility scans Video's to grab an frame from the Video, at least this is my understanding of what the option does, its currently a little hit and miss at grabbing a frame with an image?)


6h) Video Thumb Plugin Complete. (Again simply close the window once script has confirmed task complete)


6i) Here is the resulting, My Videos view in Canola, where selecting a video will begin video playback in Canola Player window. (See Page 4 for further details on Video Playback)


Currently "The End" of my Canola2 beta Howto, but please watch this space and re-vist my blog as I do intend to update existing pages with more detail and add additional New Pages; when Canola2 improvements are released such as UPnP Server, Controller and Player capabilities.

Return to Page 1 of Canola2 beta Howto.

Canola2 Beta Howto, Internet Media (Page 5)

From page 4

5a) With the Internet Media option in the settings menu we are able to specify Podcasts, Internet Radio and Photocasts feeds that are of most interest to ourselves.


5b) Lets take Internet Radio as an example of how to save a URL of interest. First we go to the Add URL Menu.


5c) Then we switch to the Nokia's microb browser to find a suitable Internet radio URL of interest, Here I am looking at the Shoutcast stations and am selecting the "tune in" button in order to have the option in microb to copy the URL Link.



5d) Back in Canola, where if we select the "Add URL" field the finger keboard automatically appears, where we can then use the paste option to good use to enter the URL we just copied from the microb browser window.


5e) Here we can see the Shoutcast URL entered in the Canola URL field. (Tip don't forget to hit the return Key to allow Canola to check URL and if acceptable add to your personalised list of Internet Radio URL's)



5f) When we have entered and saved a URL correctly it will appear as shoutcast.com (1025) is shown in image below. (Note the pencil icon for editing the shoutcast URL)



5g) If we select the Pencil, we are able to Edit or Delete the URL. (Although when it's selected we lose the information about the URL we are about to edit or delete?)



5h) Going back into Canola to play Audio, Internet Radio we are presented with Internet Radio stations than we have loaded in the Canola settings menu.


5i) Selecting the station can be initially confusing when the URL provides a number of sub-url's to ensure we connect successfully to the station of interest. (i.e. If one link is not working the idea is to automatically move to next.) I always pick the first in the list!



5j) Here we are playing the Internet Radio station in Canola. Note that the information is missing about the track being played, believe this will be fixed soon.


5k) By comparison and to contrast, I ran the same Internet Radio URL through the standard Media player of the NIT & OS2008. Note that artist and Track information (All sub-url's listed too)


5l) Here I have switched the standard media player to single station and playback information view.



To page 6, to be continued!

Canola2 Beta Howto, Videos (Page 4)

Back to Page 3

4a) Here we are Videos



4b) Here we are viewing the videos available locally in a filmstrip view.



4c) Here we are playing the Anna Abreu Video that came on the memory of the N810.



4d) Another Video being played in fullscreen view, which is enetered and exited from, by clicking in the middle of the video window.



Forward to Page 5

Canola2 Beta Howto, Photos (Page 3)

Back to Page 2

---edited 30/01/08--- to add new 3c) "cascade of thumbnailed photos" the later images re-ordered/numbered accordingly, ensure correct usage sequence is maintained.

3a) Here we are looking at the photos options, where we have My Photos and Photocasts


3b) Selecting My Photos, Gives us folders with Photos found by scanning areas to be watched.


3c) Selecting the folder All Photos, provides a cascade of thumbnailed photos, which can be easily kinetically scrolled from side to side.


3d) Upon selecting a photo, Canola takes a second, to load All Photos into a side to side scrollable Filmstrip view. Here is loading the photos in a manner that means we can quickly scroll from one picture to the next in this mode.


3e) Here we can see that the Pine_Forrest Photo is loaded and also have an idea of photo content on either side of this image.


3f) Here we can see that the Humpback Whale Photo again with an idea of photo content on either side of this particular image.


3g) Here we can see the display options, i.e. we can manually go forward and back or we can play our photos as a slide show.


3h) Here we can see what happens when we use the rotate picture options, on the left of the screen.



Forward to Page 4.

Canola2 Beta Howto, Settings (Page 2)

Back to Page 1

So once again from the top Canola menu we are able to select other options.


2a) For example selecting the Settings option provides, Media Library, Choose theme and Internet Media options.


2b) Selecting Choose Theme, allows switching between the Green and Graphite themes, simply by ticking the theme required.


2c) I like the way the theme changes from one to another, with a simple tick in a box.


2d) Selecting Media Library, now using the Graphite Theme.


2e) Selecting Media Library, allows users to specify the watch folders for Audio, Photos and Video independently.


2f) Initially, when Canola is first started all watch folders are set to "off" here we are looking at the "Audio" folder options.

Note how the eye symbol has a cross through it indicating that they are not being watched ("Audio Clips" is internal to device, "Removable Card" is the external card, "Internal Card" is removable/replaceable on N800 and None removable/replaceable on N810)


2g) By selecting the eye symbol we can switch between non watching (eye Crossed) to watching (eye normal) which indicates that from this Audio folder level and below, each area is being watched.


2h) Here we are looking at the "Photo" folder options. (All being Watched)


2i) Here we are looking at the "Videos" folder options. (All being Watched)


2j) Generally when changes are made to Watched folders and or items are added or deleted from the watched folders, when you next switch back to Canola UI you will see "updating Database"



Forward to Page 3.

Canola2 Beta Howto, General (Page 1)

As you can see from my image above, currently the Nokia 770 appears unloved in relation to it's own Nokia children the N800 & N810 i.e. No running installation of Canola2 beta. However any day now, there should be a an update to the Canola2 beta "2.0.0~beta1-maemo.1" which (in addition to bug fixes and improvements) will enable the software to be installed on the Nokia 770 and OS 2006.

In readiness for this date, I have prepared a set of screen captures to illustrate how Canola2 Beta operates on all our Nokia Internet Tablets.

1a) Start Canola from the application menu, (Installation defaults Canola to Extras menu)


1b) After a few moments the Canola home Menu screen should appear.


1c) Clicking on the Music Icon, in the Menu, provides Local, Podcast & IRadio options


1d) Clicking on the Local icon, provides a list of options for local music which can be scrolled up/down, with a flick of the stylus or finger, (Kinetic scrolling)


1e) Scrolling down, presents remaining options under Music, local.


Basically the above images illustrated how the menu structure of Canola Operates from the home menu of Canola.

Note: The return arrow in the bottom left hand corner of the User Interface UI, this button allows us to return up through the menu structure. Also be aware that pressing and holding this option is the quickest way to get to the top home menu (Whenever you can select this icon).

Forward to Page 2

Canola 2 Beta, only 10 Days from Launch!

I heard via Handful of INdt this evening that the Canola 2 Beta, will be with us within 10 short days!

I was pointed in the direction of a freshly prepared teaser web site, to promote the count down to what I consider will be a great event in the history of the Nokia Wi-Fi Internet Tablets progression into the consciousness of not just Geeks, but the general public.

For those who don't already know Canola is a media playing application. Apparently a roadmap for Beta 2 will be published, where I understand that the initial release in 10 days time will contain
Music, Photo and Video Playback, via Local, Network (UPnP) and the Internet. (Photocast & Podcast) It will have an improved configuration capability built into the application (Not the web based configuration that came with Canola beta 1)

• Teaser of Canola 2 Beta in Flash or Html

For months we have been listening, reading and digesting news about how good the iPod Touch and the iPhone are. Well listen up all Apple fans, there is a quiet revolution taking place with the help of Nokia and it's Internet Tablets and a Linux based mobile operating system called Maemo.

Canola is just one of many great applications that can be downloaded onto the Nokia Internet Tablet devices. We are not tied like Apple to only install applications that Apple wish us to use on their devices, but are positively encouraged by Nokia to Port and or Develop New applications from/on the Linux desktop environment.

Handful has a post about the new "Canola 2 Beta" web site in his personal Blog "Handful of Nothing"

Examples of Interesting sites to visit and read up on the Nokia Internet Tablet revolution and the applications that can run on these great devices can be found at:-

InternetTabletTalk
Maemo
Maemo Downloads

Keep a watchful eye out for Canola Beta 2´s release, not so long to wait now :-)

Improvment Ideas for TVersity Universal Media Server

TVersities Mission Statement

• Our mission is to empower individuals to organize and personalize their home and Internet multimedia collection (audio, video and images) and have universal access to it anywhere (at the home or on the go) anytime and from any device.

1) TVersity received some great press coverage recently within the UK, courtesy of PC Pro and specifically the October 2007 edition with the feature on The web's best 50 free downloads Where Tversity was included in the entertainment category.

I was extremely honored to see that the combination of a thumbnail of a photo that I took in Moscow last year, being personally viewed on (my) "Mikes Nokia 770", whilst using the Media Streamer application; was included in the magazine to promote the use of the TVersity Server on a Nokia Internet Tablet. (Captured image that I originally provided to the TVersity team)

Fig 1) Image from the October 2007, PC Pro Magazine.

"Up to Date" information on what is being said in the press, about TVersity can be found here.

2) At the time of writing this particular blog post the TVersity Media server is now at Version 0.9.11.2 (November 11, 2007) moving closer to the switch from beta to a full blown software release. For a clearer understanding of TVersities improving capabilities with the development path to date, a good place to start is the Release notes.

From it's core internet and local media serving and transcoding capabilities to all networked enabled media player (large or small) it is clear that TVersity is maturing very well.

Album Art and Lyrics visualisation are area's that have not been tackled in beta releases to date. Fig 1 & 2 are are my simple interpretation of how these capabilities could look within the Tversity Flash Player interface,

Fig 2) "Mock-up" of Album Art in the TVersity Flash Player Interface.

Fig 3) "Mock-up" of Lyrics in the TVersity Flash Player Interface.

With both Album Art and Lyrics I would like to see TVersity fully capable of sourcing this data either directly from the Internet or from within the users own media files and/or folder structure.

Good examples of software that interact with Internet enabling enhanced user visualisation on their personally purchased media are:-

• Album Cover Art Downloader
• Lyrics Plugin

Another area that I would dearly love to see both TVersity and the developers of Players that interface with the Media Server is the ability to control two independent players in such a manner that play order and playback can be manipulated between each player with crossfade in-out facilities.


Fadeamp (above) is a plugin which enables crossfade and control of two independent running versions of Winamp playing different selected media content through the same audio output device. If this idea could be applied with the flash Player interface of TVersity, just think how this could revolutionise media playback on all the devices Tversity supports.

It is my wish, that these ideas are added to TVersities arsenal of features in the future.

N800 & TVersity http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:41952/flashlib

Although its definitely not my first choice to use the TVersity FLASH library viewer and player interface on the Nokia N800, I have to admit that with the Version 0.9.10.2 (May 1, 2007) it now seems to work, all be it a little slow to navigate the Flash interface.

Its simply a matter of pointing the N800 Opera Browser at http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:41952/flashlib
(Entering the IP of your PC running TVersity in place of xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx)

I wrote a previous post in my blog about general use of the new TVersity FlashLib Interface, which needs updating but even so is still relevant.

Be aware that this method of view and playback, as with others (Canola, Media Streamer) will require that the correct codecs and filters are installed on the PC, in this instance to convert various AV formats when necessary into a flash playback equivalent.

At this early stage I have traversed the FLASH interface and played a few locally stored mp3's and it all seems to work, but was unable to fully test on my N800 as my Laptop PC is not set-up correctly with all my local AV directory structures and Internet URL's and Feeds to serve media etc.

When Ronen of TVersity implied that the Flash library Viewer & Player had been improved to support lower memory devices running Opera Browser and Flash 7 such as the Wii, I thought it was well worth trying again on my Nokia N800

Notes: Able to control the Volume, Mute and FF & REW of mp3´s via the flash interface etc as we would expect.

Issue Found: Every time the N800 goes into it's power saving mode and closes the display the mp3 file playbacks stops. (Restarts when awoke and continues playback from point stopped)

TVersity 0.9.10 beta available, April 19, 2007

The latest release of the Universal Media Server "TVersity" just keeps going from strength to strength. Release 0.9.10.1 (April 19, 2007) is the first to provide Video transcoding-streaming support for the PS3, Wii and Nokia N800 with video-transcoding-downloading for the Sony PSP.

These new features are in addition to already supporting Video Transcoding-streaming to the Xbox 360 and various UPnP Media player devices such as the DLink DSM 520.

• Latest TVersity release notes
  

In this blog post I will concentrate on providing an overview on the Improved Flash GUI Library Browser and Player which can "in theory" be accessed from any web based device that supports Flash 7 by pointing a web browser to http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:41952/flashlib (where xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx is the IP address of the computer running TVersity)

First the Player GUI is very similar to any other Media Center Style interface where I was running it on an XP PC and found that I could use the mouse buttons and scroll wheel and/or Arrows & Return key to traverse the interface and select and play items.


1a) My Audio, with access to personalised Local & Internet Audio.

1b) My Photos, with access to personalised local & Internet Photos.

1c) My Video, with access to personalised Local & Internet Video.


2) Playing Audio, Note how the playback bar appears at the bottom of the flash window indicating both visually and with data the time of the track being played etc.



3) Playing Photos, My Flickr, Scanning photos held in Flickr on the internet.



4) Library & Player GUI, Navigation and Icons.

When we move the mouse into the top left of the Library & Player window, a navigation bar appears.

• Up arrow takes us up one level at a time from where we are. (The left arrow achieves the same result)
• Home Icon takes us back to the very top menu.
• Play Icon plays selected item. (The return key achieves the same result)
• Disk Icon allows us to download & save the media to the device, transcoded in a number of different formats. Please Note: That this option is very powerful as we we have the ability to quickly transcode any media being served by TVersity into a format and save on the local device (Not necessarily in the format for that device, perhaps we want to give a copy to a friend ;-)
• Question Icon provides infomation on available Keyboard key interactions.
  

5) Playing Video

Note how the playback controls indicate the current playback position in video being played but give no idea on the final length in time of Video File. This is because TVersity is currently transcoding and is unable to confirm overall length in time information. (Subsequent playbacks of a fully transcoded file will provide the overall length (Time) of Video file.


This Blog Post is to be enhanced and improved with additional information and perhaps more screen grabs, so do pop back for another look. If you have any questions about a feature and I can clarify and/or provide more detail I will do it.

Statcounter and Recent Visitor Maps.

Fig 1) StatCounter: Bar Graph of last weeks visits

I have been utilising StatCounter almost since the very start of my AV Media, Anytime, Anywhere! blog back in early February 2006. I find the visitor information it provides about my blog to be very interesting. (Even though I only make use of the free version)

It's great to add a post to your own blog, then over a few days watch how a particular post increases interest and visits too your blog. For example the peak Wednesday of last week in the fig 1 image above, was the day after my post about the Iphone

Fig 2) StatCounter: Recent visitor map, zoomed into a visitor of interest.

Over the last few weeks, using the Google visitor map facilities of StatCounter, I have been enjoying the visual mapping conformation of just where my visitors come from wherever they be around the world.

I have taken special notice of a regular visit to my blog from somewhere in the South Atlantic and I am inquisitive to who this is and wonder, is this an oil or gas rig in the ocean or what exactly?

Fig 3) StatCounter: Recent Visitor Activity sample.

There are many different ways to review visitors to your website with StatCounter, where I have very quickly skimmed the surface with this particular blog post.

---Edit 01/18/2007 21:00:00 PM---

Fig 4) My mysterious visitor? Reading my blog post about StatCounter today.