[In v2.2] Regarding Online Services (e.g. youtube, mediathek, DAZN, etc.)

[michael1]

Hi Paul,
Beside the streaming service for premium contents as requested in the thread "Amazon Prime, Netflix, iTunes", it would be great to have an integration of “standard” contents as e.g. provided by the mediathek (media center) of a TV channel. Some of these mediathek have a Win10 app, some only URL.
The idea is to have – beside movie mode, music mode, and maybe sometime video mode – another mode e.g. “Online Services” where the CMC user can access these mediathek and premium content providers (I use DAZN for example). Of course youtube is another example.
The “integration” to the GUI could be, that the user can enter an URL in the settings, and CMC generates a “button” for this under “Online Services” (could be beside movie mode, music mode). Once the user clicks this button, CMC opens the standard browser to the internet address which he specified. From here on the user controls by a mouse or similar device. The user can login in case of a premium content provider, watch, and close the browser. Then CMC is focused again.
The benefit is that you can watch/start these services from CMC, once done automatically return to CMC. Otherwise you need to close CMC, open your browser, and click to one of your bookmarks, once done close the browser and open CMC again…
How do you think about?

[Pauven]

I've never heard of DAZN, which isn't offered here in the US. But I think that is what makes your idea so brilliant: I don't need to know, I just need to give you the ability to configure your own external links.

I really like this idea.

I think it would even be possible to allow both opening URL's and running Apps. I was already planning to add a Steam launcher. Makes perfect sense to expand this to be user configurable.

I've also been looking at embedding a browser (Chrome) inside CMC (just beginning research, still too early to commit to this), and if I can do this then I think your idea becomes even better, as then the URL's could be opened inside CMC.

If you will, just as a test, open CMC and go to Settings > Menu & About Licensing > Online Help and select that. It should open your default browser to https://chamconsoft.com/cmc/how-to.html. Let me know if that works as you envisioned.

Paul

[michael1]

Hi Paul,

yes, the link "Online Help" is a good example. And since the setting page already support mouse device the transition from CMC to the URL and returning back to CMC works seamless (I think the transition is the key point for this feature).

Regarding an embedded browser, it depends on its functionality and visualization. To be honest, e.g. the embedded browser in steam is imho a negative example. However, integration of a steam launcher to CMC would be great.

If you are interessted and the time has come, I would send you the links to my favourite sites per email.

[Pauven]

yes, the link "Online Help" is a good example. And since the setting page already support mouse device the transition from CMC to the URL and returning back to CMC works seamless (I think the transition is the key point for this feature).

Thanks Michael, I appreciate the confirmation.

Regarding an embedded browser, it depends on its functionality and visualization. To be honest, e.g. the embedded browser in steam is imho a negative example.

I'm looking to embed Chrome, probably Chrome 71 or 72, so pretty much the current version. Functionality is to be determined, but I definitely don't want a full-blown GUI, just the bare minimum to make it functional. My main reason for wanting to do this is for Silicon Dust HDHomeRun integration, and for that I need little more than the web page window itself. But if I add Chrome for the HDHomeRun, it seems reasonable to look at using it for external websites too.

Paul

[Pauven]

I read some disappointing news this week. In an effort to prevent man-in-the-middle style attacks, Google is going to begin blocking sign-ins to their services from embedded app browsers.

https://9to5google.com/2019/04/18/googl ... he-middle/

Why does this matter? Well, I've been working on implementing the Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF) into CMC, so that you could open URL's in a built-in browser window without even leaving CMC.

While it is too early to fully understand the impact of this change, my initial reaction is that this might break the ability to log into YouTube. Also, whatever Google does, the world follows, so this may extend to other service providers over time. Worst case I can still launch an external browser window, it just won't be as integrated an experience as it would be with a built-in browser.

Paul

[Pauven]

Hi Paul,
Beside the streaming service for premium contents as requested in the thread "Amazon Prime, Netflix, iTunes", it would be great to have an integration of “standard” contents as e.g. provided by the mediathek (media center) of a TV channel. Some of these mediathek have a Win10 app, some only URL.
The idea is to have – beside movie mode, music mode, and maybe sometime video mode – another mode e.g. “Online Services” where the CMC user can access these mediathek and premium content providers (I use DAZN for example). Of course youtube is another example.
The “integration” to the GUI could be, that the user can enter an URL in the settings, and CMC generates a “button” for this under “Online Services” (could be beside movie mode, music mode). Once the user clicks this button, CMC opens the standard browser to the internet address which he specified. From here on the user controls by a mouse or similar device. The user can login in case of a premium content provider, watch, and close the browser. Then CMC is focused again.
The benefit is that you can watch/start these services from CMC, once done automatically return to CMC. Otherwise you need to close CMC, open your browser, and click to one of your bookmarks, once done close the browser and open CMC again…
How do you think about?

Hi Michael and all CMC users,

I've got this capability added to CMC v2.2, and it is working really well. The way I have it set up, you can configure up to 9 "links" to external apps or URL's. 3 of these can be fully custom (any app or any URL), but the other 6 will have to be chosen from pre-defined options.

I'm adding a lot of pre-defined options. So far, I have:

Apps:

• Hulu Desktop App
• Netflix Desktop App
• Steam (game launcher)
• Ubisoft Uplay (game launcher)

URLs:

• Amazon Prime Video: https://amazon.com/primevideo
• CBS All Access: https://www.cbs.com/all-access/
• HBO Now: https://play.hbonow.com/page/urn:hbo:page:home
• Hulu: https://hulu.com/my-stuff
• Netflix: https://netflix.com/browse
• Roku Channel: https://therokuchannel.roku.com/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/
• YouTubeTV: https://tv.youtube.com/

Everyone:

Please send me any Apps or URL's you would like me to pre-configure in CMC v2.2 for you. When I pre-configure them, I create the Icon and the URL or EXE path and options for you, so all you have to do is select it from a list.

Even if you don't use a service or app yourself, I would appreciate any suggestions. For example, I don't use TwitchTV, but maybe I should add it.

Michael, you had mentioned DAZN, please provide the URL you see when you are logged in and on the default DAZN page.

Thanks,
Paul

[michael1]

Hi Paul,

thank a lot for the update, I am looking forward to this new feature!
I will send you the requested info by email tonight.

[Pauven]

Thanks michael1, I got your email. After you test the various URL's I sent you, we'll go with the best one.

Over the past few days I've added quite a few more links and apps. Below is the current list.

The Pandora app is quite nice. I had been planning on programming an integrated streaming music player in CMC, but now with the ability to launch a full-screen Pandora app with a single click, I'm no longer sure I need to go the custom route. The Pandora app seems to remember which playlist you were last playing and resumes automatically when you launch it, and includes cover art and the thumbs up/down options - all as you would expect for Pandora of course, but possibly quite a bit more than I would be able to do in a custom integrated player. I'll be interested in feedback on what users think of launching streaming music apps vs. me trying to program an integrated streaming music player.

I'm also enjoying having the Ring app so easy to pull up. We have a few Ring cameras and this is proving handy.

I think I've captured all the most popular streaming URL's. Since I'm in the USA, these are all tested locally and may not be appropriate for other countries. I would appreciate if users in other countries could test URL's and let me know if I need to make country specific entries for anyone.

One of the default links I'm adding to v2.2 is a custom link to default Unraid URL (http://tower/Main), which you can easily tweak to your own Unraid server name if you have an Unraid server. This is awesome for me, as now in a single click I can bring up a full-screen browser window to my Unraid NAS server to check the status or do maintenance, which should come in handy if I'm trying to watch a movie and the ISO's aren't mounting due to server issues (which to be fair to Unraid is pretty much never, Unraid is awesome).

Paul

Links

• Acorn TV - https://acorn.tv/
• Amazon Prime Video - https://amazon.com/primevideo
• AT&T WatchTV - https://www.attwatchtv.com/
• CBS All Access - https://www.cbs.com/all-access/
• Crackle - https://www.sonycrackle.com/
• The Criterion Channel - https://www.criterionchannel.com/
• DAZN - https://watch.dazn.com
• DirecTV Now - https://www.directvnow.com/
• ESPN+ - https://plus.espn.com/
• fuboTV - https://www.fubo.tv/welcome
• HBO Now - https://play.hbonow.com/page/urn:hbo:page:home
• Hulu - https://hulu.com/my-stuff
• Movies Anywhere - https://moviesanywhere.com/my-movies
• Netflix - https://netflix.com/browse
• Philo - https://philo.com/
• PlayStation Vue - https://psvue.com
• Redbox OnDemand - https://www.redbox.com/ondemand
• The Roku Channel - https://therokuchannel.roku.com
• Showtime - https://www.showtime.com/
• Sling TV - https://www.sling.com/
• Starz - https://www.starz.com/
• Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/
• Vevo - https://www.vevo.com/
• Vudu - https://www.vudu.com/
• YouTube - https://youtube.com/
• YouTube TV - https://tv.youtube.com/

Apps:

• Hulu (Win10 App)
• Netflix (Win10 App)
• Pandora Music (Win10 App)
• Ring Doorbell (Win10 App)
• Spotify Music (Win10 App)
• Steam (Big Picture mode)
• Ubisoft Uplay

[mikemack]

Paul,

How about adding the following Win10 Apps to the list for 2.3?

Amazon Music
SiriusXM
Napster

Great job on the additions to 2.2. I just installed it last night and it is appreciated.

[Pauven]

Glad you're enjoying v2.2.

I should be able to add those no problem.