Slashdot Mirror

dvd player support is NOT a novelty item - it's how i watch dvds, never had another dvd player (besides my computers).

i read an article in past few weeks that gave percent - 60 or 70 percent - of ps2 owners use the ps2 as their primary dvd player.

can't find the article, now... it wasn't this

anyway - point is DVD support is NOT 'novelty' - but in fact useful, and at the time of launch contributed to the reasons to spend 300 on a ps2.

Look it even says so on the DVDs you buy.

http://player.interactual.com/enhanced/images/pcf_ ia.gif

So there... NO MORE COMPLAINING... just read the damn box and don't buy the defective goods!

Funny thing is... InterActual claims to be PC friendly! :-)

You can if you use IE.

"I hate it when my new toy doesn't even support "yet-to-be-defined enhanced DVDs ""

I don't know why the article says "yet to be defined" when it's already here! DVD-Videos are already shipping with "settop" folders in the ROM content for use with InterActual API devices. So far, the only device is the Win32 InterActual Player (replacement of PCFriendly). The demo described in the article that I linked to is obviously the first public implementation of a device that supports the existing ROM content of many DVDs. I will much prefer using my interactive DVDs on a set-top box instead of my PC!

There are DVD authoring tools available. Three companies spring to mind, Sonic, Diakin and Spruce. I can't tell you off hand how much their software costs, it could be quite dear (talk to them about discounts?) I'm sure that they will allow you to author region 0 (all regions) DVDs. I'm also not sure where you would go to get the DVD's burnt... I presume the equipment is too expensive. Another, alternative option might be something like Creative Lab's DVD-RAM drive, but I don't know what it comes with, or whether it will fulfill you needs.

I work for InterActual Technologies, Inc. I've been working on a piece of software that integrates into third-party tools (DVD Authoring tools to be precise). This allows DVD Authoring tools to integrate web content with DVDs. Sonic are (still planning?) shipping their low end product which allows you to create a DVD utilising PCFriendly. In the near future, more companies will be offering DVD Authoring tools that integrate with the as yet unreleased InterActual Player 2.0.

What I want to know is whether it will by PCFriendly (i.e. the InterActual Player 2.0)? Or, will I still have to boot into Windows or find another DVD player to participate in their online events?

I'm a software engineer and I used to work full time for a company in Denver. It was my first job, and I was there for three years (yes, that seems a long time for a first job!). I decided to move to Ontario for personal reasons. Upon announcing this, two people I used to work with offered me positions in their internet startup companies. I accepted with one of them.

The company that I work for (InterActual Technology, Inc - DVD company responsible for PC Friendly [please, no tech support Qs here, I don't work on that product]) is reasonably distributed, so they already have experience with my situation. The head office is in San Jose. The main software development office is in Denver, and there are also a couple of other people sprinkled around, such as in San Deigo. Last time asked we had about 30 people (and desperate for good people in CA or CO!).

So how do I find it? It can be hard! I used to be quite a social person, especially liking going down the pub for a quiet Guinness with friends. Now I don't get out nearly often enough. The time zones can play havoc with my evenings when we're really busy (although that should change if we could just find good people to hire). My girlfriend is a full time student, so she's often around whilst I'm trying to work. She has an expectation that as I'm home, I can take breaks at anytime - this is stressful as I don't always like breaking my concentration at those times. I really miss the social interaction that I used to get in an office environment. Careerwise, I really miss the exposure to other people's ideas and them talking about what's going on technologically - it's a paradigm shift when it comes to learning new things.

My work days are now longer as I haven't instilled good practices: everything gets drawn out. I get up, sit at the computer and read the news, look over my email. If there's some pressing work I look at that. Finally I decide to go and shower, then sit down at the computer again, before going off for breakfast. Maybe this lifestyle doesn't suit me. I've considered getting a small studio/bachelor apartment (cost of living is low in this city) so that I have an office to go to - this would also help me separate work from personal life, which I often unintentionally and mistakenly blur.

The biggest problem area is with communications. I'm completely reliant on what people tell me over the phone. If I don't get told what's going on, I can nasty suprises. Other areas are hard are when we're designing something new, or trying to tackle a problem as a group.

Tasks/projects must be clearly defined. I worked reasonably independently for several months. Initially I did some brainstorming with somebody through Yahoo! Messenger. It's great because I can copy and paste the transcript. Recently I've been working quite closely with somebody in the CO office - I'm sure I'll have a big phone bill! Sometimes I just wish I could get up and show what I'm trying to describe on a white board - it would be so much quicker and less frustrating.

There are some benefits too. I get to live somewhere I really like. I really get to work flexible hours (especially when I'm working on something alone and I don't need to be there to answer questions). When the under-staffed office is working hard I don't get so effected by the stresses there. I get payed a salary I couldn't even possible consider in this area :) I don't have to commute - I used to do that on a bicycle, I just don't know how people put up with traffic in their cars. If I had children, I would be there to be there for them to take them to/from school. Probably the biggest benefit is that I get to live where I want and still have the job I want - I can't stress how important that is.

A good internet connection is paramount - I have DSL. The ISP is important too. I downloaded a 1.5GB slice of a DB the other day. Some ISPs have limits of 1-5GBs for residential customers. I can really be at the whims of the internet. The CO office is 17 hops away and when the main routers in Toronto and Chicago get bogged down things crawl (I can get ping times between 500-5000ms). The CA office is 11 hops away so I can get reasonable performance out of VPN/pcAnywhere/etc.

As for visitation. I've been down there once. At some point I have to go down for a company meeting. There's also talk of having me come in a few days a month. I can really see how that would be beneficial. It gives me short trips back to Denver - I can't complain about that!

The thing that made it easiest, and perhaps initially workable was that I already new all of the people in the CO office when I started. We were already friends as well as co-workers.

If I sounded at all negative, ignore it, I was just try to highlight some of the issues that effect me. I actually quite like the situation I'm in. I can probably last another year before going crazy (cabin fever anyone?) and need to find an office job again. It's really down to experience. Try it, if you like stick at it. It's very dependent upon your personality and situation and the people who you work with and the people you live with.

I can sit and write a long rambling posting like this without feeling guilty like I would at the office!