Complete newbie seeks help

[Farmer_Terry]

Hi

I’m in the UK, and last year, my local pub paid ?3,000 for a box that would play news, weather, sports and local ads. The company that ran this went bust, and the owner now has this box that can’t be used because everything is out of date. :( He asked me to take a look.

It turns out that this is a fairly standard XP box running BSPlayer, but I know nothing about it and it seems (from searching this forum) that there is no manual. Is that still the case? Nothing that I can read to find out about BSPlayer? :?:

My biggest problems is that it is set up so that nothing shows on the screen (not even the windows task bar) so I can’t seem to get at very much. Any help anywhere? :?:

Finally, it seems to work by pressing the number keys – each key is associated with a playlist (a .bst file?). How can I find out how to put stuff into and get stuff out of these .bst files? :?:

I (and my landlord) would be very grateful for any help we can get :D

Thanks

[Tizio]

Hi!
Unfortunally the situation is the same: no BSplayer guide (I have too much things to do at the moment, maybe next year BSplayer will have a guide :lol: )

Anyway if BSplayer starts without a taskbar probably you'll be able to find a systemtray icon instead (where the clock lays)
If this is your case, then at 99% the link used to start BSplayer has a command line that tells it to start minimized. Something like:
"C:\Program Files\Webteh\BSplayer.exe" -hide

Just remove the -hide tag and bsplayer will start normally. (there's a list of command line and ini options in BSplayer-installation-dir\doc\)

Anyway you can right-click on the systemtray icon to see the menu with all the options.

To assign to controls different keys from the ones currently assigned, just open BSplayer preferences (CTRL+P, or right-click -> Options -> Preferences) and the go to Key definitions & WinLIRC. Search for the command you want to change, then move your mouse on the top-right test field 1 and press the key you prefere (keyboard or mouse)
You can set different keys for normal window and fullscreen window (just select the appropriate tab).

If you want to modify the playlist, just press ALT+E or right-click and select Play list.
There you can add, remove files and save it to the desired format (internal, or WinAMP-like)

If you need more help, feel free to ask here

[Farmer_Terry]

Hi Tizio

Thanks for that. I have gone through some of that, and discovered the “F” key which toggles full / small screen. This makes life much easier. :)

I now have a playlist with some of my stuff in it – a big step forward. But I have a couple of questions on playlists (any written help anywhere? – I guess not :( )

1. Can you control how long BSPlayer plays a still shot for? It seems to play forever.

2. Can you make a playlist (or anything) repeat for ever?

Can't see anything in any of the options about either of these things.

Thanks

[Tizio]

Glad to have been of some help :)

1. No solution now, but really good suggestion :D I'll add it to the feature requests
2. It depends on the skin you are using. Some skins (the v1 default for example) have such a feature. Take a look at this:
http://bsplayer.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11601

[Farmer_Terry]

It depends on the skin you are using. Some skins (the v1 default for example) have such a feature. Take a look at this:
http://bsplayer.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11601

Thanks for that - but I don’t have any visible controls at all - there IS no skin - either a full screen of video or complete blank (the screen background). :(

If this is your case, then at 99% the link used to start BSplayer has a command line that tells it to start minimised. Something like:
"C:\Program Files\Webteh\BSplayer.exe" -hide

I have discovered that BSPlayer is fired up by “running” the playlist. In these circumstances, do you have any idea what options might be used, and where they are hidden? :?

Sometimes I get a sort of bar across the top of the screen with what seems to be video controls that appear if you hover over them. What is that? :?

I have found Options->Preferences->Key Definitions & WinLIRK and set CTRL/T to “Switch Repeat Modes” but if I press CTRL/T part way through a playlist, it still comes to the end and then just sits there displaying what I think is the final frame. I am still desperate to get a playlist to repeat, while being completely unable to get a “skin” to appear. :?

Help! Again please. Many thanks.[/quote]

[BSPeter]

So far we still havn't established which version of BSPlayer we're talking about. Could you check and mention it?
In it's installation folder there should be a folder "skins".
What is inside that folder?
If you've found Options->Preferences you can also find Options -> Skins (or keycombination [Alt]/[S])
(or Options -> Preferences -> Skins). What is shown?
The bar at the top is a special full screen version of the skin you're using.
(In full screen you should also get normal skin by depressing [H] (default key unless redefined in Key Definitions & WinLIRC).)
Repeat is not a playlist function, so you won't be able to set (and see) it there.
Repeat-option cycles through: "Repeat off" > "Repeat one" > "Repeat all" > "Random"
The third option repeats all files of the playlist by starting at the beginning of it when it has played all files.
("Repeat one" simply repeats the current file and "Random" ... well ... plays files at random)

[Tizio]

First of all, can you tell me the version of you BSplayer? (press F1)

For the start method it depends.. In which way do you start it? (1) Manually double-click on the playlist? (2) A desktop shortcut? (3) From another program? (4) Automatically at Windows startup?

1. You have to take a look at the Windows registry and see if the playlist association command has been modified (take a look at the key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\BSP.plist\shell\open\command as default value you should have something like "C:\Program Files\BSplayer\bsplayer.exe "%L"")
2. Right-click on the icon and press "Properties", then choose the "Shortcut" tab and in destination field you have to remove the -hide tag (if any)
3. Who knows?!
4. Take a look at the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Run and you should find a string with BSplayer (remove the -hide tag if any)

Have you tried to press H (or the key assigned to Hide action in Key assignment & WinLIRC) keyboard button when playing a movie? It should show you the controls window.

The controls you see when moving the mouse cursor at the top of your screen is the FullScreen controls window of your selected skin.

I have some suggestions for you:
First, find the installation dir (usually C:\Program Files\Webteh\BSplayer\) and create a shortcut on your desktop for the file bsplayer.exe
If you're not able to find it, then search your computer for bsplayer.exe

If this will not work, there are two things I can think of (the others are too odd), 1) your player window is out of sight. Solution: right-click on BSplayer task bar icon (if any) and choose Move. then press your arrow keys to bring BSplayer window to screen. 2) You (for some reason) are using a transparent skin... Solution: Download a skin of your choice from http://bsplayer.com/en/bs.player/skins/ and doubleclick on it (it should be a .bsz file)

If the problem persists..write here again and we'll find another solution



EDIT:
This time BSPeter you replied first... almost the same points here :P

[Farmer_Terry]

Thanks BSPeter, thanks Tizio for the speedy replies.

There is quite a bit there for me to be getting on with. I will return later either understanding all, or with more information :)

[Farmer_Terry]

I nearly got my response right - big smile, and more information!

So far we still haven’t established which version of BSPlayer we're talking about. Could you check and mention it?

1.10 build 814 22 Jan 2005

In it's installation folder there should be a folder "skins".
What is inside that folder?

Bat lite.bsz
Carbon v0.1.bsz
ibar.bsz
mediaBOX v-1.bsz
MediaBOX V-2.bsz
sb.bsz
Showtime v1.4 PH.bsz

If you've found Options->Preferences you can also find Options -> Skins (or key combination [Alt]/[S]) (or Options -> Preferences -> Skins). What is shown?

Same list as above, plus Base. sb is the selected skin. It looks as though that may be non-standard. I changed it to Base and, lo and behold - I have a proper skin and can set repeat. Yippee! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

The bar at the top is a special full screen version of the skin you're using. (In full screen you should also get normal skin by depressing [H] (default key unless redefined in Key Definitions & WinLIRC).)

Once I started using a standard skin, this worked. Obviously, the “sb” skin is a special. That’s a relief. :)

For the start method it depends.. In which way do you start it? (1) Manually double-click on the playlist? (2) A desktop shortcut? (3) From another program? (4) Automatically at Windows startup?

I have discovered that this machine is running a piece of software called Robotask. It allows certain keystrokes to perform specified windows functions. (That has been causing me problems by “hiding” certain keystrokes from SBPlayer.) :x

The numbers keys, for example, are set to “run” SBPlayer playlists (run and the .bsl file name). Exactly what windows does with this I am not sure, but I think most of my problems have been caused by the non-standard skin and Robotask.

1. You have to take a look at the Windows registry and see if the playlist association command has been modified (take a look at the key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\BSP.plist\shell\open\command as default value you should have something like "C:\Program Files\BSplayer\bsplayer.exe "%L"")

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT "not found" in the registry ? :?

4. Take a look at the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Run and you should find a string with BSPlayer (remove the -hide tag if any)

I should point out at this point that although I have been programming for over 40 years, the last 27 of which were on PCs (assembler and C), when windows appeared I was mid/late 40s and never really got to terms with working with windows. As you might imagine, though, I am a fairly competent user.

The reason for all this is to explain that I am not greatly familiar with the registry, and although I ran regedit, and there actually appeared to be an entry for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Run when that string was entered into the “search” function it found nothing. Strange?

Anyway, there was no mention of SBPlayer under that entry.

The controls you see when moving the mouse cursor at the top of your screen is the FullScreen controls window of your selected skin.

That now makes sense. Thank you.

I have some suggestions for you: …………

As things seem to have improved no end, I will hang on to those, in case I need them later.

Thank you both hugely for taking the time to go to all this trouble, I now feel a great deal more in control and can probably sort something out for the landlord (which should get me a free beer or two).

If I have any more questions, I will come back. Would it be better to post here, or to start a new thread?

Many, many thanks. :) :) :)

[Tizio]

Finally all has come back to normality :D
Great!

Don't worry about the lack of a registry key in bla-bla-bla\currentversion\run for the autostart with windows, it wasn't meant to be there, but it could be in an odd scenary where you couldn't start it normally but you still had it running.. don't mind :P

For furter help, I suggest you to read BSPeter's Help2Help topic (you can find it in his sign, or stickeod almost in every sections of the forum a.k.a. "READ THIS FIRST BEFORE PSTING")

If your questions don't find an answer there, then feel free to open a new discussion in the appropriate section (but don't remember the search button, sometimes it will come in hand more than a user intervent ;) )

CU

P.S.
I suggest you to update your version at least to v1.37 (last FREE version without adware), or to the latest release (if you don't mind having an adware on you PC)
For a link to v1.37 just google for it, a ton of links will be displayed (or read BSPeter FAQs and you'll fin it almost at the very bottom of it)