Happy Friday! Today we are pleased to present you with another major update to Media Player for the 2nd gen (black) AppleTV. Version 0.7 adds a number of exciting new features (especially for our friends outside the US) and resolves a number of pesky bugs. All in all, a solid update that moves us one step closer to the final version!

What's new in Media Player 0.7?

  • Added new playback menu (hold select during playback)
  • Added support for .srt subtitles
  • Added support for multiple audio tracks
  • Added support for chapters
  • Added support for localized metadata
  • Added support for local cover art
  • Added option to refetch metadata for a specific file
  • Added option to clear all metadata
  • Added toggle setting for volume control
  • Improved metadata fetching (courtesy of themoviedb.org)
  • Improved progress bar controls
  • Improved DVD playback and ff/rw controls
  • Improved audio track selection logic
  • Resolved aspect ratios issues for certain video types
  • Resolved file browsing related crashes
  • Resolved metadata fetching related crashes
  • Resolved audio queue related errors
  • Resolved Top Shelf related playback issues
  • Resolved playback related memory leaks
  • Minor UI improvements
  • Many other miscellaneous fixes

What can I do with the playback menu?

The new playback menu provides quick access to chapters, audio tracks and subtitles. To access this menu simply press and hold the center (select) button during playback. Press the menu button to return to the movie.

Note: Chapter controls can also be accessed by pressing the down arrow on the remote during playback.

Spectacular! Now how do I get it?

With aTV Flash (black) installed, Media Player 0.7 can be downloaded on your ATV2 through the Maintenance --> Manage Extras menu. If you need to re-install aTV Flash (black) links for the latest version can be found under the Downloads tab in your account.

New users can pre-order aTV Flash (black) here.

Enjoy!

Comments

Submitted by amaga on August 12, 2011 - 12:44pm

keeping reboot on any movies when click "PPLAY", first it's say "LOAD", then "BUFFERING" and then rebooting.

 

Submitted by Anon on August 12, 2011 - 12:44pm

Is there any chance that these awesome features will be available for the 1st gen. Apple TV?

Submitted by Anon on August 12, 2011 - 12:45pm

awesome progress!

congrats to the team.

one question: how is the local coverart handled? which filenames must be present?

thanks
alex

Submitted by foreignthinker on August 12, 2011 - 12:46pm

Have you addressed the issue with insufficient memory error messages

Submitted by curt on August 12, 2011 - 12:47pm

Awesome!

One thing still missing is MKV subtitle support, so hopefully that will be supported soon as well!  This will definitely make it my go to media player!

Not sure if you did this yet or not, but if it DOES crash while playing, it would be nice if it remembered where you left off so you can go right back into it (this is how AppleTV and Netflix players work).

Great job!

Submitted by Tonijj on August 12, 2011 - 12:51pm

Same here, the reboot problem is still there!

Submitted by Anon on August 12, 2011 - 12:51pm

So, looks like this marks the end of support for the original aTV?

Even after updating to Media Player 0.6, I still get constant lagging trying to stream DVD rips over my wireless network. My Xbox360 can do it fine though, so I know it's not my network causing the lag.

Submitted by axels.8649 on August 12, 2011 - 12:56pm

it doesn`t work. Installation failed!

Submitted by bernhardh.8029 on August 12, 2011 - 12:56pm

Hi, 

try to watch first movie with 0.7 ended in some suddenly freezings and moving back to low tide :-( 

New function with playback menu looks great and work fine.

Also the question: how cover art is handled.

Looking forward

Berni

Submitted by kelvins.6877 on August 12, 2011 - 12:58pm

Keeps rebooting when ever I try toplay any movie

Submitted by Anon on August 12, 2011 - 12:58pm

Yes thats my biggest problem to! Well did you?

Submitted by tomiy1 on August 12, 2011 - 1:00pm

I'd like to know the same thing...i also use a WDTV media player and that grabs the jpg in the same folder called "folder.jpg"...it would be nice if Media Player would do the same! thanks again guys...

Submitted by GRANDxADMIRAL on August 12, 2011 - 1:01pm

Good work! Was just trying to watch "Welcome To Dongmakgol" last night with some Korean friends, and then we remembered subtitles don't work on Media Player. Today's email was a fantastic surprise. Hi-five!

Some requests for future updates:

a) When player crashes, remember where the movie left off. So resuming isn't a 10 minute process.

b) The fast-forward >>> (x3) is very slow. If you want to resume playing a movie that has crashed, and say you are 3/4 in, it takes a considerable amount of time to get there. I think the >, >>, and >>> should be a little quicker than they are. (They used to be faster... was there a reason they were slowed?)

Currently:
>     1 sec jumps
>>   5 second jumps
>>> 30 second jumps

Should be:
>     5 second jumps
>>   20 second jumps
>>> 1 minute jumps

Anyone else have an opinion of FF speed?

Submitted by Anon on August 12, 2011 - 1:01pm

Ummmmm, no support for Greek subtitles (ISO8859-7 or Greek Windows)

Submitted by GRANDxADMIRAL on August 12, 2011 - 1:02pm

+1

Submitted by Anon on August 12, 2011 - 1:18pm

Is this version be able to output 24 bit / 96 audio?

Is this player also capable of "bit perfect" output?

Regards

Submitted by Pfingstl on August 12, 2011 - 1:30pm

Update failed. Ran ATV Flash Program from computer and Update worked.

Thanks for the great work !!!

Submitted by james on August 12, 2011 - 1:31pm

Basically if you have a local image file with the same name as the video file, the local file will be shown instead of the automatically download image.

E.G.

Inside Man.jpg and Inside Man.avi

Submitted by james on August 12, 2011 - 1:31pm

Embedded subtitles are coming next. ;)

Submitted by james on August 12, 2011 - 1:33pm

aTV Flash 4.3 for the original AppleTV was released not too long ago.

http://blog.firecore.com/4717

Submitted by james on August 12, 2011 - 1:34pm

What kind of files?

Try clearing recently played and metadata (via Media --> Settings) to see if that cures the issue.

Submitted by james on August 12, 2011 - 1:36pm

You may need to manually adjust the encoding setting (found in the subtitles menu when viewing the Playback menu).

Submitted by Anon on August 12, 2011 - 1:37pm

Why not have an option to jump to specific frame by specifying hh:mm:ss ? I can then > || >> || >>>.

Submitted by james on August 12, 2011 - 1:39pm

a) we're working to resolve the crashes so hopefully this won't be an issue.

b) this version includes support for chapters, and if the file you're watching doesn't have any it will create them for you. Press the down arrow during playback to toggle the chapter navigation.

Submitted by james on August 12, 2011 - 1:39pm

What kind of files?

Try clearing recently played and metadata (via Media --> Settings) to see if that cures the issue.

Submitted by james on August 12, 2011 - 1:40pm

Hmm - any other 3rd party software installed?

Submitted by james on August 12, 2011 - 1:41pm

Memory management has been improved in this version.

Submitted by andreas c.3049 on August 12, 2011 - 1:41pm

i just update the windows player and i cant be share anymore with my pc.

Please help me!

Submitted by victoro.19377 on August 12, 2011 - 1:42pm

Can you please outline the proper procedure for upgrading iOS on ATV2?  Mine is already jailbroken with ATV Flash.  So if I want to move to the new iO, what is the order?  Apple's update, then ATV Flash or what?

Submitted by james on August 12, 2011 - 1:44pm

Seas0nPass needs an update for the new 4.3 software.

More details here: http://forum.firecore.com/topic/5119

Submitted by james on August 12, 2011 - 1:45pm

We're hoping to migrate some of them in the future, but no ETA as of yet.

Submitted by ralphv.7958 on August 12, 2011 - 1:49pm

I think in my account there is still the old version of the program!!!!

Updating via the maintenace menu isn't working

Submitted by james on August 12, 2011 - 1:51pm

The links in your account will always point to the latest version.

Submitted by Anon on August 12, 2011 - 1:55pm

Will this release play fair-play DRM'd video purchased from iTunes located on an SMB share?

Submitted by ralphv.7958 on August 12, 2011 - 1:56pm

Where in my system can I find the version of the mediaplayer?

Submitted by Dodgydc on August 12, 2011 - 2:11pm

I can't watch anything after the upgrade :(( I get LOADING then a reboot on every file i try to play..
I've cleared metadata and recently played - no change.
Its made the media player useless... Back to XBMC :(

Submitted by james on August 12, 2011 - 2:13pm

Any other 3rd party plugins installed?

Submitted by Dodgydc on August 12, 2011 - 2:27pm

The same ones that were installed before the upgrade. NitoTV, Plex Client, Rowmote & Xbmc .

Ive just removed them all and restarted Lowtide.

Still the same issue.

Submitted by james on August 12, 2011 - 2:28pm

Ok, sorry about that. If you can submit a bug report we'll get it fixed.

http://forum.firecore.com/topic/4291

Submitted by Anon on August 12, 2011 - 2:33pm

What about txt subtitles? they are most popular in Europe and XBMC handles them very well...

Submitted by fernandoafonso on August 12, 2011 - 2:37pm

Everything perfect in here, thanks a lot!

Submitted by Anon on August 12, 2011 - 2:44pm

Whenever I now select Settings on the media menu, my whole system totally crashes out! Any ideas?

Submitted by imedicineman on August 12, 2011 - 2:44pm

Tried clearing played and metadata but to no avail. Even tried adding new share which worked but not playing any of the content. When trying to play, get display "Loading" and sometimes "Buffering" after that but always winds up exiting media player. Everything seemed to work fine prior to this latest Media Player update.

Submitted by james on August 12, 2011 - 2:44pm

Just SRT for now - other formats, as well as embedded subtitles will be available soon.

Submitted by james on August 12, 2011 - 2:48pm

Great to hear! :)

Submitted by james on August 12, 2011 - 2:49pm

DRM content is not currently supported. :(

Submitted by james on August 12, 2011 - 2:50pm

Sorry, best to submit a bug report.

http://forum.firecore.com/topic/4291

Submitted by adamdewhurst on August 12, 2011 - 2:50pm

Since the install, my IR remote has stopped working - very bizarre! The light still acknowledges the remote, but the apple TV doesn't respond.

Also, when I select any option on the media menu, the AppleTV crashes.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Adam

Submitted by Anon on August 12, 2011 - 2:50pm

great..it's not a biggest problem on Earth to convert txt to srt, but xbmc handles them well and it's for free to would be great if you could include them as well (and I bought your software already anyways)

Submitted by james on August 12, 2011 - 2:51pm

Please send in a bug report so we can get to the bottom of it.

http://forum.firecore.com/topic/4291