Hi there,
I am eagerly anticipating using Media Companion, but I have some issues with getting started.
I am not a programmer or developer, just a simple low-tech user.
I am using a PC with Windows Vista (home premium) and downloaded media companion 3.098


1. Downloading:
- So I download the zip file - can you include some download / installation instructions? or how about including a readme file in the zip file?

What I could pick up on the forums and the "getting started" tab at http://billyad2000.co.uk, I understand I can just extract the zip file anywhere and run the .exe file. ok, so far so good.

2. Version
On the homepage at http://billyad2000.co.uk it says "Version 2.135 is available to download" and on the "download" tab that is teh version as well, but in the forum you're up to 3.098. Now I did see the sentence "New Versions are released far more regular at the Media Companion Forums (Link Above) in the announcements section.", but how about replacing "link above" with the link to the latest version in the forum?

3. Using the program
I have the "Microsoft .net 3.5 runtime" installed, but I'm not sure the program is working properly. First of all, thee are no drop down menus when I click on "File" or "Edit" menus. Is that normal?

4. Preferences
The "getting started" tab at http://billyad2000.co.uk explains the first steps, but since this is on a quite older version, its not easy to know whether I am setting this up the right way. For example:
a. I don't see the "Enable DVD Folders" option.
b. I don't see where the "Save Changes And Exit" option is
c. I can add a dvd folder, but the options for the tv section at the right do not work.


help appreciated!

Welcome to the forum feksteen.

The reason the webpage has not been updated is simply that I started writing the program mostly from scratch, and the current 3.xxx builds are a work in progress, uploaded here for testing purposes more than anything else. Once it catches up to version 2.xxx in features then i'll update the webpage

As you noticed many of the menus have not been populated, although all movie functions are available via the tabs and context menu, TV shows is also not enabled yet, although TV shows are coming in the next week or so, as long as TVDB stays online, its been offline for much of this evening.

All in all MC gen2 (3.xxx) is a big improvement over gen1, but it still needs some work to have all the functionality of gen1

DVD folders are now automatically dealt with, no need to select it anywhere.

The preferences are also dealt with live, just change the settings you want, when you exit the screen they will be saved, although once again, some (non essential) preferences are not yet enabled, and some are now defunct, once tvshows is fully working then this will be my next target.

Feel free to play around with with the newer versions, and report bugs and ideas to this forum, but keep in mind that what it does, it does better than gen1, but it is by no means complete.

Thanks I will look into it as you suggest.

by the way, I also have the same start up problem as pjlamb noted here <http://billyad2000.darkbb.com/bug-discussion-f3/v3098-startup-error-t658.htm> . basically, the "splash screen" freezes on launch. Is it a Vista issue? Looking forward to the next build.

In the meantime, if I want to use a "fully" functional version, should I use the 2.135 version mentioned on the "download" tab of http://billyad2000.co.uk/ ? I tried the "download" link <http://homepage.ntlworld.com/billy.adamson1/Downloads/XBMC%20Media%20Companoin/Media%20Companion%202.135.rar> but "the page cannot be found". the mirror site link is also empty.

Thanks for the help.