Log in

View Full Version : Pocket TV Browser Reviewed


Brad Adrian
03-04-2003, 11:00 AM
<a href="http://www.pocketpcaddict.com/modules.php?name=Reviews&amp;rop=showcontent&amp;id=12">http://www.pocketpcaddict.com/modules.php?name=Reviews&amp;rop=showcontent&amp;id=12</a><br /><br />PocketPCAddict has written a review of an interesting little application called Pocket TV Browser. It's basically a daily TV guide/planner that you download onto your Pocket PC.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/adrian/tvbrowser.jpg" /><br /><br />I've used a similar application, so I was glad to read this review. The author clearly feels the pros outweigh the cons, but go ahead and read the entire review for yourself. Then, you can download a free demo or full version of Pocket TV Browser for $13.95 from <a href="http://www.handango.com/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&platformId=2&productType=2&catalog=0&amp;sectionId=0&productId=23811">Handango</a>.

sonicyoof
03-04-2003, 11:45 AM
looks cool.. however, the tvguide website doesn't do listings for folks in the UK (like me) or elsewhere in Europe.. Any idea if this software can work for us?

markan
03-04-2003, 12:18 PM
Digiguide (http://www.digiguide.com) do listings for the UK, and have both a full client and a web interface.

If you subscribe to the online version of Digiguide, you can use iSiloX, AvantGo, Mobipocket or Mazingo to read it offline on your PocketPC.

timbur
03-04-2003, 02:12 PM
If you want traditional try: http://radiotimes.tvcompass.com/rt/Home.aspx - other pocket pc listings programs are available...

jmarkevich
03-04-2003, 02:18 PM
We've been saddled with StarChoice (long story) and while the basic package is pretty good and cheap, the online listings are TERRIBLE.

Is there anything like this that would include StarChoice?

D-Man
03-04-2003, 02:58 PM
Looks nice. How does it compare to Thumbs Up! Soft's PTVL (http://ptvl.thumbsupsoft.com/)? I have been using PTVL for years.

Bob Anderson
03-04-2003, 03:15 PM
I took a look at the review, and I must say, I think PTVL (Pocket TV Listings) is a better program.

When I looked at the sample screenshots, I didn't see a single one where you could see what's on all the channels. PTVL excels in showing you what's on, and furthermore, lets you color code your program types (i.e., Drama, Reality TV, etc.) PTVL also has a very nice search feature that lets you search by an actor's name, words in a title, etc.

PTVL was one of the first programs I bought, and I use it frequently... Check it out when you get a chance (If you use your TV at all..)

http://ptvl.thumbsupsoft.com/

PocketPC Addict
03-04-2003, 03:29 PM
Looks nice. How does it compare to Thumbs Up! Soft's PTVL (http://ptvl.thumbsupsoft.com/)? I have been using PTVL for years.

I tried PTVL a year or so ago and it is a nice app. It has some nice features and the skins are fun :D

However, what Pocket TV Browser lacks in skins and graphics is definately made up for in it's speed and searching ability. It is almost like web surfing in that you can start looking up a show let's say Friends, you click on the description and you see Bruce willis will be making a guest appearance...You like Bruce Willis so you click his name, instantly all of his upcoming scheduled movies pop up. You start reading the description of THE WHOLE NINE YARDS where so and so has 48 hours to resolve a conflict. You think "Hey, that reminds me, I like that Movie 48 hours" so you click "48 hours" and low and behold the movie is coming on a week from Thursday.

Sounds strange I know but I've found a number of shows I didn't even know existed by using this feature :wink:

---Six Degrees of Brad Isaac

Doug Raeburn
03-04-2003, 03:36 PM
I wrote a review on Pocket TV Browser about a year ago when it first came out, and I'm a big fan. Perhaps if you look at this review (it's a bit more exhaustive, although a bit out of date, obviously), you might get a better feel for the program.

As for searching, I much prefer the PTB way of doing things, in that every single word in a program description can serve as an instant hyperlink. For example, I was looking at the upcoming listing for CSI. I happen to enjoy Marg Helgenberger's work and decided to find out what else she might be appearing in. I tapped on her last name and in under a second, a list of all programs that list her in the cast came up. I didn't even have to go to a Find screen in order to do this, so browsing through listings and checking things out on a whim are very easy with PTB.

Of course, if you need to perform a more advanced find, PTB supports this as well.

Here's my review, in case anyone is interested in more information:

http://www.pocketnow.com/cgi-bin/directory/content.cgi?db=reviews&id=226

Pony99CA
03-04-2003, 04:40 PM
If you just want TV Guide listings, you can get them in Pocket Internet Explorer using the TV Guide Wireless page (http://wireless.tvguide.com).

Steve

yawanag
03-04-2003, 04:48 PM
Just casting another vote for PTVL.

luebster
03-04-2003, 05:00 PM
When I looked at the sample screenshots, I didn't see a single one where you could see what's on all the channels.
The screenshot on Handango's website is just that...

Brad Adrian
03-04-2003, 06:05 PM
...you click on the description and you see Bruce willis will be making a guest appearance...You like Bruce Willis so you click his name, instantly all of his upcoming scheduled movies pop up...
Actually, you can do that with PTVL, too. When you tap and hold on a listing, it brings up a description with links for actors and show type. Tapping on them does a search for related items.

I think both programs have merit, and the choice really becomes one of the type of information layout you prefer.

PocketPC Addict
03-04-2003, 06:07 PM
When I looked at the sample screenshots, I didn't see a single one where you could see what's on all the channels. PTVL excels in showing you what's on, and furthermore, lets you color code your program types (i.e., Drama, Reality TV, etc.) PTVL also has a very nice search feature that lets you search by an actor's name, words in a title, etc.


I don't know what you mean by you can't see what's on all channels? You can get listings for all the channels...that is the default behavior of the program. My setup is deliberately designed not to download EVERY channel - my screenshots reflect this, because frankly how much C-Span, C-Span2 and QVC can one person stand?!?!

Color coding is also supported by Pocket TV browser and I use it to separate Movies from Programs from Children's programming.

bikeman
03-04-2003, 06:09 PM
Let me start by saying that I have zero experience with PTVL and that I am not affiliated with Pocket TV Browser in any way.

I LOVE this program. It is simple, it is fast, it is easily customizable, and the support is unbelievable. You can specify your location and TV service, choose what channels you want to download listings for, choose which ones to get program synopses of, and the number of days of listings to download. It was easy to set up, and it has not hiccoughed once. TV Guide occasionally changes the format of their listing database. I reported it to PTVB the last time it happened, and they had an updated version on their site for download the next day, and sent me an email to let me know. :D

Keep it simple. Keep it cheap. Keep supporting it. I LOVE this program.

PocketPC Addict
03-04-2003, 06:14 PM
I think both programs have merit, and the choice really becomes one of the type of information layout you prefer.

Brad,

I agree, both programs have merit. May be I should take another look at PTVL because really I don't remember it having the linking and searching abilities that PTVB has. Yes, it did have search functions, but I had to type in anything I wanted to search. Perhaps I had an earlier build?

My review wasn't really comparing the two anyway... :lol:

Brad Isaac

eric linsley
03-04-2003, 07:12 PM
ive ben using it for around 2 years now and i love it. however... ive been haveing trouble using it latly.. maybe i cna figure it out... >_&lt;

Lotto
03-04-2003, 07:45 PM
I've also used this program for about a year now, and I love it.

With all the cable stations it still seems so many times there is nothing on to watch when you want it. This allows me to get the vcr ready for many things I'd normally miss.

I love having the quick movie reviews right on hand, as well as being able to set an alarm in my calendar to remind me to watch something I want to see.

It's great to see at a glance if you've seen a certain episode of a favorite show, as they list the episode names with the titles.

I highlight movies I don't want to pay to see, but would like to view eventually, when I see them on the pay stations, and Pocket TV Browser reminds me 6 months down the road when they finally hit normal cable. I can also access this list at the video store when I want to grab a movie, and can't think of a thing to get.

I catch myself reading it when I have a few moments waiting somewhere. It's a great program.

shk718
03-04-2003, 08:09 PM
Whats that cool looking start button bar? anyone know?

PocketPC Addict
03-04-2003, 08:21 PM
Whats that cool looking start button bar? anyone know?

shk718,

That is Pelmar (a variation of Wisbar) http://www.pelmarinc.com It's freeware. So have fun!

PocketPC Addict
03-04-2003, 08:25 PM
[quote="Lotto"]I highlight movies I don't want to pay to see, but would like to view eventually, when I see them on the pay stations, and Pocket TV Browser reminds me 6 months down the road when they finally hit normal cable.
[quote]

Lotto,

So you choose to queue up 6 months of listings? How big is the resulting file? It must take your computer a week to download all of that data ;)

Brad

Brad Adrian
03-05-2003, 12:41 AM
That's a good point Brad...How big is the file for, say, a week's worth of ten channels (or however many channels you usually download)?

Bob Anderson
03-05-2003, 01:02 AM
When I looked at the sample screenshots, I didn't see a single one where you could see what's on all the channels. PTVL excels in showing you what's on, and furthermore, lets you color code your program types (i.e., Drama, Reality TV, etc.) PTVL also has a very nice search feature that lets you search by an actor's name, words in a title, etc.


I don't know what you mean by you can't see what's on all channels? You can get listings for all the channels...that is the default behavior of the program. My setup is deliberately designed not to download EVERY channel - my screenshots reflect this, because frankly how much C-Span, C-Span2 and QVC can one person stand?!?!

Color coding is also supported by Pocket TV browser and I use it to separate Movies from Programs from Children's programming.

After seeing everyone's comments, I've come to realize that the programs may be more similar than different! And after all, imitation is the best form of flattery :lol:

PocketPC Addict
03-05-2003, 02:38 AM
That's a good point Brad...How big is the file for, say, a week's worth of ten channels (or however many channels you usually download)?

I download 9 days worth of listings for about 75 or 80 channels, with details and reviews(when the movie is over 3 stars). This week it is 1.66MB

Brad

Lotto
03-05-2003, 01:57 PM
The max you can download is 14 days at a time.

What I meant is I download even the pay stations that I don't get on my cable. First run movies hit there first, so in my normal 'what's on this week' surfing, I read through and highlight the newer movies as favorites (or you can also do this with the movie only listings if you wish). Then it is saved in my database, and is highlighted next time the movie appears (until I choose to remove the title). So in affect I am told when it hits my basic cable, even though I may have highlighted it when it was a new movie in pay per view.

Hope this makes more sense, kinda hard to explain.

And yes I think both programs are fairly similar, it's all in which you prefer. PTVB (for PPC's) does not do a grid pattern, and some people prefer that, but I have found I prefer not having it after using PTVB.

Lotto
03-05-2003, 02:05 PM
I checked my file size...I download 14 days worth of listings for about 80 channels, with details and all movie reviews (over 2.0 stars). This week it is 1.7MB.

Also is stored on my CF card so not a problem for me at all.

PocketPC Addict
03-05-2003, 07:16 PM
What I meant is I download even the pay stations that I don't get on my cable. First run movies hit there first, so in my normal 'what's on this week' surfing, I read through and highlight the newer movies as favorites (or you can also do this with the movie only listings if you wish). Then it is saved in my database, and is highlighted next time the movie appears (until I choose to remove the title). So in affect I am told when it hits my basic cable, even though I may have highlighted it when it was a new movie in pay per view.

Hope this makes more sense, kinda hard to explain..

Lotto,

That is a great idea! I am going to set that up right now!

Brad

Lotto
03-05-2003, 08:10 PM
I find it helpful to do this mainly because the movies are fresh in my mind when they've just been in the theater, and are advertised all over for coming to pay-per-view, or dvd. It's many times hard just reading a listing of tons of movies to remember which ones I wanted to see 6 months ago, but never got around to seeing. 6 months later it is hard to remember (without seeing a poster or picture que) if I already saw "15 days" or "15 minutes". Now I don't miss either of them. :)

doublebit
03-06-2003, 08:59 AM
I appreciate all the comments here, not to mention PocketPC Addict's original article!

Hopefully, on the whole, people will find Pocket TV Browser's search capabilities far superior to the competition. Its database is much more compact, it doesn't rely on huge indexes, its instantaneous search capability works for any words or names (not just a set of pre-indexed words), and it offers richer embedded content (eg, movie reviews, the ability to list or filter movies by number of stars, etc).

The driving philosophy behind Pocket TV Browser was making it easy to browse or "surf" your listings, much as you browse content with a web browser, and to easily add shows to your calendar or favorites, while keeping the UI simple and fast. There will always be people who still like PTVL better because it "looks cooler", but Pocket TV Browser was made for a leaner, meaner crowd. :-)

-Jeff

Pony99CA
03-06-2003, 12:48 PM
The driving philosophy behind Pocket TV Browser was making it easy to browse or "surf" your listings, much as you browse content with a web browser, and to easily add shows to your calendar or favorites, while keeping the UI simple and fast. There will always be people who still like PTVL better because it "looks cooler", but Pocket TV Browser was made for a leaner, meaner crowd. :-)
I think it would still be nice if you had a grid listing. That's pretty much the traditional method for viewing program listings at a glance.

I watch way too much TV, and would love a product like this. In fact, I think I downloaded both Pocket TV Brower and Pocket TV Listings at one time, and had problems with both. I think Pocket TV Listings wouldn't allow me to get listings at all, and the demo version of Pocket TV Browser didn't allow me to get the full experience of the program with a four channel limit.

Steve

kellys26
03-06-2003, 04:28 PM
I also love this program. I download my listings every 3 days, and just get the channels I want, and details just for the evening and weekend shows. I have my 'favorites' list, and I can look at upcoming favorites and add them to my calendar.
Program works great, is easy to use, and feature packed.
Kellys

doublebit
03-07-2003, 09:47 AM
I understand the point about grids being traditional, but aside from the fact that it would tend to reinforce the (mistaken) notion that I'm trying to flatter other programs by imitating them, I think grids are something of an anachronism.

Grids make sense in a newspaper because they allow the data to be printed once, but referred to in *two* separate ways (either vertically by channel or horizontally by time). And they make *some* sense on a TV screen, because of a TV's UI and input limitations.

Just because a grid allows you to perform look-ups two different ways doesn't mean that people actually look for shows both ways at the same time. I think there's a tendency to confuse form with function here. The grid format makes sense for newspapers because it saves ink and paper. That's not a concern for PDAs.

In fact, a PDA can instantly alter its view in an intuitive way with the tap of a stylus. Trying to combine both views at once (in the form of a grid) means you end up with the worst of both worlds -- a cramped time-based listing, and a cramped channel-based listing.

That said, there will still be those who want a grid, but that's OK, because there's other software out there that fills that niche. My focus is making a simpler, friendlier, more browser-like UI, and trying to stand out from the competition. I don't think the world needs two PTVLs.

-Jeff

Pony99CA
03-07-2003, 04:52 PM
I understand the point about grids being traditional, but aside from the fact that it would tend to reinforce the (mistaken) notion that I'm trying to flatter other programs by imitating them, I simply believe that grids are becoming an anachronism.

Grids make sense in a newspaper because they allow the data to be printed once, but referred to in *two* separate ways (either vertically by channel or horizontally by time). And they make *some* sense on a TV screen, because of a TV's UI and input limitations.

Regardless of what you think of grids, people are still used to them. Have you conducted any user surveys that show people don't want grids? If not, why throw out a common user interface?

I was watching a segment on Tech TV's Big Thinkers about a design firm that invented the pump toothpaste dispenser. They also invented a snap-on cap that worked better than the screw-on cap in all ways (or so they claimed). It was easier to remove and replace, and apparently just as secure. The one problem was that, during testing, people kept trying to unscrew the cap. The design firm went back to the screw-on cap.

The moral of the story is that you shouldn't abandon tradition lightly. (And, no, I don't know why they didn't just put a label on the tube or cap saying "Pull up to remove".)

Just because a grid allows you to perform look-ups two different ways doesn't mean that people actually look for shows two different ways at any given instant. I think there's a tendency to confuse form with function here. The grid format makes sense for newspapers because it saves ink and paper. That's not a concern for PDAs.

In fact, a PDA can instantly alter its view in an intuitive way with the tap of a stylus. Trying to combine both views at once (in the form of a grid) means you end up with the worst of both worlds -- a cramped time-based listing, and a cramped channel-based listing.

Well, I wasn't saying that you should get rid of any functionality in your product. I wanted you to add a grid view, not replace your current views.

As I said, I watch a lot of TV, so a grid let's me see what is on the channels I watch most frequently (the broadcast networks) for my whole evening. With the limited screen space of a Pocket PC, I understand that I might not be able to see the whole evening (unless you displayed the grid in landscape mode :-)), but I think it would still be useful.

That said, there will still be those who want a grid, but that's OK, because there's other software out there that fills that niche. My focus is in other areas, and trying to stand out from the competition. I don't think the world needs two PTVLs.

The world seems to need 3,257 Tetris games? :lol:

Seriously, I think your worries that people will think you're just a clone of PTVL are unwarranted. It's not like they invented the grid listing. Why not have all the features of your competition and the ones that set you apart? I think that would improve your position, and give people less reason to buy PTVL. But what do I know; I'm a developer, not a business person. :-D

As a user, I don't want to have to choose between two programs that do almost everything I want, or, worse, have to buy both programs. I want one program that gives me the flexibility that I want.

Now if you tell me that you don't have the time or resources to devote to adding a grid view, I can understand that. If you're adding features that people want more than a grid view, I understand that. But if you're worried you'll lose sales because people think you're a PTVL clone, that's just an issue of marketing your program to disabuse people of that notion. :-)

Steve

P.S. Regardless of what you do, thanks for taking time to participate in this forum. I wish more developers would.

Lotto
03-07-2003, 07:54 PM
Pony

I think you really should give the non-grid system a try. The filtering capabilities in Pocket TV Browser are so fast, and efficient I think you would be pleasantly surprised. Grids would have tons of scrolling, there is alot less this way.

You can select just what channels you want to see for the evening...if it's just 4 out of some 80 you download it only takes a few clicks and you have it. If you take an extra second and save it as a 'Favorite Channel' list, you can have that same set of channels reviewed at a moments notice.

For instance, I download all stations available on my cable, even the pay-per-view (which I don't subscribe to). I can 'surf' through them all....or select my premade 'Favorite Channels' in which I have a list called 'Network TV'. So at a glance I can surf just the major networks for the evening shows.

I also keep one I labeled 'Quick List' which is all my favorites devoid of the fluff channels I don't watch on a regular basis ....like shopping networks...government...etc.

You can make many many filters to view your stations however you prefer. There are many options in this program you don't realize until you've used it for several weeks...sometimes more. It's very powerful. Can't hurt to give it another try.

(I have absolutely nothing to do with the Pocket TV Browser people other than a very satisfied customer.)

Pony99CA
03-07-2003, 08:48 PM
I think you really should give the non-grid system a try. The filtering capabilities in Pocket TV Browser are so fast, and efficient I think you would be pleasantly surprised. Grids would have tons of scrolling, there is alot less this way.

I understand there will be scrolling. No matter what, though, you have to do something -- scrolling, paging, linking -- to view lots of channels over multiple times.

I'm not saying Pocket TV Browser's functions wouldn't be useful, but....


There are many options in this program you don't realize until you've used it for several weeks...sometimes more. It's very powerful. Can't hurt to give it another try.

That's the problem. Nobody wants to take weeks to learn something. A grid would give people a familiar interface while they explore the program more and find the more powerful browsing and filtering capabilities.

I probably should try both programs again, though, to refresh my memory about them and see what they're like. Now that I have a 256 MB SD card in my iPAQ 3870, storing both programs and their databases shouldn't be an issue.

Steve

Lotto
03-07-2003, 08:53 PM
This programs takes minutes to learn, there's just lots of 'extras' to play with.

doublebit
03-13-2003, 06:24 AM
In response to the comment Why not have all the features of your competition and the ones that set you apart?that is exactly what PTVL did (when it added list views after Pocket TV Browser came out), and I don't think it was an overall improvement. As they say, sometimes less is more.

However, the bottom line is really just a lack of time. I'm able to do small incremental improvements as time permits, but grid views don't fall in that category. Another problem is that a grid view implies more work than you might think -- for one thing, people would want to be able to customize the view in various ways, in part to make up for the fact that it is such a constrained view.

The lack of grid view hasn't stopped many people from using Pocket TV Browser. I've certainly never heard of anyone taking weeks to learn how to use it, precisely because it sticks to very simple and familiar UI concepts, including web browser metaphors, like the "Back" button. And I've yet to meet any Pocket TV Browser users who didn't know how to scroll through a list. :)

People who can't stand a snap-on cap on their toothpaste will buy a different brand. In the meantime, we shouldn't ignore the benefits of snap-on caps and the people who appreciate them. Making a cap that can do both seems a bit extreme. Besides, if the only barrier to an innovation is just a lack of familiarity, it won't matter in the long run.

-Jeff

Pony99CA
03-16-2003, 06:06 AM
OK, I installed Pocket TV Browser and have been trying it for the last couple of days. Here are my feelings.

Likes

Extensive linking allows you to find all sorts of useful information.

Usage is fairly fast (and my 14-day, 75-channel, all-reviews database is 2.2 MB).

Dislikes

Too much reliance on Forward/Back buttons. Instead of vertical scroll bars, the program always insists on using Forward/Back buttons. A listing for a program that is split into two pages requires you to hit the forward button to see the second page of the review. To get back to the listings, I have to hit back twice.

The same thing is true of listings. For each time or channel, I'd rather be able to scroll through the listings for that time or channel than hit forward.

Poor hardware button choice. The left and right directional pad control should be equivalent to the forward and back buttons (which use right and left arrows). Instead, the up and down d-pad controls are mapped to back and forward.

Ugly preferences dialog. The dialog has some general settings, plus four buttons to access other settings dialogs. A tabbed dialog would be better, I think.

Missing channels (Pocket TV Listings seems to suffer from this, too). The only cable listing presented for me was Charter Communications in Gilroy. That works for the most part, but I didn't get any of my digital cable channels between channels 37 and 100. This means I can't get listings for SciFi, TechTV, ESPN2, etc.

My Replay TV knows about Charter Communications in Hollister and downloads all of my channels. I realize that this may not be the fault of PTVB, but maybe using a different source for listings would help.

It's still cool to be able to see programs like this, though, instead of having to use my on-screen guides.
Steve