It has been just over 3 months since the last Media Browser release; which feels like forever in Media Browser years.

In the mean time we managed to sort out some critical performance issues and add quite a few new features. Our metadata story is much more complete, you can now specify local metadata for mediainfo and our configuration tool is looking more and more polished.

A knowledge base article describing the changes is available here: Changelog: Media Browser 2.2.8 (codename Orion)

I am also very proud to announce that we have quite a few new contributors

A big thank you goes to the new developers, Birkoff, Sinjen, Jon, Chip and Neil18

Another big thank you goes to all the testers, we would not have been able to release such a stable product without you.

But wait, there’s more …

The Media Browser team felt it was time that we properly recognize those of you who support the project through donations. So, starting with this version, Media Browser supporters will now have access to 3 very awesome plugins:

• MB Trailers – a replacement for the old Apple Trailers that provides HD trailer viewing inside MB. If you are not a supporter, you can still use this plug-in but it will only show you a few trailers.
• CoverArt – this very popular plug-in will now be fully registered for Media Browser supporters as well as those who have made donations specifically for CoverArt. You can still register through ebrSoft for just $4 but a donation to Media Browser in general will also give you full access to automatic cover art processing.
• Pearl Theme – the incredibly awesome, infinitely configurable new theme from Soultaker. Like CoverArt, this theme will operate for a limited trial period so you can decide if you want to keep using it (who wouldn’t???). After this period, it will require a supporter key to continue operating.
  

So, how will this supporter key thing work…?

Whenever you donate to the Media Browser project through the Donate page you should get an email that contains a “Supporter Key”. (Please save this email somewhere in case you need it again in the future.) Simply copy and paste this key into the Supporter Key field in the configurator (found in the Help and About section) and plug-ins for which you are authorized should work outside of their trial limitations.

The proper versions of these plug-ins should be available very soon but please be patient as we coordinate this roll-out.

Does this mean Media Browser is going to a pay model?

No. Media Browser core, as previously stated and as it exists now, is staying 100% free. We simply thought we should reward those of you who help to make this program possible with some additional goodies.

What if I’ve already supported the Media Browser project?

If you are a past supporter, first and foremost, Thank You, and you should receive an email in the next few days with your supporter key.

I know you told me to save it, but what if my machine crashes and I lose my key?

We will have a link on the donation page that will allow you to retrieve your key if you are a supporter. But, please do save the email .

What do I do if I have problems?

The CT, as always, will probably be the best place to find help if you have a problem with this new system.

So, there it is, the next iteration of Media Browser. We think it is our most feature-rich and stable version yet. We hope you enjoy using it – and thank you for your support!

Is there a minimum donation amount to get these plugins?

Yes, if you donate 10usd or more you will get all 3. If you donate less you will get less. CoverArt already had a minimum 5 dollar donation. It seems unfair to push it lower for 3 plugins bundled.

How do I make a donation?

Head over to http://www.mediabrowser.tv/donate

Source Article:
Media Browser 2.2.8 just released!

The latest version of Media Browser, code named “Phoenix”, includes the addition of a parental control option. This much requested feature enables the locking of content of a certain rating and requiring a pin number to be able to view the media. Much like the common cable DVR this is enacted to prevent younger audiences from getting access to content that’s inappropriate for their age. The new parental control options inside Media Browser allow you to define a maximum rating above which users will be required to enter the pin number before being able to play the media.

To use this new feature make sure you’ve got the latest version of Media Browser, from the forums at mediabrowser.tv, installed. Also, be sure that your content has been properly tagged with the ratings metadata. To do that you can use the popular metadata tool MetaBrowser (or any other tool of your choice that supports the ratings tag). Make sure that each movie or piece of media in the collection contains a proper rating to ensure that your parental control selection will be effective.

Inside MetaBrowser you can set the rating of each listed item by selecting the title in the left hand pane then adjusting the MPAA Rating dropdown to the appropriate rating for each movie. Be sure to press the Save Metadata after each movie has been edited to be certain your selection is saved to the metadata of that movie. Remember, the parental controls will only be as effective as the ratings employed in the collection.

Once you’ve assigned ratings to your media collection it’s time to open up Media Browser’s configuration and setup the parental controls feature. Inside the configuration program be sure to select the Advanced options selection from the top to enable the extra options then open the new parental controls tab. Here you can set the maximum rating allowed to be viewed by everyone in the household as well as the pin number to unlock content.

You also have the option to hide blocked content until the pin is entered. This will remove all titles from the listing that are above the maximum rating until pressing the “lock” button on the main Media Browser window, next to the configuration wrench, and entering the pin number. Unchecking this option leaves the titles in the listing and will prompt for the pin when attempting to play the content. Also included is the option to unlock all content for a period of time once the pin number is entered. This will keep you from having to repeatedly enter the pin while using Media Browser for extended periods but also makes the system vulnerable should you leave the machine unattended in that time.

That’s all there is to it! Just re-launch your Windows 7 Media Center and start up Media Browser to see the new parental controls in effect. There are sure to be many happy parents happy to see this feature added to the Media Browser plugin and the ease of setup makes the system even more effective though the lynch pin here is still in the rating system itself. You need to be certain that your entire collection is properly tagged before the system becomes effective.

Source Article:
Using Media Browser’s Parental Control Features