Widgets Phase 2 Testing: Instructions & Issue Reports

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jcrandall

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Apr 3, 2005
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Welcome to the Widgets Open CE Testing : AKA Widgets Testing Phase 2.

This phase of the Widget testing is available to all CE Users, that are active participants at one of the CE discussion forums.
In order to participate, you must submit your DIRECTV.COM login information to:
http://www.iamanedgecutter.com/Projects/WidgetsCE/default.aspx
For anyone that hasn't registered for widgets yet, please include your forum name on the registration - it makes it much easier for DirecTV to tie issues to receivers/accounts.

We will be adding users roughly once a week.
This weeks “cut-off” was #831. If you where number 831, or earlier then you should have access to the Phase 2 trials.


There are multiple pieces to the trial, but first some information.

-) All aspects of the widgets are classified as CE versions.
This means that the software is solid, stable, but is still being developed and enhanced.
There may be times when the website is shutdown, restarted, or just unavailable.
There also may be times when we have to clear out the head-end database. So please understand that before continuing with the trials.

-) The CE rules apply to this trial. Discussion about Widgets must remain in the CE forums as designated by the moderators of your site.
Do not contact DIRECTV customer support via any method: email, phone, forums.directv.com, snail-mail, twitter, facebook, ect about Widgets.

If you have any issues, post them in the appropriate threads on your forum site.

-) Please read all the license agreements that you will have to accept on the website. We highly recommend that you do not just “accept” them to speed up the signup process.

-) Please report issues and errors, even if you think they are small. Include as much information as possible.
Very important when reporting issues about the website, that you include your OS, Browser Software, and Browser Version (even if it is a BETA version) with any error message.
Screen shots and Videos are also very helpful, if it is difficult to express in typed word.

-) Features that you think are missing or think should be changed, should be posted in the discussion threads or in areas that your moderators dictate.


Enabling Widgets on your DVR:
Widgets are only available on the HR2* and the R2* series. (They are not available on the D1*, H2*, R*, or any other DIRECTV DVR)

You must be at a minimum software version 0x12A, but it is highly recommend that you are running the latest CE version.
See your forum FAQs on information on how to download the CE versions if you don’t know.

To enable widgets:
Keyword Search: WIDGETSON

After enabling, with a full video display (either live or playback), use the RIGHT arrow key/button to display your Widgets dock.


Accessing the Widgets User configuration pages:

Via your computer (the site is not designed for mobile access), load up the URL
http://widgets.directv.com

Use the DIRECTV.COM login that you provided when signing up, and the corresponding password to access the site.

Follow the appropriate prompts to complete your setup.

You now will have access to add Widgets to your systems.


Creating Widgets:
There are three types of widgets:
1) DIRECTV Created
2) End User Created, using the DIRECTV WDK
3) End User Created, using custom programming

Currently the WDK is not available. We are expecting to have the WDK available to the CE before Thanksgiving.
We will provide and update before Thanksgiving on the status of the WDK.

However, you can still create Widgets.
There are only a few requirements and you can create your own widgets.
1) You need to have a internet publicly accessible hosting site that accepts an HTTP request.
2) Your URL accepts parameters (if necessary) via an HTTP QUERYSTRING method: example: http://mysite.com/widget.php&myparm1=foo
3) The output of your page is an PNG image, that is 400x300
4) Your Widget content conforms to the rules you agreed to when signing up. All Widgets are subject to DIRECTV approval, before being made available.

Those are the only requirements.
You can use ANY language or technology on your website. PHP, ASP.NET, ASP Classic, JAVA, anything you want.


Again, thank you for participating in the Widgets Open CE Field Trials.
Please report any issues and feedback in the areas designated at your forum site.


--------

This thread will be used for reporting Issues only with the Widget function on the receiver, or the Widget website.

There is a seperate thread for discussion, including the individual widgets, widget creation, etc.
 
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Updates 11/24:

For anyone that hasn't registered for widgets yet, please include your forum name on the registration - it makes it much easier for DirecTV to tie issues to receivers/accounts.

The R22 may not be showing on the widgets website yet, it is being worked on.
The H series may show on the widgets website, ignore it for now. No word if H series could be supported in the future.
 
If you are interested in creating Widget's we here at SatelliteGuys will be happy to host your Widget creations on our servers at no charge.

If you are interested please PM me and I can get you setup.

Happy creating! :D
 
Still get a blink of about 1 second with video loss before the widget bar appears.

Widget bar loads faster (than previous testing) taking about 3-4 seconds total.
 
Jimbo, give it 15 minutes or so after entering the WIDGETSON keyword search.

You'll need to do the keyword search on all HR2x receivers you want to use widgets on.
 
The web site doesn't list a receiver for me.

Edit...I think I figured it out, when I log on to the D* web site I never use my Email address, so when I registered for the widgets, I didn't use my Email, I used what i use to log onto D*'s website. Oh well, that was dumb of me, I'll just have to wait till the next testing phase.
 
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Number 113 in que

I was number 113 in the que for the widget testing. I thought maybe it just got lost or something, but when i go back and reregister it tells me that i have alreadt regitered and are number 113 in line. Should i have already recieved conformation or something.
Thanks
 
While setting up a RSS Widget I got;

could not insert: [com.directv.daw.widgets.domain.user.UserParameter]; nested exception is org.hibernate.exception.DataException: could not insert: [com.directv.daw.widgets.domain.user.UserParameter]

The RSS widgit does show up on my HR20-700 but gives "Service Unavailable" error.
 
The web site doesn't list a receiver for me.

Edit...I think I figured it out, when I log on to the D* web site I never use my Email address, so when I registered for the widgets, I didn't use my Email, I used what i use to log onto D*'s website. Oh well, that was dumb of me, I'll just have to wait till the next testing phase.

I'm in the same boat as you, but I still don't see why it should matter--I can log in to the widgets site w/my user/pw from D* & browse the widgets & all, but no receiver listed when I try to add widgets? I wonder how we fix this--or can we?
 
How the heck are we suppose to use the widgets if our receivers don't even show up on the Widgets Website to add widgets. That makes not sense

Why is there nothing being done about this or at lease some information being provided about this? MODS: Please give us some information about this issue. Does Directv even know about this issue??
 
How the heck are we suppose to use the widgets if our receivers don't even show up on the Widgets Website to add widgets. That makes not sense

Why is there nothing being done about this or at lease some information being provided about this? MODS: Please give us some information about this issue. Does Directv even know about this issue??

Sorry about the post above. Thanks for your help Jason. I understand now.

Here is more info about my problem:
I have 3 receivers, 2 H21-100's and a R22-100. On the R22 I downloaded the latest CE and I did the Keyword search to turn on the widgets. When I go on to the Widgets Website, it only list my 2 H21's NOT my R22. This is odd because widgets are not even for the H21's. Please could you add my R22 to the website Directv.

Thanks and Sorry,
Josh
 
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I am interested!

If you are interested in creating Widget's we here at SatelliteGuys will be happy to host your Widget creations on our servers at no charge.
If you are interested please PM me and I can get you setup.
Happy creating! :D
:confused:I sent a PM!:confused:
:welcomePerhaps a thread should be started to comment about Widget creations?:eureka
 
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A couple things, Directv isnt working on this 24/7. They probably take the weekend off. I don't know if the R22 is part of widget, we'll ask. Is anyone not having an HR2x receiver show on the website? I understand R22 are not showing, but haven't heardof any missing HR.

H series do not do widgets as far as I know, if they are showing just ignore them.
 
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