Feature Suggestion - Universal Search

[Brent]

Not sure if this has been considered or discussed before, but I think it would be a great addition (tell me if this is already a feature of course).

Why not make the #1 menu item under "Search" to be universal search. So you select that when you want to search for anything in the SageTV database whether it be TV recording, TV EPG, Online Video, Music, Photos etc. Kind of Google-like if you know what I mean.

[Brent]

Anyone agree or care about this one? Or is it just me

[GKusnick]

This would be easy to do with a plugin. As far as I know, no such plugin has been written yet. So that may say something about the level of interest in this feature among plugin devs anyway.

[sleonard]

...or it could say something about whether anyone has brought up the idea before or not. The plugin devs have to have heard the idea before they can consider whether or not it is interesting.

S

[Brent]

Actually.... I know of one coming-soon new 3rd party SageTV "thing" that will have this included.

I'm just asking if perhaps people would like to see it built-in to SageTV. I would - just don't know if others would as well.

[samgreco]

First - +1 for sure. Great idea.

Second....

Originally Posted by Brent

Actually.... I know of one coming-soon new 3rd party SageTV "thing" that will have this included.

I think you may be evil

[davephan]

I would like to see at least combining the 'recordings' and 'video library' searches into one search.

Dave

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by davephan

I would like to see at least combining the 'recordings' and 'video library' searches into one search.

That would be the existing "Videos" search.

- Andy

[GKusnick]

Originally Posted by Brent

I'm just asking if perhaps people would like to see it built-in to SageTV. I would - just don't know if others would as well.

Not trying to be argumentative, but I don't see why it's so important to have it built in rather than available as a plugin. If a clear majority of users want it, then sure, it makes sense to build it in. But if it's of interest only to a minority, then a plugin seems like the ideal solution. That way everyone can get the oddball features they want, without giving up menu space to oddball features somebody else wanted.

[Brent]

Originally Posted by GKusnick

I don't see why it's so important to have it built in rather than available as a plugin.

I simply put it up for discussion really. Of course the reason one would want to include a feature in the core SageTV as opposed to as a plugin is for usability - mainly for the new SageTV user. If it's not a popular request - it won't happen

If a clear majority of users want it, then sure, it makes sense to build it in. But if it's of interest only to a minority, then a plugin seems like the ideal solution.

Agreed. I didn't expect a poll or anything here - just gauging interest

That way everyone can get the oddball features they want, without giving up menu space to oddball features somebody else wanted.

I'm with you there. Of course "search" is already on the menu. One reason to do universal search as the default is to clean up that search page UNLESS the user wanted to drill down more to a media-specific search.

To be clear here - I consider it my obligation as a beta tester to provide feedback on the features of SageTV and to explain why I do or don't like things, suggest new things that I think might be nice, solicit other opinions whether they agree with me or not. That and its just in my nature to do so. In the end I want the HTPC program I use to be a thriving one & while some of my suggestions/requests are for me personally - most of my suggestions are for the improvement and advancement of SageTV itself.

[vividweb]

I normally don't search for what I want to watch, browse until I find something interesting or watch something I've flagged previously that recently recorded.

I think that the way people are going to consume video/audio over the next while is going to change, just not sure how its going to change yet.

[panteragstk]

I think it would be awesome. If I want to watch episode 1 season 2 of the office and I search for it in the "universal search" it would be awesome for sage to find the episode for me, be it on netflix watch now, hulu, recordings, or archived media. If done correctly it would be awesome.

[bastafidli]

Originally Posted by vividweb

I normally don't search for what I want to watch, browse until I find something interesting or watch something I've flagged previously that recently recorded.

+1

[infocus13]

I completely support a global search!!!

[wayne5w]

+1 for sure.

Another plugin I'd love to see is a "Record High Rated/Popularity" favorites plugin. This would use ratings/popularity from various sites (IMDB,Rotten Tomatoes, etc) as a data feed. It would cross reference every upcoming show/movie and if the rating is equal to or greater than a threshold then it would record it. It would also be great if the review comments for the show/movie could be downloaded and added to the meta data. I find Comments from real people are useful to figuring out if something is worth recording/viewing.

While these ratings are never a sure thing due to personal taste they sure do help weed out the total garbage.

I have the IMDB search plugin and I can do all of this now but it it totally manual. Would be awesome to automate it. I am slowly building up a HD library of the top 250 movies on IMDB. This kind of plugin would make it painless.