July Update

(New Members please see the previous post for June for the new builds until we get the July update out)

Welcome to July!  My move is completed and I'm back developing on Dynaframe.   We are finishing up the July release and it should be ready in a week or so.  Here's some things that are coming and that have happened in the background:

1) The store can now deliver updates!  Some of you on the patreon asked to join the beta group...we appreciate that greatly because we wanted to roll out an over the air update system so that each build you wouldn't have to take down your frame and reimage it.  The update has been successful, and we're planning on using that system going forward. The way it works is I'll release a code here, you put that into the store and say 'update' and then wait a bit.  You check the playlist folder for a new entry (dfupdate) and then when it's there you simply reboot.  The new update will apply and you'll have new features!  This was by the way a major portion for the upcoming plugin system...we needed a way to deliver core engine features to make plugins works.

2) Youtube/web video playback - We have the ability in the engine to play youtube videos as well as videos from most video sites.  For this release the way this will work is that you'll have a text box on the web page you can post a link, hit 'send' and it'll show up on the frame.  The plan is to make this a playlist type that you can include in a folder, but that may be a bit.  I'm working on this and some video fixes in the short term.

3) API documentation - We are at a point where I need to get the API's documented so that the home assistant users and programmers can start using them to extend the system.  This will allow for some fun extensions like remote controls (we have a prototype of someone using a steamdeck to control thier frame that we'll document) and such. The APIs are all web based, so you'll be able to develop/script/extend.  Nothings locked down...anything that is done in the UI can be done via an http call currently.  Next month I'll look into MQTT as well.  Home assistant can easily control this via node-js.

4) On/off with a time schedule - This has been on our backlog for a while...we plan on tackling it in July!

Thankyou all for the support.  I'm hoping to have an update out in the next week or so...I want to be careful not to regress the stability we have today. 

Also please know...if you see something that is broken or want to see something, please message us on the discord and here.  YOU are our community and you matter.  We make our decisions primarily based around what you ask for.  We had a bit of a stretch where we had to do the 'boring architectural' work, and then I had my move, but we've been building a backlog of features based on user asks, and that's what we work through.

Thankyou all as always for the support,

Joe