BBOTV - feedback

[barmar]

If you close the browser window or click its Refresh button, you *should* then automatically get the latest (though it is not entirely clear this process always works - on some machines it could be necessary to clear your browser's cache).

 

I suspect Uday and I will eventually figure out a way to make sure the browser's cache cannot interfere with the distribution of new versions.

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

It's probably dependent on how the user has their cache checking set. In IE I think you can set it to check whether there's a newer page on every access, every browser session, every day, or never. IMHO, anyone with a broadband connection should set it to check every time -- the other settings are only appropriate for slow dialups.

 

There should be a way for you to disable caching entirely, though. That might be a good idea while you're rolling out new versions every day or so. But once this goes public, dialup users might not appreciate having to download the flash every time.

[barmar]

When viewing My Hands in a VuGraph table, the boards in the Other Table section are in a random order.

 

Also, I couldn't see anywhere where it said what table I was at -- the name of the event, whether this was the open or closed room, etc.

[chicken]

i am still asking myself if it still will be possible to upload *.lin files (movies or hands for tuitional reasons).

[awm]

It seems to frequently be the case that BBOTV boots me from bridgebase, but I can immediately reconnect. Presumably this is a network problem (uday indicated as much) but the windows-based BBO client seems not to have this issue. Perhaps there is some threshold for lost/delayed packets which is set low on BBOTV? I've also noticed that on the windows-based client there are sometimes delays where card play freezes for a moment or two and then resumes (or where people get red-dotted but it goes away without them being booted from BBO) whereas this never seems to happen on BBOTV (perhaps it just boots me instead?)

[awm]

Also, please put in a way to turn off sounds. Some of us prefer not to have them. B)

[Patapon]

Many flags are still missing..

[Patapon]

Shuffle: What's that for? When could it be useful?

[bradd]

I had a game at BBOTV today and it was excellent. I noticed a couple of things:

 

As host, I could redeal but not reset the score (button not there yet I guess).

 

There seems to be a claim problem where previous tricks won are not counted. I'm not certain this happens every time, but here's an example:

 

Declarer was in 3NT, ducked the first trick then took the next eight. At that point, he let my partner in and partner then led my suit, so that I could cash the rest. I claimed the last three tricks, but declarer was given TEN, so Trick 1 and Trick 10 were not accredited to us.

 

I agree with awm that being able to turn off sounds would be useful.

 

Once or twice the chat "To" button switched from "Table" to someone's name. He wasn't even at the table, so what he thought of my comment is anyone's guess LOL.

 

*Edit* The same thing happened when I played a hand - I'd won four tricks, then claimed the last six, and it only gave me six. Pard was not impressed hehe.

Edited August 17, 2007 by bradd

[downagain]

Another bug: For some reason you can't log in with a username containing a space.

[keylime]

Adam,

 

Can you try something for me....

 

Since BBOTV interacts with the cache of the browser, can you set your settings to have it check the page each and every time? That should form a solid foundation.

 

Also, do you know offhand what your TCP receive stack is? I've found that if the ratio is too low, i.e. small stacks versus large bandwidth, the program will stall right out.

 

(in my case, I have a customized DNS setup in my wireless and router config, but I run a 5000 Kbps window and it works nearly flawlessly off of a 15Mbps Cox connection)

 

edit:

 

Since Adam is on a Mac like I, you may need to set your MTU to a different number besides the default 1500 is it's lagging via Terminal with this command for AirPort ONLY -> $ sudo ifconfig en1 mtu <value> where the <value> is the number, in 8's, is placed. If on DSL the maximum you can run is 1492, and I'd recommend a lower number than that (maybe as low as a 1450), and it does NOT retain after a reboot.

 

For Ethernet -> System Preferences, Network, Show, Built-in Ethernet, Configure, Manually (Advanced)...then you can set a number for that in factors of 8. These settings will retain themselves.

 

To test (any O/S now) -> there are tools that can test the fragmentation of packets. The highest ones that doesn't fragment is your MTU desired setting.

[fred]

It seems to frequently be the case that BBOTV boots me from bridgebase, but I can immediately reconnect. Presumably this is a network problem (uday indicated as much) but the windows-based BBO client seems not to have this issue. Perhaps there is some threshold for lost/delayed packets which is set low on BBOTV? I've also noticed that on the windows-based client there are sometimes delays where card play freezes for a moment or two and then resumes (or where people get red-dotted but it goes away without them being booted from BBO) whereas this never seems to happen on BBOTV (perhaps it just boots me instead?)

The BBO server has an "idle disconnect" mechanism.

 

The Windows client will present a message like "You seem to be away from your computer. Are you still there?" after a half hour or so of inactivity. If the user does not respond he will be disconnected.

 

The timer automatically resets itself when you do something that invovles interaction with the server (like joining a table, chatting, playing a card...).

 

BBOTV does not currently have a way of asking this question so this could be why you are getting disconnected - if you are just sitting there watching for long periods of time without clicking anything then this is almost certainly what is happening (assuming there is no problem with your Internet connection).

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

[cherdano]

I also get frequent disconnects as Adam, and I had not been idle for more than a minute before them.

[fred]

I also get frequent disconnects as Adam, and I had not been idle for more than a minute before them.

OK thanks. Sounds like my theory is wrong.

 

What is your best guess at how often "frequent" is?

 

Do you ever have long periods with no disconnects?

 

What message if any do you get when you disconnect?

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

[cherdano]

They are very irregular, sometimes 2 minutes after I relogin, sometimes hours with no disconnects. The login screen appears with a message "Connection lost".

 

P.S.: Of course this appears superficially like a network connection problem but I have no trouble with the windows client, and "ping bbo.bridgebase.com" (assuming that's the right server to test for) shows a very reliable and fast connection.

[scoob]

I wasn't able to try this out until just recently, but I'm experiencing the same issue as cherdano. in a span of about 30 minutes I was disconnected well over a dozen times, and was only able to witness about 1.5 full hands collectively in that time.

 

I have no issues connecting with the windows client from the same machine.

[bradd]

Not sure if you missed my post here - I know you fixed the claim process where you are watching a game, but claiming when you are actually playing isn't working right (tricks won before the claim are not accredited to you).

 

If you saw my post, but are still working on it, apologies! :)

[downagain]

another funny bug: when dummy I can still still play my own cards!!

[bradd]

another funny bug: when dummy I can still still play my own cards!!

Confirmed - I just tried it.

 

Just to be sure, I asked my partner whether any of the cards played from dummy in a 3NT contract were not played by him (I'd played two) and he said yes and it was all very confusing! :)

[fred]

another funny bug: when dummy I can still still play my own cards!!

Thanks for noticing and posting this. It is obviously a pretty serious bug so I have uploaded a fix.

 

I also turned the 1 sound effect off (the only reason it was there in the first place was as an experiment to make sure I could make sound work).

 

Some other stuff has been fixed as well, but only new functionality I can think of is:

 

- you can right-click on player name in people-browser and get a menu

- you can click name in hand-browser and see user profile (this is actually kind of useful when you want to know who went for -3400 on a given board)

 

Bradd - the only thing I can see wrong with claim is that the message at the very end after the claim is accepted "7 tricks claimed." (or whatever) is not always accurate. From what I have seen, the message that appears before the claim is accepted/rejected in the blue rectangle is OK. Also as far as I can tell the actual result you get after a claim is accepted is also OK.

 

Am I missing something?

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

[fred]

Not sure if you missed my post here - I know you fixed the claim process where you are watching a game, but claiming when you are actually playing isn't working right (tricks won before the claim are not accredited to you).

 

If you saw my post, but are still working on it, apologies! :)

I figured out what this is all about - sorry about the previous confusion.

 

I don't think I can fix this without a server change that Uday will have to make, test, and install so this may take a few days to fix.

 

For now I suggest that you don't claim when you play on BBOTV. If your claim is accepted you may not be credited with as many tricks as you deserve.

 

Sorry about this inconvenience.

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

[bradd]

Having just played with the standard client, it just seems that BBOTV is aesthetically far more pleasing (the other seems overly large). I much prefer it, even though it's not fully developed yet. :)

 

you can click name in hand-browser and see user profile

This doesn't seem to work for me, either as spectator or player.

 

A couple more minor things I've come across:

 

(1) The chat size isn't remembered if you either reload or open the link. It's fine if you just log off and log back on (keeping the browser tab open)

 

(2) If you've played as East or West, then when you go back to spectator mode, the positions don't revert to the default (South at the bottom).

 

I also wondered what are the numbers sometimes seen on the player name strips?

 

It would be nice to have the option of kibbing partner when he plays a hand - I guess this will come later, when the other user options are developed further. :)

 

*Edit* One more bug - partner's alert explanation (bid in square box) is visible to me.

Edited August 18, 2007 by bradd

[downagain]

I think something just went wrong with a claim.

I was declarer, LHO lead a diamond, and then I claimed all last 3 tricks.. but actually I conceded last 3 tricks (opps of course accepted).

Maybe I missclicked.. but I don't believe so.. maybe someone can try to recreate a similar situation and see what happens.

[fred]

I think something just went wrong with a claim.

I was declarer, LHO lead a diamond, and then I claimed all last 3 tricks.. but actually I conceded last 3 tricks (opps of course accepted).

Maybe I missclicked.. but I don't believe so.. maybe someone can try to recreate a similar situation and see what happens.

Thanks but don't bother trying to recreate this.

 

We know something is wrong with claims - working on it...

 

Until you hear from me that I think it is fixed, I suggest you don't claim through BBOTV.

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

[A2003]

I'm also experiencing the issue as disconnection when I try to log in bbotv thru user id.

If I log thru anonymously, I am able to sustain.

 

If I am logged on thru bbotv anonymous many times, I can launch as many windows thru launch bbotv.

I am able to watch vugraph close room and open room simultaneously.

This is neat and interesting to watch both room plays next to each other.

Some overlap for one hand position cards.

Also, BBO program vugraph in the background is also possible to view.

Resizing the pop-up windows to suit screen is bit tricky.

Prefer card layout diagram as left oriented position instead of center position.

Then resizing is bit easier.

Works better in display deal as hand diagram.

 

Players names show up in regular vugraph in BBO program.

In bbotv,

Players are mentioned as east, west, north and south and no names show up in the bbotv during vugraph.

[skjaeran]

I just did a session as commentator using the BBOTV. No problems at all with the software, but a couple of minor things to comment:

• With no colour or sound effects, it's harder to distinguish private chat than on the client.
  
• Chatting with Roland in norwegian/danish æøåAØÅ typed by me on BBOTV didn't show correctly for Roland using the client. Roland's æøåÆØÅ showed properly on BBOTV.
  
• Boards not finished at the other table looks like a push in MyHands.