We are pleased to annunce the new WinVideo Linker “WvLink” module.

What is “WvLink”?

It’s a WinVideo network manager software with these features:

Return anywhere:
Allows (if you enable it) any member to rent/return a product in different locations ;

Prevents “member access denied”
In your network, if the ADSL line is temporary down, members can still access to any location and data will be queued and sent to main server when the ADSL becomes available.

Viewed products on all locations
Now the viewed products are available in all locations: member will be alerted if the selected movie was viewed in the past.

Real time update
Every modification on products and members records from main location will be updated on entire your network including product descriptions, etc.

No more need of FTP, export, etc.
WvLink will update entire your network on its own.

Multiplatform
WvLink server module can run on any high band hosting provider. Data will be stored on a mySQL database and you can customize your reports.

Statistics on Web!
Gives to you a wonderful view status on your main server (member accesses, products, transactions, recharges, etc.). It can be accessed using a normal browser, WinVideo not needed.

Availability
WvLink is available! Call us to install it.

We have received some reports from some video stores that noticed a popup message in the middle screen on the distributor or the selector with the message: “System XP” or the same selector/dispenser suddenly ends to work (after a few years after the first installation), even after repeated resets or restarts.

We are looking at the problem: we can for the moment exclude categorically that this is a problem of WinVideo as such these types of error messages do not belong to our WinVideo software.

If you have reports of, in order to let us better investigate the nature of the problem, we urge you, first of all, to get in touch with us at the number at +39-010-5530491 or email team@winvideo.net or Live-messenger (team@winvideo.net)

Thank you for your cooperation.

Aborting Reservation Filter
Each member can not cancel the reservation more than a limit of 3 times a week. In the case insist, the member will be blacklisted for 3 days (the parameters are configurable)

Rental start option at time of booking

Trailers
Members can view the trailers regardless of whether the trailer is viewable on the selector / distributor (no need to download from WinVideo Databank)

Online recharge option
The members can recharge the card (”health card” or video store card) using Paypal

Option Google AdSense
An AdSense Google banner Google (or personal) can be inserted within any page

SEO option (to improve visibility)
Elements have been included to make increase the visibility of your site on search engines

Option Home
The first page (home page) of your booking website takes on a presentation, a real home page with information on “where we are,” “about us”, “promotions of the month”, “contacts”, etc..

Option Whishlist (list of favorite movies)
Each member connecting to the site reservations, can store its favorite movies so that, when available, are highlighted at the first access

Option Newsletter
All members are sent a weekly email containing the latest movies and store ads and promotions. The process is automatic and requires no configuration.

Option rating
Each member can define a “rating” (voting) for each film and this popularity rating will be represented in the form of stars (from 1 to 5)

We are available for any information, clarification or request. Call us at +39-010-5530491 or write to team@winvideo.net

Due to a problem in the login engine, a member could assume the identity of other members, and then book indiscriminately products and make them unavailable and also change their balance on their account.

Usually the wvcgi module will auto-update, but if you still have version 2.00.046 (or below), please immediately contact your tech service to upgrade it immediatelly to version 2.00.047.

The wvcgi version number is displayed at the end of each page.

We do not provide any kind of assistance to those who have counterfeit versions of wvcgi.

For further technical details about the problem and how to exploit it, please contact your service center or the WinVideo Team (the author of software) at team@winvideo.net.

Thank you for your attention.

• Members can also reserve products in video stores (not only on vending machines)
• Members can sign up on site and start renting on vending machines

How it works

• New member fills out an online form (configured by the supervisor)The form is sent to the video store supervisor
• If the video store manager validates the new member (one click) the new member, WinVideo  will automatically send a SMS (or email) to the member with a PIN code, otherwise the member will receive an email with the reason of no confirmation
• If confirmed, the new member can start renting products with a minimum amount initially set by the supervisor (eg 50 euros/dollars), with a possible narrow field of products categories and a maximum of a rented movie for time. The member will type a special code on vending machine to get access (instead of striping the card).
• The supervisor can then deliver an official card to the customer

Interacting with reservations

If a new members (not in WinVideo database) book a video store product (not on vending machine), the membership form will be automatically activated.

Delivery date

These modules will be automatically included in new wvcgi 2.00.050 available from October, 19 2009.

How much does this update cost?

It is free.

No extra charges if you have a WinVideo wvcgi installation or WinVideo v3 reservation module.

We received notice that some WinVideo customers are experiencing system crashes or WinVideo does not start and or cannot access to the news section, SMS, database, etc.. and also the navigation on the following sites is denied:

http://www.winvideo.net
http://www.miditel.net
http://www.wvideo.net
http://www.ckware.com

We immediately connected to one of these systems and we found that:

A change was made to a Windows system file by a malware (virus) or by human person connected remotely deliberately blocking the activities of WinVideo and relate modules including internet booking forms.

Moreover, this change can cause a serious loss of data and safety because the calls are hijacked to a not authorized server gathering private informations.

How to check whether your system is affected
From Windows, press START button, then “Execute” and type in this command:

For those with Windows XP / Vista:

notepad "C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

For those with Windows 2000:

notepad C:\WINNT\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

If the file contains “www.winvideo.net” and / or “www.miditel.net“, it means that your system is hijacked.

Technical details of the hijacking
For technical detail, we point out that the Windows Hosts file (which contains such “hijacking”), was modified as follows:

213.21.156.137 www.miditel.net
213.21.156.137 www.winvideo.net
213.21.156.137 www.ckware.com
213.21.156.137 www.wvideo.net
213.21.156.137 89.98.255.40

In practice, any call to www.winvideo.net site, is rerouted to IP address 213.21.156.137 which effectively blocks the activity of itself and cause WinVideo blocks system (and could gather persona informations). Anyway WinVideo detects an hijacking and stop activities.

Symptoms
From WinVideo or from the same computer where you installed WinVideo (or on your server) if browsing http://www.winvideo.net and or  this forum: http://forum.winvideo.net system hangs or displays a blank page.

Effects

This “hijacking” has the following effects:

1) Block sending and receiving SMS
2) Blocking updates WinVideo and its backup
3) Risk of exposure to the other system trying to take total control of your computer
4) Errors on file transfers blocks and possible block of your dispensers

Lawsuits
For the moment we are not yet able to determine whether the problem was caused by a virus targeted by a remote link or a human person.
In any case, such behavior is liable to a criminal complaint for invasion of privacy to judiciary, unauthorized intrusion into their systems, unauthorized modification of files. We therefore suggest to every customer to make immediate complaint against unknown persons for violation of privacy to allow the investigation (together with us) to identify the responsible for the attempt to block your and our business.

Please be informed on this matter that is not a WinVideo problem but a problem of hacking a Windows file (2000, XP, Vista, etc..)

Reinstatement
Our team offers for free to cancel the hijacking: please call this number: +39-010-55.30.491 or email us immediatelly.
Otherwise, ask to your techincian to clean up the Windows HOSTS file.

Prevention
Once again we point out the urgent need to eliminate the remote access software (pcAnywhere, VNC) from all the PCs exposed to the internet because anyone could access and create irreparable damages.
Or, if not possible, change the connection passwords each time a remote access is done by someone authorizec by you.

The front-end of your reservation center

Using WinVideo v3 internet reservation module, you can create a portal with all movies on entire your network.

Your members will continue to reserve on local installations as now, but you can also create a big portal with entire list of movies and reservations to integrate it in your home page with centralized members and movies database.

The WinVideo v3 internet reservation module will run on your main page, for example: http://www.myvideostore.com and not on your local video-store.

What about the differences?

Using actual WinVideo internet reservation (wvcgi)

actually your members  must navigate to reserve a movie, one by one, on your locations:

• Location 1
• Location 2
• Location 3
• …

then search for movies, reserve, etc.

Each time they must login to every location, etc….

Using WinVideo v3 reservation module

there is no need for members to select a location to browse and login!

Just let them select (for example) http://www.yourvideostore.com/reserve (we also can provide you a joomla extension) and your members will access to entire list of movies on *all* locations and members can validate with user/password without the need to access to remote locations.

When the member will click on a product, system will show:

• available on Main Store…
• available on Handy Mart…
• available on Aloha…
• availebla on …

and member will reserve the nearest product to its location.

The entire WinVideo 3.00 internet reservation module will run on your web site (www.yourvideostore.com) using mySql database and php programming language.

All your data (including members, movies, transactions, recharges) will be kept up-to-date on both mySql and WinVideo database using transparent automatic routines: no need to upload files.

Advantages

Using WinVideo 3.00 internet reservation module you can:

• Add new members to WinVideo database from your home page: just let them input their data and validate them with a click: they will start renting after your click
• Give to your customers a movie global search option
• Use e-commerce integrated module with WinVideo sell products
• Show entire list of your movies: on videstore and on dispensers
• Create mailing lists with your members: automatic email for monthly news, hit parades, etc.
• Send promotional offers to most active members (recharge coupons, etc)
• Let a member to reserve a movie from its nearest location
• Let you actual configuration as is: no need to make changes or hardware upgrades
• have a mySql centralized database
• have source code of the software (entirely written in php, html with ajax support)
• customize each part of the software with, .css, templates, html, etc.
• run the software on your high-band host (BlueHost, goDaddy, etc. for example). The WinVideo v3 reservation module is platform-indipendent: you can run it on Windows, Linux, BSD, and many others.
• run the software on your selectors (only in this case you will need to make changes to software on the selectors)

When the mouse is over the movie picture

Installation

To install WinVideo 3.00 internet reservation module, there is no need to change anything on your local installation. It works 100% web and very fast.

Demo

Want to see a partial-running demo using your products?

click on: http://www.visualrent.com/wvcgi/?video=3

(sorry, it is in italian language but you can change templates as you need, including languages).

Select a product and click on pic: a real time scanner will start on your locations and will show availability.

If available, a popup will be shown to your member such as:

“Movie Title” is available on:

[list of your locations where available with infos, maps, etc]

do you want to reserve it? select a location and:

1. Yes, reserve now for 2 hours
2. Yes, reserve now for X hours (the member will be billed for each requested extra hour)
3. Keep it in my wish list (shown if the movie is not available: when available an email/sms will be sent to the member);
4. Rate this movie (five stars rating)
5. Send a feedback about this movie (an email will be sent to you with member feedback)
6. Show similar movies
7. Members rented this movies also rented…
8. Register now (if anonymous member, it will be redirected to login page and you will receive a detailed email with member data, so you can validate him with a click: member will receive a confirmation email with PIN code and instructions)

So the member will select the nearest location and reserve it.

Demo limitations

• The locations popup is actually not working with demo since we did not enable your location stores to receive reservation from main site: you will just get a “Available” or “not available” flag (it checks for availability in real time).
• The member login is disabled: if you are interested in this software, we will install it on your server and member database will stay on your server: since the demo is running on our servers at WinVideo.net located in Genoa, we cannot collect member informations for privacy reasons.
• The ecommerce module has been disabled.

If you need more informations, feel free to ask.

FAQ

Should I upgrade my WinVideo to  version 3?
No. You can also keep your WinVideo version 0.99 or 1.xx or 2.xx. TheWinVideo v3 reservation module is completely independent from your installation in the shop, even if  working on the same archives.

To install the module have I to be an expert programmer?
Absolutely not, the module is designed to give you more opportunities for your business and not to let you spend time in the settings or programming.
You only need to know that you can customize it as you like better because you have the source code: if you have a programmer, we will give him full support about the  implementation of any customization.
If you decide to trust in our team about the management of configurations and customizations, we will be honored and will follow you with the utmost professionalism.

If you have more questions, please add them here: your comment will be anonymous.

As we published on article here:

http://forum.winvideo.net/index.php/topic,1081.0.html (August, 15, 2008)

We inform you that our internet reservation module (wvcgi) versions from

0.10 to 1.99 and installed before 1/1/2006

must be updated

to 2.00 version as soon as possible.

New 2.xx versions fix security problems, customizable hosting and bug fixing and work with ALL WinVideo versions.

Please contact us to get more informations and to update your module. It is for free. No charges!

How to check version number

Go to the bottom of each page and check the version number:

“WinVideo CGI manager v1.xx” means the module must be updated
“Powered by WinVideo CGI manager v2.xx” means your module is updated.

(”xx” is the sub-version number).

Why the old versions are not working now?

Wvcgi versions older than 2.00 version have some links to urls and IPs no more belonging to our servers. This causes a large bandwidth directed to those links and complains from owners of those urls. So we decided to suspend that kind of trafic.

Other problem was that member accounts were server-based and not cookie-based. In this case members with same IP could reserve same products or bypass the movies-per-period limitations.

We update very often the internet reservation module in order to keep it up-to-date following any security issue from customers and beta-testers. The 1.xx versions were not updated since 2005: they were overtaken by new 2.xx versions with full support and customizations.

Since the 2.xx Wvcgi versions are full 100% compatibile with your WinVideo (any version), we strongly encourage to update your wvcgi internet reservation module to the latest 2.xx version.

How much does the conversion cost?

It is for free. No charges. Please contact us to get the code.

We joined experiences and power of WinVideo and VisualRent software: a new product is coming.

Stay tuned…

www.winvideo.net/v3