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MediaBrowser for MediaPortal


Armand

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MediaBrowser for MediaPortal
v0.13 beta (2013/10/21)

This plugin is a MediaBrowser Server 3 (MB3) client for MediaPortal.
 
Download latest version. (MPEI)
 
 
 
Requirements
 
MediaPortal 1.4 > and MediaBrowser 3 Server running somewhere on your network (reachable by the MediaPortal client).
 
Installation
 
Installation is as simple as running the MPEI installer. It should install the plugin, supporting libraries, translations and skin files in the appropriate folders.
 
Configuration
 
None, as of now - it should just work.
Future changes will allow you to set some preferences from within MediaPortal.
 
Features
  • Automatic discovery of MediaBrowser Server on the network.
  • Login support for user profiles (with and without password)
  • Default profile, "remember me" and view settings.
  • Browse your movie, tvshows and music collection with artwork and metadata.
  • Views: All, Boxsets, Genre, Studio, Recently Added, Resumables, Nextup, Network, Songs, People, Artists
  • Watch movies, tvshows and listen to music.
  • Remote control, browse, resume and playback using other MB3 clients.
  • Contextual sorting, filtering and infinite scroll with background loading.

expect a full implementation of what is possible on the web version

 

What is MediaPortal?  (http://www.team-mediaportal.com)

 

MediaPortal is an open-source media center (HTPC) software project, often considered an alternative to Windows Media Center. It provides a 10-foot user interface for performing typical PVR/TiVo functionality, including playing, pausing, and recording live TV; playing DVDs, videos, and music; viewing pictures; and other functions. Plugins allow it to perform additional tasks, such as watching online video, listening to music from online services such asLast.fm, and launching other applications such as games. It interfaces with the hardware commonly found in HTPCs, such as TV tuners, infrared receivers, and LCD displays.

The MediaPortal source code was initially forked from XBMC, though it has been almost completely re-written since then. MediaPortal is designed specifically for Microsoft Windows,

 

MediaPortal also includes MPAR, which is a clever little addition that ensures that the playback of your videos is smooth - no more stuttering movies!

MediaPortal comes with a pretty stunning looking 'skin' (just look at those gorgeous screen shots). but you can also mix it up a little to make it even more to your liking, pop into the gallery to see how things can look. If you are looking for something a little more advanced, MediaPortal can connect to your AVR, to fully support Dolby Digital, DTS, and other HD formats; With the correct plugins it will even connect to your home automation system, allowing you to control things directly from MediaPortal. Current technologies are also supported, so you can sit back and enjoy that new Blu-Ray movie in full DTS in your own home, for the full cinema experience - and with our comprehensive plugins, new and emerging technologies will be supported.

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Edited by Armand
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Awesome Armand. Can we get a couple of screens embedded into the post? That might be helpful in enticing users to check it out.

 

For those who don't know what this is, this is a full fledged MB3 client built into Media Portal, which now gives you an alternative HTPC option to MBC. When MBT gets out we'll have a whopping three HTPC options for windows users, so there's something for everyone.

 

Also, we have 2-3 Media Portal skinners signed on to enhance the theme (and possibly provide alternatives). So expect a lot more to come with this.

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yardameus

This is really awesome.  If I already had Media Portal installed, is this basically a plugin that allows it to access MB Server?

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This is really awesome.  If I already had Media Portal installed, is this basically a plugin that allows it to access MB Server?

 

Yes your media browser library will be fully integrated within the MediaPortal experience. Best of both worlds.

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New version: 0.11-beta - first post is updated with details and download link.

Key changes are:

- Optimized window loading and fixed some user submitted issues (thx psykix)
- Added search and initial music support (only Songs for now)
- Basic filter, search and sort options are added to the generic skin.

 

Expect more updates soon

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This is really awesome.  If I already had Media Portal installed, is this basically a plugin that allows it to access MB Server?

 

Yes, so if you want to switch things up and try a new htpc app, you can use Armand's MP plugin.

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With the proper setup, and i still need popular skin contributors for MP to chime in there, you can basically replace the metadata system behind MP completely with the MediaBrowser backend. Combine that with a set of awesome MP plugins that already exist to spice up the experience even more and Live TV / PVR  (backed by either Argus or MediaPortal TV Service) and you have a complete working solution that imho beats WMC to dead ;) The native player (or players actually) in MediaPortal already play 99% of what you throw at it with high quality picture and sound. MediaBrowser just supplies the media path and the user preferences in that department. And yes because you can tinker a lot with MediaPortal it can be unstable sometimes (mostly user error though). I've been running a stable MP setup since 2009 and if there are new bugs or new technologies to implement the dev community jumps right into the fire - like myself when i learned what power MediaBrowser 3 unleashed ;)

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steelman1991

Armand - keen to try this out. Just one or two things - you say it just works, but I presume you have to first build a database within MP, and by doing so it uses imdb/tmb sources externally. How is this avoided and MB3 used to provide the necessary detail. Additionally how is TV series displayed from a default installation without the inclusion of mptvseries or other similar plug-in?

 

EDIT

 

OK got it MB shows as a seperate icon, was looking to navigate from a 'videos' 'tv series' tile. One small point though I was unable to see the MB icon in the Basic view, only Classic.

 

Should point out I'm using 1.5.0.

Edited by steelman1991
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By default, Mediabrowser shows up in Plugins. You can get it to show as a tile, but you have to manually edit the xml files. Titan will soon have an editor for the Basic view I believe.

 

Mediabrowser doesn't create a database in MP - it uses the existing MB3 database.

 

I've used MP also since about 2009, and Mediabrowser just makes things so much easier. I need MP for my Live TV, but love MB3 for the movies and TV series. The Titan skin developers have kindly offered to help Armand develop the skin capabilities of his plugin, so expect nice things to come :-)

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Armand - keen to try this out. Just one or two things - you say it just works, but I presume you have to first build a database within MP, and by doing so it uses imdb/tmb sources externally. How is this avoided and MB3 used to provide the necessary detail. Additionally how is TV series displayed from a default installation without the inclusion of mptvseries or other similar plug-in?

 

EDIT

 

OK got it MB shows as a seperate icon, was looking to navigate from a 'videos' 'tv series' tile. One small point though I was unable to see the MB icon in the Basic view, only Classic.

 

Should point out I'm using 1.5.0.

 

Psykix already answered a part of the question but i would like to elaborate abit more. MediaPortal has a native video plugin but if you don't want to use it you can just ignore it and remove it from the menus. When you install the MediaBrowser plugin it communicates directly with the server backend. It will NOT rescan/build the metadata locally. The only thing my plugin does is cache relevant metadata in memory and cache artwork locally to speed up the experience (if artwork changes on the server it gets updated immediately). Also there is no TV series section by default. There is a plugin called MPTVSeries but it's not needed once you have the MediaBrowser plugin installed. The same goes for the available Movie plugins. The confusion is probably caused by the default Titan skin homescreen that is presented (it assumes you have some common plugins installed).

 

The plugin already provides the necesary hooks to go directly to the root views (Movies, TV and Music) from the homescreen but skin maintainers are still in the process of adapting (for instance Titan and StreamedMP provide a menu editor to customize this).

Edited by Armand
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steelman1991

Hi psykix  & Armand - thanks for the responses - had a 'senior' moment before I realised how MB would work within MP - after some thought the penny dropped, but hopefully this will help others who may be looking for a similar entry path to their media. Will keep an eye on the skins for updates to accomodate direct access to MB3.

 

Looking good so far, the presentation of the data, certainly needs tweaked, lack of some logo detail etc, but this isn't an MB3 issue, but skin logo naming, differing from the database. All in all a great start - now for the skinners to step up to the mark lol

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New release v0.12! 

Added support for default profile, remember login, saving your prefered layout/view setting per context and several fixes.
More details and download link are at the top.

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sfnetwork

I know I'm annoying with this, but I would like to see a video of this...

 

Makes me want to test MP now...lol

Edited by sfnetwork
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 i made a ninja-edit and added a new release because of a bug that prevented the list to expand beyond 50 items.

The fixed version is: v0.12.5037.3547. If you downloaded the 0.12 installer before please download the new installer.

Edited by Armand
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I know I'm annoying with this, but I would like to see a video of this...

 

Makes me want to test MP now...lol

 

It's more functional than pretty at the moment, so a video won't necessarily sell the plugin right now :-)

 

You can try Mediaportal alongside MB3 server - I have both running on the same box. MePo really has no parallel at the moment with regards to Live TV (especially UK with series link & EPG) hence why I prefer to use it.

I also think MB3 Server also has no parallel so this setup gives me the best of both worlds :-)

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jasonmcroy

Thanks for adding in saving of default views. I am now using MediaPortal 100% with the PVR function to get away from Media Center completely.

 

I only have the MB Plugin, TV, Online Videos and Settings Icons running on my home page. I am liking it so far.

 

Thanks for creating this!

 

-Jason

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I'm going to give this a go tonight, can u easily replace satellites.xml for scanning with mediaportal??

 

i used to be able to do that with dvbviewer and it was MUCH easier....

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I'm going to give this a go tonight, can u easily replace satellites.xml for scanning with mediaportal??

 

i used to be able to do that with dvbviewer and it was MUCH easier....

 

Check out the plugin by DJBlu - perfect for UK users. It grabs EPG, adds Series Link, and even numbers and groups channels to match a Sky box.

 

http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/threads/custom-data-grabber-including-sky-uk-channel-epg-grabber.96767/

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all4dom

Armand, your stroking my curiosity with media portal. I use win 7 media center, but am thinking of trying this. I have visited your website to read more about mp, but have two questions: is live tv/recorded tv the same as WMC & is media browser able to use themes & plug ins like in WMV?

Thanks

Dom

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MediaPortal has a seperate TV Server. You can set it up as single seat (so on the same machine) or as client/server (MediaPortal Client on one machine and the TV Server and your tv hardware on another machine).

TV Server handles the EPG, recording and streaming. More functionality can be added by installing plugins to the TV Server. Any other MediaPortal client will then be able to connect to the same TV Server. Recordings are done server side.

The actual recording format is different from WMC. More information about this can be found on the MediaPortal website and forums. I did not create MediaPortal i'm just a contributor :)

 

Every feature MediaBrowser Server implements on the backend (either as core feature or plugin) should be available to the client in MediaPortal (eventually, because we are still in beta ofcourse).

MediaPortal can already be heavily customized skin/theme wise just take a look at the different skins available over at MediaPortal website. Specific skin support for MediaBrowser is still minimal but we are working on that.

There are a lot of MP plugins available to further enhance the experience. Also MediaPortal is not as restrictive as WMC, but with great flexibility also  comes.. well..  lots of trial and error to get the setup you want ;)

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all4dom

Thank you for your quick response. I'm not home so trying to view the entire gallery on a mobile device is not easy, but by the looks, mo is beautiful. Only thing I am note sure about is live tv, but the cable channels such as nick jr can not be played because of DRM/cable labs support?

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