Pseudo TV for Emby

[VicMoore 714]

The Pseudo TV plugin is composed of two parts. The first part is based on a TV Tuner Platform created by @Luke. He called the plugin "VirtualTvExample." The second part is a Javascript program that provides a simple GUI for creating and adding channels to the TV Tuner. The code for both parts is attached below.  I created the javascript code and several C# additions to the tuner. @TZTZorocomposed the CSS code.  PseudoTV is open source and free for everyone to use. 

PseudoTv is tested on Chrome and Edge.  Other browsers may work. I just don't know.

To install PseudoTV, copy the plugin dll below to the EMBY plugin directory and RESTART EMBY. Follow the instructions below to bring up PseudoTV.

Next add the TV Source for PseudoTV. If you have an Old PseudoTV Tuner installed, you must delete the old tuner before installing a new one.

Select the PseudoTV Tuner to bring up the Channel Management menu. Use this menu to Add channels to the Emby EPG (Electronic Programming Guide). Click the Add Channel button to add a new channel.

The two videos below, explain basic channel building.

The next video is also about channel building, but instead of using an Emby query, media is selected directly from the Emby libraries.

The remaining videos introduce the PseudoTV tool. The first is called the Library Explorer. With it you can navigate across your Emby libraries and view their contents.

This video explains the Metadata Editor.

 Another useful tool is the Playlist Editor. The description of the Playlist Editor is continued below. 

The latest plugin (dll) and the source code (zip file) are attached below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PseudoTV.dll PseudoTV.zip

Edited January 5 by VicMoore
Topic Title modified

[Dibbes 445]

From the screenshots, this looks very useful! Let us know when we can start testing this!

[VicMoore 714]

Happy new year Dibbes...  I just posted the code.  Give it a try.  It's not a polished product.  I am still debugging it.

Vic

[VicMoore 714]

in a few days I will post another GUI. One based on rules and query strings.  This change greatly simplifies the code. 

Vic

Edited January 2, 2024 by VicMoore

[VicMoore 714]

Two weeks ago, @Lukegave me the correct GUI architecture and it was so simple that it went right over my head. He said all I have to do was to add the filters I need to the query string in the tuner.  He was right and that just what I am doing in the new GUI. A simple example is below. I will mature the design over the next few days.

Vic

Edited January 2, 2024 by VicMoore

[softworkz 4469]

@VicMoore- Thanks a lot for creating this plugin!

I wonder whether you could perhaps try to find a more distinct name for your plugin. "Emby TV" is a bit too generic and rather used for built-in TV functionality and "Virtual TV" is a different plugin already.

Without a distinct name, we might often need to check back in the future, asking what they are really talking about and that would unnecessarily cause confusion.

Thanks,
sw

[Luke 39431]

Is that the name of the plugin? I don't think we'd put it in the catalog if it's as broad as that. Maybe Pseudo TV.

[softworkz 4469]

16 minutes ago, Luke said:

Is that the name of the plugin?

It's "Virtual TV Example" - so I would say he just hasn't determined a real name yet.

Once he has found a name, it should be consistent, i.e. dll name, naming in the UI and eventually we should also rename this topic accordingly (as it's in the Plugins forum where the primary topics are named like the plugin).

[VicMoore 714]

I am OK with any name.  Give me a name and I will use it.  @LukeI am OK with "Pseudo TV" if @softworkzagrees.

Vic

Edited January 3, 2024 by VicMoore

[VicMoore 714]

@softworkzI need help changing the name of the plugin.  I have tried several times and have failed.  I am sure I am missing something simple.  I am still learning about plugins.  Could you point me to someone that can help me?

Vic

 

[VicMoore 714]

@GrimReapercan you help me change the title of this forum?

Vic

[GrimReaper 3923]

12 minutes ago, VicMoore said:

@GrimReapercan you help me change the title of this forum?

Sure, Vic, what would you like it changed to? 

[VicMoore 714]

Lets go with @Luke suggestion,  Pseudo TV.  I appreciate your help.

Vic

[GrimReaper 3923]

2 minutes ago, VicMoore said:

Lets go with @Luke suggestion,  Pseudo TV.

*Done*

[VicMoore 714]

WOW, you are good.  Thanks so much.  Now I will change the references inside the forum.

Vic

[GrimReaper 3923]

Since you're in "Top Contributor" member group, you don't have time limit on editing your posts (Regulars have 3 hrs, Rookies have 15 minutes), just edit first post in any topic you've started and you can append/modify Topic Title as well, as it's considered a part of it.

[VicMoore 714]

@GrimReaper It's good to learn. Thanks for teaching me. I didn't know this about editing.  Everyday I get a bit better with the forums. Now, I just need to learn how to change the name of a plugin.  I have tried several times and failed. I know it's something that I am leaving out. I am sure when I figure it out, I will feel so stupid.

Vic

[softworkz 4469]

1 hour ago, VicMoore said:

I am OK with any name.  Give me a name and I will use it.  @LukeI am OK with "Pseudo TV" if @softworkzagrees.

The name is all up to you (besides disambiguation issues like mentioned above)...

Personally, I wouldn't use the term "pseudo", but this is probably biased by the common perception of "Pseudo" in German language, where it has a strong negative sub-note in a way like "wannabee", "not the real thing",  and sometimes even used to diss like "he's a pseudo" - whereas in science, it's a clean and neutral term.
I don't really know how this is generally perceived in other countries, so my only advice is: Choose a name that you like, can identify with and makes you happy as a decoration for all the effort you are putting into this. 
And when that is "Pseudo TV", it's totally fine of course  

Edited January 3, 2024 by softworkz

[softworkz 4469]

1 hour ago, VicMoore said:

@softworkzI need help changing the name of the plugin.  I have tried several times and have failed.  I am sure I am missing something simple.  I am still learning about plugins.  Could you point me to someone that can help me?

There's weird mechanism in place which overwrites an existing plugin by its original name when it detects a newer version of a plugin - regardless of the name of the newer plugin dll.

You can work around this by first removing the plugin dll. Then restarting the server, then shutting down again and only then add the new plugin dll. In other words: let the server start once without any version of the plugin.

It's a bit unfortunate to explain this to users, but in your case, the count is pretty small so far, so no big deal I suppose.

The other way is a bit more involved: You would need to:

• publish an update to the existing plugin (same dll name, same plugin id)
• this update has code to download and install your new version - which has a different dll name AND a different plugin id
• after the new one has been installed, a reboot will happen (sooner or later)
• then, the new plugin will be loaded and the preious one, but the new plugin has code which detects and removes the old version on startup

That's the way how you can cleanly do a "cross-upgrade". Probably not needed in your case, though..

[VicMoore 714]

Thanks @softworkzI will give it a try today.  I am changing the code right now to make it much better.  This is all a learning exercise for me, and I am greatly enjoying it.

I lived in Germany for several years working in the IBM research lab near Stuttgart.  I enjoyed my time there. I studied German in school. When I did my Ph.D. work, a second language was a requirement, so I chose German. When I went to Germany many years later it was a complete restart on the language. Unfortunately, I have great difficulty with languages because I have very poor hearing. But I had a fun time trying and the Germans around me were very tolerant. I enjoyed my stay and made many friends. You live in a great country.

Vic

Edited January 3, 2024 by VicMoore

[VicMoore 714]

Well, I tried again and failed to change the plugin's name from virtualTvExample to PseudoTV.   Attached below is the plugin's code.  I would greatly appreciate anyone with the skill to change the name and then tell me what you did. 

Vic

PseudoTV.zip

Edited January 3, 2024 by VicMoore

[softworkz 4469]

35 minutes ago, VicMoore said:

failed to change the plugin's name from virtualTvExample to PseudoTV

What exactly did you try and what was the outcome?

[VicMoore 714]

I changed

1) the names of the JS and HTML files in the web directory

2) the solution name

3) the paths, the static name  and the GUID in the plugin.cs file

4) the virtualTvExample items in the paths in the CSPRO file

 

Vic

[softworkz 4469]

Ok, sounds good. But what was the outcome you had expected but didn't happen?

[VicMoore 714]

The plugin appeared in the plugin directory, but when I went to LiveTV and tried to add the PseudoTV tuner it was' not in the pull down list