Practical Way for Porting MP to Linux

leo212 · 2006-10-31, 18:22

This thread is the first step in my plan to port MediaPortal to Linux.
This is not theoretical issue, so I suggest that all Windows-Linux wars will be out of this thread. Any posts like that will be removed by the Administrators.

Basic Assumptions:
1.
There will NOT be handling with TV Server. Only a TV Client that can connect to either to MP-TV-Server on windows or MythTV-Server on Linux.
2.
Harmless changes will be send to MP team in order reduce the amount of different code between Original MP and ported MP.
3.
The Project will be based only on Open-Source software. Any dependency on commercial software will be replaced by non-commercial software.
4.
Development Environment :
Mono will replace the .NET
OpenGL will be used instead of DirectX
Mplayer/MPC will be used instead of Media Player and Directshow calls.

Project Steps:
1.
Compile the Latest MP-Client under mono environment, Under Windows.
Of-course there will be plenty of missing classes/methods.
Those parts will be handled in one of two ways:
a. Change the MP code that it will use other class/method or work differently. The change will be send to MP Development team so they could apply it in the main MP. (if they will be kind enough)
b. Implement the missing class/method in the Mono environment under mono project. (if the mono developers will be kind enough – they'll do that themselves.

2.
Replace all of the DirectX calls with corresponding OpenGL calls. Still under Windows.
It will be nice if the DirectX/OpenGL use will be user-configurable under Windows. (in Linux DirectX option will be disabled)

3.
Rewrite the code that use DirectShow to play video, to use mplayer libraries to play video.
It will be nice if the DirectShow/Mplayer use will be user-configurable under Windows. (in Linux DirectShow option will be disabled)

4.
Rebuild the Project under stable distribution of Linux (like Fedora, Debian, CentOS, etc..) and pray.

A separated project will be a plug-in for mythtv Server. This shouldn't be so hard because the MP is now works in client-server architecture and there is an open implementation of MythTV-Client for Windows.

I would like to hear some opinions, tips, technical data or anything else except Win/Linux whinings and wars.

The Project currently has two unix-developers.
There will be needed much more:
1. Mono/.NET Programmers.
2. Unix C Programmers (for changes in mono project)
3. OpenGL Programmers.
If anyone is instrested please contact me with private messages.

As soon as there will be enough programmers – the project will be opened in SourceForge.

If is anyone is interested to know, I'm a System Unix team-leader and developer in my profession. I worked in the past with Java, Oracle, c#, mono, C, VB, Delphi and python.

ziphnor · 2006-10-31, 19:02

Wouldnt the natural replacement for DirectShow be GStreamer? ( http://gstreamer.freedesktop.org/ ). The concept of filter graphs allows alot of freedom. But maybe MPlayer has something similar?

Apart from that, let me wish you the best of luck

Personally i just managed to learn enough about DirectShow to help out, and basicly i just want a stable powerful HTPC, so im going to keep working on the Windoze side even though i would prefer a Linux based media center.

I really hope this is not going to split the development effort, the two developers on this could instead be working on the current version, instead of duplicating work that has already been done.

leo212 · 2006-10-31, 19:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziphnor

Wouldnt the natural replacement for DirectShow be GStreamer? ( http://gstreamer.freedesktop.org/ ). The concept of filter graphs allows alot of freedom. But maybe MPlayer has something similar?

looks like a good solution. Totem player is based on it.
but is there a version of GStreamer for windows?
the first steps are to get the MP working on windows with that enviroment.
I've seen that there is GStreamer# for mono for linux only.

Marcusb · 2006-10-31, 22:17

Leo, I wish you the best of luck.
I think you must be the first person to actually propose something, rather than just posting "Aw, but it should be easy to do".

I hope you'll find a lot of help with this project, as it definately seems popular.
I must admit that I would be interested to try a *nix version of MP.

arkay · 2006-11-01, 01:11

Pm sent

Cheers,

Arkay.

thechad · 2006-11-01, 09:11

Hi,

Had a bit of a look but couldn't work out if Mono will support .Net remoting in its current form. Obviously this is a major hurdle to over come if it doesn't as this is how the tv server is controlled by the clent from my understanding.

Also in creating this client are you planning to port the skinning engine? I guess what I am asking is what portions of MP are you planning to port to Linux?

Cheers,

Chad

Elconejo · 2006-11-01, 09:25

It would be great of in the end there would be a MP DVD. On this dvd there should be an OS with Mp integraded. So a new deticated pc could easy be installed from scratch. This way MP would be 100% free.
Good luck with the project !

leo212 · 2006-11-01, 14:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by thechad

Hi,

Had a bit of a look but couldn't work out if Mono will support .Net remoting in its current form. Obviously this is a major hurdle to over come if it doesn't as this is how the tv server is controlled by the clent from my understanding.

Also in creating this client are you planning to port the skinning engine? I guess what I am asking is what portions of MP are you planning to port to Linux?

Cheers,

Chad

The plan is to port the entire client, including Skinning engine and .NET Remoting.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elconejo

It would be great of in the end there would be a MP DVD. On this dvd there should be an OS with Mp integraded. So a new deticated pc could easy be installed from scratch. This way MP would be 100% free.
Good luck with the project !

That's one of the main goals of the project.

Smirnuff · 2006-11-01, 14:16

Quote:

including Skinning engine

In its present state this is possible but when the engine is changed to use WPF as its backend you'll be presented with another massive effort. Hopefully it will be possible for WPF/E to solve the problem.

leo212 · 2006-11-01, 21:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smirnuff

Quote:

including Skinning engine

In its present state this is possible but when the engine is changed to use WPF as its backend you'll be presented with another massive effort. Hopefully it will be possible for WPF/E to solve the problem.

WPF?

2006-10-31, 18:22	#1 (permalink)
leo212 Portal Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 47 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Practical Way for Porting MP to Linux This thread is the first step in my plan to port MediaPortal to Linux. This is not theoretical issue, so I suggest that all Windows-Linux wars will be out of this thread. Any posts like that will be removed by the Administrators. Basic Assumptions: 1. There will NOT be handling with TV Server. Only a TV Client that can connect to either to MP-TV-Server on windows or MythTV-Server on Linux. 2. Harmless changes will be send to MP team in order reduce the amount of different code between Original MP and ported MP. 3. The Project will be based only on Open-Source software. Any dependency on commercial software will be replaced by non-commercial software. 4. Development Environment : Mono will replace the .NET OpenGL will be used instead of DirectX Mplayer/MPC will be used instead of Media Player and Directshow calls. Project Steps: 1. Compile the Latest MP-Client under mono environment, Under Windows. Of-course there will be plenty of missing classes/methods. Those parts will be handled in one of two ways: a. Change the MP code that it will use other class/method or work differently. The change will be send to MP Development team so they could apply it in the main MP. (if they will be kind enough) b. Implement the missing class/method in the Mono environment under mono project. (if the mono developers will be kind enough – they'll do that themselves. 2. Replace all of the DirectX calls with corresponding OpenGL calls. Still under Windows. It will be nice if the DirectX/OpenGL use will be user-configurable under Windows. (in Linux DirectX option will be disabled) 3. Rewrite the code that use DirectShow to play video, to use mplayer libraries to play video. It will be nice if the DirectShow/Mplayer use will be user-configurable under Windows. (in Linux DirectShow option will be disabled) 4. Rebuild the Project under stable distribution of Linux (like Fedora, Debian, CentOS, etc..) and pray. A separated project will be a plug-in for mythtv Server. This shouldn't be so hard because the MP is now works in client-server architecture and there is an open implementation of MythTV-Client for Windows. I would like to hear some opinions, tips, technical data or anything else except Win/Linux whinings and wars. The Project currently has two unix-developers. There will be needed much more: 1. Mono/.NET Programmers. 2. Unix C Programmers (for changes in mono project) 3. OpenGL Programmers. If anyone is instrested please contact me with private messages. As soon as there will be enough programmers – the project will be opened in SourceForge. If is anyone is interested to know, I'm a System Unix team-leader and developer in my profession. I worked in the past with Java, Oracle, c#, mono, C, VB, Delphi and python. Last edited by leo212; 2006-10-31 at 19:17.

2006-11-01, 09:11	#6 (permalink)
thechad Portal Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Geelong, Australia Age: 26 Posts: 187 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	Hi, Had a bit of a look but couldn't work out if Mono will support .Net remoting in its current form. Obviously this is a major hurdle to over come if it doesn't as this is how the tv server is controlled by the clent from my understanding. Also in creating this client are you planning to port the skinning engine? I guess what I am asking is what portions of MP are you planning to port to Linux? Cheers, Chad __________________

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2006-10-31, 19:02	#2 (permalink)
ziphnor Portal Developer Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Copenhagen Age: 29 Posts: 709 Thanks: 0 Thanked 9 Times in 6 Posts Country: My System	Wouldnt the natural replacement for DirectShow be GStreamer? ( http://gstreamer.freedesktop.org/ ). The concept of filter graphs allows alot of freedom. But maybe MPlayer has something similar? Apart from that, let me wish you the best of luck Personally i just managed to learn enough about DirectShow to help out, and basicly i just want a stable powerful HTPC, so im going to keep working on the Windoze side even though i would prefer a Linux based media center. I really hope this is not going to split the development effort, the two developers on this could instead be working on the current version, instead of duplicating work that has already been done.

2006-10-31, 22:17	#4 (permalink)
Marcusb Super Moderator Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Melbourne Posts: 1,833 Thanks: 51 Thanked 21 Times in 21 Posts Country: My System	Leo, I wish you the best of luck. I think you must be the first person to actually propose something, rather than just posting "Aw, but it should be easy to do". I hope you'll find a lot of help with this project, as it definately seems popular. I must admit that I would be interested to try a *nix version of MP.

2006-11-01, 01:11	#5 (permalink)
arkay Portal Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 19 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Pm sent Cheers, Arkay.

2006-11-01, 09:25	#7 (permalink)
Elconejo Portal Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Belgium Age: 25 Posts: 123 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts My System	It would be great of in the end there would be a MP DVD. On this dvd there should be an OS with Mp integraded. So a new deticated pc could easy be installed from scratch. This way MP would be 100% free. Good luck with the project !