To Make MediaPortal Multi-threaded?!

[Hyperborean]

To all developers/users!

Hi all,

I'm developing and building HTPC's myself and also believe these systems, powered by software like MP, have the potential to become a main livingroom gadged in a not too far future.

There is one problem ( or you could call it a wish) with MP that, if ever solved, would bring the MP in combination with a HTPC onto a whole another level, that is; indepenant and simultaneous multi-zone audio/video distribution, from one HTPC!

For this the program would have to allow multiple instances so one can run several, independant instances of it, at the same time.
This would namely enable a multiroom a/v distribution and control which is NOT supported by the most mediacenter software, and the ones who claim that are either far too expensive or just not synchronized efficiently.
Right now, without this feature in MP, we're only able to run 1 MediaPortal on 1 machine at the same time, limiting the simultaneous multiroom display of audio and video to max 1 independant display since there is only 1 program. You cannot for example watch a movie in the livingroom, watch a game in the bedroom and play music in the kitchen SIMULTANEOUSLY AND INDEPENDANTLY using MediaPortal. (Tv-Server, when run on one HTPC, does add 1 extra zone wich is limited, but does not solve the multi-zone independancy from ONE HTPC).

The problem is that making multi-threaded multimedia software that allows multiple instances and is perfectly synchronized is not something you do for fun, so I've been told. It's not a simple plug-in issue, the program source would have to be altered and changed fundamentaly.

So here's the thing: Is someone here able and/or willing to make MediaPortal able to run multiple instances? If yes, to what extent and over what period?

Hell, if you don't get hot for the idea I'm even willing to pay/donate a respectable fee for it, because I believe that good, specialized work should of course be rewarded.
You could interpret this also as an investment offer from my side!

Put that aside I also would like to start a discussion regarding this issue, so all suggestions/comments/ideas and actually any communication regarding the subject are welcome!

I hope we can keep the spirit alive!

kind regards,
Hyperborean

[infinityloop]

Originally Posted by Hyperborean

You cannot for example watch a movie in the livingroom, watch a game in the bedroom and play music in the kitchen SIMULTANEOUSLY AND INDEPENDANTLY using MediaPortal.

you have not discovered the TV-Server yet, right?

[Hyperborean]

I certainly have, but this does NOT solve the problem I issued! I wish it did...

This is why;
- you still need more clients to run multiple instances of mediaportal, I was talking about ONE system only!
- if you use MediaPortal and Tv-server on one HTPC this only gives you ONE extra option to watch and record tv on a secondary display, thus NOT another MediaPortal with all it's features. You cannot chech your mail or browse the net for examle simultaneously from 3 or 4 places.

Beyond Media has with its Beyond Tv Link something similar but this does not make mediaportal Multi-Zone, except fot that one more wich is limited.

[infinityloop]

So you want:

• One Media-PC with a bunch of TV-Cards and huge HDD storage
• connect multiple TV-Sets
• connect multiple remotes (one per TV-Set)
• use multiple different soundcards (one per TV-Set)
• use multiple external DVD drives (one per TV-Set to watch DVDs)
• run multiple instances of MediaPortal (one per TV-Set)
• control each instance of MediaPortal independently
• hook each instance of MediaPortal to one specific soundcard
• hook each instance of MediaPortal to one specific remote
• hook each instance of MediaPortal to one specific gpu-card

If this is what you mean, then i have to destroy your dreams.
I do not know with which limitation (CPU power, gpu-card, gpu drivers, sound drivers, windows way to handle secondary displays-directX, ....) i should start, to tell you that this idea totaly impossible with current harware/drivers/windows.

[Hyperborean]

You are right in what I want!
Although I don't need more than 2 dvd drives, max. 2 dual head tuners, max. 2 dual head cards and 1 multichannel soundcard since I'll be not using it for more than 4 zones.

Don't worry about distroying my dreams, have done that on a regular basis myself but it is still not a completely hopeless scenario!

This problem can be easily solved by using different mediacenter programs! (like MediaCenterEdition, MediaPortal, Xlobby2 and GBPVR for example) That's all.

Only thing you then need is a .NET Framework based application that is capable of detecting and communication with your multichannel soundcard and 'dividing' it into more INDEPENDANT outputs. Furthermore it also has to be able to assign a program, in this case one of the mediacenters you're running, to a certain output.

Like I said in my first post, the only thing that has to be done is to make MediaPortal ABLE TO RUN MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF ITSELF, like Explorer or Ladybug Player XP, wich are written so.
The fact is that this one thing is everything but easy! The biggest problems come with sinchronizing the whole and ingegrating such features as mentined above.

Hence my post.

thx
Hyperborean

[wertzui]

so what is the problem with having one tv server, wich also stores all your movies/pictures and a couple of pcs, wich all have one mediaportal installation on them?
this way you could have the same shared folders for movies and one tv server and still have a couple of clients wich can run mediaportal independ.

[infinityloop]

since MediaPortal is not designed to run in multiple instances, this would require an major rewrite of large code areas.

[Hyperborean]

so what is the problem with having one tv server, wich also stores all your movies/pictures and a couple of pcs, wich all have one mediaportal installation on them?
this way you could have the same shared folders for movies and one tv server and still have a couple of clients wich can run mediaportal independ.

1. Money!!! => That would mean that you would need at least 3 PC's + one server to achieve this goal.
2. Convenience, implemenation and space. => It's just not practical to have 1 PC besides every display, you can't put it in the kitchen for example and an extra PC in the bedroom while you already have a HTPC in the livingroom is just not practical.
3. Effort and time put in it. => installing 3 pc's + 1 server = not realistic for an average household.

[Hyperborean]

since MediaPortal is not designed to run in multiple instances, this would require an major rewrite of large code areas.

True. But I thought what the hell, let's get someone inspired!

It WOULD be the perfect HTPC experience, for the whole house. from just one machine.

[infinityloop]

Originally Posted by Hyperborean

It WOULD be the perfect HTPC experience, for the whole house. from just one machine.

since you raised the word "money"

have you been thinking about the required CPU power of this "Main PC"?
how about HDTV?

For the money you need to pay for all the hardware i am sure you can build 3 small clients + one small server (where none of the PCs requires to be extremely powerful).
and it will work without much headaches


The basic idea you have is good. But getting it done is extremely complex, timeconsuming and you will run into many problems/limitations.

Which means that the developers are working in their limited sparetime on features which the majority of the users will be able to use.

So i am not sure if any developer will have the time to look into that