This may seem far fetched, but would be nice.

This may seem far fetched, but would be nice. I had once played with something like this that worked with WinAmp, but I soon got my remote wonder and gave up on using it, a big part was it was still buggy. What I am talking about is a WinCE/network based remote control. Anyone with a WinCE device has more then likely at least played with one of the programs that can turn you WinCE device into a super powered IR remote. Yes it is a bit of overkill for a TV/VCR/DVD remote, but maybe not so for a HTPC (Using MP) Basically how it would work, would be a client/server type system. First a plug-in in MP that receives commands from the WinCE device that is connected to the network via 802.11. The second part would be a program that sits on the WinCE device, and sends commands to MP via the network. Now I know this sounds like a big task, but if we break it down, I think it is something that can be done. Unfortunately my skills are Network & Servers with my programming skills being web based and or database stuff.

Anyway I could see it evolving in 5 steps. (If step 4 or 5 not possible stopping at step 2 or 3 would still be great)

1) Basic Remote, looks and functions like a button pad on any remote (one way communication)

2) MPmini interface. Basically exactly what it sounds like MP style menu and navigation on the CE screen. Like I see the nice button menu from the main menu. If I click MyTV on the CE device then both MP and the CE device go to MyTV (CE device showing no TV, just the menu) Or if I go to MyMusic or MyMovies I see the menu but have a button to flip to a text only list of the music or the movies in my collection. (Simple Bi directional communication)

3) The CE device can display the TV listings. It also now has a now playing option that will show what is playing whether it be TV, movie, DVD, or music. Also by this point I would hope to see the basic remote interface with nice looking buttons when playing DVDs. It would need the buttons for FF RR Play Pause Next Chapter or pervious chapter ect. I would also think this would be the best step to add the ability to read CDDB, IMDB, and TV Listing details, either by a tap while browsing the list, or a button from the Now Playing Screen. It could show us things like they movie poster or cover art, artist or actors, synopsis ect. (Bi Directional Communication)

4) Keeping a copy of the TV listing database on the CE device (a few days depending on the memory) This would be handy when out and about, you hear of a show and want to find out then it is on. (Bi Directional Communication + storage)

5) The ability to use the CE stored TV listings to schedule programs to record when you are away from the home. Then when you return home and start the CE MP interface, the program then "uploads" the new recording schedule and prompts you to fix any conflicts. Also if we can keep a "last Know" copy of the recording schedule on the CE device this should help keep the conflicts to a minimum. (Advanced Bi Directional Communication + storage)

I know this sounds like a huge task, but again I think it is something that can be done, and if done would be an amazing tool to make MP even greater then it already is. I also have not seen anyone else doing this, so MP would be the first to offer this ( I think) If this could be made, I could also see a need or want to port it over to PalmOS also.

Anyway I hope you all understand what I am talking about here. And if anyone wants to take this project on, I would love to help in anyway I could. I don't think I would be much help coding it, but I know a bit about client/server communications, and can be a great problem solver.



Thanks
Lady Sapphire

[samuel337]

Unfortunately my skills are Network & Servers with my programming skills being web based and or database stuff.

Well, some of the previous suggestions on this idea have involved a web serve that communicates with MP, or an inbuilt web server within MP. So I guess with your skills you can investigate that - using web services/web server also means other appliances will be able to access it, not just a particular program/device.

Sam

Originally Posted by samuel337

Well, some of the previous suggestions on this idea have involved a web serve that communicates with MP, or an inbuilt web server within MP. So I guess with your skills you can investigate that - using web services/web server also means other appliances will be able to access it, not just a particular program/device.

Sam

I have seen the suggestions for this, and in thinking about how a web interface would work, made me think of this idea. The Outlook topic also played a part in this huge idea I came up with. So far, I can see how to read the TV listing, the movie listing, and the music listing, and have it all generate webpages. I am also assuming that the scheduled recoding is also in a database that I could read and in turn use it to generate a page. And making a menu to read all these pages is a simple task. The road block I am hitting is how to have the webpages send the commands pack to MP. What I am looking at first is scheduling MP to record via the webpage. The plan is if I can place entries into the recording table using something like PHP. Unfortunately I get little time to work on anything outside of work. Because of my lack of time, I did not want to publicly say I was looking at the web interface request, because I knew I would have little time to work on it and in turn take a long time to finish. Because of this, I did not want someone with more time to think I was doing it and move on to a different project.

[samuel337]

I'm in the same boat as you, Lady_Sapphire. This functionality would be great, especially when I get my Wi-Fi PDA but I have little time to create it as well. I might do a proof-of-concept thing during the holidays though. I'm thinking of exposing it as a web service, and the web service can communicate with the databases directly, and also communicate with MP via a process plugin and .NET remoting.

Sam

[devo]

About the web front end. Not far fetched at all. Web services and asp.net are the way to go with this.

Im looking at wrapping the cassini web server into a mediaportal plugin, since the code is all there it shouldn't be to difficult. That will give MP a nice web server to work with for this.

Someone has already made a web front end using php.

If only I had more time

[Maschine]

Originally Posted by Lady_Sapphire

What I am looking at first is scheduling MP to record via the webpage. The plan is if I can place entries into the recording table using something like PHP.

Hi Lady_Sapphire,

I already did this! I have a completely finished webinterface here. With the current version you can:
-browse the epg data
-schedule recordings directly from the epg
-schedule manual recordings
-edit and delete recordings
-search the epg

The only problem with this thing is that MP doesn't recognize changes to the tvdatabase right now. So my webinterface adds everything correctly to the tvdatabase.dll but MP simply does not see this. I asked Frodo about this and he says it's on his todo-list. I'm not able to do a patch for MP or sth. because I don't know all this C#-stuff...

So if you want to have a look or you are interested to help realizing this project, let me know here, or join the IRC-channel.

Greetings
Maschine

This thread is not really about a web frount end, it is about a WinCE front end. Useing a web based app to to connect a CE device seems to me a very combersom way of doing it, and would really efectivly do a lot of what I was thinking.

Originally Posted by Maschine

The only problem with this thing is that MP doesn't recognize changes to the tvdatabase right now

I knew this would be an issue. I don't think Frodo would have MP constantly scanning the recording table, so there has to be a trigger. I also think there may be an index that would have to be populated also.

As far as ASP or PHP, my thinking was most people will be running this on XP or 2k, and the IIS Lite does not natively have ASP support, but for that matter does not have PHP support either. Personally I have better luck getting PHP onto a IIS Lite server then ASP.

[dman_lfc]

Surely a web front end would be fine for a WinCE device or any device for that matter.
Why create a specific GUI for a device when it's not required unless you think scaling is an issue.

A good idea none the less.

@Maschine - any screen shots? :wink:

DMAN.

[maxtrash]

Originally Posted by Lady_Sapphire

This may seem far fetched, but would be nice. [...] What I am talking about is a WinCE/network based remote control. Anyone with a WinCE device has more then likely at least played with one of the programs that can turn you WinCE device into a super powered IR remote. Yes it is a bit of overkill for a TV/VCR/DVD remote, but maybe not so for a HTPC (Using MP)

definately not overkill! It's the best thing since sliced bread and it's called NETREMOTE.

Have a look at www.promixis.com and go to the forum

Basically how it would work, would be a client/server type system. First a plug-in in MP that receives commands from the WinCE device that is connected to the network via 802.11.

either Girder can be used as the server, or plugins can be used to directly control applications (mainly JRMC Media Center for MP3 jukebox functionality)

The second part would be a program that sits on the WinCE device, and sends commands to MP via the network. Now I know this sounds like a big task, but if we break it down, I think it is something that can be done. Unfortunately my skills are Network & Servers with my programming skills being web based and or database stuff.

so netremote runs on the client side. There are two versions: a pocketpc version and a win32 version (for tablet pc's etc.)

anything can be done and a lot has been done like
- browsing mp3 collection on netremote device including cover art;
- epg on netremote device;
- control of receiver, tv etc. from netremote (infrared);
- x10 control for lights etc.

I'm new here so I don't know much about media portal but I was thinking about using it to take care of the tv-interface and timeshifting etc.

[samuel337]

I've started something using .NET remoting.

Once its finished, any .NET application (web service/asp.net/windows forms etc) program can communicate with MP via the network! Therefore you can create the PocketPC program if you want.

Check out: http://nolanparty.com/mediaportal.so...ic.php?p=14420

Please try it and give me feedback! Its not finished yet though, but it is usable.

Sam