Changer Hack development questions...

[bigdude]

I have been working on code to add the ability to run a Firewire changer into My Films. In order to make the code as generic as possible I actually built it to use telnet to communicate with a changer control program I wrote some time ago in Delphi. Loading media takes close to 50 seconds. I am new to MediaPortal, so its internal GUI functions are a mystery to me... This may be a simple question, but here goes anyway.

How can I bring up a wait cursor while this process is underway (or bring up a dialog and then close it under program control) ?

My second question may be a bit tougher.
Since using a changer switches the media in a drive often I was wondering if there is a way to invalidate the play position memory (the prompt to restart media where it last left off) ?

I also tried to write this code generically so it could be used for other things as well. I noticed a message asking about using IR to control a changer elsewhere in this Forum. If anyone knows of a command line utility that can be used to handle the IR part, this code might be able to do that as well. For those that are curious this code essentially works by embedding additional information in the media path and then picking it apart to send changer commands. I am also working on adding the ability to execute arbitrary programs passing in the slot number, that is what could work for IR control or other functions.

PS: since this code uses telnet to control the changer it allows changers to be controlled from remote mediaportal systems as well. The only requirement for that is that the myFilms xml file be in a shared network location and that the DVD drive have a share defined for it... This allows remote unencrypted DVD play. There are som big issues (bandwidth, no lock mechanism to prevent two people from trying to sue the same drive), but it does work.

more details (circular reference):
http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/mu....html?p=191186

[mzemina]

What changer are you using? Aren't firewire changers expensive?

[bigdude]

I am using the Sony XL1B changer. It is a 200 slot Firewire changer that is currently available from Sony for $199. I beleive it really sells for $399 but they recently dropped the price because there is a new version coming. Maybe the new one is Blue-Ray or something (which will be very cool but very expensive). I was so surprised by the current price I just ordered another one... Today they even have free shipping, which is important since these are big and heavy (the last one cost $60+ to ship).

I should mention there have been bad issues with these in the past. I have never had any problems with mine, but other users complained about the changers actually scratching their media. If you decide to get one definitely load ONE OLD piece of media (or a copy) to run a test. If you load it, play it, and unload it without seeing saturn ring like radial scratches the unit is fine... I thought I should mention it because a few users said they destroyed a full tray of 200 discs...

[mzemina]

Well - I guess I won't ask Santa for that! Thanks for the usefull info!

[bigdude]

It is an excellent changer and at the current price it is probably the least expensive direct connect unit out there. I should also mention that it is Firewire ONLY. This device has no front panel or video outputs, it is NOT intended for use with a TV or anything other than a Firewire 400 equipped Computer. It works very well but it is big and quite noisy when changing discs (which is why remote control is important).

Most of my work has been aimed at building a media library in the basement that I can use throughout my home... Needless to say I ran into every possible technical impediment, but I am now getting close to what I had originally planned on. MCE was not viable and MythTV drove me nuts (enter MP), streaming DVD content proved problematic (enter network shares), no software to handle the changer outside of MCE (have rolled up my sleeves and am making my own).

[thematrixz]

I haven't bought one yet, but been eyeing this for a while. I was hoping to find an integrated solution for MP. Likewise, I want to daisy chain a couple units together, and leave them in a closet.

[druid9]

Why not rip and burn, hard disks are cheap.

200 movies (which you own) ripped to hard disk - movie only no menus = 2Gb each at excellent quality (to my eyes anyway) = 400Gb.

Samsung SATA Hard drive at 500Gb - nearly silent holds 250 movies for around $170 Aussie.

Only other investment is a little time.

[thematrixz]

Well, I'd like to watch the movies in the highest resolution possible, so if I ripped my DVD's, they will average about 6GB each, which isn't bad.

But I'm about to fill up my 2.7TB raid 5 with HD video already, so I'm looking for a different type of media server, this changer looks good since you can just pop in 200 discs and go (if it worked the way they advertised it)

[bigdude]

I just posted the results of my recent hacking on another thread...

If you are interested in trying it out go to http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/mu...-t11440p2.html