What is Mediaportal 2 Alpha (1 Viewer)

[elsmandino]

Forgive my ignorance, but I am just about to do a complete install of Mediaportal 1.2.2 and I am now wondering whether I should have a go with Mediaportal 2 Alpha instead.

I have tried reading everything in the forum and have ended up confusing myself.

The installer says that I can install 2 alongside my existing 1.2.2 installation - how does this work logistically? For example, if I set up a recording under both, won't there be a clash?

Sorry if this is a stupid question.

Ultimately, given that I am still a bit of a beginner with MP, despite having been tinkering with it for years, is MP 2 something I should leave alone for the time being?

 

[porky996t]

Hi Elsmandino,

If I were you I would stick with 1.2.2 for the time being. MP2 is (from what I have read) a full rewrite of MP1 and is just at Alpha stage. I have been following the progress and will wait for sometime until I go for MP2... well at least until it is a full release with matching skins and plugins.

 

[mbuzina]

MP2 will in the future replace MP1. But right now if you want to use it and not play around with it, stick with MP 1.x.x for productive usage.

 

[Smeulf]

Forgive my ignorance, but I am just about to do a complete install of Mediaportal 1.2.2 and I am now wondering whether I should have a go with Mediaportal 2 Alpha instead.

I have tried reading everything in the forum and have ended up confusing myself.

As mbuzina said, for a productive usage, better keep MP1 at the momment. Why would you install MP2 ? To try it, give us some feedback and bug reports. An Alpha version is always mostly for curious users with some IT background, able to have a good loock on a software and criticize it helpfully. But its not restrictive, anybody's opinion is welcome when it's constructive.

The installer says that I can install 2 alongside my existing 1.2.2 installation - how does this work logistically? For example, if I set up a recording under both, won't there be a clash?

It's not possible at the moment to plan a record with MP2. Anyway, when it will be possible, you must know that MP1 and MP2 share the same TV Server...

Sorry if this is a stupid question.

Ultimately, given that I am still a bit of a beginner with MP, despite having been tinkering with it for years, is MP 2 something I should leave alone for the time being?

Don't be sorry If you just look at a powerfull working HTPC software, keep using MP1. If you enjoy trying new softwares, have a look at MP2, just remember it's not completed yet

Smeulf.

 

[robbo100]

The longer answer to the questions "what is MP2A" is probably as follows:

MP2 is not only a complete code re-write to make it run faster, but also to give the system true client/server behaviour.

Currently MP1.X works as a client/server system for the TV (i.e. you have a server side which controls the TV backend and a client side that then watches the TV). However, all the other media is all controlled on the client side.

The implications of this current setup is that you only need to configure the TV settings once (on the server) and all the clients on your network will all work without need for configuration (other than to give the network address of the server), but the user will need to configure EVERY client on the network to view all the permanent media (music, videos, movies, photos), which is a pain if you have lots of clients (e.g. downloading the fanart for each client can take time).

With MP2, the server holds the configuration for ALL the clients in common, so you only need to set it up once and all the clients automatically "just work". Since MP2 has also moved away from the separate configuration GUI (and now uses a 10 ft configuration GUI), you can also make amendments to the configuration from any of the clients on the network. With all of this said, you can still taylor each client if you wish (such as adding locally stored media and removable drives (e.g. Blueray/DVD) or by changing the skin (a number of which are supplied with MP2 - note there are skins and themes, where each skin has a number of configurable themes).

The current MP2 Alpha release is just a first step towards the final product (but the work behind this first step shouldn't be played down in significance)! Basically the release installs the "server-side" software which (unlike MP1.X) just sits there running in the background without any need for configuring it - since this is done via the client-side software (you need to manually start it at the moment before you start the client-side), it also installs the "Client-side" software which is the front-end. So far, there has not been a re-write of the TV Service, but that will come with time. Until that happens, you can install a plugin that allows you to use MP2 with the old MP1.X TV Service.

 

[elsmandino]

Wow, thank you all so much for that.
I hadn't really appreciated what a huge leap forward MP2 is going to be. It is a great program as it is but to have everything stored on the server makes perfect sense.

As suggested I shall hold off having a play with it for the time being - though I know that my curiousity is going to get the bettter of me eventually!

Thanks again.

Alex

 

[mbuzina]

You can play around now, just for your normal Media Consumption, MP 1 is better.

 

[mohawk]

Hi robbo100,
sorry if i missunderstood something, but are you saying you configure every client on it's own and every client downloads his own Fanart?
I have a TV Server that also functions as a File Server and i only do configuration on the TV Server for TV Series, Moving pictures, mvCentral and even the fanarts come from the Server. The only thing i have on the clients are the plugins but the configuration comes from the Server since they are stored in the databases that reside on the Server.

Sorry if i got you wrong....

 

[Terra]

I have a TV Server that also functions as a File Server and i only do configuration on the TV Server for TV Series, Moving pictures, mvCentral and even the fanarts come from the Server.

A little Off-Topic but:
How do you configure Moving Pictures and TV Series on the Server? Have you also installed the MePo Client on the TV Server and use the same plugins and file paths as on the MePo Client?

 

[mohawk]

I have a TV Server that also functions as a File Server and i only do configuration on the TV Server for TV Series, Moving pictures, mvCentral and even the fanarts come from the Server.

A little Off-Topic but:
How do you configure Moving Pictures and TV Series on the Server? Have you also installed the MePo Client on the TV Server and use the same plugins and file paths as on the MePo Client?

Yes, the client is also installed on the Server for testing purpose. The setup, configuration and Import of new files for Moving Pictures and TV Series are done on the Server (and only on the Server, never from a client) and the import paths of course point to a mapped drive (bevor i used UNC or IP but now i use drive letters). All i do on the clients is install the plugin so i can choose it for the home screens. If i recall right even if i open the config on the client all the information (import paths) are there allready. Of course your paths have to be modified in Mediaportal.xml (i think). All this gives me the advantage that if i whatch a movie or Series in the Bedroom, of course it is marked as watched in the livingroom. And again, the same is with the fanart handler, Fanart on the Server avaible for all clients.