All files on one server (2 Viewers)

[paredown]

central database is a god idea

Great to see that you guys are on to what I think will be a coming problem.

I was CeBit this year & there are several ideas out there for linking HTPC components and/or streaming files from a central source--but they mainly seem to be directed at DRM problems/control.

But we already have:
1. networked computers
2. a database that should allow central calls without conflicts

My (as yet) unrealized dream is access from wherever I am to my own (legal) media files, so I can update my player, watch a movie on my laptop, etc (given safe (vpn?) fast connections on both ends) while on travel.

paredown

 

[PeteG]

The client server idea sounds great.

Any chance of topic in the development forum?

I'd really like to follow this and would help where I could (testing plus advice on servers, DBs and networking). No coding I'm afraid though, as I gave that up when our business stopped using COBOL.

 

[tfd]

Master/Slave: UPNP & remote control?

having a master / slave kinda relationship where the slave is mainly a "dumb" screen type device sounds a lot like a call for a UPNP type solution. The real problem there is how to control the server side (remote control).

WIFI enabled remote controls really are no option (price skyhigh) and to date I have not seen any real IR master/slave solution.

my desired configuration: central server/database, streaming over 10BaseT network/wifi to clients (being PC or TV). All in all I see 2 main issues: getting the signal to a TV (coax?) in any room where there is one and controlling the server from that room where you're watching a given stream on a TV.

A good friend of mine keeps telling me that I should consider x-boxes at the slaves ... (price is relatively low and they can be wifi-enabled) but putting it all together is still no good until I have a solution for the remote control issue ... suggestions ?

 

[PeteG]

Been doing some thinking on this, bear with me if I get it wrong.

The only bits that the server needs to do are:
a) File storage
b) database storage and updates
c) TV & radio program capture / streaming to clients


The clients still have the standard MP software on them. Only thing that would be missing would be a tuner.
They would need to have the relevant client side of the database access.
They would still need remotes or keyboard control.

When a client interogates the TV guide and chooses to record something the entry is stored against the guide / recordings table.

When a cleint chooses to play media, the server is simply acting as a file server (use Win 2000/2003 server for this).

From what I've gathered about the way MP works, there are 2 different functions for recording / tuning and viewing, with some sort of inter-process comunication happening between the 2. You have to have the record / tuning function running to view, but you don't have to have the view function running to record.

So as I see it the bits that would need developing are:

1) ability for a client to read / write the database from a server
2) changes to MP setup to build the DBases on a server and to the client setup to read that server
3) ability to view via a network stream rather than an inter-process stream
4) Intra-client comms to notify other users if a tuner conflict exists (could use messenger)

I think that the server may need to be a higher spec than standard, but the cleints could get away with less, as they would need to handle TV capture and playback at the same time.



If it helps, point me towards any existing docs so I can read up - I may be able to spot something that makes this easy.