[Blog] My Films 5 - the future is here! (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Dadeo
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The main difference is that My Films is designed for, and supports. existing movie catalogs. Many film buffs have spent years developing their catalogs in the movie catalog app of their choice. Their catalogs are extremely extensive and include thousands of movie files, DVDs, BRDs etc. With My Films you can start using that movie catalog in MP in minutes, no rescan - it just displays all your existing data, artwork etc. Ant Movie Catalog users can even update their catalog via the My Films GUI with all the update features mentioned in the Blog.
If you don't have a movie catalog, and have no desire to maintain one or customize your data etc, then Moving Pictures is an awesome plugin for you. It's easy and does all the work for you. My Films is easy if you have a movie catalog already, but let's you customize it to the nth degree! So, it depends on your setup/needs which works better for you. The point is to have options, especially for the thousands of users who already have movie catalogs.
You can also have a centralized database, which i believe is still not possible with Moving Pictures.
Can somebody explain to me the difference between "moving pictures" and "my films"?
I am realy not trying to bash anyone but why put so much effort into this undoubtly great "my films" Seems to me as double effort put into a product when the movie database could be exchanged by incorporating "moving pictures" into MP.
I am realy not trying to bash anyone but why put so much effort into this undoubtly great "my films" Seems to me as double effort put into a product when the movie database could be exchanged by incorporating "moving pictures" into MP.
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- #17
Hi wouter1971:
I tried to answer Arkard that in my post on the previous page. I really don't understand why it is not clear. My Films is a completely different concept than Moving Pictures or My Videos which use a SQLite DB in MP. My Films uses (or can create), a movie catalog DB in XML format that can be used either in MP or in any of the seven movie catalog apps it supports outside of MP. Have you ever used a movie catalog app? Perhaps many MP users don't know what they do or why most film buffs use them?
Let me give you my own example. I use my movie catalog for many things besides MediaPortal. I index my library of thousands of files, DVDs and BRDs. I index them all so I can find them (My Films even gives me my catalog number when I want to play them). I also lend a lot of DVDs/movies, and my movie catalog tracks all that, plus a lot more. I spent years developing and customizing my catalog and data. I do not wish to re-scan my entire collection (the thought of rescanning all those DVDs makes me shudder) and repeating all that customization just so I can use it in MediaPortal, and then have to maintain two catalogs separately. My Films just lets me use my movie catalog in MP with all the bells and whistles I am used to.
So I hope you can understand it is not double effort. My Films fills a gap that Moving Pictures and My Videos do not support. However, if your concern is more that you want to use all the great new features of My Films and don't understand why these are not added to MediaPortal itself, I can appreciate that point of view. However, please understand that many of the features in My Films, like centralized data on a network, simply cannot be easily supported within MP architecture (so I have been told when I asked!
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Can I ask why suddenly you are asking this question? My Films has been around for years, long before Moving Pictures, and when My Videos was pretty bare bones. Did you ask what the difference was when those apps were developed?
I tried to answer Arkard that in my post on the previous page. I really don't understand why it is not clear. My Films is a completely different concept than Moving Pictures or My Videos which use a SQLite DB in MP. My Films uses (or can create), a movie catalog DB in XML format that can be used either in MP or in any of the seven movie catalog apps it supports outside of MP. Have you ever used a movie catalog app? Perhaps many MP users don't know what they do or why most film buffs use them?
Let me give you my own example. I use my movie catalog for many things besides MediaPortal. I index my library of thousands of files, DVDs and BRDs. I index them all so I can find them (My Films even gives me my catalog number when I want to play them). I also lend a lot of DVDs/movies, and my movie catalog tracks all that, plus a lot more. I spent years developing and customizing my catalog and data. I do not wish to re-scan my entire collection (the thought of rescanning all those DVDs makes me shudder) and repeating all that customization just so I can use it in MediaPortal, and then have to maintain two catalogs separately. My Films just lets me use my movie catalog in MP with all the bells and whistles I am used to.
So I hope you can understand it is not double effort. My Films fills a gap that Moving Pictures and My Videos do not support. However, if your concern is more that you want to use all the great new features of My Films and don't understand why these are not added to MediaPortal itself, I can appreciate that point of view. However, please understand that many of the features in My Films, like centralized data on a network, simply cannot be easily supported within MP architecture (so I have been told when I asked!
)Can I ask why suddenly you are asking this question? My Films has been around for years, long before Moving Pictures, and when My Videos was pretty bare bones. Did you ask what the difference was when those apps were developed?
- August 30, 2006
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Afghanistan
I still don't get My Moves. It requires someone to have created an ANT movie database. The ANT system has always been overwhelming to me - it presents about 200 importers of all languages and systems. I just want english. I don't want 200 options. I just want it to import my existing collection in english.
I know that there are many, many, MANY people out there that don't speak english as a native tongue. I get that. I'm not disparaging them. I'm simply saying that the ANT system is so overwhelmingly complex to the uninitiated person that simply wants to point it to their collection and have it import the **** [edit: why is the forum editor bleeping out the word 'm e t a'??] data simply. Without configuring a bunch of stuff.
I've looked at My Movies 3 times over the past 3 years, and I still can't see why people would bother with it. I don't keep my collection in ANT so that it's available in other systems. It requires a lengthy learning curve and decisions that are not intuitive. It creates a database separate from Media Portal, resulting in duplication of information.
Sorry, I just don't get it. but then again, clearly I'm not the target user. And I'm simply posting my perspective so that others that haven't tried it yet can get a viewpoint that may help them decide that it's not worth it and there are much simpler alternatives out there.
No offence or fanboyism intended.
I know that there are many, many, MANY people out there that don't speak english as a native tongue. I get that. I'm not disparaging them. I'm simply saying that the ANT system is so overwhelmingly complex to the uninitiated person that simply wants to point it to their collection and have it import the **** [edit: why is the forum editor bleeping out the word 'm e t a'??] data simply. Without configuring a bunch of stuff.
I've looked at My Movies 3 times over the past 3 years, and I still can't see why people would bother with it. I don't keep my collection in ANT so that it's available in other systems. It requires a lengthy learning curve and decisions that are not intuitive. It creates a database separate from Media Portal, resulting in duplication of information.
Sorry, I just don't get it. but then again, clearly I'm not the target user. And I'm simply posting my perspective so that others that haven't tried it yet can get a viewpoint that may help them decide that it's not worth it and there are much simpler alternatives out there.
No offence or fanboyism intended.
- Thread starter
- #19
Hi dir: Thanks for helping make it clearer. I apologize if the Blog was not clear. I thought when I stated that My Films supports seven different movie catalogs, it was obvious that it is mainly for movie catalog users. It's the hazard when you are so close to something, you assume things are obvious. Sorry for that!
However, as Guzzi states in the first post of the release thread:
If you are happy using Moving Pictures or MP Videos, then please continue to use them. However, I think the hundreds of thousands of users of Ant and other movie catalogs have good reasons to 'bother with them'. And for those users, using Moving Pictures or MP Videos would result in duplication of all their data. That is the whole point of My Films, it doesn't! Those are the target users of My Films, and they are already very accustomed to their movie catalog app, and to managing their own data, so My Films is quite easy for them.
What I love about MediaPortal is that it provides options for all different users and use cases. My Films is a perfect example of that because it offers movie catalog users a plugin where they do not have to duplicate their data or switch to a whole different user interface if they don't want to. So everyone has their choice to use the plugin which best meets their needs.
Sorry for that!However, as Guzzi states in the first post of the release thread:
If you are happy using Moving Pictures or MP Videos, then please continue to use them. However, I think the hundreds of thousands of users of Ant and other movie catalogs have good reasons to 'bother with them'
. And for those users, using Moving Pictures or MP Videos would result in duplication of all their data. That is the whole point of My Films, it doesn't! Those are the target users of My Films, and they are already very accustomed to their movie catalog app, and to managing their own data, so My Films is quite easy for them.What I love about MediaPortal is that it provides options for all different users and use cases. My Films is a perfect example of that because it offers movie catalog users a plugin where they do not have to duplicate their data or switch to a whole different user interface if they don't want to. So everyone has their choice to use the plugin which best meets their needs.
- May 29, 2008
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Hi guys, I know it has been asked before so I'll ask it a different why
I already have Moving Picture installed on Media Portal and it is working fine.
What extra features would I see IN MEDIAPORTAL if I swapped to My Flims, e.g does it have a better UI?
I understand that the backend stores and retrives information way is very different but for me that isn't a issue.
I already have Moving Picture installed on Media Portal and it is working fine.
What extra features would I see IN MEDIAPORTAL if I swapped to My Flims, e.g does it have a better UI?
I understand that the backend stores and retrives information way is very different but for me that isn't a issue.