Dang! This is a lot like work! (1 Viewer)

[DocGolden]

First off, I'd like to say thank you to the MediaPortal folks. I've had a look at several other offerings and MP impresses me the most.

This is the reason that I'm trying to work through configuring my box after a system restore and then install MP. So, here's the reason for this post: it's quite a job to try and sort out what needs installed & how to configure MP! There are obviously a lot of resources here to read & review, but they are spread out into a lot of places. Some topics are covered in the wiki/documentation. Others are covered in the forums here as stickies and other topics. But for a MP newb, it's incredibly hard to make sense of all this. Especially when you factor in all the additional codecs and add-on recommendations (some of which I'm not sure I need).

Is there a way, or are there plans to consolidate the install and configuration info into a central location? This is just a lot for a newb to absorb. I'm moving from MCE 2004. It obviously isn't as powerful or flexible as MP, so I understand that I can't expect it to "just work", but it would help a great deal if there was a clearer picture of what codecs I need for what and how to get them...

Bit of a ramble I know. I really do appreciate all the hard work put into the product and the support of the community, so I in no way mean this as a flame. I plan on getting MP up and running, but I've just spent a good portion of the last 2 days trying to follow the breadcrumbs, and I'm thinking to myself that this should be easier (maybe not today, but at some point).

 

[FlipGer]

Hi Doc,

welcome to the forum and to MP.

Many thanks for your feedback! You are right, the documentation of MP is still a point which needs much work. And yes, this is is / will be done on it.

So keep up posting reports like yours. This will help us collecting data for newcomers.

Flip.

 

[Callifo]

If you have any more specific questions you need help with just ask. Things like recommended codecs are fairly simple. MP does come with mpeg2 codecs already but if you want something a bit better you can supply your own. Otherwise xvid, divx, quicktime alternative, real alternative and AVI <-> AC3/DTS Filter isnt such a bad start. For me that pretty much is everything I use but Im a fairly standard format person. If you dabble with other video/audio formats you may need more.

I think I might go put that in the wiki somewhere actually (if I can get access, usually someone else is there at the time :/ ) with links to them specifically.

 

[DocGolden]

Ok, I've gotten enough spare time to try and finish my rebuild of my MediaPortal machine. Which means I've got specific questions now!

I'm finding I'm a bit stumped as I'm trying to configure MP. I know that having lots of config options is a plus, but to my thinking, only if you can figure out what those options mean. For example, I don't claim to know much about video/audio codecs. So how am I to know if I've got the MP video/audio codecs set right for me? I followed the '(MPEG2) Codec guide' under Tips & Tricks, and I can play videos, but when I open MP, I'm finding Mpeg2Dec Filter rather then InterVideo WinDVD as the setting for DVD & TV?

Now I'm trying to tackle the EPG, and again I feel lost. Am I supposed to be using XMLTV? Or WebEPG. Why does there have to be like 10 different "guides" to get setup? I've been trying to make sense of the MP Manual wiki, but many of the links go into la-la land, and the others are partly outdated (see '2.3 MediaPortal - Setup Wizard' - the screen shots of the wizard aren't current anymore).

At this point, I've installed & uninstalled so many things trying to get setup, that I feel like I'm going to have to wipe my system and start again - BUT, I don't have a detailed guide in order to keep me from ending up in the same place again.

Help!

 

[wishywashy]

Since your from the USA, use XMLTV. The reason there are "10 different guides" is there are 30 different countries useing this program.
See this thread for XMLTV setup/help:
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/viewtopic.php?t=12165


Mpeg2Dec is a default video decoder that comes with Media Portal. To use the Intervideo codec youll need to install the WinDVD program. You won't need to "use" the WinDVD program, but it will install the needed decoder.

To know if the combinations are right for you, try them out. Look for video quality, does it even display a picture or produce a sound.

I have:
Hauppauge pvr 150
Roslyn 250
SPDIF out
Geforce 6600 DVI-HDMI output
I found for my setup that the NVIDIA Purevideo decoders work the best across the board (TV, DVD and videos). Well sort of, the Mpeg2Dec looks a little better for TV when useing the Roslyn 250.

Sorry to go out of order on your post, and hope this helps. Welcome to the MP community.

 

[DocGolden]

wishywashy - thanks for the help. I'm still working on getting xmltv to import times correctly, but at the very least, I've got it setup.

Right now though, I'm having a terrible time w/ video playback on DVD. I am getting some video & sound, and ffwd is working ok. But I'm getting nothing from rwd. A -2X comes up on the screen, but it keeps playing at normal speed.

I've currently got my DVD settings as:
Video Codec: InterVideo Video Decoder (I have 2 of these in the drop down for some reason??)
Audio Renderer: Default DirectSound Device
Audio Codec: MPEG/AC3/DTS/LPCM Audio Decoder

Anyone have any thoughts on what I need to do to get this working correctly?

Thanks

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

Welcome DocGolden

Are you using within MP Setup, DVD, DVD navigator as default as apparently selecting anything else at the moment does not work correctly.

 

[DocGolden]

Yes, I'm using DVD Navigator as it's my only choice.