External Control Plugin Version II - ideas please! (1 Viewer)

gds

Portal Pro
October 4, 2004
53
0
Italy
Uhm, maybe if I post just to say: "I agree with everybody" it will be an useless post :wink:
So I'll try to explain my vision about MP: I don't see it as just an HTPC frontend. Given its open nature and documented inner behaviour (well, I didn't read the code, but hope it is :D ), to me it's got to become a sort of multimedia octopus, picking content from everywhere, showing it on local, networked or remote devices, getting input in every possible way (mouse, keyboard, PocketPC, other PCs) and giving feedback on its status on each connected device (showing a very similar interface on every device). If we (well, ehm, YOU developers) start thinking of MP like that, it will evolve in something really huge, a kind of "amorphous" being which everyone can shape to suit his needs. In a few words, I don't see it like a project, but as a meta-project.
Ops, seems I forgot to swallow my pills :lol:
GDS
 
M

MadAxeMan

Guest
I think the uPnP threads sound extremely interesting and that would be the way to go in the long term. It does suit a more client-server based model but that is really for Frodo et al to drive I guess. As a newbie I'm just going to dabble my toes in and see what I can achieve :)
 

lugiber

Portal Pro
August 3, 2004
141
0
Sweden
Well most of the interesting features are mentioned already but one i would like to see is the ability to display all menus plus the ability to communicate with other software/plugins (perhaps that is implemented already).
That way it would be much easier to build plugins using the external control plugin to control/display info with lcds, vfds, pdas, cellphones, web browsers etc. At least i think so, but i am not a programmer so what do i know :D

/Peter
 

FullMoon

Portal Member
October 10, 2004
38
0
I second that, that is ideal! A good graphical interface, interactive, something like that could let you browse files, pictures, control music, hell, ultimately stream music and live tv to your pocketpc, laptop or network computers (or over the internet if you like)

I like the web interface idea because as long as it works on pocketpc browsers is ideal.
 

samuel337

Portal Pro
August 25, 2004
772
0
Melbourne, Australia
MrSensitive said:
I too am not in favor of a webinterface,
a server type plugin that works on its own set of commands would be more lightweight.
having a webserver running on the HTPC just uses precious resources.

as far as streaming to the pocketpc or other devices goes, i think the uPNP project is going to be better suited for this..
http://nolanparty.com/mediaportal.sourceforge.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3669

I agree. I don't like web interfaces if a application interface is possible, because no matter how good your skills are, web interfaces are always limited by the fact that you can't do things at the server without refreshing the page. Also, UI interactivity is also limited, although this is much improved in ASP.NET with server postbacks.

I also agree that as far as streaming is concerned, uPNP is the way to go. The problem with uPNP is however, it is limited by profiles that are defined by uPNP people themselves, so it's function is limited (i.e. I'm pretty sure there's no recipe profile). This is why I'm going ahead with my plugin.

Anyway, just a progress update. These are the functions that I've implemented so far (the function names are pretty self-explanatory):
- SendActionByID
- SendMessageByID
- SendThreadMessageByID
- GetMPPath
- GetCurrentWindowID
- GetCurrentWindowName
- GUIPropertyManager (allows you to access any property stored in MP's property manager, e.g. #currentmodule, or #duration)
- RefreshRecordings
- ImportXMLTVGuide
- GetChannels
- GetChannelID
- GetChannelName
- GetPrograms (with start and end time parameters)
- GetProgramsByChannel (with start and end time parameters)
- GetGenres

I've still got a way to go...so keep checking and keep the ideas coming!

Sam
 

MrSensitive

Portal Pro
May 18, 2004
239
0
Belgium
I'm pretty sure there's no recipe profile

LOL, indeed,
I'm looking at it this way.
the plugin you are writing should be a media library browser, you can get information about the movie or music album currently selected, press play on the pocketCP client (or any client for that matter) and the main Mediaportal box starts playing the movie/album.

recipes are just another entry in the media library, use them in the same way, you can get details about the recipe, press play and Mediaportal starts cooking
:lol: err, sorry getting a bit carried away.. :oops:

as is weather, and pictures.
 

FullMoon

Portal Member
October 10, 2004
38
0
Ok, recipes are a bit of a stretch. I like the MP interface on the tv, and I haven't found a PPC MM recipe program I like. For manipulation on a PC I use NYC (Now You're Cooking) which will import and export MM recipes and actually let me make a ton of web pages with them (pages for categories and linked pages for each recipe, a 500 recipe collection with 20 categories produces 530 or so files. I can import these into my PPC (they're not too big) but searching is limitted.

Anyway, an interface that works as a remote media browser, remote control, and works on a PC or PPC would be ideal.
 

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