How is MP2 better for multi-client installations - some advice (1 Viewer)

Jolltax

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    We have been happily using MP1 server backend and multi-client setup in our house for some time now, it works pretty well. We use Kodi exclusively as a client.
    For practical reasons I am going to be setting up a new server shortly as the current one occasionally gets messed up by my kids when they "borrow" it to play games etc. :(

    As I am going to be going through the trouble of setting up a new server I was wondering whether this would be a good time to migrate to MP2, particularly as the comparison chart on the download section claims that the multi-user support and stability is superior to MP1. I wonder if I could ask a few questions as the wiki doesn't seem that clear on what the server side differences of MP1 and MP2 are?

    1. What are the multi-client advantages, if any, of MP2 over MP1 server
    2. I note the the update notes of MP2 report improvements to the support of Series links, is this significantly different to MP1?
    3. Is the Kodi addon support as robust in MP2 as it is in MP1
    4. Can anyone highlight any issues I may need to consider in migrating my server from MP1 to MP2 (we will still be using Kodi frontends)

    Thanks in advance, I have searched the wiki and forums for relevant posts but haven't managed to find the answers to my questions, hence the post.

    Cheers

    Jolltax
     

    Jasmeet_181

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    You're only using the TV Engine (TVE) side of Mediaportal with your Kodi clients, the top of the chart says "Both versions use the same TVE3 engine". I think that the references to multi-client support are for MediaPortal 2 Server, MP2's new centralised media database.

    MP2's version of TVE3 was slightly modified from MP1 (switched to SQLite), Margo has updated the TVServerKodi plugin for those changes. TVE3.5 is in alpha and there isn't a Kodi plugin for it. This wiki article may give you a better idea of what's going on with the side of MP2.

    Here's a more detailed translated post from morpheus_xx about TV in MP2:
    If you install an updated MP2, both the MP2 server and MP2 client is installed.

    In MP2 server the "TVE3" plugin is included. This is basically the TV function of MP1.12, not as a standalone service, but as a plug-in MP2 server. there is one difference there, in MP2 will be the default sqlite (so you need not "complete" DB install).

    Then there is the "TVE3.5" that exists as alpha version. The program level is not changed since ~ 1 ... 2 years, the development is currently almost exclusively in mm135200. This version is incompatible with TVE3 but brings support for new hardware with.

    So if you are using the "plugins" for TV, this should work in principle also in MP2 server. But that has not been repeatedly tested probably, may need to be made a few minor modifications. If you want, you could test the so.
     

    Lehmden

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    What are the multi-client advantages, if any, of MP2 over MP1 server
    If you only use Kodi as Client, there are not that much as the main advantages MP2 has are the centralized database for all media, not only TV. Main advantage for Kodi users in my opinion is the use of SQLite instead of a full blown SQL Server. SQLite is faster and much more reliable and it did not need an extra service/program to be running...
    But if you want to use (at least some) MP2 clients too you will get a lot of advantages. So you only need to add your media sources one time and they are available instantly for all clients. This includes the watched status and the position where you have stopped watching. So you can start to watch a movie in living room and somewhere in the middle you can stop playback, go to bedroom and continue there on the exact position where you've stopped in living room.
    And MP2 Client has a Picture in Picture function, not only limited to TV. As example you can watch a video during a commercial brake and have an eye on live TV so you don't miss the end of the commercial brake...
    Aside this the video playback quality of MP (no matter if MP1 or MP2) is better a lot compared to Kodi on Windows. It's the same as if you were using the dead DS Player version of Kodi...
     

    Jolltax

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    Thank Jasmeet and Lehmden for your replies, very much appreciated.

    This wiki article may give you a better idea of what's going on with the side of MP2.
    Thanks I will will read this carefully.
    So you can start to watch a movie in living room and somewhere in the middle you can stop playback, go to bedroom and continue there on the exact position where you've stopped in living room.
    I am positive my MP1 server already allows me to do in Kodi, not sure how / why but it works.
    Aside this the video playback quality of MP (no matter if MP1 or MP2) is better a lot compared to Kodi on Windows
    The reason we use Kodi is purely that my wife / family claim they prefer it but I didn't realise that the picture quality is inferior, I will look into this further as I had no idea.

    Thanks

    Jolltax
     

    Lehmden

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    I will look into this further as I had no idea.
    This only is valid if you are using Windows as OS for Kodi. On Linux the PQ is better a lot. This is due to the "not that good" codecs used in the Windows version of Kodi. On MP you can alter the default codecs, if you want and/or need for your setup. This was possible with the DS version of Kodi too, but the DS version never had made it into the main Kodi development. And the DS version dies at the beginning of this year as the dev of the DS version quits working on it.

    I am positive my MP1 server already allows me to do in Kodi
    Yes, but limited to TV. With MP2 you also can do so with any Movie/Series or even Music that is in your media library...
     

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