Quite a few sites start popping up where you can rent movies on the web. These are instructions on how to set up the My Programs plugin to use these sites from within MediaPortal. I'll set it up to use Internet Explorer to access two Swedish movie sites but you can change that to match your situation as you set it up. Ok, here's how to do it:
1 - Security settings
The sites I'm using launch a fullscreen web page for their interface, so the first thing to do is to make sure they're allowed to open pop-ups and things like that.
- Open Internet Explorer
- Go to Tools > Internet Options... > Security > Trusted sites > Sites...
- Uncheck "Require server verification..."
- Add the sites you wish to use, I added *.sf-anytime.com and *.film2home.se
- Click OK in the two open windows
2 - Site settings
Since these sites use things like personalized WMP players, what you have to do next is go to the sites you added above and try using them. They usually have some kind of automatic test that installs whatever you need to get going. Launch the sites and watch a free trailer or something just to see that it works. I won't give any step-by-step instructions since the procedure differs from site to site.
While you do this, take note of the actual address that launches the interface. In my examples, www.sf-anytime.com launches the interface, but in the case of film2home you have to right-click the start button on the site and select "copy shortcut". That's the address to use later on.
Also, make sure to create any accounts you need to use the sites.
3 - Remote settings
If you want to use your remote you might want to make a few configuration settings. What you have to do depends on your remote and what sites you use, here's what I do. I use the iMON remote, so I make sure that it can control the Windows Media Player. That's the player that film2home use, so my iMON settings for WMP work at their site. SF-anytime use WMP too but it's embedded in an IE window so it can't be controlled the same way.
I make sure I can use the arrow keys and enter under Internet Explorer as well, as that's how the interfaces are built. I find it a good idea to make sure the number keys on the remote work under IE too, as you might want to punch in your credit card number to rent the movies. Check your site and your remote to find the best solution, maybe you can program a macro to perform the entire login/payment procedure.
4 - MediaPortal settings
Here's where you glue everything together. Let's get going!
- Start the MediaPortal setup
- Go to Plugins, right-click "My Programs" and select "Disabled" to enable. Right-click "My Programs" again and select "Configuration".
- Click Add Child > Filelauncher
- Change the title to your likings, "Online movie rentals" perhaps? This will be the headline under which to find sites you add.
- At "Launching application", browse to your web browser, i.e. C:\Program files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
- I don't know if it matters, but I uncheck "Wait for exit" as I want to keep MP working in the background. I don't know if I'll miss any recordings with this checked, but I don't want to try either!
- Set a pin code if you like, set the window style to you likings (I prefer "Maximized" as I use my SDTV)
- (*) Go to the "Files" tab, press "New..."
- Set "Title" to the name of the first site to add, i.e. SF-Anytime
- At "Filename", enter the address I told you to take note of under point 2 above. Make sure to include all the http and www and whatnot.
- If you like it fancy I suggest you add an imagefile, too. I suggest you find this at the website you're using.
- Click OK, then select your added site and click the "Launch" button. If it works then your a-ok, if not check all your paths and web addresses. You might want to go back to the "Details" tab and uncheck "Quotes around filenames" too.
- If you want to add more sites, just repeat from the step marked with the star (*) a few steps back.
- When you're done, exit the plugin setup and click OK in the MP setup.
Congratulations, you're done!
If you have any questions just ask.
1 - Security settings
The sites I'm using launch a fullscreen web page for their interface, so the first thing to do is to make sure they're allowed to open pop-ups and things like that.
- Open Internet Explorer
- Go to Tools > Internet Options... > Security > Trusted sites > Sites...
- Uncheck "Require server verification..."
- Add the sites you wish to use, I added *.sf-anytime.com and *.film2home.se
- Click OK in the two open windows
2 - Site settings
Since these sites use things like personalized WMP players, what you have to do next is go to the sites you added above and try using them. They usually have some kind of automatic test that installs whatever you need to get going. Launch the sites and watch a free trailer or something just to see that it works. I won't give any step-by-step instructions since the procedure differs from site to site.
While you do this, take note of the actual address that launches the interface. In my examples, www.sf-anytime.com launches the interface, but in the case of film2home you have to right-click the start button on the site and select "copy shortcut". That's the address to use later on.
Also, make sure to create any accounts you need to use the sites.
3 - Remote settings
If you want to use your remote you might want to make a few configuration settings. What you have to do depends on your remote and what sites you use, here's what I do. I use the iMON remote, so I make sure that it can control the Windows Media Player. That's the player that film2home use, so my iMON settings for WMP work at their site. SF-anytime use WMP too but it's embedded in an IE window so it can't be controlled the same way.
I make sure I can use the arrow keys and enter under Internet Explorer as well, as that's how the interfaces are built. I find it a good idea to make sure the number keys on the remote work under IE too, as you might want to punch in your credit card number to rent the movies. Check your site and your remote to find the best solution, maybe you can program a macro to perform the entire login/payment procedure.
4 - MediaPortal settings
Here's where you glue everything together. Let's get going!
- Start the MediaPortal setup
- Go to Plugins, right-click "My Programs" and select "Disabled" to enable. Right-click "My Programs" again and select "Configuration".
- Click Add Child > Filelauncher
- Change the title to your likings, "Online movie rentals" perhaps? This will be the headline under which to find sites you add.
- At "Launching application", browse to your web browser, i.e. C:\Program files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
- I don't know if it matters, but I uncheck "Wait for exit" as I want to keep MP working in the background. I don't know if I'll miss any recordings with this checked, but I don't want to try either!
- Set a pin code if you like, set the window style to you likings (I prefer "Maximized" as I use my SDTV)
- (*) Go to the "Files" tab, press "New..."
- Set "Title" to the name of the first site to add, i.e. SF-Anytime
- At "Filename", enter the address I told you to take note of under point 2 above. Make sure to include all the http and www and whatnot.
- If you like it fancy I suggest you add an imagefile, too. I suggest you find this at the website you're using.
- Click OK, then select your added site and click the "Launch" button. If it works then your a-ok, if not check all your paths and web addresses. You might want to go back to the "Details" tab and uncheck "Quotes around filenames" too.
- If you want to add more sites, just repeat from the step marked with the star (*) a few steps back.
- When you're done, exit the plugin setup and click OK in the MP setup.
Congratulations, you're done!
If you have any questions just ask.