Is MP2 usable as production system today? (1 Viewer)

[somy]

Hi.
I'm using MP2 on daily base right now. There are some compromises I'm into but it is possible.

Is there anything similar to MovingPictures and TVSeries plugin available for MP2?

Yes, that's in build like in XBMC or other HTPC software. MP1 is the only program I know of, where you need external plugins for those.

The main things I'm missing right now are:

A possibility to manually change some DB settings (e.G. replace a poster scrapped in a foreign language by something in my native language)

Possibility to play media without the need to add them to the database first.

Possibility to run external programs (like Multishortcut does for MP1 or the in build functionality on any other HTPC software) to wakeup other PC, change Refreshrate,...

A better TV Part. Right ATM it's only some basic stuff, similar to XBMC. E.G. you can't schedule series recordings, the EPG is not easy to use as the navigation is extremely ugly when you use remote. With mouse it is working better, but I want to navigate with remote only. The new TV server engine (TVE 3.5) is not really in Alpha state yet but did make good progress lately.

The pictures plugin is not ready. You only can watch "slideshows", also you want to look at a single picture only.

Lots of eye candy is missing. The skins are less good looking as the MP1 ones also the skin engine has lot more possibilities. Personally I have a hard time to learn how to skin for MP2, much harder than learning skinning for MP1. As I'm no big fan of the Titan skin (I'm into as much fanart as possible) I never used it on MP1. But on MP2 I need to use it as it's the only available skin showing series details (description,...), watched status,...

AT the moment I'm using MP1, MP2 and XBMC alongside. When it comes to TV I'm using MP1, when it comes to Linux (Android,...) or viewing pictures I'm using XBMC (as the MP1 pictures plugin was, is and never will be usable at all). For all other things I'm using MP2.

It's a pity that no "complete" HTPC software is out there. MP1 has not all needed basics (e.G. it's nearly impossible to have a Picture in Picture feature there) and it's nearly at the end of it's lifetime, thinking about the code base. XBMC is lacking a good TV functionality, the configuration is a "pain in the ass" and the Video playback quality (at least on Windows systems) is poor. That's why I put all my hopes and efforts into MP2 as it has all the basics needed to become the first and only "complete" HTPC software.

I also tried XBMC which gave me more problems. Video quality is much lower (without a proper dithering the color banding is everywhere), and not to mention judder all the time even with auto refresh rate changer.

 

[MJGraf]

No. that's not available, at least to the user. Maybe it's some part of the code, but did not work right now. Normally I'm running on 50 Hz, that's OK for all TV related stuff including Recordings and most TV series. But to play a "real" movie I manually need to change the refresh rate to 23,976 Hz in GFX drivers first...

Hi Lehmden - and as always thanks for your input!
Just had a short look into the code and in our MainForm we have a method called "SynchronizeToVideoPlayerFramerate", which I had in mind. As it looks like (I haven't digged deeply into it) this method is supposed to adjust the render framerate to the framerate of a video player, i.e. the framerate of the video, which is currently playing. It even takes care of the fact that MP2 can play multiple videos at once and of course - if we play two videos with different framerate at the same time - it is only possible to adjust the render framerate to one of the two videos.
What I haven't found out, yet, is whether or not we actually switch the screen refreshrate to the render framerate. I have to admit that I don't have any clue about DirectX programming - but to me it doesn't sound very difficult to adjust the screen refreshrate together with the render framerate - but before I tell everyone that this is an easy task I should better ask Morph

 

[breese]

Within MP2, What is the best way to Verify framerate?
I have multiple video's I can test with but I do not know how to verify what is happening.

 

[Lehmden]

Hi.

but to me it doesn't sound very difficult to adjust the screen refreshrate together with the render framerate

Cool if it will be that easy and nicely integrated. As for the PIP feature. the rate should be adjusted to the "main" (aka fullscreen) player for sure.

I have multiple video's I can test with but I do not know how to verify what is happening.

For me it's really easy to check, play the video and press "Info" button on TV remote. This will show me exactly on what rate the TV is running atm... And that's exactly the rate the GPU delivers via HDMI.

 

[breese]

No remote on my test boxes... Keyboard command?

 

[Lehmden]

Hi.

Keyboard command?

I'm using a 42" TV for "testing" and there is a remote for the TV so that's nothing to do with MP2 or Windows at all... But maybe your monitor has such an info function also...

BTW...

No remote

I lately bought a MCE compatible remote with USB- RC-6 receiver at less than 5€, named "Speedlink SL 6390". It was in a store for occasions ("Postenbörse" in German) and it's working better than my Logitech Harmony 200 (but no learning function at all, pure MCE remote). I've attached it to my working PC so I can use Remote there also...

 

[breese]

Got it... The actual TV remote to show Info on it... I will test when I get home today...
Does anyone know if the Graph is also available within this version of MP2?

 

[MJGraf]

There is also a plugin called "StatisticsRenderer", which should be included in this build (no sure, not at home atm - check if there is a subdirectory with that name in MP2 Client plugin directory). If so, press F10 and see what happens

 

[breese]

Very Cool.....

Any comments on this ??

 

[morpheus_xx]

My interpretation is: as long as playback is ok for you, the graphs doesn't matter Also they are no way comparable to MP1.

Some more features you should know:

• F10: show stats
• F11: toggle sync mode (default, vsync, max performance). Only affects normal GUI rendering if no video is played, then it is synched to video refresh rate
• F12: toggle different 3D modes: standard 2d, Side by Side, Top/Bottom, and 3d to 2d cropping of SBS/TOB