Media Browser not found in MediaPortal 1.12 (1 Viewer)

[jump007]

Hi, I am new to MediaPortal. I am using currently WMC and MediaBrowser. All myy movies and videos (about 2000) are well documented with MediaBrowser. I have managed to install MediaPortal 1.12 and hopped to get he existing Media Browser plugin I used for WMC working in the same way. I have installed the MediaBrowser for MediaPortal
v0.30 beta (08/20/2014). But when I tried to start the plugin (it appears now in the Media Portal App, It says Media Browser Server Could not be found. I checked with WMC, It is running there without any problems. Any suggestions?

I have also tried to install MP 2, it works, but there is no option to install/ us Media Browser. I don't want to re-edit all my movies and videos, hence, I am trying to find some SW that uses the current format of Media Browser.

I am looking forward to some suggestions or ideas.

 

[johanj]

The plugin is no longer compatible with latest version of the Emby server. The developer of the plugin is no longer active and no-one has continued the development.

MP2 has no plugin at all to Emby.

 

[Lehmden]

Hi.

I have also tried to install MP 2, it works, but there is no option to install/ us Media Browser. I don't want to re-edit all my movies and videos, hence, I am trying to find some SW that uses the current format of Media Browser.

MP2 is about to become someting similar to MediaBrowser as there is heavy development ongoing for a DLNA/UPnP MediaServer plugin. Aside this, the MP2 Importer should already be able to read the Media Browser database files in XML format. It's a long time since I last used MB3 but afair the database is stored in xml- files.

 

[johanj]

Well, MP2 might have this functionality at some point but is not even in alpha for this kind of functionality.

Kodi or android device is probably the best frontend if you want to use Emby as backend.

 

[Lehmden]

Hi.
In general I like the structure of Plex or Emby as it's based on an open standard (DLNA) . But both backends are not as I like them. They are not smart when it comes to streaming as they are transcoding anything, no matter if the client is able tp handle the original stream or not. Ad both are in a need for very fast CPU. That's why I'm using Serviio (on big machines) or MiniDLNA on my Banana Pi music server as DLNA backends. But I really would prefer to have an "all in one" solution for the backend. Sadly today there is none but the only thing that may be a possible candidate to do so is the MP2 server. But for this the DLNA server plugin must be ready first...

Well, MP2 might have this functionality at some point but is not even in alpha for this kind of functionality.

Won't say that. The DLNA renderer plugin for the MP2 client is ready to use, available for download and definitely more than alpha state. I'm using it on my productive system, mainly for playing HiRes Music, that my AVR can't play over it's own DLNA client. So I don't need to turn on the TV...
The much more important DLNA server plugin for the MP2 server (the backend) is under heavy development atm, I had a very first working version running already on my system. This you may call alpha or early alpha, if you like... Atm the devs are working on a smart transoding engine that brings even MediaPortal based live TV to any DLNA client...
In the long run (can not give an exact timeframe but I expect the server to be fully working at the end of this year or next spring as latest) MP2 will be a replacement for Emby on Windows with lots of advantages like seamlessly integrated TV solution and much less resources needed for the server... As there is an easy way to transfer the Emby database into MP2 server this will be a real alternative...

The least important part of the DLNA structure is a DLNA controller plugin for the MP2 client. This is not started now so it will take a while until the complete infrastructure is done. But there are lots of (good) alternatives available today so this is no big deal. The most important thing is the server with the database (and live TV) imho as there is nothing comparable today...

 

[johanj]

Emby only transcode if client cant handle the direct play. I think this dont work for tv, only other media. Tv is always transcoded.

Im not sure how one can get the picture that all that Emby can do will be in MP2 within short. Its quite sofisticated when it comes to transcoding, platform and device support is high. The api for clients is rich and user friendly. One can remote control all clients throuh their api.

I hope that all this will come to MP2 at some point since I want MediaPortal iViewer also supporting MP2. But my view is that is far away.

 

[jump007]

Hi Lehmden and everyone else responding to this thread.
I think there is going to be a major shift in the market for HTPCs. Microsoft basically has abandoned this arena by removing WMC from Windows 10. This may be a great opportunity for MediaPortal.
As said, I have tried MP2; it does use XML format, but it does not read the files that are contained in the individual folders where I store (or better Media Browser) the metadata, the video and the folder and backdrop pictures. MP2 basically starts to search for metadata on the internet (like IMDB) and stores this separately.
If there was a way to migrate existing data to the MP2 structure, I would do that.
May be some knows a simple way of how to do that.

My next move is to check out EmbyTV hoping that this is somewhat compatible with my existing folder structure and xml metadata.

 

[Lehmden]

As said, I have tried MP2; it does use XML format, but it does not read the files that are contained in the individual folders where I store (or better Media Browser) the metadata, the video and the folder and backdrop pictures. MP2 basically starts to search for metadata on the internet (like IMDB) and stores this separately.

MP2 definitely is using locally stored pictures. Can you give an example of how those pictures are named? The only reason I can imagine is the naming scheme of the pictures is something MP2 can't interpret properly. MP2 prefers metadata from local xml (.nfo) files but also tries to fill the gaps that are remaining after reading the local files.

 

[jump007]

Thanks for the quick reply Lehmden. I have attached the local store folder and an example of the contents and the XML file.

 

[Lehmden]

OK, the xml file has an unusual name (mymovies.xml) and for this it probably can not be recognised. Normally the xml should be named like the video file...
The pictures should be recognised as they are. Up to now, MP2 only uses one (the first) backdrop so the alternatives are ignored for now. This will change in near future, I think..

I don't know if you can give them other names in the MB3 config. But probably this naming can be add to the MP2 importer easily.. Need to ask @MJGraf for this...

By the way, can you upload a few samples of those xml files?