MediaPortal 2 Setup (1 Viewer)

[Simon Benwell]

Hello a few questions is mediaportal 2 able to be a complete solution yet as in can it be used as a TV server and a client?

Few questions please:

On the mediaportal 2 client I can't seem to type in an IP address of the MP2 server it searches for about a second then say none can be found?

On the mediaportal 2 Server how do you choose the folders to share with the clients ie moves etc?

Thank you

 

[Lehmden]

Hi.

is mediaportal 2 able to be a complete solution yet as in can it be used as a TV server and a client?

Yes, it is a complete solution. This includes Live TV. Imho it's more complete than MP1 as e.g. support for fanart and TV series are build in the main application not like in MP1 where those are separate and community driven plugins (FanartHandler and MPTVSeries).

In MP2 there is no separate TV Server as known from MP1. The TV Engine is part of the MP2 Server, to be precise it's a MP2 server plugin and for this it can be exchanged easily if new or different ones are available (in future this will be the case for sure). And you don't need to run a full blown SQL server only for the TV database. This is handled by the MP2 server too. Aside those differences, the TV Engine that comes with the installer package is exactly the same as in MP1. The configuration is identical, so any MP1 tutorials are good to help you with MP2 TV too.

You need to run exactly one MP2 Server that delivers all Media and Live TV to a various number of clients, no matter if they are on the same PC as the server or on different ones, as long as they all belong to the same network neighbourhood.

On the mediaportal 2 client I can't seem to type in an IP address of the MP2 server it searches for about a second then say none can be found?

The Server and Client are communicating via UPnP and for this you don't need to enter an IP address manually. If a client can't find a server, then there is an issue with your network (assuming the server is up and running properly) like firewall, security software or similar. This also is true for a "single seat" installation as the communication always is via UPnP, even if server and client are on the same machine...

On the mediaportal 2 Server how do you choose the folders to share with the clients ie moves etc?

This is done in the settings part of one client, no matter which one. All media sources you are configuring in one client are instantly available on all clients connected to the same MP2 server... But before you can configure any shares you first need to fix your connection issues...

 

[Simon Benwell]

Okay perfect I know at one stage MP2 the TV bit didn't work!

Is there any other way as I don't have support for UPnP?

OKay great!

 

[Lehmden]

Is there any other way as I don't have support for UPnP?

Without UPnP MP2 can not work. But I don't understand why you don't have support for UPnP at all. It's part of all Windows versions MP2 can run on.

 

[Simon Benwell]

There no other work around? Its because I have a business firewall and it doesn't support it.

 

[Lehmden]

Hi.

There no other work around?

As far as I know, there is none.
UPnP is an essential part of the whole Digital Media world and it's usage is growing rapidly. Every Phone, every Smart-TV, every AVR (with Ethernet connection) is using UPnP.. This simply has to be supported at home. Without UPnP you're missing about 90% of the "Digital Media Experience" possible today... It's similar as if you will block TCP/IP in your network as nearly all Internet is based on TCP/IP...
So sooner or later you need to find a way that your business firewall did not block the UPnP protocol locally. No problem if UPnP is blocked to the outside, but in your local network neighbourhood this has to be enabled...

 

[Simon Benwell]

Okay no worry's the firewall doesn't support it I don't think its blocking it it just doesn't know what it is so Ill have to get something diffrant thankssss

 

[hofi]

If you cant configure your FW for UPNP, make a vpn between server and client.

 

[cpsarros]

Can i have MP2 and MP1 installed (not running) at the same box?

 

[Lehmden]

Yes.
The only part that can be problematic to run!!! at the same time is the MP2 Server and the MP1 TV Server as both are requiring the same hardware (Tuner)