MediaPortal technology... why?! (1 Viewer)

[Johnny_K]

Hi,

I have been observing MP for quite a long time now.
The developement is great, I like the huge community and team-work and the idea of getting a good (the best?) htpc software for free!

But I wonder about some technologies and do not understand why to use them. I'm serious - you would help me to understand the philosophy of the development if cou could explain it to me.

MP only runs with extra software installed. .NET framework in general, SQL server for the "TV-Server" etc.

I don't like that I have to install aditional softwares to use another software... Some programs do not need any 3rd party soft and are so easy to use that you can even copy them on a stick, format your HDDs, reinstall windows and run them. Because there is no need to install them, all datas are located in the directory, no registry etc.

I want a htpc-software easy to handle like this software I mentioned above. I don't want to have "tons" of special software installed, there should be no services running when I don't use the PC as htpc,...

btw MP is unstable in every version I tested. Always crashes in TV-mode, engine 0.2 and 0.3. I Think this is because of my TV-card, a BDA-driven Terratec 1200 DVB-s.

I tested AltDVB recently and didn't even know how wonderful my card can work. Super-fast loading, super-fast channel switching... some features are missing like channel numbers (!!) but this software is the best TV-software I ever tried (with my card)...

I want to run MP, use it and close it.
And I want MP to be handled like other TV-progs which can be resized in a small window without menues and borders. This would be so great.

What is the main goal MP sould achieve? Can you post your plans, Frodo or any other developer?

Don't misunderstand me. I am looking forward to MP getting better and better and satisfieng my wishes. Go on with the great work!

Johnny

 

[mikael]

"MediaPortal is an Open Source application ideal for turning your PC / TV into a very advanced Media Center" - Stated on the first page

 

[quiller]

MP only runs with extra software installed. .NET framework in general, SQL server for the "TV-Server" etc.

.NET is a very common framework, even in the open-source community, but beyond that: you want software to share resources! MediaPortal relying on .NET (and the 0.3 engine requiring SQL) is a good thing, as these are resources many, many other programs can share--it isn't comparable to third-party demos or spyware, which many other programs install (for no reason) alongside the main application.

Most importantly, though, relying on a central, universal, stable framework means that MP is smaller, faster and more stable. .NET isn't stand-alone software, it's a building point for other applications to start with.

I want a htpc-software easy to handle like this software I mentioned above. I don't want to have "tons" of special software installed, there should be no services running when I don't use the PC as htpc,...

Besides the fact you never mentioned a specific example, this is what MediaPortal is: there aren't any useless, resource-hogging applications running in the background, nor is there any "special software" installed. The .NET Framework is a completely standard and highly popular requirement; I can almost gaurantee that you either have or will have another program that also uses .NET.

And I want MP to be handled like other TV-progs which can be resized in a small window without menues and borders. This would be so great.

You can run MP in window-mode, but it isn't designed to be run that way: it isn't designed, nor does it function as, a stand-alone PVR, but rather performs the functions of an entire media center.

It sounds like you are looking for something besides MediaPortal. While you can have the same machine perform other tasks (I use it via RDP and as a fileserver, as well), MediaPortal--at its very core--is intended to run on a dedicated machine.

 

[Bram]

I do agree on some parts. I think "tons of thirt party apllications" is slightly exadurating. I must admit I don't know the possible alternatives ti i.a. MS SQL Express but agree that it seems overkill and (to) much dependency on a piece of software that might not even be free anymore in the future. I don't have any proof that it won't be free anymore. It's just that MS can do anything at any time they want and money is always on their minds.
Maybe there are databases that are less overkill.

.NET is a plus! It makes it easy for a lot of people to create plugins and makes MP possebly platform independend (in the future). This is one of the reasons why MP is what it is. A constantly growing community and application, that is better then anything you can buy or get for free. It ain't perfect, but is great!

The burning of media should be improved and I agree installation and maintenance can be improves, simplified.... Maybe a plugin and skin (and optionaly SVN) download option in the setup would be a step in the right direction. Also, a backup option for the complete setup escpecialy the TV and EPG part would be great. Although I realize this could have a negative influence in development because of compatibility of the backup with future versions. On the other hand, using XML and a smart parser it wouldn't have to be a big problem.

 

[quiller]

...on a piece of software that might not even be free anymore in the future. I don't have any proof that it won't be free anymore. It's just that MS can do anything at any time they want and money is always on their minds.

While Microsoft could make SQL Server a commercial product, it would make no sense for them to do so. Like Internet Explorer or Windows Media Player, Microsoft benefits from these small applications being in widespread use--the amount of cashflow generated from such programs would be so minimal, compared to Office and Windows, that it wouldn't be worth the hassle.

 

[Bram]

But it doés make sense! There are loads of programs that where for free once and turned to commercial distribution.

Microsoft saw Oracle and escpecialy MySQL gain ground so they decided to try and regain it by making more people fermilliar with the SQL Express server. Once used to a database, people like to stick with it.
Microsoft will make money wherever they can. As soon as they have regained control over the database market they will start asking money again. I'm pretty sure of that. The question to me is .... when.


Edit: B.t.w. ... Everyone who is using Windows XP (legaly) had payed for Internet Explorer and Windows MediaPlayer, you can be sure of that.

 

[FlipGer]

Hi,

don't worry. I am very sure that MP TV engine 3 will support other SQL Servers like MySQL.

Flip.

 

[gxtracker]

There are loads of programs that where for free once and turned to commercial distribution.

...And there are loads of other programs that were once commercial, and are now distributed as free - Virtualization software is a great example of this. Only a few years ago if you wanted to get a copy of MS virtual PC or VMware server, you would have had to pay thousands of dollars. Today these programs are distributed for a simple registration.

Considering all the other SQL servers out there (MySQL, PostgreSQL, etc...) I really dont think that microsoft is going to start charging for their SQL product. Even if they did, there are plenty of alternatives we can use.

I always used to think "why do software developers rely on other pieces of software to run their programs?" and it wasn't until i started programming that I really understood this. One of the key things you learn as a programmer is: if you have code already developed to perform some action, then make it modular and use it anywhere its required.

the .NET framework does just that. Instead of having the development team create their own functions and procedures and classes to perform actions, the framework is already there for them. The more I learn about the .NET framework the more I understand it's such a great tool.

 

[Bram]

...And there are loads of other programs that were once commercial, and are now distributed as free - Virtualization software is a great example of this. Only a few years ago if you wanted to get a copy of MS virtual PC or VMware server, you would have had to pay thousands of dollars. Today these programs are distributed for a simple registration.

For real.... We are talking about Microsoft here

 

[James]

MP only runs with extra software installed. .NET framework in general, SQL server for the "TV-Server" etc.

We cannot possibly develop everything our selves and need to used the best of what is available for free or open source.