MP2 General Design (1 Viewer)

[osmyth]

I have just installed MP1.6 and am playing around with plugins and skins.
What comes across is that skins aren't really skins (i.e. how things are displayed), and plugins aren't always generic (a skin needs to support a plugin for it to work).
As an example, if it worked I'd like to use the BBC Weather plugin, but it's only supported, a) by certain versions of MP and also only by certain skins. The skins seem to be different versions/flavours of MP, where the creator has added functionality as well as a different look (skin).

Is MP2 designed differently? So a skin is just that and a plugin adds functionality regardless of skin.
E.g. there should only really be a need for one weather plugin (which allows configurable source data and configurable icons, etc).

Thanks.

 

[Lehmden]

Hi.

Is MP2 designed differently? So a skin is just that and a plugin adds functionality regardless of skin.

In general (for every HTPC application) you can't use a GUI- plugin if there is no skin file at all. In MP2 all plugins has to be delivered with a (some) basic skin file, which is working together with all past, present and future skins. A Skin Designer can create a dedicated skin file for this plugin to get the best out of it if he wants, but the basic skin file always is a "fallback" solution if there is no special skin file for the skin you choose. Normally a user can't even notice if there is a skin specific file or not... With MP2 you will never get the issue, that your plugin won't work with your skin. So this is a huge step forward in this aspect.

there should only really be a need for one weather plugin

In MP2 there only is one basic weather plugin yet, but I would love to have a choice as like in MP1. In MP1 I definitely recommend WorldWeather as weather plugin, it is a feature "beast" and shows all informations you can ever think of. It uses many different data sources configurable by user and allows different set of GFX, all as the user likes... I can't even imagine a scenario where WorldWeather don't fulfil an user's needs... And all mayor skins are compatible with WorldWeather.

 

[wietze]

i use MP1 from the begining and after some strugles it works many years really fine.

Now i want to try MP2

The program runs well,starts fast and is even in Alpha stable

i hav only one complaint and that is how the shares should work.
That is not functional on my pc i can't see any network drives at all

 

[Lehmden]

Hi.

i can't see any network drives at all

Maped Network drives are not supported as they are not always available when needed. If you want to access media on a differnt computer that the MP2 Server is running you need to add a "Server Media source" from "Network Neighbourhood".

 

[wietze]

i think there are more users that have a NAS or server with content on it. I want to access that and play the files in MP2 as now is posible in MP1

my situation is that i have a HTPC in the livingroom A Buffalo NAS a Server for download and is also MP2 Server and 3 pc's where MP is also available.
How can i reach the data on the nas i my question.

who can help me.

wietze

 

[Lehmden]

Hi.

i think there are more users that have a NAS or server with content on it. I want to access that and play the files in MP2 as now is posible in MP1

Of course you can. All my 18.000 Series episodes, 1.500 movies and 500.000 songs are stored on a NAS.
If you have your data on the same machine as the MP2 server running, then there is no need for Network shares or mapped drives at all. All Media is delivered through the MP2 Server. For your situation you need to add Media Sources for your different Media only once. No matter which client you're using to add those shares they are instantly available on all MP2 Clients attached to your MP2 Server.
I'm running my MP2 Client in German language but maybe you can find the way in your language also. Here are some screenshots that will guide you:
First go to "Settings" then "Media Sources" then "Media Sources Configuration".

Here you click on "Add"

Then you choose "Server Sources" and "local filesystem"

Then click "continue" and there you can see all drives available on your Buffalo (as long as you're running the MP2 server on this also).

Now you can choose the folder to add as a media source, name it the way you like it to appear in MP2 and the last is to choose what kind of media (Audio, Image, Video with Movies and Series) is in the folder you've added. After clicking on "Ready" the import starts immediately. Once the import is finished, you can access the media on all MP2 clients without any further action...

 

[wietze]

But how can i run mp2 server on my buffalo nas. The download server is installed as mp2 server atm and the htpc is the only client for now.
The drives from the nas are mapped to the server and the htpc as station z and y
but i cant get them into mp2 they are unvisable

 

[Lehmden]

OK, So you don't run the MP2 server on the Buffalo.

but i cant get them into mp2 they are unvisable

Yes, that's by design. Mapped drive letters are not used. UNC path is the way to go... \\Server\Share\Videos instead of Z:\Videos.
It happens real often that mapped drive letters are unavailable. E.g. after a restart normally no mapped drive is available until someone open it in explorer. MP2 can't do this. Neither can MP1 also mapped drives are allowed there (what leads to lots of problems in case of unavailable drive). So it's not a good way to connect shares.

You need to add the media sources as "Network Neighbourhood" (last option on third screenshot). Then you should see your Buffalo and you can add your media.

 

[wietze]

But how is it posible to run mp2 server on the buffalo linkstation

 

[Lehmden]

But how is it posible to run mp2 server on the buffalo linkstation

Why?
I don't know this Buffalo exactly but I'm pretty sure it runs on Linux (as most NAS do). MP2 is Windows only so you can't run MP2 Server on Linux systems at all. I was a bit surprised as I read you're running MP2 server on Buffalo. As it is rare but possible to build a NAS with WIndows as OS I thought, maybe the Buffalo runs on WIndows... You can run MP2 server on every Windows PC (matching the requirements) by simply installing it there. If you want to install only the Server, then you need to choose "Server only" during install... You only need to run one MP2 server in your home network. all other PC with a MP2 client will be connected to this server. It's not necessary to run MP2 server on the same machine your media is stored on. That's why you can choose "Network Neighbourhood" while adding the Media sources...