My Videos Thumbnail support (1 Viewer)

[Migue]

This method uses Windows Explorer method of getting video thumbnails and caches them in the Thumbs\Video folder in MediaPortal.
The process work differently if using XP or Vista/7.

For XP, it uses ThumbnailExtractor which is already included in MediaPortal's source files but unused. Unfortunately this method does not like being threaded so it takes awhile to show the list of videos because the thread is blocked while the thumbnails are created.

For Vista/7 I incorporated a slightly modified version of the library found at this site: Using IShellItemImageFactory to get thumbnails on Vista - Windows Live
This method works fine threaded, meaning that you can browse the videos while the thumbnails are created(like in WMC).

I also added a relevant option to the General-Thumbnails section on the MediaPortal Configuration program.

Patch made with SVN revision 22244.

EDIT:

Patch updated for version 1.0.2 (revision 22555).

 

[TheBisk]

Hi,
i whant to ask if you can make a patch for the new MP version 1.0.1
thanks a lot for your work.
TheBisk

 

[Migue]

I did the patch with the SVN version that was available the day that 1.0.1 was released so I think it is the same version. I know I'm using it with 1.0.1 with no problems, just replace the Core.dll and Configuration.exe in the MediaPortal folder with the ones provided in the zip file.

 

[thesystemera]

Good stuff... Gotta wonder why this just is not in MP all ready though... Hmm

Thanks

 

[TheBisk]

I did the patch with the SVN version that was available the day that 1.0.1 was released so I think it is the same version. I know I'm using it with 1.0.1 with no problems, just replace the Core.dll and Configuration.exe in the MediaPortal folder with the ones provided in the zip file.

ok....i made that but i received this error while opening mediaportal configuration:
Please update the older component to the same version as the newer one.
MpConfig Version: 1.0.1.0
TvPlugin Version: 1.0.1.22244

so i solved replacing only the file core.dll

Thanks a lot
TheBisk

 

[Bleazle]

First off I've got to say that it' great to FINALLY have a plugin/patch (whatever) that can make thumbs of MPG files (from my video camera) like I used to get in MCE!

I did the patch with the SVN version that was available the day that 1.0.1 was released so I think it is the same version. I know I'm using it with 1.0.1 with no problems, just replace the Core.dll and Configuration.exe in the MediaPortal folder with the ones provided in the zip file.

ok....i made that but i received this error while opening mediaportal configuration:
Please update the older component to the same version as the newer one.
MpConfig Version: 1.0.1.0
TvPlugin Version: 1.0.1.22244

so i solved replacing only the file core.dll

Thanks a lot
TheBisk

I'm also running MP 1.0.1 and I had the same problem as TheBisk so I only replaced the core.dll file and it runs fine but I would like to know if the config (when it works) gives you the option of setting how far into a clip you want the thumbnail to be created from? It looks like it's right at the beginning by default and I've got quite a few clips that start with a fade-in effect (music vids etc) so all I'm getting is a black/grey image

Also is it possible to improve the quality of the thumbs?

Note: I'm running ForTheRecord (V1.4 Beta) - maybe that has something to do with the TVPlugin error noted above?

With regard to the time it takes to generate the thumbs on my XP/MCE based system I found it pretty quick

Cheers

Bleazle

 

[Migue]

The configuration option is only for enabling/disabling the creation of thumbs and for deleting the cached thumbs only. The patch uses the same method that Windows Explorer uses of creating thumbs and unfortunately in windows XP it is usually the first frame of a video which I know sucks. As for the quality, same reason, that's just the quality the Explorer API gives, so I can't control that either. In Vista the quality is grainy too, but in Windows 7 they are higher quality.
And I can't verify anything about the error, it seems to be something related to TV but since I do not have a Tv card I don't even install Mediaportal with the tv settings.

 

[Migue]

Updated patch for version 1.0.2 - see first post.

 

[Bleazle]

The configuration option is only for enabling/disabling the creation of thumbs and for deleting the cached thumbs only. The patch uses the same method that Windows Explorer uses of creating thumbs and unfortunately in windows XP it is usually the first frame of a video which I know sucks. As for the quality, same reason, that's just the quality the Explorer API gives, so I can't control that either..

OK, it's my turn to have a go at this! Check this thread out: https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/plugins-47/need-thumbnails-mpg-files-59877/#post420443

This option gives you good quality thumbnails and allows the user to set how far into the clip they want the thumbnail to be taken It's not a plugin as such but it does the job

I'll post this info over on Mophats thread too for anyone that's watching that thread and maybe not this one..

Bleazle.

 

[Migue]

Well browsing through Mediaportal's source code I found another function which uses mtn.exe (movie thumbnailer(which uses ffmpeg) but also seems to be unused.

Anyways I started playing with it and found that it creates better thumbnails than my previous method so I decided to change the patch to use this instead and in case it cannot create the thumb it falls back to the old method.

This new patch should be an improvement especially for XP users since now the thumb is higher quality and not the first frame of the video.

Please note to change the settings on the configuration page like the attached screenshot for the best experience.