Reply to thread

This thread is the first step in my plan to port MediaPortal to Linux.

This is not theoretical issue, so I suggest that all Windows-Linux wars will be out of this thread. Any posts like that will be removed by the Administrators.

Basic Assumptions:

1.   

There will NOT be handling with TV Server. Only a TV Client that can connect to either to MP-TV-Server on windows or MythTV-Server on Linux.

2.

Harmless changes will be send to MP team in order reduce the amount of different code between Original MP and ported MP.

3.

The Project will be based only on Open-Source software. Any dependency on commercial software will be replaced by non-commercial software.

4.

Development Environment :

Mono will replace the .NET

OpenGL will be used instead of DirectX

Mplayer/MPC will be used instead of Media Player and Directshow calls.

Project Steps:

1.

Compile the Latest MP-Client under mono environment, Under Windows.

Of-course there will be plenty of missing classes/methods.

Those parts will be handled in one of two ways:

a. Change the MP code that it will use other class/method or work differently. The change will be send to MP Development team so they could apply it in the main MP. (if they will be kind enough)

b. Implement the missing class/method in the Mono environment under mono project. (if the mono developers will be kind enough – they'll do that themselves.

2.

Replace all of the DirectX calls with corresponding OpenGL calls. Still under Windows.

It will be nice if the DirectX/OpenGL use will be user-configurable under Windows. (in Linux DirectX option will be disabled)

 

3.

Rewrite the code that use DirectShow to play video, to use mplayer libraries to play video.

It will be nice if the DirectShow/Mplayer use will be user-configurable under Windows. (in Linux DirectShow option will be disabled)

4.

Rebuild the Project under stable distribution of Linux (like Fedora, Debian, CentOS, etc..) and pray.

A separated project will be a plug-in for mythtv Server. This shouldn't be so hard because the MP is now works in client-server architecture and there is an open implementation of MythTV-Client for Windows.

I would like to hear some opinions, tips, technical data or anything else except Win/Linux whinings and wars.

The Project currently has two unix-developers.

There will be needed much more:

1. Mono/.NET Programmers.

2. Unix C Programmers (for changes in mono project)

3. OpenGL Programmers.

If anyone is instrested please contact me with private messages.

As soon as there will be enough programmers – the project will be opened in SourceForge.

If is anyone is interested to know, I'm a System Unix team-leader and developer in my profession. I worked in the past with Java, Oracle, c#, mono, C, VB, Delphi and python.