Releasing MediaPortal 2 Alpha version (3 Viewers)

[robbo100]

Apparently I'm the only dunce in the room, because I don't see anyone else with the problems I've got. Although I admit that I haven't read through all 12 pages of posts.

I downloaded the alpha installer and started it up. It asks me if I want client and/or server. Sorry, but huh? I'm running MP1, and it's a program that I use primarily to play recorded tv shows and movies I've got on my drive. I don't know where a "client" or "server" fits into this. I simply want to replicate what I'm doing with v1.

I just took a wild guess and went with "client only". The install didn't present me with any errors, but if I then click on the new MP2 icon on my desktop, I get a pretty "MP2" splash screen for a few seconds, then it goes away quietly. I don't know if anything is running in the background, but I was expecting some sort of screen where I could start configuring.

Thinking that I must have guessed wrong, I reinstalled and added the server. Little changed, other than that there's an additional icon on the desktop. This opens a window that says "Attached clients" (none are listed). Clicking on the original MP2 icon does the same as before.

Am I completely misunderstanding what this program does?

Thanks for any help

This post might help: https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/threads/what-is-mediaportal-2-alpha.106462/#post-850273

 

[enchant]

Thanks for the reply. Sadly, it doesn't really help me. I still don't understand the language. It's like defining a "Decofradulator" as "A device that decofradulates". I'm just looking for a program that can deliver video to my screen. I've got one and only one computer connected to one and only one tv. There will never be more computers or tvs. So I'm not sure where a "client" separate from a "server" would be necessary. It sounds like MP2 is something far beyond what I'll ever need.

Good luck with the development, though.

 

[mrkaras]

you need the client and server install. the server does very little at this stage but it runs the database apparently so you need both parts. that said I uninstalled and reinstalled just the client and it seemed to work fine for me. do you get left with a task bar icon or the process still running in task manager?

for your purposes you can concider that the MP2 client is the program you run and the MP2 server is another program you need to install but don't need to do anything with. just installl everything and it should work (although from your first post it looks like perhaps it doesn't)

 

[JimCatMP]

Thanks for the reply. Sadly, it doesn't really help me. I still don't understand the language. It's like defining a "Decofradulator" as "A device that decofradulates". I'm just looking for a program that can deliver video to my screen. I've got one and only one computer connected to one and only one tv. There will never be more computers or tvs. So I'm not sure where a "client" separate from a "server" would be necessary. It sounds like MP2 is something far beyond what I'll ever need.

Good luck with the development, though.

Client & Server are separate software modules, running them on one machine is entirely possible (I do). The logic behind the split is that many people have multiple screens in different rooms that want to use with the same, shared content.

With MP1, all the additional data associated with your media (eg IMDB data for Movies) lives within the MP1 itself - so if you have another client accessing the movies (many people have central data store, either a 'server' PC or dedicated device) you have to have another copy of the associated data - this isn't terribly efficient

In MP2, the server module will hold this [and more - this is simplistic], the client(s) all have access to the same data set, so adding another screen to your house (never say never - it may happen would require another client BUT it would have access to all the features you may spent a lot of time setting up.

If indeed you only ever have a single seat set up, the server/client model still works, it's no overhead so it will be worth the effort - honest.

Remember, this is an alpha only, far from complete but progressing nicely. Currently, for me, it's 100% useless [family revolt would be ensue if I tried to use MP2]; Series plugin fails to find anyone of the 3800 files the MY TVSeries finds and Video section offers me a listing of 74 "01 - Pilot.avi" files (as I don't use 'standard' naming convention) but one day....... Stick with MP1, it's good and getting better, MP2 is still has some way away.

Good luck and good hunting.

 

[morpheus_xx]

Series plugin fails to find anyone of the 3800 files the MY TVSeries finds and Video section offers me a listing of 74 "01 - Pilot.avi" files (as I don't use 'standard' naming convention) but one day....... Stick with MP1, it's good and getting better, MP2 is still has some way away.

To improve series matching please send me a file/folder list ("tree /f /a c:\path_to_series\ >series.txt"), either attach it to the related thread (https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...pport-for-mp2-medialibrary-2012-04-15.106960/) or via PM if you prefer.

The series matching have been improved a lot, also online lookup is ready implemented (can be seen in series thread). So if you can help to improve the features, please do so

Next public release of MP2 will then contain a much better version...

 

[enchant]

Jimcatmp, thanks for the explanation. That does help a lot, and I have a better understanding.

mrkaras, before starting anything, I've got two icons on my desktop - "MediaPortal 2" and "MediaPortal 2 Server".
If I fire up MP2 Server, I get a non-interactive window "MediaPortal 2 Server Application" that lists "Attached Clients", and there are none in the list.
If I fire up MediaPortal 2, I get a full-screen splash screen with what I'm guessing is the MP2 icon (an orange '2' with a line going through it vertically, and "CLNT" under that.. After about 2 seconds, it goes away. This is the same if the server window is running or not.

In my task manager, I can see "MP2-Server.exe *32" when the server window is up, but nothing else (aside from other unrelated processes).

 

[morpheus_xx]

enchant, have you read all MP2 wiki pages? this is a good starting point: http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/2_MEDIAPORTAL_2/MediaPortal_2_Alpha_Release

and if you still have issue, please read http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/2_...tal_2_Alpha_Release/2_Testing_and_bug_reports

 

[enchant]

enchant, have you read all MP2 wiki pages?

ALL of them???

Sorry, I had no idea that was necessary just to get it started. I'll stick with MP1, thanks.

 

[morpheus_xx]

I'm really sorry that 6 (!) wiki pages with many screenshots are to much to read, and as they would have answered some of your questions already

 

[enchant]

One possible problem:

MediaPortal 2 creates logfiles that helps developers to analyze problems. You will find those files:
Client: C:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MP2-Client\Log
Server: C:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MP2-Server\Log

There is no C:\ProgramData directory on my system. Is that something that appears over time? I installed Win7 solely to try MP2. My normal operating system is WinXP.