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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ZetaVu" data-source="post: 67520" data-attributes="member: 17069">Hey Brent, I avoid putting too much detail in the Snapstream forums as that would be inappropriate, but here's what I'm doing.While I have BM, I only use it for the pse picture slideshow plugin cncb made, other than that I use Media Portal for everything but tv. I prefer BTV for tv, since I owna copy already, am comfortable with it and it does everything tv wise I need (of course I own it, if I didn't already have it I might have different opinions) As a note I don't use the BM DVD library, I convert most DVD's to xvids if I keep them on my hard drive.I normally don't run Media Portal constantly, I launch it from my remote when I want it, mostly because my htpc is old and I want to conserve memory, once I upgrade I plan to have windows boot directly into Media Portal and launch btv in the background, and have a link from Media Portal to go directly to BTV (as well as a swap button programmed on my remote)I have not run into any issues having both run simultaneously. While I use BTV for most video viewing, I use Media Portal's video for when I want to string clips together into a playlist, letting me navigate inside video clips and jump between them like DVD chapters. Especially useful for home movies. Media Portal actually had better video playback quality than BTV, although with 4.x BTV has closed the gap. I like the btv interface better, but the MP team has done a great job improving their video interface so now I'm comfortalbe with either.Music, Media Portal is superior in every way. THe MPBlue plugin lets me interact two way with my PDA, and the Lyrics plugin is developing, hopefully to let me read lyrics in id3 and maybe even lrc files. No album art cache issues, the sorts are completely custumable (I can sort by year, etc, categries that no other music player offers) and there are smoother shortcust to fullscreen visuals, playslists, etc. No contest here.Weather module is the best ever, multiple locations, multiple animated maps per location.For the DVD player, I have MP launch my ati player (an option in settings, another reason MP is so versatile), again, strictly because of my older video card. When I upgrade I'll give this a better look.Pictures, BM has the edge only because of the PSE plugin that lets me put multiple tags on pictures using Photoshop elements (in effect, like id3 data to an mp3 file). I am hoping something similar can be developed for MP, as this lets you make really relevant slideshows, great for parties with music in background.Other plugins I like, the recipe, games, trailers, X10 Home Automation, newsreader, email, internet radio, sudoku, these just name a few. I have not found a plugin like the theater plugin listing local theaters and movie times, I hope this comes soon. I have not looked into a dvd library plugin.You have the option of loading BTV to launch from Programs, or putting shortcuts higher, have nto looked into this, I launch with my remote. I do nothing with the Media Portal tv at this time, it would involve arranging XTML data and setting up capture cards, and I use a serial controller for my directv box, which would take some effort to transfer over. THere is no link capability for livetv, and I don't believe any Orb type streaming over internet either. I don't think they have HD capbility yet, but again I specifically have not looked into it.I think Media Portal would make an ideal front end for BTV (for those that have it) and those that use the tv function seem very happy as well. For now am giving what support I can to both Beyond Media and Media Portal. Let me know how you do, we seem to be in the same boat.</blockquote>

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