Why is TV support à plug-in and not a media source? (1 Viewer)

[rudig]

Hi,

I tried to find out what the general idea is behind MP2. Main difference is the central database with all media in it right?
But if I want to add TV capabillities to MP2 this is done with a separate plugin.
Why is this not configured as a separate media source?

One of the main things I dislike within MP1 or XBMC is that video and tv video is not treated as the same type of media. Both are video but with different origination.

Could someone explain why TV is not configured as media source?

 

[Lehmden]

Hi.
Due to the dynamic nature of TV it needs a different handling. In TV you will need to schedule recordings, view EPG Data and fiddle with "incomplete" videos (Timeshift or a running recording). Nowhere else this is needed for handling videos. So TV is not a "normal" Media Source, it's special. And for this it needs "special" attention. It's similar to Online Videos which are also not "normal" media and for this also needs a separate plugin. This similarity is the reason why we can add a lot of online video sources to TV Server and thread them like TV channels. But this isn't possible for all online sources, so we're in a need for two separate plugins for this.

Imho in MP2 TV is threaded more as average media source as I like... The recorded shows are threaded as normal videos inside MP2. But you are not able to watch an ongoing recording from within the "Recordings" or "Videos" or "Browse Media" view. First the recording needs to finish and after that a reimport of the media source "TV Recordings" is needed. Only then the recorded show is available as normal media. There is a way to watch ongoing recordings from within the EPG, but only if the recording isn't in it's pre or post recording time,...

with a separate plugin

This also is the nature of MP2. Here "everything is a plugin" so why should TV be different here?

 

[rudig]

Thanks for your reply.
If I understand correct all video is in the same place, also TV shows which have already been recorded. That sounds perfect, because you then have one view of your media which shows both tv and for instance a ripped DVD right?

The issue about not easily being able to watch a recording in progress is not really handy. I agree with you on that.
Perhaps this can be improved later on.

 

[Lehmden]

Hi.

all video is in the same place, also TV shows which have already been recorded

Yes, correct. All of those are Video, for that all of those can be found in "Videos" view... In one of the next versions of MP2 it will be possible to filter the videos view to not show videos that are also showed inside Movies or Series. As this sometimes make the video view a bit too cluttered. I have 18.500 series episodes laying around here. And all are named after the same scheme SxxEyy - episodetitle.mkv You can imagine how crowded the letter "S" is inside the videos view atm...

Perhaps this can be improved later on.

I'm really sure this will be improved soon...

 

[rudig]

Why are you so sure about that this will be improved? Did I miss any missed feature request?

 

[Lehmden]

Hi.

Why are you so sure

Because I'm a Team Member

We have a huge internal ToDo list where those improvements are listed a long time now... Some basics still need to be reworked/fixed before this can be improved, but those basics are heavy wip right atm... So it will take not too long until we can see some nice improvements on this part, I'm pretty sure... Can't give a time frame but it can be happen on Beta1 or Beta2 of MP2. ATM we're on a "pre Beta" state, more than Alpha but not enough for Beta (at least with the high standards we have).

 

[rudig]

Ah team member That figures. Wel I need to replace my current setup any time soon so I will definitely give mp2 a go. The central server idea is what I really like, and also that TV or ripped video is both presented in one view.

Thanks for the information and feedback