xStreamed *updated 3/6/11* www

[homepc]

Thanks for the update. Looking forward to the release of the next modules!!

[Marbles_00]

Whoops, tried the Trailers installer on a different computer, found out you need .net 4 installed.

[homepc]

I tried to download your Hauppauge Service Pack, but the link doesn't seem to work. I would like to look at your remote settings in that pack. Any chance you could take a quick look at the link and see if its working ok? thanks!

[Marbles_00]

Sorry bout that, obviously a typo of some sort. I'll have a look when I get home tonight.

In the meantime you can use this one:
http://www.xlobby.com/files/Marbles_00/ ... ces_v1.exe

It's the previous version, I did a few updates since to suit my setup, but this should get you going (now I know why I don't delete my previous versions from the ftp site after I upload newer versions ).

*UPDATE*
Well that would explain why you couldn't download v2 of the Hauppauge setup stuff...there isn't a v2 on the ftp site. Actually I don't even have a v2 any where on my computer. So I'll have to update the first post with the above link. Don't know what happened except maybe when updating one of the other modules I accidentally typed in v2 there. Whoops

[homepc]

Ok, I have a question....and this might be skinning 101, but I cant seem to figure out where on some of your screens you execute an event. As an example, when I select a movie to watch, I know the event is "play movie" but I cant see where that event is assigned? Same with the videos, and tv series, when I select one to watch, I dont know what event is executed? Can you help me out with this?

[Marbles_00]

For movies, if you look at the movie info screen (open the editor), under events you will notice that the box surrounding the information text is the default "button" and is tied to the the movie:play movie event. Opening setup, under the movie event group, the play movie event has a command to execute on a category. What this does is it takes the category name and runs through your File Types list. In that list, you should have your player setup to playback the appropriate extension that is determined by the category and paramater of the category/database entry. For example, for my movies, I mix both HD content with DVD content. So in my File Types, I have both Zoom (for DVD) and MPC-HC (HD) setup to playback from the movies category. From there, you define what file extensions go with what player. For Zoom, it will open if the file extension is ifo, or ts. MPC-HC is used for mkv, m2ts, avi, mov etc.

Movies are done this way because I'm not playing the movie directly from the category database listing, whereas all the others (video, tv episodes) the categories are defined to the players in the File Types listing (I think this is an internal xlobby command that Steven setup way back when). View my types.xml file that I include, also look at the one that resides in your xlobby root directory (if you haven't copied over mine from the install).

Example (right from the xml file) of Zoom Player setup to playback from the movies category, depending on the extension:

Code: Select all

  <filetype>
    <program>C:\Program Files\Zoom Player\zplayer.exe</program>
    <extentions>ts,ifo</extentions>
    <switches>/DVD /PLAY %playlist%</switches>
    <category>movies</category>
    <enabled>True</enabled>
  </filetype>

Example of MPC-HC setup to playback from the movies category, depending on the extension

Code: Select all

  <filetype>
    <program>C:\WINDOWS\system32\mpc-hc.exe</program>
    <extentions>mkv,m2ts,mov,avi,mpcpl</extentions>
    <switches>/fullscreen /play /close "%path%"</switches>
    <category>movies</category>
    <enabled>True</enabled>
  </filetype>

Example of MPC-HC setup to playback from the video category:

Code: Select all

  <filetype>
    <program>C:\WINDOWS\system32\mpc-hc.exe</program>
    <extentions>mkv,mov,avi,mpcpl,wmv,mpg,mp4</extentions>
    <switches>/fullscreen /play /close "%parameter%"</switches>
    <category>videos</category>
    <enabled>True</enabled>
  </filetype>

Example of MPC-HC setup to playback from the TV Episode category:

Code: Select all

  <filetype>
    <program>C:\WINDOWS\system32\mpc-hc.exe</program>
    <extentions>mkv,vob</extentions>
    <switches>/fullscreen /play /close "%parameter%"</switches>
    <category>tvepisode</category>
    <enabled>True</enabled>
  </filetype>

For shits-and-giggles , you may want to add this to your types.xml for future playback of the trailers category (for the Internet Module):

Code: Select all

  <filetype>
    <program>C:\Program Files\MPC HomeCinema\mpc-hc.exe</program>
    <extentions>mov</extentions>
    <switches>/play "%file%"</switches>
    <end>internet:trailer end</end>
    <category>trailers</category>
    <enabled>True</enabled>
  </filetype>

The things you will have to change is your player program location, and your "switches". For me it is a trial and error to figure out whether to use %parameter%, %playlist%, %file%, or %path%.

Hope that helps

[homepc]

Yes that help a great deal!! I now understand much more than I did before. Thanks so much!! I'm thinking I just want all the media types to run with MPC. And each catagory, videos, tvseris, and movies to all execute the play movie event. I'll have to test this out.....thanks again!

[Marbles_00]

To let all know. I had attempted to keep xStreamed as individual modules, that users could download depending on their requirements/needs/tastes. Unfortunately, now that xStreamed as a whole has gotten fairly large once all the modules are installed, I'm finding it increasingly complex to keep them as separate entities. I realized this when I ran into issues while developing the internet module, and I started to install xStreamed from scratch...I found that I didn't have this function or that function without having "this" or "that" module installed. On top of this, sometimes installing a module, overwrote one of the xml files from another module, then I'd had to re-install that module again...just got kinda frustrating.

So for the remaining few modules to be released (internet, pictures and music), I will release xStreamed as a "package", adding the remaining sections/modules as I complete them, and move away from a "module" based install. The download links in the first post will be removed, and replaced with a single xStreamed executable.

The only extra "modules" I will most likely keep with are the TV modules. Reason being is that the end user has the choice as to if using GBPVR or MediaPortal for their individual PVR/LiveTV duties.

Sorry to go this route, hope all will understand.

[Marbles_00]

To build on what was mentioned above, I'd like to show off something that's been in the works. It's a new plugin developed by m_ski for use with xStreamed. It allows fades between background images...so here is a little teaser video for all to enjoy

Big time thanks goes to m_ski for this plugin.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb2_8pAtr-0

[homepc]

Wow! I like it! Thats really cool! When can we expect it? I assume that from this point on, care needs to be taken when installing xStream as to not overwrite some of the modifications I have made to to fit my needs?

[Bill Lott]

very Cool.

Looks like I will be previewing a new skin this weekend!

Thanks

[Marbles_00]

xStreamed Full Update downloaded on first post.

Updates to xStreamed included the following:

-Combined all existing modules to one complete download (just shy of 100Meg download )

New sections added
Internet - all completed except for webpage navigation (experimenting with a "scroll" function, see text document in the xRemote directory)
-Netflix requires Netflix TX Viewer installed to c:\Netflix directory (unless user changes location within xlobby)
-Trailers requires the HD-Trailers.Net Downloader to reside in xlobby/applications
-Users requires to create own traffic map (I used gimp to create images)
-Users will need to create own traffic and webcam locations based on included samples

Pictures - requries xGetPhotos plugin, so user needs to run the executable to install the plugin, then restart xlobby to setup

Updates
Main Screen - events updated to add default views for new internet and picture sections

TVSeries - no changes

Movies - no changes

Videos - added/updated:
-BluRay Drive capabilites using PowerDVD10 (opens PDVD but untested to automatically start playing disk in drive)
-added Documentaries
-all databases are now setup using AMC (xant.ini updated to reflect), so now they can display fanart, and other symbols that are displayed in the movie screens
-Recorded TV database is a reflection of the TV recorded TV database that resides on the server, only this screen is more descriptive.
-Refresh actually does something now

TV - added/updated:
-MP module view will be the same as GBPVR module in that it will go to a screen with a button to launch MP and a button to show what has been recorded (on local drive and server)
-GBPVR module support is dropped as I only use MP for TV services now

Settings - added/updated:
-added AMC startup under the plugin section. This can automatically open the .amc file as well. Catalog .amc file location will need to be modified by user.
-added General Setup, which will be utilized at a future date
-added Files, which shows contents of the C:\ drive

Games - no changes

News - no changes

Music - no changes

For those that are installing fresh...go nuts. For those that have downloaded and need the latest modules...your best bet is to install to a separate location then move the components you need. Or backup your current setup, install this full pack, then move back your changes.

Also started an online tutorial/manual here. I will be updating this in the next little while.

Finally the next update will be another big one which will include the music section, and some further updates.

[homepc]

Great!!! I cant wait to dowload and install!! Will let you know how it goes!

[Bill Lott]

Having some problems... Gets to the end of the splash screen showing "Now starting" but hangs at this point.

[Marbles_00]

Having some problems... Gets to the end of the splash screen showing "Now starting" but hangs at this point.

Are you sure it is hung? What happens if you press F2 or Pause/Break? Reason I'm asking is that I emulate the splash screen with a screen called startup. Startup is the default start screen, and on entry, it runs a slew of events defined in the xStreamed\eventgroups\startup.xml. The last event in this group is a goto/menu. I'm wondering if the startup.xml became corrupt somehow and that event isn't being used (not populated properly, or somehow missing). If you open that .xml file, the last entry should look like this:

Code: Select all

      <command>
        <type>xlobby</type>
        <execute>goto screen</execute>
        <parameter>menu</parameter>
        <parameter />
      </command>
    </commands>
  </event>
</events>

If that isn't there, or missing some key components, then you will sit on the startup screen and it will appear that your hung on the splash and it hasn't finished loading.