Windows Media Center as PVR Back End for XBMC

Just13d

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Windows Media Center as PVR Back End for XBMC

#1

Post by Just13d » Thu Oct 03, 2013 12:39 am

Hello just wondering if anyone has tried this?

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=171216

http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=PV ... /ServerWMC

Sorry Mods I did not know where to post this. Please move it if you need to.

Thank you

gihayes

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#2

Post by gihayes » Wed Oct 16, 2013 3:06 pm

I have tried it and it worked as well or better than NextPVR. I had been looking for another solution to WMC because it had stopped downloading guide listings and I wanted something that allowed me to access my media remotely. I tried out XBMC with NextPVR, then with ServerWMC (The program that allows WMC to act as a back-end for XBMC). Both worked great, but with ServerWMC, there was no need for an additional PVR loaded on the server computer, and no special configuration required beyond making sure WMC was working correctly. I finally fixed WMC and am now using it with Remote Potato. I will probably also go back to using Media Browser for WMC so I can get descriptions and cover art for movie files I have ripped to my computer. I also use Reset MCE Toolbox to change the look and feel of WMC.

gihayes

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JazJon

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#3

Post by JazJon » Tue Nov 19, 2013 2:13 pm

Very interesting, I'm going to have to book mark this. (maybe even give it a try soon!) Thanks

Just13d

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#4

Post by Just13d » Tue Nov 19, 2013 3:11 pm

JazJon wrote:Very interesting, I'm going to have to book mark this. (maybe even give it a try soon!) Thanks
You are welcome. I know there is another thread that they have been talking about this also. I can not find it right now. It was in a different section.

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JazJon

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#5

Post by JazJon » Tue Nov 19, 2013 3:15 pm

Just13d wrote:
JazJon wrote:Very interesting, I'm going to have to book mark this. (maybe even give it a try soon!) Thanks
You are welcome. I know there is another thread that they have been talking about this also. I can not find it right now. It was in a different section.
I posted this question quite awhile ago. I didn't expect to see a marriage of the two.
http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... f=9&t=2604

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JazJon

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#6

Post by JazJon » Sat Feb 22, 2014 8:45 am

Well it was a good 10+ year run on Media Center as my main interface on the TV. I just made the switch to XBMC Gotham + PVR MCE Backend. (so far so good)

Anyone know how to get Skip Forward/Back working?
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=187193

The most used remote control buttons for me are the skip forward (30 seconds) and skip back (15 seconds) This is much faster zipping back commercials.

My MCE Remote Control skip forward and skip back buttons have no effect in XBMC. I can only use regular fast forward and reverse.

What's the trick to enable skip forward and skip back once again in XBMC?

I found the following but none of it helped so far. Is it something simple I over looked?
http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Ad ... MC#Windows

P.S.
I've loved XBMC awhile now but I couldn't bring myself to leave MCE as my primary front end. What really pushed me over the edge or the damn no signal error message popups I have to clear every day.
(that don't effect recordings at all) I shouldn't ever have to deal with them again with MCE running in the background and notifications disabled :-)
http://experts.windows.com/frms/windows ... 00245.aspx

Here we go!
Image

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JazJon

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#7

Post by JazJon » Sat Feb 22, 2014 10:01 am

I'm having some EPG issues as well (recorded TV works great though)
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?ti ... pid1634595

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#8

Post by 3rob3 » Sat Feb 22, 2014 12:53 pm

It's been awhile since I have messed with XBMC but if memory serves you use the left and right arrow keys for skip forward/back. Think it's the same for Plex too.

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#9

Post by JazJon » Sat Feb 22, 2014 1:01 pm

3rob3 wrote:It's been awhile since I have messed with XBMC but if memory serves you use the left and right arrow keys for skip forward/back. Think it's the same for Plex too.
Thanks someone just posted what I need to edit to make it work.

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?ti ... pid1634647

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JazJon

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#10

Post by JazJon » Mon Feb 24, 2014 7:46 am

Everything is working great, figured out the skip forward/back buttons. (use directional left right buttons surrounding the OK button)
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?ti ... pid1636125

XBMC rocks! (bye bye no signal popup errors, and full one stop solution.)

asm495

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#11

Post by asm495 » Mon Feb 24, 2014 9:40 am

I switched to XBMC this weekend too. I unplugged the 2 Xbox 360s and replaced with two DN2820FYKH NUCs. The only issues I've experienced so far are when trying to watch a programme that is currently recording the skip buttons don't seem to work. This is with a nightly build of OpenElec Gotham so hopefully be fixed before full release.

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#12

Post by JazJon » Mon Feb 24, 2014 9:58 am

asm495 wrote:I switched to XBMC this weekend too. I unplugged the 2 Xbox 360s and replaced with two DN2820FYKH NUCs. The only issues I've experienced so far are when trying to watch a programme that is currently recording the skip buttons don't seem to work. This is with a nightly build of OpenElec Gotham so hopefully be fixed before full release.

Nice! Good to see a fellow TGB member is like minded.

While I'm using a i7 Mac mini window 8.1 right now for my main HTPC, I prefer Zotac when it comes to mini PC's in general. (what I'm using for my home server)
http://www.zotacusa.com/products/mini-pcs/zbox
They have barebones versions as well

Do you know if OpenElec runs on the very first generation Mac Mini? My friend has one and XBMC is very unstable on the old Lion OS X system. Maybe OpenElec would work better. Is their still a gui to launch so he can easily manage files on large 3TB hard drives? (say you need to manually fix/move things via drag and drop in folders etc) They are not techy at all so while OpenElec sounds great for the main system, not sure about how to mange files outside of XMBC on occasion. So you download a "movie trailer" and want to put it into a specific folder for XBMC to pickup etc. So I guess I'm asking can you enable a GUI? (and is it nice enough for Mac friends, non techy) The only have this old Mac Mini hooked up for movies alone, and haven't been using it much since it locks up halfway through movies etc.

So yeah I'll be staying on Windows 8.1 for the foreseeable future in my living-room. I'm tempted to try OpenElec on a barebones machine for my bedroom etc. It would be nice to have AirPlay audio and video available for my iPad/iPhone. (since that's built into XBMC)

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JazJon

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#13

Post by JazJon » Mon Feb 24, 2014 10:17 am

@asm495
Also, how are you using multiple machines to connect to XBMC? Are you doing the shared libraries via SQL? http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=HO ... sing_MySQL

Or can you just connect via UPnP Device? This seems to work ok for me so far. (adding UPnP "XBMC(HTPC)" as the source)

I'm wondering why someone would go through the trouble of SQL in the link above. (what is the benefit?)
The site says:

This gives you the ability to do things like:
Share watched and unwatched status for your media on all devices
Stop watching a movie or TV show in one room then finish watching it in another room automatically
Only one library to maintain for all devices

Hmmmm not sure this is worth it, maybe? (what do you think?)

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#14

Post by epayson85 » Mon Feb 24, 2014 10:30 am

JazJon wrote:Hmmmm not sure this is worth it, maybe? (what do you think?)
I use to be an xbmc fanboy but the lack of PVR is what eventually ended our relationship. Not to mention major memory leaks. Don't get me wrong its a great piece of software. I have been using it since the original versions on my hacked Xbox. The WAF factor is my biggest concern though. I can leave my htpc on for months with no issue. Xbmc... Needed a reboot at least once a week if not more due to memory usage. That being said if I ever go back, a single SQL database is the only way to go. Don't forget that database holds all of your metadata and the directories of where your media is stored. You setup the main server first, get all your metadata perfect, and now you only have one library to maintain in the house. Other wise every machine has a separate library that you have to maintain.. When you have a 14tb server like I do.... You want only one database.

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#15

Post by epayson85 » Mon Feb 24, 2014 10:33 am

O and also if you're using windows, lifehacker has a much easier guide to setting up a single SQL database back in 2008 or 2010. Just search for xbmc you will find it.

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#16

Post by JazJon » Mon Feb 24, 2014 10:44 am

Thanks, I have > 10tb as well so I guess I should do it "right" :-)

Is this data base totally compatible even running nightly builds of Gotham?

Does this data base make it easier to migrate once it's time to install a fresh HTPC/upgrade?

I guess I should just read the guides, but any tips would be great.
1) http://lifehacker.com/5900626/create-a- ... lete-guide
MySQL) http://www.howtogeek.com/75535/how-to-s ... with-xbmc/

FYI I read "Users are reporting issues with MySQL 5.6. Use MySQL 5.5 instead." (Future Gotham feature: This is now fixed in nightly builds!)

I know the big difference back the day of Plex vs XBMC whas Plex was the only one that Transcodes over the internet to your Smart Phone. Is this still the case?

I use StreamToMe and can get access to all my TV Shows, Movies, and even Recorded TV .wtv files
http://zqueue.com/streamtome/

I'd rather have the nice XBMC look and feel if that's out there or in the works with Gotham (anyone know?)

Speaking of the XBMC iOS/Android App, will they be adding PVR EPG support soon for mobile?

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#17

Post by JazJon » Mon Feb 24, 2014 10:56 am

MySQL question, what if I already have "Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2" installed on my home server? (it was installed for http://MyMovies.dk)
Can/Should I still install MySQL 5.6 Community release? http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/mysql/

You know I'm not sure I should even use MyMovies any more. I'd rather everything just be Auto-Scrapped no more manually adding stuff.

@epayson85 if you gave up on XBMC, what do you use? Are you back on Media Center for everything?

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#18

Post by asm495 » Mon Feb 24, 2014 1:21 pm

JazJon wrote:@asm495
Also, how are you using multiple machines to connect to XBMC? Are you doing the shared libraries via SQL? http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=HO ... sing_MySQL

Or can you just connect via UPnP Device? This seems to work ok for me so far. (adding UPnP "XBMC(HTPC)" as the source)

I'm wondering why someone would go through the trouble of SQL in the link above. (what is the benefit?)
The site says:

This gives you the ability to do things like:
Share watched and unwatched status for your media on all devices
Stop watching a movie or TV show in one room then finish watching it in another room automatically
Only one library to maintain for all devices

Hmmmm not sure this is worth it, maybe? (what do you think?)
I'm using a MySQL database on my Windows 7 Media Center server. The library is then synchronised between 3 XBMC boxes plus an XBMC installation on my normal desktop PC. It is a fairly easy thing to setup and makes it much easier than maintaining separate libraries.

The only reason I may stop doing this is that my eldest child is getting to the age (about to turn 5) where she can control this stuff for herself and do I really want her to access all those violent and expletive-filled movies that were added to my collection when I was in my early-20s? It may well then be worth considering a limited access set.

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#19

Post by asm495 » Mon Feb 24, 2014 1:25 pm

JazJon wrote:MySQL question, what if I already have "Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2" installed on my home server? (it was installed for http://MyMovies.dk)
Can/Should I still install MySQL 5.6 Community release? http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/mysql/

You know I'm not sure I should even use MyMovies any more. I'd rather everything just be Auto-Scrapped no more manually adding stuff.

@epayson85 if you gave up on XBMC, what do you use? Are you back on Media Center for everything?
You can have both MS SQL and MySQL installed on the same machine - I do. This was mainly for having MyMovies too. However, now with XBMC there is no need for MyMovies and at some point I will uninstall it just for keeping the server tidy. I'll probably keep a backup of the MSSQL MyMovies database just in case.

At the moment I'm keeping my old Xbox 360s just sitting there in case we have major problems with the XBMC setup and so can switch back to them if required. I suspect when Gotham OpenElec is released officially then I will sell them.

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#20

Post by JazJon » Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:32 am

By the way, I've never been happier with my home theater system now that I'm using XBMC ServerWMC / PVR MCE. This is how Media Center always should have been transformed into.

I've figured out quite a few interesting things the last few days if anyone is ready to try this. (tips tricks, customizing harmony remote, the works)

Click on my Find All Threads/Find All Posts
http://forum.xbmc.org/member.php?action ... uid=123743

All the recent stuff is good stuff actually
http://forum.xbmc.org/forumdisplay.php?fid=205

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