Media Center 2005

[Baschtler]

Happy new year,

i would like to integrate Media Monkey into the new Microsoft Media Center 2005 Environment. This Media Center isn't as powerfull as Media Monkey is, when you have to handle a large amount of MP3 files.

The original Media Monkey program its hard to use on a TV screen, cause all the letters are so small.

The best solution would be a plug-in that uses the Media Monkey Back-End (database) and gives Media Monkey the look and feel of MCE2005. Can anyone program plug-ins for MCE2005 ? can anyone help me ?

thanks ....

[Lowlander]

You can set the system fonts to larger than normal. MM will have bigger text as well in this case. Of course all other programs and websites will look bigger.

PS. Some programs have problems with large system fonts and will have text that goes out of bound.

[Baschtler]

Hmm, I could do this ... the positiv thing would be that I wouldnt have to injure my eyes any more

But on the other hand it would still not really fit into the design of MCE2005. The integratoin cant be too hard. The Plug-In ability of MCE2005 is based on XML. (as far as I know). So if anyone of you knows how to programs plug-ins for MCE it shouldn't be too sophisticated.

Plus, increasing the size of the fonts is only a kinda work-around, but no real solution. And as you mentioned, it brings maybe new trouble with other programs.

My problem is, that I wanna stick to MM, cause its really powerfull and handy, but on the other hand its actually not usable on a beamer or TV Screen.

Cool is, that my Pinnacle remote controle did instantly work in MM.

[Lowlander]

Actually customizability of font size has been requested previously.

I myself don't have that much trouble reading MM on a TV screen, but I first of all have a big TV and secondly good eyesight. Most other people have a hard time reading anything in MM.

This does point to another problem with MM and TV screens. Normally the resolution is low (I use 640*480) and MM is cluttered (at this resolution) this creates a lot of scrolling.
I manage to get around this by just playing playlists on this machine. Other machines are used to create playlists and edit files.

[jiri]

We are interested in users' needs in this area. What exactly do you miss, is it only that everything should be bigger in MM interface, or would you also need any other changes?

Jiri

[Baschtler]

It would be awesome if you could use the media monkey database totally independant from the front-end.

Imagine not only skins, but totally different design solutions for totally different types of use.

One family member uses the original MM on his Laptop, using the "ordinary" design, while in the next room, another dude uses the same database with the same dynamic playlists and ratings on a Home Theater PC (HTPC) on his Widescreen TV, sitting 3 Meters away from the screen. He therefore uses a remote control and no mouse or keyboard.

This would be so cool, cause you could use the same database within every room of your house. The mixes and ratings you have on your "normal" PC are via WLAN everywhere in your house. You could see how often a song has been played and your personal hitlist wouldn't be inaccurate cause of using different PCs.

But for using MM on the TV in the living room, with a PC running Microsoft Mediacenter Edition 2005, a plug-in is needed. This plug-in needs to be designed in some kind of Media-Center style ...

like this plug-in maybe:


otherwise it looks semi professional and doesnt fit really into the Media Center Look and Feel. The Plug-In can be programmed in XML cause normal media center plug-ins are not much more than a webpage, layouted like the original Microsoft Media Center Programs ... it should therefore not be too complicated to program such a plug-in.

Am I right ?

@ Lowlander

I agree that MM is more usable on a resolutino with 480x640 pixels but my graphics card cant display resolutions lesser than 800x600. No joke ... its an ATI Radeon 9500 Chip in my HTPC and somhow I cant change the resolution to 480x640. Besides this 800x600 is optimal for the MCE2005 Frontend. Every button is just big enough and not too big.

[Lowlander]

I don't get the XML thing for MCE 2005. Are you saying that you can't install normal software and run it like on a normal windows?

Or would you like to see MM integrated into the special media interface if MCE.

Sorry I have never used nor seen MCE before.

As for 640*480 it is actually hidden since Windows XP. You can get to it by going into display properties > settings > advanced > Adapter > List All Modes (I'm not sure if this works in MCE).

@Jiri. A simpler skin could be sufficient for MM. But this would require more control of MM at the skin level, like fonts.

[Baschtler]

Yes exactly, I would like to see MM being integrated into the special Media Center interface. Thus it can easily be handled by RC (remote control) and looks quite stylish.

Now I've got the problem, that I have to run MM on my TV screen and soon I'll need new glasses, cause the fonts are so small.

BTW, the trick with the increased font size doesn't work for me. Except the search field everything stays as small as it was before changing the font size to extra large.

@ Lowlander

MCE 2005 is actually a normal Win XP Professional but its got some extras. One is the Media Center Interface which allows you to make your PC to an media central for the whole house.

Therefore its "WAF" (Woman Acceptance Factor) is enormous. Its so easy to use and looks so stylish that your girlfriend will love the living room PC from now on (as long as its silent enough).

Even plain PC noobs can use and access a mp3 collection from now on. They dont even have to know how a computer mouse works.

Do't get me wrong, this is nothing special about MCE from Microsoft. Every other MediaCenter Interface such as Mediaportal, Meedio, MythTV, myHTPC, Scenia TVCentral and so on do have theese advantages

I just like MCE2005 ffrom Microsoft the best, cause I think it looks better than most of the other media center solutions. Further more it was the first media center software that instantly worked with my hardware.

[Lowlander]

So if understand right MM does run stand alone on MCE.

I wonder if the Media Center interface is capable of decently handling big libraries?

I think the best thing for you right now is to use MM either on the MCE box or another networked PC to created playlists. Export these playlists and import them into Media Center interface (if possible). This way you can keep using the power of MM (managing and auto-playlists) but also the usability of Media Center interface (readability and remote control functionality).

And I would add a request to the scripts forum if someone can connect the MM DB thru XML with the Media Center interface.

[Lowlander]

@Baschtler

maybe of interest: http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/entry/472/mce_2005_plug-in

[TRHR]

Baschtler:

I'm a MM Lover and a Mediamonkey user and I hate the My Music MCE interface too, It might take some time, but I'm gonna start work on a MM plugin for MCE 2005.

I'll let you know when I get further down the track and have a workable beta.

Cheers.

[Peke]

Baschtler:

I'm a MM Lover and a Mediamonkey user and I hate the My Music MCE interface too, It might take some time, but I'm gonna start work on a MM plugin for MCE 2005.

I'll let you know when I get further down the track and have a workable beta.

Cheers.

If you know how to make and use XML I can provide you with Needed Interface (General Plugin) to comunicate with MM or controls it.
Unfortunatly I do not know XML It is on My TO-Learn List I'm curently to learning Basics of PHP and MySQL.

[Lowlander]

I think the best solution would be a module/plugin for MCE (and Meedio) that would use the interface of MCE/Meedio and the library of MM. Due to the type of application MCE/Meedio is you wouldn't have the same functionality as MM, but you would have the power of the MM library.


PS. Meedio is an application like MCE but runs in any windows version (http://www.meedio.com)

[NightInAgharta]

What about an Open Source Media Center software?
Look here: http://mediaportal.sourceforge.net
and here for sources: http://sourceforge.net/projects/mediaportal
I've tested it and is seems to work fine (also if it is still under development, you see it's a pre-beta release).

MM developers could work together with those people to builtd a well-integrated suite.

Or someone could write a plugin for MP to integrate it with MM.

[julzcompufreek]

I personally think the opensource idea is much better. It means no one will have to go out and buy MCE.