New MythTV add-on using libcmyth

The links to the Windows build seems to be down.

Still working on the timers... I plan to merge the latest changes from Dushmaniac after this weekend.

CrashX: Thanks it should be fixed now.

ronny_todgers: I don't have a MacOS system here to test on so please report back if you encounter any problems.

tgm4883: Currently you will have to use git to clone the source code from my github repository and compile it to test my plugin (it is not that hard to do. Please see the first post in this thread on how to do it). To answer you questions:
1) Currently I only push changes to the core PVR code to dushmaniacs branch (when it appears stable) and not the actual add-on. On the other hand I try to avoid lagging more than a week behind dushmaniacs repository so you can just use my repository. I will see if my add-on can be included when it is more mature.
2) Currently the PVR stuff is not part of the offcial xbmc branch (it is planned to be merged after eden). http://packages.pulse-eight.net/UbuntuInstall containes the "official" PVR build.

itchy_balls: I will upload a new build after this weekend.

I've built and played with the latest code for the last few days. I've a few comments/questions below.

1) There doesn't seem to be a way to mark a recording as watched. This is probably something that just hasn't been implemented yet, but it is a blocker for shipping this as an alternative frontend as it breaks the mythtv's ability to manage disk space, and ultimately it's ability to record. I am also unable to workaround this issue as I am unable to delete the recording from inside XBMC. I've spoken with upstream mythtv and it sounds like this is doable in 0.25 using the services API. I was also told if this isn't currently doable in the services API it could be added pretty easily.

2) There doesn't seem to be a way to get any sort of artwork from ttvdb for the recordings using the PVR plugin. I've tried adding it to the Videos section using the PVR plugin, but that doesn't seem to gather anything either when I set the content to TV and ttvdb. To verify that was working, I also added a SMB share with some shows I have and that was able to scan and add the content normally.

I didn't use any other functionality of the plugin nor did I attempt LiveTV, so I cannot comment on those. This plugin and the built in myth:// protocol usage have their benefits and drawbacks.

PVR Plugin
Pros:
Ability to schedule shows
Cons:
Cannot get tv metadata/artwork
Cannot mark show as watched

Built in myth:// protocol
Pros:
Ability to gather tv metadata/artwork
Cons:
Cannot add shows to library if they don't have metadata (eg. not on ttvdb, then forget adding it to the library)
Cannot mark show as watched

Because of these issues, I am unable to recommend this as an alternative to the MythTV frontend (at least from a standpoint of something we would include in the ISO), although I do see that it is on it's way and realize it is still under development.

Now admittedly, as a developer for Mythbuntu I'm way more familiar with MythTV than XBMC (the last time I seriously used XBMC was on my original XBOX), so I could be doing something incorrectly. If this is the case, please point me in the right direction.

tgm4883 Wrote:I've built and played with the latest code for the last few days. I've a few comments/questions below.

1) There doesn't seem to be a way to mark a recording as watched. This is probably something that just hasn't been implemented yet, but it is a blocker for shipping this as an alternative frontend as it breaks the mythtv's ability to manage disk space, and ultimately it's ability to record. I am also unable to workaround this issue as I am unable to delete the recording from inside XBMC. I've spoken with upstream mythtv and it sounds like this is doable in 0.25 using the services API. I was also told if this isn't currently doable in the services API it could be added pretty easily.

2) There doesn't seem to be a way to get any sort of artwork from ttvdb for the recordings using the PVR plugin. I've tried adding it to the Videos section using the PVR plugin, but that doesn't seem to gather anything either when I set the content to TV and ttvdb. To verify that was working, I also added a SMB share with some shows I have and that was able to scan and add the content normally.

I didn't use any other functionality of the plugin nor did I attempt LiveTV, so I cannot comment on those. This plugin and the built in myth:// protocol usage have their benefits and drawbacks.

PVR Plugin
Pros:
Ability to schedule shows
Cons:
Cannot get tv metadata/artwork
Cannot mark show as watched

Built in myth:// protocol
Pros:
Ability to gather tv metadata/artwork
Cons:
Cannot add shows to library if they don't have metadata (eg. not on ttvdb, then forget adding it to the library)
Cannot mark show as watched

Because of these issues, I am unable to recommend this as an alternative to the MythTV frontend (at least from a standpoint of something we would include in the ISO), although I do see that it is on it's way and realize it is still under development.

Now admittedly, as a developer for Mythbuntu I'm way more familiar with MythTV than XBMC (the last time I seriously used XBMC was on my original XBOX), so I could be doing something incorrectly. If this is the case, please point me in the right direction.

This branch is an off-shoot of Dushmaniac's main pvr branch, where there is some code for including PVR recordings in the video database (for example to enable resume on playback). These changes have not been pulled down to this branch yet. When they are, we will see if the other traditional library features (such as artwork) can be included with the pvr stuff as well. It's gonna take patience, since the main pvr stuff (ie Dushmaniac's) isn't going to be merged with mainline XBMC until after Eden is released. I guess Dushmaniac's really focused on the epg stuff and the bug hunting in order to get it up to snuff for the big merge with vanilla xbmc, so anything that looks like a new feature is probably on the back burner....

Reading TSP's previous comments, I think he is sensitive to the way that the myth stuff is ever so slightly off-kilter with the way the general pvr stuff has been implemented and has provided constructive comments about how things need to be tweaked for myth. He is currently working on some interface changes to bring everything more in line with the functionality of myth. I would wait until 1) He pulls down Dushmaniac's latest code (which will include putting recordings into the video database and some epg related fixes) 2) He finalises his myth-centric interface stuff and then see what functionality is still missing after these two things have been achieved.

Finally I would note that TSP has commented that he has one eye on 0.25 api, so he is probably already thinking along the same lines. The previous mythtv plugin author commented himself that TSP's plugin will be easier to adapt to the coming changes in 0.25 which is one of the reasons he has stopped development on his plugin and is happy to see TSP's take over.

I have garnered all the above from reading all the pvr threads and compiling and testing many branches. If anything is historically inaccurate (or just plain wrong) then I hold my hands up to it!

I agree that for your distribution, at this time, there are a few things stopping xbmc being a drop in replacement for mythfrontend. But when those few wrinkles are sorted out..... xbmc as a frontend - wow! It's gonna be the hottest distro on the planet! Just write some xbmc plugins for system-control type stuff and you've got the total package.

Jimmer

Sorry for the lack of updates but I had to use three days on reinstalling windows on my development machine

tgm4883:
It shouldn't be to hard to mark the recording as watched (just set it in the mythtv database if x% of the recording was seen or ask after viewing the recording). You should however be able to delete the recording by right-clicking on the recording and select delete. It is a bug if it doesn't work.
I have not checked Dushmaniacs latest changes so I'm not sure if the scrapers will work or what it takes to get them working.

I've updated my repo with a new version. It should be up to date with dushmaniacs repo and in addition fix the non integer channel number bug. The timers window will now show upcoming recordings.

Hi Guys, not sure if I'm in the right place. I've installed a PVR build on my ATV2 and found that the mythtv PVR addin, while it can be enabled cannot be configured. It looks more like a placeholder.

I previously used mythbox but that doesn't seem to work any more at least myth://user:host@ip works

Anyone managed to compile this plugin to work with IOS?

adamc Wrote:Hi Guys, not sure if I'm in the right place. I've installed a PVR build on my ATV2 and found that the mythtv PVR addin, while it can be enabled cannot be configured. It looks more like a placeholder.

Are you sure you've compiled the version out of github here:

https://github.com/tsp/xbmc

as mentioned in the first post on this thread? The PVR binary builds made my dushmaniac don't include this add-on, to use this libcmyth mythtv PVR add-on (as opposed to dteirney's MythXML-based add-on), you'll need to compile it yourself, unless you have Windows.

Thanks for the quick reply fiveisalive. Actually installed a .deb compiled by memphiz http://forum.xbmc.org/showpost.php?p=920...tcount=230

Was wondering if someone else had gone down this particular path with ATV2 yet and what might be involved.

mythtv recordings are listed but no longer play after updating.