Windows 8 Metro version of XBMC?

IMO this would be a significant effort, and moving away from XBMC's multi-platform nature, but well worth it. XBMC written in WinRT would get many features on Win 8 that will benefit users -

- easy install, automatic upgrade through the Windows store
- promotions and discovery for new users
- settings preserved across Windows reinstalls (Refresh/Reset feature)
- perfectly suited to Metro since it'll be fullscreen

Any thoughts on this?

Unlikely to happen any time soon. It works just fine using Win32, and also depends on many open-source libraries that would all have to be re-written, so a good chunk of what you propose is not directly in our control.

I think we can categorically rule that out.

jmarshall Wrote:I think we can categorically rule that out.

To put it bluntly

MrCrispy - not that we don't welcome new ideas, but there are some that are just not worthwhile at the time. There's the final rollout for Eden taking place, and a large queue of features awaiting. Add to that some new platforms underway and you can see that the team is quite busy. Add the fact that both this team and all the library developers have plans in place and their own release targets its just not something that will be picked up any time soon.

Thanks for the quick responses guys, I understand. But as a matter of curiosity, I don't think any of the open source libraries or majority of the code would have to be rewritten. Only the rendering layer for the UI (but not player), shell code, and support for specific WinRT features like save/restore. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I will probably experiment with this. In the immortal words of Jeremy Clarkson, "how hard can it be ?"

honestly I'm not sure XCBMC is the right fit for metro, it sounds boss but I think we'd be better off getting a better music app and then building a video app similar to the one shipping with the consumer preview and adding in some xbmc features like movie/show database pulling for information.

TLDR: Different team, different project.

Edit: fixed random drive by smiley.

MrCrispy Wrote:In the immortal words of Jeremy Clarkson, "how hard can it be ?"

Very.

I can actually see this in the future. Having used Windows 8 since the Developer Preview I'm totally planning on using this for my HTPC. I know it's a long shot but there's the slim, thermal-exhaust-port chance that Microsoft (or someone else) might start implementing all these neat features from XBMC into, if not the vanilla apps, then some third party apps. Like if I can just click on the Movie Library icon on the Start Screen and go to all my Movies without needing an XBMC that'd be slick. I'd also love to see Steam make their metro app... Oh! Imagine some SNES emulators that actually collected all the metadata for the games in your collection? That'd be a nice looking UI.

So my only concern is whether or not XMBC will even be necessary for my home theater experience in the future since Windows 8 has, already, the promise of a serious contender.

(2012-02-29 00:37)MrCrispy Wrote:  I will probably experiment with this. In the immortal words of Jeremy Clarkson, "how hard can it be ?"

Since you think it's easy, why don't you develop it and then send a pull request.

Never say its easy, unless you are doing it yourself

(2012-07-02 01:50)isamu.dragon Wrote:  Since you think it's easy, why don't you develop it and then send a pull request.

Never say its easy, unless you are doing it yourself

In the exact same quote you posted, he says that he is going to do it by himself (or at least - try to do it) - don't be too fast jumping to conclusions