Plex + XBMC + Quartz
#1
(2012-03-16, 02:30)pecinko Wrote:
(2012-03-15, 18:53)jjense01 Wrote: Pecinko: I've rethought my media center set up (we had chatted over the PleXBMC skins thread) and think I'll move from a high power HTPC to a high power Plex Server with low powered TV connected devices (consider me a convert). In which case, XBMC on the Raspberry Pi would be ideal with PleXBMC. If PleXBMC isn't moving forward, do you see yourself integrating with the DLNA compliant release of the Plex server that is coming up? Cord Cutters did a nice exhibit of myPlex working on the PS3 and any of the Plex plugins playing. Just curious, because I will purchase a Raspberry Pi running OpenElec if it means having my Plex library/Plex Plugs/myPlex and XBMC playable on it. On low powered machines, I would definitely being running Quartz.

I hope I'm staying relevant to this thread. If not, I'll move to private messages, gladly.

We are definitely off topic here.

I may be all wrong but form my point of view, XBMC performs acceptably on ATV2. If R Pi has similar or less power to render GUI, you can expect performance to be worse.

IFAIK, PleXBMC is no longer being developed and supported by Hippo (and nobody else picked up his work). However, that might change if PLEX will release DLNA compliant server which could be used without constraints.

moving this discussion here.

My discussion direction:
PleXBMC does look to be dead. DLNA is expected to be released with the newest version of the Plex server: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOmzrvjRXo0 If the bare bones of Plex are transmitted by the Plex server, do you see Plex integration with Quartz continuing? How would it differ from PleXBMC? Would metadata be visible in XBMC pulling from Plex via DLNA? If so, would that include the shared libraries and the Queue via myPlex? These are things I just can't comprehend myself as I don't know the technical end.

Why I have begun this discussion:
I believe that Plex and XBMC both have their strengths and weaknesses. I think Plex does a centralized library and sharing of local content remotely VERY WELL and quite intuitively. I think that XBMC has a larger and much more dedicated community of developers creating top notch plugins and skins (not to mention the fact that XBMC manages to play live streams, many file types, and continues to become more promising as a PVR). I just happen to want all of those things in one. I have tried every media center out there. At one point I was using XBMC, Boxee, Hulu Desktop, Mediaportal (mythTV for a second) and Plex. Since then I've shed everything except XBMC and Plex for the earlier mentioned strengths. myPlex to me, is a complete game changer when it comes to media, so for an XBMC skin to have that would make XBMC even greater to me. If a full featured Plex server ran on XBMC, then all of the low powered devices that support XBMC like RasPi, Apple TV 2, etc. would be fully featured and viable HTPC alternatives to high powered devices.

My ego-centric ultimate home theatre setup:
I'm already running XBMC on Apple TV 2 and would like to turn my current HTPC into a high powered Plex server/transcoder for my low powered TV connected XBMC devices. I can then use my iPad to beam my media all around my house via Airplay (this has a very nice central control feel if you have many screens in your home, and restaurant menu-like experience for browsing and selecting the media). Plex Server + iPad + XBMC Airplay enabled device = simple, elegant, inexpensive, efficient, and utilitarian. If RasPi is equivalent to or even a little bit worse performing than the ATV2, I'll take it for $25 per device. While I would want to utilize Airplay, I would want all devices to look uniform when browsing each individual device by remote control, and Quartz runs the best without seeming primitive on low-powered machines, imo.
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#2
Well, by off topic I actually meant that this discussion has nothing to do with skin or at least not directly Smile

PleXbmc skin integration was done by Hippojay and since he's been MIA....

If Plex goes DLNA somebody from Xbmc community will probably make an add-on for it and this will be supported by the skin like any other add-on. Wether or not metadata will be available mostly depends on if/how Plex does make metadata available and how well API will be documented.

If this all goes well and again, this has nothing to do with me or Quartz Smile , my guess is you should be able to achieve very nice integration by making custom menu items in Quartz.

Still, we'll have to wait and see what will Plex come up with.
My skins:

Amber
Quartz

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#3
Got it! Sorry, if you were in my brain you would understand why I thought that this was very Quartz relevant and not just XBMC core. Mostly it's because I've been on a quest to combine Plex and XBMC for some time and I know you were one of the few developers of anything that seemed to be involved on both Plex and XBMC forums. The Quartz skin was, by my memory, the only PleXBMC modded skin to be assisted by the original XBMC skin developer in modding it. So, you see, I find you to be the nearest expert to combining the two as there is as Hippo has been MIA.

Thanks for indulging me, though. I think you enlightened me. If I am understanding you...if Plex Server becomes DLNA compliant as a server, then XBMC (being a DLNA compliant Client/player) should be able to receive and play content from the Plex Server with little to no configuration. As long as I use an XBMC skin that supports creating custom menu items (like Quartz does), then I should have the desired integration and I'll just have to cross my fingers when it comes to how Plex serves metadata.

Sorry for my ignorance. I see now how I should have asked about this in a more general XBMC forum. A million thank yous!
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#4
I really can't take no credit for it as _whole integration_ was done by Hippojay himself.

Most of things would depend on what exactly will Plex release. All there is on the table ATM is "it's going to be great!" announcement. When it's out, if API proves to be useful, open and documented, future steps should be discussed in XBMC feature suggestions thread.

Skin tweaks, if necessary at all, are last step.
My skins:

Amber
Quartz

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Plex + XBMC + Quartz2