X-Mas Wishlist
#1
Hi,

just wanted to check if I'm the only one missing this feature:
- DB: files table lacks files date information (filesystem)
- DB: movie table lacks date info when scraped
- ReScrape feature available for python/jsonrpc/eventserver

those 3 points are the most annoying.
more are:
- sync multiple XBMC without the need (and slow performance) of a mysql server
- specify WHAT to sync (bookmarks, specific sources, ...)
- sources.xml: allow to specify how to access a source locally (for python)
- trigger events to addons/eventserver
- load nfo/thumb/fanart from another location then the original source file (for those of us accessing their data with some file-eplorer too)
- allow export of NFO+stuff for a single movie/show (and make this available for python/jsonrpc/eventserver)
- addon autostart feature (adjustable via UI)

I really like XBMC and it's the best media center software around, but for my config I'll need to adjust it in all these points.
My config:
- server with movie/tv/music data (ubuntu) sharing via smb
- mysql as DB for all XBMC on this server
- tvheadend on this server too
- XBMC Dharma Beta4 (DVR patched here) on all client machines (Windows Vista + 7)
- machine1: labtop
- machine2: HTCP (Zotac ION in Silverstone ML02)
- machine3: Office PC
- on machine3 running ember media manager to scrape and store NFO+images
- all XBMC just use this data
- on machine2 running eventghost as windows shell starting XBMC when WLAN is ready (and for some more machine specific config)

Hope I'll not stay alone with my wishes and that Santa will hear me Smile

Greetz and Thanks for this great Project!
All of my friends say: Wow! What cool stuff for the living room! I want that too!
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#2
Croaker Wrote:- sync multiple XBMC without the need (and slow performance) of a mysql server

Slow performance? I think you may have a configuration problem. MySQL is blazingly fast for me.
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#3
MySQL sits on my server and is IS fast, but listings in XBMC with > 600 movies are significantly slower that using local sqlite.
Did not install MySQ locally, so cannot compare it, but I don't think that it makes sense to install the central DB server on one of my client machines Smile
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#4
Croaker Wrote:MySQL sits on my server and is IS fast, but listings in XBMC with > 600 movies are significantly slower that using local sqlite.
Did not install MySQ locally, so cannot compare it, but I don't think that it makes sense to install the central DB server on one of my client machines Smile

I run mysql and have in the region of 3000+ movies and significantly more episodes and do not see an real noticeable slow down when browsing.

If you are seeing this then something isn't set up right.

Likewise if you stick your Thumbs directory on network source and mount it locally then everything works great.
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#5
How is your client conneted?
GBit LAN?
I use WLAN and this in fact IS low!
mounting thumbs also is not solution because of speed
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#6
Combination of 100mb and 1gb lan. Even if using wlan it should not be slow, likewise of loading of thumbs.

I would go as far as saying, if you can't have a simple sql query run or load a collection of images over your wifi, then your video viewing experience is going to be pretty crap too.
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#7
Croaker Wrote:MySQL sits on my server and is IS fast, but listings in XBMC with > 600 movies are significantly slower that using local sqlite.
Did not install MySQ locally, so cannot compare it, but I don't think that it makes sense to install the central DB server on one of my client machines Smile

Well, i have a primary machine in my living room, and i have mysql installed on it. Then all of my client machines connect to it. The clients are a bit slower (3000+ movies and something like 13,000 episodes) but I don't see any performance hit at all versus a local install.
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#8
In fact this is not the kind of discussion I had in mind when starting this thread.
When nobody except me has performance issues using MySQL just ignore the points regarding this in my wishlist and focus on the others.

But having the possibillity to sync multiple XBMC clients without the need of a mysql server would be nice. Think of all the noob users out there just having a HD connected to their router calling it NAS Smile
Just coding something using EventGhost and a sqList sync DB on a smb share, but this is off topic.

Key sentence: focus on the other items on the wishlist Smile
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#9
BTW:
Quote:sync multiple XBMC without the need (and slow performance) of a mysql server
You are all focusing on the words in the brackets.
It is quite a large posting and all you guys see are the first words you can quote with 'BUT...'.
Hope this is not an example of how 'requests' are handled here Sad

Please please please think on the list from
a) End-Users point of view (ZERO programming knowledge)
b) Addon-Developers point of view (LITTLE programming knowledge)
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#10
I can't but agree, mysql is at best an abomination Smile While it may work it still is way to advanced for the average user, heck I would go out and say even many advanced users wouldn't even have the energy to set it up (me included.)

What I'd like to see is either a sync between boxes, or move much of the library information out of xbmc (optionally ofcourse) into a service. That service could sit on the server and give the library information to xbmc. uPnP comes to mind and would fit perfectly, just needs abit more love in xbmc.
If you have problems please read this before posting

Always read the XBMC online-manual, FAQ and search the forum before posting.
Do not e-mail XBMC-Team members directly asking for support. Read/follow the forum rules.
For troubleshooting and bug reporting please make sure you read this first.

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"Well Im gonna download the code and look at it a bit but I'm certainly not a really good C/C++ programer but I'd help as much as I can, I mostly write in C#."
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#11
topfs2 Wrote:I can't but agree, mysql is at best an abomination Smile While it may work it still is way to advanced for the average user, heck I would go out and say even many advanced users wouldn't even have the energy to set it up (me included.)

What I'd like to see is either a sync between boxes, or move much of the library information out of xbmc (optionally ofcourse) into a service. That service could sit on the server and give the library information to xbmc. uPnP comes to mind and would fit perfectly, just needs abit more love in xbmc.

I'd Agree. Maybe a simple interface uPnP Server.

The program would run on the Media Server (Where you keep your Music/Videos).

The basic interface wouldn't need DirectX or high-end graphics card. You just set source (similar to EMM's Interface), and type of source for videos (Movies or TV Shows). It Scrapes the data (Even From .NFO files). Stores it in it's own database. Even the ability to edit the database (Similar interface to XMM)

XBMC then can either (in future releases) use a built-in feature, or (for older versions) an addon/script so that Camelot and newer can use the Database.

the built-in feature would just make it to where once you add the XBMC Media Server (Idea for a Name for program) as a source (It's Own Selection), all items in it's database are added to the XBMC installation, as well as sorted appropriately.

The Script (for Camelot) or addon (Dharma) would be downloaded to the local XBMC installation. Both versions would be set to autorun after the first time (To Sync Changes to database) and run in the backgroud updating the database say every 3 hrs. Use of the script/addon would (on first run) ask for the location of the XBMC Media Server. User can either Browse to the server, or input the IP Address of the XBMC Media Server. After it is setup, it will act like the built-in.

Both the Built-In and the Script/Addon would prompt what you want to sync (by default Everything is Selected) the options would be as follows:
Video Database
Music Database
Play Count
Watched Listing (Syncs what Videos have been marked as Watched)
Playlists (includes Smart Playlists)
Sync Data to XBMC Server (All Settings and Addons are synced to server, ONLY AVAILABLE to version Dharma or above)
addon/script data


Seeing as a built-in feature would be easier for the end-use, this would encourage users to upgrade.


But this is all just an Idea.
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#12
I really like the idea with the 'headless' XBMC acting in scraper only mode.
But when thinking about this, one should be aware, that XBMC hit-rate though fantastic is not 100% and that there should be an option to list movies/shows/music where the scraper was not sure what to do.
(In fact I'm missing this in current versions too Wink )

But I think putting another program on a server (so replacing mysql installation with another one) is not the best choice.
Thought more of some kind of Peer2Peer Sync...complicated but cool Smile

Currently working on my very own sync using a sqlite db on a SMB share (which could be a network HD without OS). Inserted an additional table in my local video db and added some triggers to keep an eye on table changes (movie, files, episode, bookmark).
Should be not too hard to insert this triggered changes once a minute into the sync DB and get changes from there.
- Bookmark change would trigger an insert/update in local bookmark table
- movie/episode change would trigger deletion of local movie dataset (and dependencies), set the path hash null and let xbmc rescrape the whole library.
Tested this already and seems to work...just putting all together now.
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#13
I focused on the words in brackets because simply it's the part that stood out to me as basically incorrect in my experience with xbmc. I agree that a server/client setup would be nice - but I also recognize that we are currently the fringe of users, I suspect most xbmc users may at most have one htpc - perhaps not even dedicated to the cause.

This being said, I believe that a robust database server such as mysql (which is a breeze to set up and install IMO) is the best solution for effectively distributing this much data. The fatal flaw is really only the distribution of thumbnails and fan art, which is fairly easily solved by a shared network directory.

Again, I recognize that this takes some setup to work well but after it's running it's pretty much automated and requires no maintenance.

Croaker Wrote:
You are all focusing on the words in the brackets.
It is quite a large posting and all you guys see are the first words you can quote with 'BUT...'.
Hope this is not an example of how 'requests' are handled here Sad

Please please please think on the list from
a) End-Users point of view (ZERO programming knowledge)
b) Addon-Developers point of view (LITTLE programming knowledge)
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#14
What's so hard about mySQl - took me less than 10 mins to get it going and it's not that hard - add a little db set up script, and a simple GUI for specifiying the hostname, db, port and it would be pretty novice friendly.

The more time I spend with media the more a centralised DB becomes important and shows it's relevance....and it's nice if all the systems use roughly the same appraoch....why re-invent the wheel and create some sort of xbmc specific syncing thing when streaming media, little heads around the house, and a centralised server/db is the obvious future of media?

Well, as I see it Smile
Addons I wrote &/or maintain:
OzWeather (Australian BOM weather) | Check Previous Episode | Playback Resumer | Unpause Jumpback | XSqueezeDisplay | (Legacy - XSqueeze & XZen)
Sorry, no help w/out a *full debug log*.
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#15
bossanova808 Wrote:What's so hard about mySQl - took me less than 10 mins to get it going and it's not that hard - add a little db set up script, and a simple GUI for specifiying the hostname, db, port and it would be pretty novice friendly.

The more time I spend with media the more a centralised DB becomes important and shows it's relevance....and it's nice if all the systems use roughly the same appraoch....why re-invent the wheel and create some sort of xbmc specific syncing thing when streaming media, little heads around the house, and a centralised server/db is the obvious future of media?

Well, as I see it Smile

How is using uPnP reinventing the wheel or creating a specific xbmc thing? If we would ever go down the road of just syncing databases between xbmc it would obviously not be xbmc specific but database feature (e.g. couchdb have that power without xbmc)
If you have problems please read this before posting

Always read the XBMC online-manual, FAQ and search the forum before posting.
Do not e-mail XBMC-Team members directly asking for support. Read/follow the forum rules.
For troubleshooting and bug reporting please make sure you read this first.

Image

"Well Im gonna download the code and look at it a bit but I'm certainly not a really good C/C++ programer but I'd help as much as I can, I mostly write in C#."
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