[wdv0570]

From what i've gathered about XBMC, its useful in gathering several media type resources to a central location from which media can be accessed. Im looking for the opposite of this; distributing media from a central location to one or several remote clients.

I'd like to know if it's possible to stream from my XBMC setup at home to, lets say, my office PC (bandwidth not being an issue). Maybe with somesort of web-interface to select video's, pictures or music. Is there such a feature in XBMC?

Alternatively, does anyone know of a Mediacenter or FTP program that would offer this, along with XBMC's features like gathering cover-art, IMDB ratings and the other features that make XBMC appealing?

[poofyhairguy]

I'd like to know if it's possible to stream from my XBMC setup at home to, lets say, my office PC (bandwidth not being an issue). Maybe with somesort of web-interface to select video's, pictures or music. Is there such a feature in XBMC?

No. XBMC today is about the local network.

Alternatively, does anyone know of a Mediacenter or FTP program that would offer this, along with XBMC's features like gathering cover-art, IMDB ratings and the other features that make XBMC appealing?

Nope, nothing like that exists yet. I predict we will see something like that in about 4 or 5 years when more people have internet connections that support it.

You are before your time.

[branlr]

From what i've gathered about XBMC, its useful in gathering several media type resources to a central location from which media can be accessed. Im looking for the opposite of this; distributing media from a central location to one or several remote clients.

I'd like to know if it's possible to stream from my XBMC setup at home to, lets say, my office PC (bandwidth not being an issue). Maybe with somesort of web-interface to select video's, pictures or music. Is there such a feature in XBMC?

Alternatively, does anyone know of a Mediacenter or FTP program that would offer this, along with XBMC's features like gathering cover-art, IMDB ratings and the other features that make XBMC appealing?

Plex (a Mac program based on xbmcs source code) has a server backend for their library called Plex MEdia Server, which can now be installed separately from Plex even on windows. This program puts your whole library online and can stream and transcode the files on the fly. The only catch, currently, is that it only streams to PLex clients (and also, a new add-on for xbmc called plexbmc. However, just a few weeks ago someone over on the Plex forums has begun developing a php webapp that can stream the content into your browser and still gives you all of the rich metadata and images of xbmc/Plex.

This is pretty sweet, and you ought to be able to run it on windows under c
Xampp, however I haven't gotten it working myself yet. Just google for the development thread if you want to find out more.

[poofyhairguy]

Plex (a Mac program based on xbmcs source code) has a server backend for their library called Plex MEdia Server, which can now be installed separately from Plex even on windows. This program puts your whole library online and can stream and transcode the files on the fly. The only catch, currently, is that it only streams to PLex clients (and also, a new add-on for xbmc called plexbmc. However, just a few weeks ago someone over on the Plex forums has begun developing a php webapp that can stream the content into your browser and still gives you all of the rich metadata and images of xbmc/Plex.

This is pretty sweet, and you ought to be able to run it on windows under c
Xampp, however I haven't gotten it working myself yet. Just google for the development thread if you want to find out more.

I play with it all the time, but Plex isn't there yet. It has the interface, but not the backend. On the otherhand, subsonic has a GREAT backend, but a pain-in-the-butt interface. Nothing has the power of both in one program.

[tvont]

Back - once again with the same purpose.

I was absent a while and came back to XBMC because I still search for this option. Great work implemented in XBMC right now - but this (in my eyes) most neccessary feature still not.

Come on guys - Is it really such a problem to implement - at least by web interface, just like youtube did - an option to transcode (optional) and / or just stream content at least through the local LAN and is stable? to another XBMC Client or just by Webbrowser? The webinterface is great - but no option to stream.
I mean, I cannot imagine that it is such seldom on earth that someone has a server which is located in the basement?
Its almost everything there in XBMC, feature rich application, media management, Fanart, Audio Sorting - but NOTHING which is usefull if you have a server which is not in the living room (smb is no option because filesystem based)

Even for the Iphone there is a tiny app which has its counterpart running on a PC and transcodes the movies you select on the fly. The "server" application is just as big as a few (very few) MB. Stable but featureless.

XBMC - in my eyes - is the best Mediaclient on the world - but without such a feature it is not usefull for people with content located outside the livingroom.

This should be no criticism but INCENTIVE.

Any reply is welcome

[opm881]

You answered your own question in your post. XBMC is a CLIENT, not a back end server. I can't see this being made within XBMC any time soon.

[Justcop]

Try subsonic

[topfs2]

You can stream from xbmc just fine. You can use uPnP or http whatever you wish. You can stream ANYTHING accessible via our vfs over http.

We might add transcoding at some point as there are clients which have use for it (for example transcode and play on your phone). But streaming works just fine already.

[panaman]

Back - once again with the same purpose.

I was absent a while and came back to XBMC because I still search for this option. Great work implemented in XBMC right now - but this (in my eyes) most neccessary feature still not.

Come on guys - Is it really such a problem to implement - at least by web interface, just like youtube did - an option to transcode (optional) and / or just stream content at least through the local LAN and is stable? to another XBMC Client or just by Webbrowser? The webinterface is great - but no option to stream.
I mean, I cannot imagine that it is such seldom on earth that someone has a server which is located in the basement?
Its almost everything there in XBMC, feature rich application, media management, Fanart, Audio Sorting - but NOTHING which is usefull if you have a server which is not in the living room (smb is no option because filesystem based)

Even for the Iphone there is a tiny app which has its counterpart running on a PC and transcodes the movies you select on the fly. The "server" application is just as big as a few (very few) MB. Stable but featureless.

XBMC - in my eyes - is the best Mediaclient on the world - but without such a feature it is not usefull for people with content located outside the livingroom.

This should be no criticism but INCENTIVE.

Any reply is welcome

My server is in the basement :-) my xbmc machines play the content that it stores.... of course its not streaming it.. its just using samba.... but why the heck do you need to stream anything.... my media pc's aren't the fasted thing on the planet..... I have yet to find a file that hasn't played smoothly on my xbmc media pc's over the network. My Avatar BD rip is 40GB and it plays smooth as silk. (of course my appletv can't play it...... but it also doesn't have GB ethernet onboard either.)

[wdv0570]

You can stream from xbmc just fine. You can use uPnP or http whatever you wish. You can stream ANYTHING accessible via our vfs over http.

We might add transcoding at some point as there are clients which have use for it (for example transcode and play on your phone). But streaming works just fine already.

• Is a manual available on how to do this? I've been messing around with XBMC for a few nights but havent managed to find a stream option.
  
• What's a 'vfs'?
  
• Does it allow XBMC to be used as a server instead of client, local or remote (http, vpn tunnel, etc)?
  

Just to be sure we're on the same page;
My intention is to have a workstation with a couple of disks (raid-5) humming away in my basement (running/acting as XBMC server) while having a small, quiet EEE-notebook with HDMI to my TV in the livingroom (acting as XBMC client)

[topfs2]

• Is a manual available on how to do this? I've been messing around with XBMC for a few nights but havent managed to find a stream option.
  
• What's a 'vfs'?
  
• Does it allow XBMC to be used as a server instead of client, local or remote (http, vpn tunnel, etc)?
  

Just to be sure we're on the same page;
My intention is to have a workstation with a couple of disks (raid-5) humming away in my basement (running/acting as XBMC server) while having a small, quiet EEE-notebook with HDMI to my TV in the livingroom (acting as XBMC client)

1) http://IP:PORT/vfs/urlencodedpath
2) vfs = virtual file system
3) as said, you can stream whatever file accessible by xbmc via that interface.

You can do what you want but I really don't see the point to have xbmc as a server, its not even close to designed to it. The server options we have are more to serve even smaller clients (like phones, game consoles and such).

Cheers,
Tobias

[oRAirwolf]

• Is a manual available on how to do this? I've been messing around with XBMC for a few nights but havent managed to find a stream option.
  
• What's a 'vfs'?
  
• Does it allow XBMC to be used as a server instead of client, local or remote (http, vpn tunnel, etc)?
  

Just to be sure we're on the same page;
My intention is to have a workstation with a couple of disks (raid-5) humming away in my basement (running/acting as XBMC server) while having a small, quiet EEE-notebook with HDMI to my TV in the livingroom (acting as XBMC client)

I dont understand why this has to be so complicated. Just use regular file sharing in windows or Samba in Linux. There's guides on how to share your library amongst your home network.

http://lifehacker.com/#!5634515/how-to-s...-the-house

[tvont]

• Is a manual available on how to do this? I've been messing around with XBMC for a few nights but havent managed to find a stream option.
  
• What's a 'vfs'?
  
• Does it allow XBMC to be used as a server instead of client, local or remote (http, vpn tunnel, etc)?
  

Just to be sure we're on the same page;
My intention is to have a workstation with a couple of disks (raid-5) humming away in my basement (running/acting as XBMC server) while having a small, quiet EEE-notebook with HDMI to my TV in the livingroom (acting as XBMC client)

Great to find people with the same intention (and not less!)
My reason for wanting / needing real streaming (with transcoding)...(and not vfs / samba mounts) is that all my video content is available in completly different formats, some much too bandwidth consuming for wireless. And I am sure I am not the only one who uses wireless to watch movies.

If transcoding is done on a XBMC server "part" through maybe on the web part, by a module...just like youtube, but scaleable in quality / bandwidth..., this would be a perfect solution!
I don't think my goal is so far away from what currently is available in XBMC

[topfs2]

Great to find people with the same intention (and not less!)
My reason for wanting / needing real streaming (with transcoding)...(and not vfs / samba mounts) is that all my video content is available in completly different formats, some much too bandwidth consuming for wireless. And I am sure I am not the only one who uses wireless to watch movies.

If transcoding is done on a XBMC server "part" through maybe on the web part, by a module...just like youtube, but scaleable in quality / bandwidth..., this would be a perfect solution!
I don't think my goal is so far away from what currently is available in XBMC

If you intend to share from just a server then putting XBMC on it is not the best. XBMC is not designed to be just a server, it wastes resources like a crazy person in that scenario. uPnP specs allow for transcoding so just find a uPnP server which sports it and put that in the basement, thats is the best scenario.

If you wanted your main HTPC serve all other HTPC's then XBMC could do the serving, patches for transcoding is welcomed.

Cheers,
Tobias.

[mk78]

No. XBMC today is about the local network.

Does it mean, I can stream anything from XBMC on other PC in my local network? I was looking for some threads about it. Especially, I'm interested in streaming LiveTV from XBMC. Is it possible?