XBMC questions

[skl111]

Sub,

1. Does the XBMC Addon stream the files as they are, or does it transcode them?

2. Would it be possible to transcode with selectable bitrates.

3. Would it be possible to have access to the videos/pictures/music via the XBMC Addon that have been mapped to npvr.

4. If 2 & 3 are possible, then the last question and more like a need would be for some type of authentication for the module.

I realize it might need to be a second module since this one is geared toward clients and not placeshifting, but it would enable playing over the internet with another xbmc and having npvr being a complete backend. Also having the option for multiple placeshifting backends would be great!!!!!!!!!

One really cool, i mean really cool thing is that if you have 2 different levels of permissions for that authentication, would be a full and read only.

The reason I say this is that, I would love to give my sister-in-law in Virgina, access to my library and my mother-in law in south Georgia access as well, but not be able to modify stuff(i have the bandwidth). I wouldn't want bad people having access to it either.

[sub]

Sub,

1. Does the XBMC Addon stream the files as they are, or does it transcode them?

It streams them as is.

2. Would it be possible to transcode with selectable bitrates.

No. I've experimented with transcoding in the past with ffmpeg and found way too many problems, so not keen to go down that path.

3. Would it be possible to have access to the videos/pictures/music via the XBMC Addon that have been mapped to npvr.

The PVR addons aren't designed to be able to do that. In theory you might be able to make your Videos library files show up, but I suspect it'd only play transport stream files. The XBMC PVR addons cant do music/pictures. The PVR addons dont have access to the XBMC APIs needed for these other file types.

Sorry - I know these probably aren't the answers you wanted, but what you're asking for is way outside the scope of the XBMC PVR addons.

[mvallevand]

For 2 X-NEWA can use the VLC streaming and transcoding engine NEWA uses over the internet and for 4 it must use strong crypto to login when it comes over the internet.

Martin

[imilne]

Check out hamachi from Logmein. Really easy to set up vpn that would let you set up their PCs to map to drives on your system - you could share anything you want securely as if they were on the same LAN as you.

Iain

[KRA]

3. Would it be possible to have access to the videos/pictures/music via the XBMC Addon that have been mapped to npvr.

4. If 2 & 3 are possible, then the last question and more like a need would be for some type of authentication for the module.

I realize it might need to be a second module since this one is geared toward clients and not placeshifting, but it would enable playing over the internet with another xbmc and having npvr being a complete backend. Also having the option for multiple placeshifting backends would be great!!!!!!!!!

One really cool, i mean really cool thing is that if you have 2 different levels of permissions for that authentication, would be a full and read only.

The reason I say this is that, I would love to give my sister-in-law in Virgina, access to my library and my mother-in law in south Georgia access as well, but not be able to modify stuff(i have the bandwidth). I wouldn't want bad people having access to it either.

VPN and normal windows share is your solution, several new routers have VPN support now, so it's really easy to setup and fantastic with full access to your home network from "outside".

[skl111]

Sub,
Yeah, they weren't but one can hope .
maybe I can so some digging on how STV uses FFMPEG so smoothly with it's PlaceShifters, if that would help?

As far as VPN, does NPVR Server Transcode files to the NPVR client? As far as i know it doesn't.
If that is the Case then VPN even with compression would not work because of Bandwidth on their end (3 Meg and 1.5Meg DSL).
Even if they could download at 4 meg, HD files require more than 4 Meg download to play smoothly without trasncoding.
Therein lies the problem.

[KRA]

Are you talking about live tv ? Or just recorded tv and other media files ? If not live-tv maybe something like remotepotato is what you are looking for http://www.remotepotato.com/ (free) or TVersity http://tversity.com/ (not free) This ofcourse has nothing to do with xbmc, but rather access your media remotly.

[mvallevand]

Even if they could download at 4 meg, HD files require more than 4 Meg download to play smoothly without trasncoding.Therein lies the problem.

That is why UJB offers transcoding in NEWA which X-NEWA takes advantage of.

Martin