Is MediaMVP still the obvious choice for remoting video from PC to TV? (eg DSM-320?)

[callagga]

Hi,

Can I ask whether MediaMVP still the obvious choice for remoting video from PC to TV, re good value/functionality for money? (i.e. audio/video/remote capability - via LAN or wireless)

I did see the D-Link DSM-320 at http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=318# for example???

Tks

[sub]

The MVP is the only option that will give you the full GB-PVR user interface, so you can schedule recording, use plugins, view tv guide, watch live tv etc.

Other media device like the DSM-320 are just simple file players. i.e. use its supplied interface to browse/play a list of media files shared on your PC. Pretty primitive really...

[callagga]

Tks - just to understand do you mind if I ask:

a) is this because GB-PVR developers have put in the hard yards to integrate with MediaMVP? That is, could GB-PVR be enhanced to work with the D-Link DSM-320, such that either the DSM-320 or MediaMVP could be used? Or is there a inherent DSM-320 production limitation?

b) i should read up myself, but are able to characterise to what extent the MediaMVP is more open/flexible/able to be customised. Perhaps my question is what are the key feature sets required to allow GB-PVR to be integrated with the solution, and where does the DSM-320 fall down in your view. I'll try to draft an example of what I mean. If it easy for you to extend/update this list that would help me understand things.

* Ability to integrate remote button pushes to custom application (e.g. GB-PVR in this case - based on MVP client/server HTML approach)
==> MVP Yes, DSM-320 ???

* Ability to decode and display a MPEG2 video stream
==> MVP Yes, DSM-320 Yes I think?

* Ability to decode and play MP3 files
==> MVP Yes, DSM-320 Yes I think?

Thanks

[sub]

a) is this because GB-PVR developers have put in the hard yards to integrate with MediaMVP?

Yes. I've probably invested a few hundred hours into getting the MVP fully integrated with GB-PVR.

That is, could GB-PVR be enhanced to work with the D-Link DSM-320, such that either the DSM-320 or MediaMVP could be used?

Maybe. I dont own one of these D-Link device, so its not something I've investigated.

b) i should read up myself, but are able to characterise to what extent the MediaMVP is more open/flexible/able to be customised. Perhaps my question is what are the key feature sets required to allow GB-PVR to be integrated with the solution, and where does the DSM-320 fall down in your view

The key feature that allowed GB-PVR to provide a seamless experience on the MVP, was this device's approach to remotely generating the user interface on the PC. All button presses were sent across the network, a new screen was generated and sent back for display. I'm fairly sure this is not how the DSM-320 works. Instead it has software running locally on the device which is responsible for generating the user interface.

I'll be honest with you, I dont see myself implementing support for this device anytime soon. Definitly not before the end of the year, as I've already got a pretty busy schedule lined up.

[callagga]

thanks again for helping me understand things

Actually I didn't realise you were the developer . Congratulations on the system. I haven't read up on whether you have an open source contribution approach with the system (be it GB-PVR or the MVP extensions) I'd be happy to submit any enhancements/extensions if such a thing was possible.

One area that comes to mind is enhancing the AUDIO interface to provide more features, perhaps playlists (albeit via a custom solution or via integration with Windows Media Plays existings playlists). Any comments/recommendations regarding how people could get involved here? I'm still toying with a Topfield versus a GB-PVR/MVP solution I guess, but I like the idea of whichever the platform having a chance to jump in any help customise/grow the functionality.

Thanks

[sub]

Actually I didn't realise you were the developer . Congratulations on the system. I haven't read up on whether you have an open source contribution approach with the system (be it GB-PVR or the MVP extensions) I'd be happy to submit any enhancements/extensions if such a thing was possible.

Even though I offer it for free, GB-PVR is a closed source application. I have provided lots of APIs though that enable people to develop their own plugins etc.

One area that comes to mind is enhancing the AUDIO interface to provide more features, perhaps playlists (albeit via a custom solution or via integration with Windows Media Plays existings playlists). Any comments/recommendations regarding how people could get involved here?

Most of this sort of thing is possible via custom plugins. Many other music plugins can be found on the wiki http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Plugin/Plugin, but if none of these meet your need, you'll also find plenty of source code that would form a good basis for any custom plugin you decide to write yourself.

[bgowland]

Other media device like the DSM-320 are just simple file players. i.e. use its supplied interface to browse/play a list of media files shared on your PC. Pretty primitive really...

The MVP isn't that different. It can do two things - send commands from the remote to the server app. and then do what the server app. tells it to do as a result.

The difference in this case is that GB-PVR, when it comes to server apps, is far more advanced than the majority of stuff out there for devices like the DSM-320.

In reality, however, things like the DSM-320 have more potential than the MVP as they support UPnP-AV. In this area, the dumber the better (when they only work in a 'PUSH' mode). At that point, the server app. becomes king and, depending on your network setup, you could push any media to any device in your house. It could be done with MVPs but there is a lot more proprietry stuff involved.

I'll shut up now.

[sub]

Other media device like the DSM-320 are just simple file players. i.e. use its supplied interface to browse/play a list of media files shared on your PC. Pretty primitive really...

My comment refers more to the functionality the user will get when they use these devices with GB-PVR. I certainly think having component video etc on the DSM-320 is a big advantage, but when used will GB-PVR it'll be nothing more than a simple file player. You get much more when you use the MVP with GB-PVR

[jrockintuitive]

Brian,

I have some questions about the DSM-320.

Are you saying it's a "dumb" box like the MVP? - The box needs to get all of the instruction from the server.
Does the DSM-320 use hardware decoders like the MVP? Or are they software decoders?

Depending on the above answers, someone can create a server that act's like an MVP client and serves the DSM-320 (a passthrough agent). I believe someone has a work-in-progress MVP client software.

[callagga]

Sub - Is there a way to extend the MVP interface via the MVP mechanism/documentation, as opposed to having to do this via a full GB-PVR plugin? For example if I just want to add an additional menu item that could be used to allow a custom PC process/application to be fired could we do this by modifying the MVP HTML and configuration? (i.e. would be overkill in this case to do a full GB-PVR plugin)

Thinking laterally is there a way to switch between the normal MVP menu & the GB-PVR menu? This way the simple customisation I talked about could be added to the MVP menu/configuration (if you know what I mean). The question would be I guess how to trigger the MVP hardware to switch from one MVP server to the other (i.e. the standard MPV server to the GB-PVR MVP server) if this makes sense.

Any other thoughts?

Thanks

PS. Would be interested in the answers to jrockintuitive's questions too