Thread: HTPC things

Just going to post my HTPC softwares etc in the hope someone might gain something, and someone else might contribute.

I use XBMC 10 as my library/player. As I don't have a tuner, it's ideal.

I use theRenamer TV and Movie Show Renamer as my TV show renaming tool, I've been through quite a few, but this one stuck. Shows up as a virus in the latest versions because he packaged flash into the installer. Can set a fetch folder + renaming + sorting. Can also do custom series names etc.

for Movie management I use ember media manager, which is essentially run out of the XBMC forums. It's gone out of development, but it's reasonably functional, it's also open source. Can be used to do nfo, poster, fanart scraping, as well as uniform renaming of folders + movie files. I mainly use it for sorting out shitty folder structures from crazy people. Movie Title (YYYY) folders please. I don't do xml .nfos and .tbn/.jpg in the folders, I'm sure I have a reason. XBMC library is good enough, and I don't particularly need/want the portability of .nfos.
download emm revisited. Ember Media Manager - Revisited (Open Source VB.NET Project)

final words on emm project on xbmc. Ember Media Manager(Open Source VB.NET)


I use the XBMC remote for android, and it is fantastic. I also have a remote app for my Samsung TV that comes via samsung apps for my phone (galaxy S).

addons:
I make extensive use of apple movie trailers plugin, which has to be added via an external repository these days, I also use trailer addicts addon, but it doesn't give me any movie information with the trailer, so it's not as good.

I also have an addon to let me watch iView xbmc-boxee-iview - it's functional, not a lot of bells + whistles. Same guy does a plus7 plugin.

Just come across a greasemonkey script YouTube XBMC for Greasemonkey that sends a youtube video from your browser, to the xbmc youtube plugin. Makes it very simple to watch youtube on the bigger screen, at least in my setup. Pretty much what prompted me to make this thread.

also, Sick Beard - Internet PVR for your TV Shows. I don't use it, but it apparently works very well for some people. Something about registering for trackers puts me off.

Sickbeard all the way. I also coded my own "VPN ON", "VPN OFF" apps to do it inside XBMC and access Pandora/Hulu from apps as well.

My only issue now is disk space.

My setup, with some differences (thus things to try if you wish):

I use Windows Media Center (Windows 7) with ffdshow-tryout to decode my media. I have a twin HD Hauppauge tuner for watching/recording TV in MC7 natively.

I let Sickbeard arrange and name my television shows, which it also automatically searches for and downloads. It's brilliant.

I let My Movies do the same for, well, my movies. My Movies is the most comprehensive, flexible, polished and stable piece of software I've found for the job - I'd suggest you at least take a look at it.

I have an IR sensor and an actual remote to control Windows Media Player/VLC/Windows Media Center.

As for trailers, My Movies automatically finds trailers for the movies I have in my library, and lets me stream them from within the synopsis page of each movie in Windows Media Center.

I also have plugins for Media Center for iView, YouTube etc. - but I never use them. I just minimise Media Center and use my Logitech DiNovo Mini to navigate the actual websites as I like the power/control.

And I'm sure you're using it, but if you're not, SABnzbd as your Usenet server/downloader, then SABnzbd++ for Chrome. You can 1-click send downloads from your NZB search engine to your SABnzbd server at home and watch the download progress remotely. And then grab the myNZB app if it's available for Android.

I'll definitely take a look at mymovies, is my initial assumption that it's completely locked down without paying for it correct?

Is the dinovo mini decent gear? I have a wireless keyboard, but it's rubbish. Price looks a bit hairy on yours though.

and I do have a harmony 670 remote to do IR control.

What index do you use for sickbeard?

Personally I can't stand the DiNovo mini. I just have a MS mouse with the blue sensor (can't remember marketing name). Works on any surface - couch, leg, etc.

I was looking at the Logitech MX Air. Might be an option.

We have this no name thing at work which is a little keyboard and then you just tilt it back/forward/left/right to move the mouse. Heaps accurate. Check them out at JB Hifi. Can't remember the name. Sorry. Pretty useless description really.

Sickbeard is the best name for any software. Ever.

Personally I use Media Portal and manage all my movies and shit manually on my main computer which doubles as my file server.

Originally Posted by Wrathlon

Personally I use Media Portal and manage all my movies and shit manually on my main computer which doubles as my file server.

Media Portal is poop. Just sayin'.

Originally Posted by Harbinger

I'll definitely take a look at mymovies, is my initial assumption that it's completely locked down without paying for it correct

Nein. Almost fully featured without any contribution. You'll miss nothing by not donating money.

Originally Posted by Harbinger

Is the dinovo mini decent gear? I have a wireless keyboard, but it's rubbish. Price looks a bit hairy on yours though.

I couldn't live without the DiNovo Mini, it's a game changer. Essentially you have a trackpad (akin to laptop) attached to a small qwerty keyboard (but that is twice the size of any phone's slide out qwerty, to give you some perspective). It also has various additional functions and media controls.

It's about $180, has a shell/lid to protect from coffee table spills and the battery lasts yonks before needing a charge.

But, as gi illustrates, it's obviously not for everyone.

I'm using mediaportal. Its never given me any trouble and its what I've got so why change?

Recently loaded and configured sickbeard and that's working a treat. Never knew about Mymovies, I'll do that if its the same as sickbeard.

Sickbeard renames and grabs thumbnails so I've been using the hugely impressive YAMMM for renaming movies, sorting thumbnails etc etc. Its not being supported anymore as far as I can tell but they program is less than 100kb sits monitoring my folders and once downloaded using SABNZBD it does its thing. Its very impressive sitting at your screen and watching all the movies and folders rearrange themselves in realtime once you have added the folder to the watchlist.

I use a wireless Logtiech keyboard to control Mediaportal as the range of shorcuts is too large for my harmony but I'm going to be setting up a brand spanking new HTPC in the not too distant future so Mediaportal may get the flick there for WM7.

I used to use YAMMM. Trust me, get My Movies.

My Movies - Home

Although some of My Movies neat functionality may be exclusive to Windows Media Center? You'd have to look into it further.

Edit: indeed there are some features exclusive to WMC. But; "You can also use the My Movies Collection Management product to store our high-quality movie meta-data for other products such as Dune, TViX, XBMC, Windows Media Center's built-in movie library and many other products."

Oh PS, it has an Android app. As I said, it's comprehensive - truly outstanding collection management tool.