Looking for a Frontend (specific needs)

OK, I've been a fan of Meedio but I think it is time to give it up. My biggest problem is that I have to manage the video and music listings on each seperate box. If I add a new movie and it doesn't pull up the cover art jpg correctly, I have to then make the changes in the configuration program on each computer.

What I want is a "server/client" type of frontend. I want to be able to set it up on the server and configure all the movie/music/picture databases from that box, and then the client systems will just pull that information without having to do any extra configuration on them.

Basically, if I want to add a new DVD to my hard drive, I just sit in the office, rip the disk, add it to the database (while still sitting in the office), and at most just have to restart the frontend app on the client system.

Does this make sense Can Mediaportal (or some other frontend application) do this? Or am I out of luck?

Check out SageTV.

maybe with mythtv. I would have to imagine that that would be your best bet.

I use SageTV myself... it supports server, client and media playback devices (media extenders). I have full access to recorded TV from any computer the client is installed on (extra licences for each client have to be purchased seperately) and there's a HUGE mod community so if there's some function you need that isn't in the base software, chances are they are available as an add-on, all of which are free, for the most part.

SageTV has a infrequent update of the media drive (it keeps its own listing of what media is available) but there is a function to "rescan" for new media files.

Media Portal does this just fine (this is how I use it) but Meedio should work all the same too if you are using a centralised DVD database like from DVD Profiler. All you would need to do is input the DVD into Profiler, get a higher res cover art (cause the free version of Profiler only uses crappy low res) and then export it and update your frontends with the new database.

Well, I use SageTV for recording and their "frontend" is lacking IMO. Granted, I am still on version 5 and haven't made the jump to 6 yet, which is supposed to improve some things.

One of my problems with SageTV is the lack of being able to easily add additional items. For example, with Meedio, I have it set up to play emulator games (MAME, NES, Sega, etc.). There doesn't seem to be an easy way to incorporate this feature into SageTV and I wouldn't expect it since they are pretty focused on being a PVR software package.

Another thing I like about Meedio is setting up different video databases and being able to password protect them. Gotta keep all the pr0n away from the kiddies I know in SageTV 5, at least, all your video was dumped into the same "imported video" section.

Oh well, just going to have to tinker with MediaPortal I guess. I'm not getting the feeling that it will do exactly what I want, but I don't think anything will necessarily. What I really wanted was a software that could be set up on the server, then install a "client" software on the other machines, tell it to look at the server for all the configuration information during the setup, and never have to touch the client box again. Similar to SageTVClient, but with more flexibility and options

Sagetv v6 has password protected folders as an option, you can password protect just about any command within sage now. As for running external programs eg games, Dynamic Customizable Main Menu makes it as easy as a right-click to setup external programs or reorder your menus as you like.

I like to think of the basic install of SageTV as "just the beginning"... I always have at least 3+ plugins running.

Hmm, sounds like there have been some definite improvements in SageTV's media interface. I finally got around to making an image of my new server's hard drive, so I guess I will install the trial and test things out, then re-image the drive again (since I doubt you can re-use a server license key, even for testing purposes).

Check out the forums at forums.sage.tv ... there's lots of people who frequent them and can provide help or suggestions to fill a specific need.

both sage and mp do these functions, however imo sage..while easy to setup, falls behind in cusomizable setup, and also does not handle plugins well(to handle game roms and such). I love sage, but it fell short for me, and overall WAY too short for its price compared to mediaportal, which improves monthly now with fairly regular updates to modules, plugins, skins, etc. It DOES take more patience, but so far has played everything Ive thrown at it, incuding .ts, .tp files.I always founf meedio/myhtpc to be buggy to the point of frustration, and severely limited in overall function. Mediaportal does have it hurdles yet to overcome, but its a far superior product imho.

you machine specs are similar to mine, so it should be something you might want to consider.

Damn real life priorities keep getting in my way of testing things out Still haven't even gotten a chance to set up SageTV 6 yet.

Logan321 - so your saying that SageTV should be able to handle games (rom emulation), both from a emulator execution standpoint and from a ROM management standpoint?

For example, currently in Meedio, I can click on a button for GAMES, then select the console (SNES, Genesis, etc.), and get a listing off all my ROMs. Then I just click on the ROM I want to play, and it fires up the emulator and opens the correct ROM file.

I'm thinking I will set up a Virtual Machine here at work and load up Sage to tinker with for media capabilities. At least I know I have more free time at work than I do at home

m0deth - sorry you found Meedio "buggy". I've been very happy with it until they sold it off Still been using it, but at some point it started giving me errors when closing, other than that though it is still very stable. Of course, I never tried the PVR options (and wouldn't use Mediaportal for that either since I already have licenses for SageTV).

emulator execution standpoint, yes. As for rom management, that might be something that hasn't been created yet... though Sage's Studio program should allow you to program such a thing... or ask if anyone else is working on it. Honestly it's not something I use SageTV for, so I'm not that familiar with it.

I think I remember something about running meedio the way you described. If my memory works right, you can have th elibrary files on a shared drive, and as long as you have all you media on mapped drives (with the same drive letters on each machine) you're good to go. I think that this only happened in the later versions, where the libraries were stored in your user profile directory, rather than program files. I never tried it because I only had one box at the time, but I've got two meedio boxes now and I feel your pain. Having to run imdbmee twice if a hassle I could live without.

Eh, maybe I'm making all this up, my memory ain't what it used to be. Good luck with media portal, if that's the route you go. I tried it maybe a year ago, and it confused the hell out of me.