[mythtv] MythArchive extension - request for discussion

[Shawn C. Powell]

On Friday 28 March 2008 05:49, Steve Smith wrote:
>
> Sounds useful. Could the scheme also be loosened to allow export of
> myth recordings to removable media, which you can then put into another
> /the same myth box and use them a bit like a DVD? i.e. a menu of the
> recordings on the disc together with descriptions. A kind of
> MythFormatDVD?
> (Why not ordinary DVD? Because ordinary DVD doesn't support non-mpeg2
> so requires reencoding)
>

If I understand, and correct me if I'm wrong, what you're describing is the 
ability to play a MythArchive at any Myth box with the same, or at least 
similar, simplicity as taking one of your DVD's to a friend's house and 
popping it in his DVD player.

I think this could be done but two things: 

(1) I think this gets outside the (proper? :) ) relatively narrow focus of the 
archive maintenance extension we're talking about.  

(2) It overlaps with a couple other areas of MythTV which have already headed 
down a similar "road" and some careful thought is warranted.  

For instance, if you enable dvd/cd monitoring,  inserting in a MythArchive DVD 
pops up a file browser on the archive although as far as I can tell, it 
currently doesn't smartly handle the archive such as displaying .nuv's or the 
recorded-item meta data from the .xml file, or allowing playing directly from 
the archive.

Another possible "proper" place might be at the "play dvd" menu item.

A potential point of user confusion is that although DVD's might be most 
commonly used for archives, CD's, flash drives, or USB drives could also be 
used.

Finally, although not quite as simplistic as popping in a DVD, MythTV does 
already have the capability to import an archive to other machines.

What do you think?

-Shawn