[mythtv] MythArchive extension - request for discussion

[Steve Smith]

On 28/03/2008, Shawn C. Powell <shawncp at kcnet.com> wrote:
> 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
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>  http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-dev
>  >  > /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?

Yes, you've captured exactly what I'm talking about! I can see the
possibility of confusion given the existing facilities, however I'm
sure that most users are familiar with the paradigm of inserting a
removable media and then playing the contents of that media. Ordinary
DVD does this well for Mpeg2, CD for uncompress audio. There are as
yet no real standards for discs full of avi's or mp3s etc.... however
Myth is capable of producing them in one way or another.

I suppose the best entry point for playing such media would be the
"Play DVD" menu item, although it might be best to have "Play DVD" and
"Play Removable Media" which would actually be the same thing.
Effectively a system that allows the user to insert removable media
and play it without importing it etc. etc.

If you relate it to the archive library idea you've proposed it could
also be seen as a reverse method of doing what you propose. As I
understand it (part of ) your proposal is:
   1) Search for the program/film/music you want to play through Myth.
   2) Myth either plays it from harddisc or prompts you to insert a
particular Archive disc from the library.
i.e. a kind of multi-level hierarchichal file store. This is kind of
the reverse of what most people are used to, they are used to
searching around their house for a DVD to put in the machine and then
the machine telling them what's on it. *I* like the library concept,
but I'm not sure my girlfriend's parents would be able to grasp the
concept...

Anyway I'm rambling... in short yes I suppose I'd like an extension of
the existing facilities you've just described so all that reading of
metadata and playing of NUVS is handled automatically and presented a
bit like an ordinary common or garden DVD.

Cheers

Steve