[mythtv] Idea

[Joseph A. Caputo]

-----Original Message-----
>From: mythtv-dev-bounces at mythtv.org
[mailto:mythtv-dev-bounces at mythtv.org]On Behalf Of Jason
>Schloer
>Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2003 2:06 PM
>To: mythtv-dev at mythtv.org
>Subject: [mythtv] Idea
>
>
>So, I'm thinking of doing some work on Myth but wanted to check and see if
it's something
>that others would want at all(especially Isaac), before I go devoting too
much time to it.
>That said, I was thinking of extending the plugin architecture to support
an interface for TV
>overlay. My main reason for doing this is Home automation, but I imagine
there would be other
>uses as well. I'd like to be able to open a plugin menu which lists all
plugins which
>implement mythplugin_overlay, or something like that. Existing plugins
could support it, for
>example, mythmusic could allow CD ripping while watching TV, or myth
weather could be turned
>on to show the weather somewhere on screen. A Stock plugin could be added
to display a stock
>ticker if a user wanted. For me I'd like to be able to turn off the lights
without dropping
>out of watching my current show to the main menu, or heaven forbid get off
my lazy arse and
>turn them off manually.
>
>Anyway, forgive me if this has been discussed before and rejected or seems
like a crummy
>idea. I mostly wanted to see if work in this direction would potentially be
accepted into the
>project, or if it would violate some original premise of its design. Look
forward to hearing
>everyone's input. Later,
>
>Jason Schloer

What I'd prefer to see is *every* Myth screen have a 'hole' in it for a
playing video stream, like the EPG does when you bring it up in LiveTV mode.
Then you could navigate all through Myth, in & out of plugins and menus,
while still watching whatever you were playing (be it a recorded program or
LiveTV).  When something wanted to grab the audio output (like Mythmusic),
it could either mute the playing video or just play its sound 'mixed-in'.
Certain situations might cancel the playback, like EXEC'ing something or
playing a file in MythVideo... I understand what you're going after, but
doing overlay stuff on the playing stream (a la the OSD) can be taxing on
your CPU, especially if your frontend box if very lightweight, like an
Epia-based machine.

Just my $0.02; obviously, if you're going to be implementing it, it's up to
you.  I'd definitely like access to other Myth functions without exiting out
of what I'm watching, whichever way you decide to do it.

-JAC