DVD Lobby

nfordenfield

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Got a HCPC and a PDA, want "access" to be PDA driven with the Plasma seeing the Video, DVD lobby seems a nice GUI choice.

Was tempted with net remote etc.

Is peer to peer as good as an access point?

Would appreciate a success story to help with product choice.

I'm hoping for a simple solution to network dvd, cd etc to kids computers, whole house audio and net access in hall etc.

Any ideas?
 
I would have thought most people here use myHTPC as it is free and much better.
 
I have myHTPC, but want all the GUI on a PDA, and a networking ability, just seen a nice bluetooth Mediapad, which has potential as a remote.

thanks for the reply CrispyxUK
 
Nathan,

I use NetRemote, J River Media Center a Toshiba e740 with built in wifi and a wireless network card for the PC. I run in a P2P mode, and it works great. I think a wirless access point would give you the ability to add more decives, but if you only want the two, then you should be fine.

I think NetRemote is a great piece of software. The amount of support from the guy who wrote the program is great. I use the PPC to browse my albums by cover, then play, stop, skip tracks etc. It does this job amazingly well. I know that you can browse dvd covers from DVD profiler if you want, and use it to control TheaterTek and other DVD programs.

If you have more questions, then fire away. I will do my best to answer them.

Cheers

Rob
 
Sounds great Pulsar, never got netremote to work over bluetooth, but i'm gettting a centrino laptop so will need to get a WiFi Access Point now.

Was going to get the Linksys 54, which is g and backward b compatible, is this a good choice - £80 in PC World.

Played with DVD profiler the otherday, so may need to spend some time getting this all working again.

Rgds

Nathan

p.s. the Mediapad was a bluetooth claculator type device that seemed to talk to win Media player as it was listing types
 
I use Radmin on a cheap secondhand fujistu sub notebook with a wireless nic.
The laptop gives me the desktop of the HTPC ( fully functional apart from overlay).
Its also got a touchscreen and stylus. Used in conjunction with my HTPC I get a nice and clean looking remote terminal.

I also use it on my main desktop downstairs so I can tweak the HTPC without firing up the projector during the day.
 
Nathan,

Have a look here ( http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/prod...2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=45025 ) for that acces point. The specs look good, so it should do the job you want. If you don't mind me asking, how much are you going to pay for this mediapad? Just thinking a PPC may give greater flexability, but may cost too much.

I haven't used bluetooth much, only between my PC and phone, but it seems quite stable, just not as quick as wireless networking.

Good luck

Rob
 
myHTPC should soon be a client/server stlye app
 
Nathan,

Got the whole lobby suite with ppc access from my wifi enabled Tosh e740, only problems are with MusicLobby PPC bt that now appears to be sorted. With the recent introduction of MLServer it really is beginning to come together. DVDLobby used to import the DVDProfiler database but with the latest MLServer release it has the ability to download hi quality cover art, all the decriptions and also includes trivia, on the cards is something that will utilise the trivia!!

For the money it really cant be beat with excellent integration with Theatertek and when the USBUIRT plugin is complete you can wave goodbye to girder and have MainLobby/MuLobby/DVDLobby etc control all your AV gear via PPC.

If you look at the alternatives they really are several '000's for this level of functionality and control.

Check out the forum here

You can try out the suite for 30 days FOC. The gui takes a bit to get your head around setting up but you can get it tolook really slick and have a common look/feel across all apps.

You didn't expect me not to post did you ;)

Steve
 
Steve,

Just waiting for your seal of approval m8.

Looks like some sleepless night then.....
 
Steve Bate,

I think that I shall be taking a look at the lobby suite. Sounds like it is more advanced than my current mediacenter/netremote solution. Was it hard to get it working with dvd profiler and theatretek?

Cheers

Rob
 
Pulsar,

With DVDProfiler you just export the database and import into the DVDLobby plugin in MLServer, alternatively scrap DVDProfiler and just use the plugin to get the info it's just as good as Profiler :)

Theatertek is a doddle there are plugins in DVDLobby for Theatertek and Zoom. My config is:

Server with about 100 ripped DVD's (you can also watch single DVD's via the DVD drive) running MainLobby & MainLobby Server, various HTPC's running ML, MLS, DVDL, MusicLobby, MC9.1, Theatertek and my pda running the PPC versions of MusicLobby and DVDLobby. I can select which film to watch on which HTPC all by wifi, try it out, any problems post on the Cinemar forum and you'll get sorted in no time. The only difficulty is getting your head around setting up the UI and writing the command strings for MLServer (most have nowbeen done so just ask!!)

I was dubious but it really is a great suite and the support is superb.

The screenshots on the site are exactly what you get, not after hours and hours of tweaking but pretty much straight off, its very slick

HTH

Steve
 
Hi Steve,

Back again. Just wondered if you could answer a few questions for me please. It is not clera in my head exactly what Main Lobby is? Is it software that can be used to design a front end for launching all of your HTPC applications, or does it include some of its own applications?

Here are the applications that i currently use in my HTPC.
TheatreTek for playing the DVD in the drive (DVD's not ripped)
Dscalar for watching cable TV
Media Centre for playing music ripped to the hard drive in monkey audio.
DVD profiler for browsing DVD titles.
To this I would also like to add a picture slideshow application.

By using Main Lobby, will I be able to launch each individual program and control its function. For example, will I be using a main lobby button to skip chapters in TheaterTek, or use TheaterTek?

If it will do what I hope, then $60 is very cheap.

Cheers

Rob
 
Originally posted by Pulsar
Hi Steve,

Back again. Just wondered if you could answer a few questions for me please. It is not clera in my head exactly what Main Lobby is? Is it software that can be used to design a front end for launching all of your HTPC applications, or does it include some of its own applications?

Here are the applications that i currently use in my HTPC.
TheatreTek for playing the DVD in the drive (DVD's not ripped)
Dscalar for watching cable TV
Media Centre for playing music ripped to the hard drive in monkey audio.
DVD profiler for browsing DVD titles.
To this I would also like to add a picture slideshow application.

By using Main Lobby, will I be able to launch each individual program and control its function. For example, will I be using a main lobby button to skip chapters in TheaterTek, or use TheaterTek?

If it will do what I hope, then $60 is very cheap.

Cheers

Rob

Hi Pulsar, ok to begin, the media suite is essentially a front end for a HTPC. MainLobby is the main controller and allows you to launch either other "scenes" or applications providing you with a common look and feel.

DVDLobby is again a front end behind which sits either a DVD jukebox, like the Sony multichangers, controlled by a slinke controller, or a software DVD player such as Theatertek or Zoom. For the S/W players you can use either the DVD drive or ripped films (the main benefit comes from ripped films where you can build up a database of films, view the clipart, select and watch wherever is appropriate)

MusicLobby again is a front end which specifically links into J Rivers Media Center or Jukebox software and gives you a very slick front end utilising all of the capabilities of MC9 (and then some)

There's also WeatherLobby, WebLobby and a host of others in the pipeline including Photolobby and TVLobby all again front ends to allow commonality between applications.

Tying it all together is MainLobby Server providing a client server architecture to enable real scalability and simplistic whole house access to ..... well anything PC or AV based.

T give you an example, I've got:

AVServer with MainLobby, MainLobby Server and MC9 running, this holds approx 250 CD ripped ape encoded, 100ish DVD's ripped with DVDShrink.

Accessing this I have:

HTPC1 running MainLobby, MusicLobby, DVDLobby, MC9, MainLobby Server and Theatertek, this allows me to view my CD coverart, select playlists ect from the MC9 database via the MusicLobby MC9 plugin, view my ripped DVD's via their cover art (this could be either DVDProfiler as I used to have, or now directly via the DVDLobby plugin which offers the same if not better facilities) select the film and watch it, either ripped or by DVD drive in the HTPC (you can set up a script to send the essage "This Film needs to loaded manually, please insert the disk and press play" for example) control of Theatertek is via the onscreen interface provided via the TT plugin.

HTPC2 running MainLobby, MusicLobby, DVDLobby, MC9, MainLobby Server, TheaterTek, Holograph3d and Dscaler, I have got a menu setup that says:

Watch a DVD (Another instance of DVDLobby linking to the master database)
Listen to Music (As above, but can also use the zone capability of MC9)
Play Games (Launches the games directly and minimises MainLobby)
Look at my Pictures (not there yet)
Watch my Videos (Launches my Holograph3D Software and accesses the relevant input to watch Videos throught the de-interlacing of the Holo3d software)
Watch TV (As above, or launches DScaler to view my NetGen Freeview Digibox)
Watch Sky (As Videos)

All of this costs about $200 (one licence covers all the PC's in your house), with the next release the interface can only get better and with the USBUIRT plugin due soon, then I can use the USBUIRT to send IR commands to all of my AV gear in the rack, so switch channels/inputs up/down volume etc.

I've also got the PPC versions of the lobby suite, currently MuLobby and DVDLobby, soom to be MainLobby, this enables me to select which server I'm looking at and also selecting music /films to watch/listen to via my Tosh e740 PDA via wireless.

The flexibility of MLServer is truly outstanding allowing conditional commands, redirrect commands and the ML community are really helpfull.

Finally I am no way connected or remunerated by Cinemar, I just love their prducts :D

Any more questions please let me know.

Or PM me!!

Steve
 
Have a wireless network based on a 2mb broadband - this is very quick

PDA also works, so going to try netremote first - wish me luck!!!!
 
Steve,

Thanks for the very informative post. I will investigate this further.

Nathan,

Goodluck mate, but I am sure you will be fine. Give me a shout if I can help.

Cheers

Rob
 
well media player worked first time off the bat - wow.

gonna investigate further now

can this control myHTPC?
 
got a ccf that looks great and handles volume, mute etc, gettting close now
 
I have managed to get three PCs networked and on my desktop I can launch zoom player( dont have theatertek) and browse for the two movies I have ripped and sorted profiles for in DVDlobbypro3.
I notice a girder plugin so do I then control Zoom directly with Girder and also can I control ML DvdL etc etc witha pronto and girder combo( It would be great if one existed already).
Lobby seems superb but as a novice to this its is divorce material and I may have to shelve it co s she aint happy.
Next is to link the network and use PC1 as a server-should be fun
 

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