Frontend software for watching TV shows?

I've got a bunch of TV episodes on my PC that I like to watch from time to time. I have a TV-out card so I can watch them on my TV in the living room. Everything's set up nice, but I'd really like some kind of frontend software where I can select shows by name, season, do keyword searches of descriptions, browse them, even view some screenshots or something. Surely something like this must exist? Right now I have to have playlists set up in WinAMP or browse them from the File/Open dialog which is a bit of a hassle. Ideally the frontend would have a nice configurable interface so I can make sure the text is readable on my TV output.

Any suggestions?

While it dosen't have everything you want, the ATI Remote Wonder + Multimedia Center does give a decent full screen interface controllable from the remote. Main problem I have with it is the inability to have it scan automaticially and clean up/add new content to the library.

Agreed on the Remote Wonder. I'm not a fan of the current software (Bruno says something better is coming along), but Girder has let me do great things, from changing to TV viewing settings to changing resolution (including color depth and refresh rate), to opening and closing Winamp with one button, to making WMP full-screen and back.

Plus, the Remote Wonder's RF reception is fantastic! I can use it from the other side of my house (35 feet away through about 4 walls). Great product.

myHTPC

Snapstream

Check them both out.

Bruno

I can vouch for myHTPC, I was running that until I got my media center in place...

Thanks, Bruno, myHTPC is exactly what I was looking for. I had a go of it last night and ended up staying awake until 3am playing around with it. Simple to use, very configurable. Seems like a lot of 3rd party stuff going into plugins too. I was going to play with Snapstream but it seems more geared towards a ful HTPC setup with TiVo and DVD playing capabilities, neither of which I need. Plus myHTPC is free.

Make sure you grab TVHolic for it. Quite nice electronic program guide. Even if it violates a couple of dozen Gemstar patents, shhhh. It's hosted on the myHTPC site but not linked from any obvious pages (search their forum though).

I'll likely set this up on my TV PC later for playing back movies and other recorded media. I may or may not use the TV features, depending on whether or not I cancel cable. The PC TV portions would only complement my satellite service anyway (Tivo-based).

Bruno

Make sure you grab TVHolic for it.

Hm, is there any reason I would want this if I'm not using myHTPC for recording TV shows? I have a ReplayTV for that purpose. myHTPC is just for viewing shows I've already archived to my PC and compressed. Is there some feature of TVHolic that would be relevant for me even though I'm not using it to record?

myHTPC is awesome though. Thanks to the magic of Perl and myHTPC's cool metadata features, I now have all 300+ of my Simpsons episodes tagged with titles, plot synopses, screenshots, and even the names of guest stars. Family Guy is next.

TVHolic is also great for watching Live TV. but if you're only interested in archived shows, then no. No use that I can think of. Glad myHTPC is working out for you though. Rest assured that when I go set it up I'll be coming to you for tips and scripts. Bruno

Bruno, is there anywhere in the program that I can view control configurations? I mean, all I've been able to see is that the only controls needed for the program are the arrow and return keys. I'd like to know how to move back and forth between queued files while they are playing.

Thanks. This is a really cool program.

You tried getting girder set up for remote control yet?

is there anywhere in the program that I can view control configurations?

If I remember correctly there wasn't a lot of options for MS media player in there, however I remember being able to do quite a bit with the number pad....

You might want to download the wmp9 media plugin heres an overview http://myhtpc.net/pub/MediaPlayerPlugins/WMP9VideoPlugin/

Ugggh! Has Girder completely thrown out its user interface? It was completely unusable in my opinion.

A much better remote solution (thought not with my ideal interface) is uICE. http://www.mediatexx.com

Unfortunately I haven't yet set up myHTPC so I don't have any details on its input controls. I'm sure it's all expandable though.

Bruno

that was kind of a baited question, I felt stupid when I tried to use girder... I just didn't get it...

In the end using the remote was pretty important so I got Microsoft Media center 2004 up and running, and honestly haven't had any regrets.

You tried getting girder set up for remote control yet?

Yeah, I have Girder working quite well for myHTPC now. I already had it working for other programs (WinAMP, my graphics viewer, etc.) I won't say Girder's the easiest thing to use (as Bruno indicates) but it's the most powerful remote control solution available.

Yeah, I have Girder working quite well for myHTPC now.

You are the man...

You are the man...

Well if I knew that's all it took, I would have done it sooner!

I agree, Girder has worked very well for me for 4 years now. It's true that it's a bit annoying to set up, but once you have the basic functions down, it's quite easy to add new commands.

And Bruno, no offense, but ATI's remote control software is nothing but user interface. There is absolutely no power in it. Hell, if I want to control anything but ATI's own software I have to go through a much more confusing process than anything Girder can throw at me. The only thing that ATI's software has going for it is better control over the mouse. But the mouse isn't necessary in myHTPC, so now I'm fine with that (I've got it working pretty well anyway).

The only thing that ATI's software has going for it is better control over the mouse.

Not sure if you've used the Advanced Mouse Event plugin for Girder or not, but that addresses a lot of the shortcomings of Girder's default mouse control stuff. I don't know what other advantages the ATI software might provide, but I can't think of any mouse functionality that isn't available in Girder once you install that plugin.

Cool, I might try it out. I've currently programmed all the directions in myself, but it's only eight-way and in one speed. ATI's mouse control was excellent. It was very smooth with just the right amount of acceleration.

I'll try the Girder plugin, though.

Tony, which plugin are you speaking of?

Is it the "Mouse" one on this page? (sounds like a dumb question, but I want to be sure )

Is it the "Mouse" one on this page?

No, it's the first one on the plugins page. Kinda confusing to have two different pages with plugins.

Hey, I don't design the PC software. When you see the new version of the Mac software, which I *did* design, then I'm all ears. Our mouse movement is even better than what you've seen under Windows. BTW, there is Linux source available for that remote - if you wanted to port a simple driver and make a control panel yourself for Windows.

I still think MediaTexx's uICE is more usable and more useful for remote usage on Windows than Girder. And, like everyone else, I think ATI's own Remote Wonder "Software" for Windows is sub-par. It's not much more than a driver. It's unfortunately two drivers actually. A USB layer with a COM interface to the control panel which actually performs the functions like mouse moving and program launching. With uICE you don't even need to run the ATI software anymore. And it supports the mouse movement.



Bruno

Tony, how does this plugin work? All that you download from the site is a compressed dll file with no instructions whatsoever. There's a plugin folder in the Girder program directory, but that even has two folders inside it, one for "hardware" and one for "software." But then there are dlls in the plugin directory its self. How did the plugin author expect to have you figure it out? I also searched the forums and could barely find any mention of the plugin on there.

So what does it do and how do I do it?

Tony, how does this plugin work?

First, put it in the main plugins directory (not under hardware or software.) To use it, you need to go to File/Settings then to the Plugins tab and put a check mark next to "Advanced Mouse Event." Then create a command and in the box in the lower right hand corner where you define the action for the command, go to "Plugins" and a list of your plugins is there.. Select "Advanced Mouse Event." Then if you click "Settings" you'll have a window with all the options for what the plugin can do (click, double click, move & click, etc.) The main thing I use this for that the regular Mouse functions don't give is the ability to do "mouse button down" then "mouse move" then "mouse button up" which lets you drag windows around. I don't use it often in the manual sense, but as part of macros where I wanna position windows or move things around automatically, it works very well.

Thanks, Tony. I eventually got to this (it was the enabling plugins part that I didn't know I had to do), and tried it out.

I wasn't aware that this isn't just a plugin to move your mouse around. I really don't need those capabilities (though they are cool), so I got rid of it. I did, however, find a thread on the Girder forums (by Bitmonster, I think), in which he posted a mouse group. It really works amazingly well! Nearly as good as the ATI software! It's a little slow, but the transition between directions is seemless and all the movement is very smooth.

So now I'm all set with everything programed for myHTPC. I can do nearly everything by remote in that program now, even fast forward and rewind video files (very cool). The only thing I can't seem to do is map a shorcut to the remote that will alternate full screen video mode. Oh well, no big deal.

The only thing I can't seem to do is map a shorcut to the remote that will alternate full screen video mode.

Wouldn't a command that just sends "Alt-Enter" do the trick?

I would have thought, but for some reason (at least on my PC), myHTPC seems to block all commands that go to WMP while its being used.

I now that I'm coming in late here but does no one else use xlobby? I use it to access all of my DVD's from my fileserver. I found it easier to use then MyHTPC and highly customizable. You might want to give it a try, or not. www.xlobby.com

I now that I'm coming in late here but does no one else use xlobby?

Honestly, I tried it about 4 months ago... It kind of sucked.... It showed potential, and the user group seemed to be pretty excited about it. I just didn't understand why anyone would choose that over myHTPC. I didn't really see where it was any easier to use then myHTPC, in fact the opposite and at that point the UI was hideous. Has it gotten any better since then?

That looks like a really nice program, and the layout certainly looks less bubbly than myHTPC, but I can see how it would probably be harder to use. Particularly with a remote control, not using a mouse, and at 800x600 for viewing on a TV screen.

I've only been using it for about a month. I really had a hard time getting MyHTPC to play nice with TheaterTek. I just didn't quite understand how to add stuff. Granted, I didn't put a lot of effort into it. I really like the way I can customize the screens in XLobby. I found it pretty intuitive which is good because the docs do suck. It's probably just me. I know a lot of people use MyHTPC and love it.

I use one of those gyration air mice. It works really well. It is another remote though. I think I've got about five of 'em.

Just checked out the new screenshots, looks like it's come a long way, might have to give it another try...

Have you guys seen the Pinnacle ShowCenter? Looks kinda cool. Hopefully it will be at CES so I can check it out.

Here's my MyHTPC config file for Dignan17.