C4sb Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 I'm considering building an HTPC to replace my bluray player and cable box in my theater. I would like to know how I can control it with my Control4 system. I know there are XBMC and WMC drivers that integrate these programs, but I would like to use this as a multi-purpose PC as well: (ie: web browsing, music streaming, video streaming). I'm wondering if this program would allow IP/serial control with control4. http://mcec.codeplex.com/ ? Also, what is the best blu ray playback software that integrates with XBMC or WMC? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapaSmurf74 Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 I am using a simple IR driver with a windows media center IR driver with my HTPC. I created it myself and I'm happy to share it. The IR driver that's available in the dealer database is sorely lacking. It's setup to be always on since my HTPC serves multiple 24/7 applications. There are some options with 3rd party drivers from EV, but I've been very happy with the IR setup. Of course you're going to need another method of controlling the HTPC when you are outside of WMC. You really need some form of mouse emulation. I've found that Unified Remote on the google play store works extremely well for controlling the HTPC. I've played around a lot with a multiple ir receivers and programs for scripting windows actions with a remote and in the long run it just didn't work that well. Use your smartphone to control the HTPC outside of WMC. As far as bluray playback software goes, I vote for Arcsoft Total Media Theatre. The WMC integration is very nice with TMT. I recently did a trial of powerDVD since they added some key features like playback of ripped movie titles. I had stuttering issues with powerDVD and ultimately went back to TMT. TMT and some program to manage metadata like MediaBrowser or MyMovies can turn your HTPC into a very cool bluray playback system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C4sb Posted June 19, 2014 Author Share Posted June 19, 2014 I am using a simple IR driver with a windows media center IR driver with my HTPC. I created it myself and I'm happy to share it. The IR driver that's available in the dealer database is sorely lacking. It's setup to be always on since my HTPC serves multiple 24/7 applications. There are some options with 3rd party drivers from EV, but I've been very happy with the IR setup. Of course you're going to need another method of controlling the HTPC when you are outside of WMC. You really need some form of mouse emulation. I've found that Unified Remote on the google play store works extremely well for controlling the HTPC. I've played around a lot with a multiple ir receivers and programs for scripting windows actions with a remote and in the long run it just didn't work that well. Use your smartphone to control the HTPC outside of WMC. As far as bluray playback software goes, I vote for Arcsoft Total Media Theatre. The WMC integration is very nice with TMT. I recently did a trial of powerDVD since they added some key features like playback of ripped movie titles. I had stuttering issues with powerDVD and ultimately went back to TMT. TMT and some program to manage metadata like MediaBrowser or MyMovies can turn your HTPC into a very cool bluray playback system.Sure. If you don't mind sharing the driver, I would like to check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blub Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Hi I use Mediaportal because I like it more than XBMC and because of the LiveTV integreation which was/is still better tha XBMCs. For BluRay there are 2 choices: Arcsoft TMT (which I use) and AnyDVD for decrypting the Disc (mostly illegal) and providing an un-encrpytec disc to Mediaportal or XBMS (no menu support for BD!).MP is not the best for Metadata management in my opinion but it is OK and the is a MediBrowser plugin available which looks promising. I control it via a selfmade IR driver (dealer and myself) using mostly MCE codes (I have an iMon VDF Dispaly and IR receiver) - some codes are still iMon so its not uniform for MCE sadly.it does work quite well. However the "dream" would be an IP driver via Intelliremote (which can do a whole lot more) with configurable commands for each buton on C4 remote pared with an WOL option to start the HTPC - I havent found anyone yet to program that driver :-( If any further questions arise just ask Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wappinghigh Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Just use XBMC and the Alan Chow driver. This is as close as you will get. Everything else is limited by DRM and out of C4 hands. (Or so they say) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pstuart Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Wrong. That software is only needed to rip the media. Anydvd does not need to be installed to play ripped content. Quit misinforming people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qVAMPIREp Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Just use XBMC and the Alan Chow driver. This is as close as you will get. Everything else is limited by DRM and out of C4 hands. (Or so they say) Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkWapp is Alan's driver IP based and does it do anything weird like how the ExtraVeggies Dune driver encrypts the file paths? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanchow Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Wapp is Alan's driver IP based and does it do anything weird like how the ExtraVeggies Dune driver encrypts the file paths?You're thinking to mymovies which is a movie management driver. We have a similar driver to mymovies which uses plex media server. The file paths are not encrypted and will work with any media player. Alot of dealers use it with the free dune driver on the control4 database. Combined with a supported NAS like a Netgear, synology or QNAP it makes the perfect budget automated movie management / playback solution for under $1000 (dune + NAS + hdds + driver cost). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qVAMPIREp Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 You're thinking to mymovies which is a movie management driver. We have a similar driver to mymovies which uses plex media server. The file paths are not encrypted and will work with any media player. Alot of dealers use it with the free dune driver on the control4 database. Combined with a supported NAS like a Netgear, synology or QNAP it makes the perfect budget automated movie management / playback solution for under $1000 (dune + NAS + hdds + driver cost).That sounds like a good option. I've got the Extra Veggies MyMovies and Dune driver now but they cause my system to freeze every couple of minutes for 5-10 seconds while it tries to refresh the titles or something. I end up getting a bunch of remote button pushes running after the freeze which drives me crazy!!! LOL My dealer suggests that I buy a new 800 rather than diagnose the problem causing that bug so I'm thinking of walking away from Extra Veggies software completely. The ExtraVeggies guys apparently deny the problem but there are/were others that reported it right here on this forum. Anyway, I don't feel like wasting a ton of cash chasing bugs.Is the XBMC driver Wapp mentioned the one you made for Recluse? Is there any interaction with your Plex driver? Would the Plex driver populate the Control4 media but then launch XBMC rather than a Dune player? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qVAMPIREp Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 The 800 runs faster with my changers. I had 300 in the past, but it would hardly load the 5 changers at the time.I've got a 1000v3 and 2 200B's (1 for each floor). The remote lag occurs no matter what I'm watching. I wish I could turn off the driver myself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanchow Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 That sounds like a good option. I've got the Extra Veggies MyMovies and Dune driver now but they cause my system to freeze every couple of minutes for 5-10 seconds while it tries to refresh the titles or something. I end up getting a bunch of remote button pushes running after the freeze which drives me crazy!!! LOL My dealer suggests that I buy a new 800 rather than diagnose the problem causing that bug so I'm thinking of walking away from Extra Veggies software completely. The ExtraVeggies guys apparently deny the problem but there are/were others that reported it right here on this forum. Anyway, I don't feel like wasting a ton of cash chasing bugs.Is the XBMC driver Wapp mentioned the one you made for Recluse? Is there any interaction with your Plex driver? Would the Plex driver populate the Control4 media but then launch XBMC rather than a Dune player?The xbmc driver will work with it. The xbmc driver also has its own media cataloging system but it is per xbmc system.Plex media server will work with any media player. So you can catalog using plex media server and use any combination of media players. Dune, pop box, Netgear EVA, xbmc, plex home theatre, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanchow Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 I've got a 1000v3 and 2 200B's (1 for each floor). The remote lag occurs no matter what I'm watching. I wish I could turn off the driver myself The remote lag could come from other problems. I would look at zigbee and network issues first. A HC1000 is pretty fast and comparable to a HC800. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sirjimbo Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 To all, my customer could not afford buying a HDMI Matrix, so he wants to put a small media player in each of his TV, and purchase a NAS to store all his movies. He wants to use the IPAD as his main control, and he would like to select a movie from the Control4 movie catalog, and let the automation take over so that the TV will turn on, and the media player will start playing the movie. Any recommendations as to using Plex or XMBC? what model of media player should I use? any help will be greatly appreciated. ThanksJimmy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phileaton Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I like the QNAP TS-469L or TS-269L. It's a NAS with hdmi output so it's a media center as well. It has XBMC and a free driver by EV that was commissioned by QNAP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sirjimbo Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 I like the QNAP TS-469L or TS-269L. It's a NAS with hdmi output so it's a media center as well. It has XBMC and a free driver by EV that was commissioned by QNAP. thats for one TV, he has like 5 TVs.. Jimmy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wappinghigh Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 There are now fanless QNAPS that could run XBMC... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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