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[stricko]

Hi there, I'm looking to add another device to my server/client setup. It's very different to the big screen experience on my HTPCs, but I still want to use Theater View on it. At the moment, all the Theater View clients look the same, driven by the config on the server. Is it possible, and to what extent can you change the look and feel of an individual Theater View client.  Thanks

[stricko]

From experimentation, all the Theater View Appearance and Behaviour options seem to be locally configurable at the client, but the menu structure under Items To Show seem to be pulled from the server each time MC starts. Trying to remove Video from the client is interesting, if you untick "Video Support" in the General>Features options, Video disappears from Standard View, but the menu items are still there under Theater View (after restart), and if selected they do not play.

Also had a look at the Media Network settings. There is an include Media parameter which allows (for example) you to just select audio files, but I guess that this is a server option, not client.

Or am I looking at this the wrong way round. Do I need a separate library to drive the new client. Is there a way to have 2 libraries pointing at the same data. Would multiple MC instances running be a way to achieve this.

[glynor]

Theater View configuration, like all View configuration in MC, is pulled from the Server when clients connect. Changes can be made on the Client side, but they do not persist when you reconnect the client.

To modify Views, including Theater View, you must do it from the Server-side. This includes what View is active, their order, and the "view style" (thumbnails, list, layout view, etc) of each individual view in Theater View.

While it can be a bit confusing at first, in practice, it is often useful. You can set a reasonable set of default "settings" for your clients by setting the Server up "just so" and then they'll all get it and start from the same place (and changes you might make on the fly, or where you left off browsing last night, won't be remembered and confuse the next person).

You can change tag data for your files and modify playlists and smart lists from the client side, but you cannot modify the Views permanently.

[stricko]

Many thanks. That's pretty much what I thought. Do you have any ideas for how I can have 2 radically different devices both looking at the same content both using Theater View.

One is a pretty standard HTPC in a media room. The other a touchscreen interface built into a Wurlitzer jukebox. Even before thinking about look and feel, the touchscreen doesn't need video, images, gadgets etc. Just audio.

Would it work to have different versions of MC looking at the same data, but with very different library structures?

[glynor]

First, quickly, just to set some common terminology:

* Library: MC's database. Meaning, the structure of the Views, Playlists, files imported, and their metadata. NOT the files themselves.

Ok, that set, here's what I'd say...

It may be possible to rig up a contraption where you import the same files you use on your server and HTPC into a separate Library for the Wurlitzer and use it there, and then rely on updates to the in-file tags themselves to sync between the two separate Libraries. But, I would NOT recommend that. There are lots of potential problems with syncing the data, and it would only apply to the file metadata itself. You'd have to maintain the Playlists, Smartlists, and View organization separately.

Instead, I'd recommend looking at these options:

1. Use Panel for the Wurlitzer instead of Theater View. For audio playback, Panel (MC's web interface enabled by the Media Network setup) works great. First of all, if you don't use Andoid/iOS JRemote then you don't even need to have Images or Video Views in your Media Network View setup at all (you could just remove them). Even if you WANT to have those Views there in Media Network's setup (for use on other devices), since it is a REST web UI, basically going to the "audio-only" portions of the Views is just using a different "home" URL.

https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Panel
https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Media_Network

2. Use Theater View (as a client connected to your MC Server), but use automation commands to auto-navigate it to the Audio section when it opens. This won't be quite as clean because it would still be possible to navigate yourself back to the "home" View of Theater View manually, but if you like the navigation that Theater View offers, then it would probably be totally workable. I don't have it right in front of me, but there are command line and MCWS commands you can use to cause MC to navigate to the root-audio view of Theater View.

https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/The_Command_Line
https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Media_Center_Core_Commands
https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Web_Service_Interface

[stricko]

Again many thanks. Some interesting options there. One other idea I'd considered was some sort of auto copy arrangement, to keep two sets of the data, but I've got a few custom fields in the database that I'd like to keep. I've got a bit of playing to do. I thought fitting the touchscreen into the Wurlitzer was going to be the tricky part, but I've managed that.

By the way, I put in an order request for a PiId SD card, but havn't had a Paypal invoice yet, is that something you get involved in.

And I hope things are calm in Minneapolis if thats where you are based.

Thanks

[glynor]

Nope. Sorry. I don't work for JRiver. They're creeping around here certainly though.

Best bet if you have a question about an order though would be to post a question here specifically about it. They may not look at this thread, assuming it was already handled by others.