INTERACT FORUM

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Great Android Idea!  (Read 3738 times)

gvanbrunt

  • MC Beta Team
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 1232
  • MC Nerd
Great Android Idea!
« on: September 27, 2013, 06:04:22 pm »

I just had a great thought: If you guys ported to Android you could further tap into the Linux market. For example all those that need to run a full blown media management application on hardware barely able to serve files like a NAS would be thrilled. Just think of all the folks who could use their Galaxy S2's to serve all their files and convert 1080p video on the fly! That would be stupendous.

Just remember though: it better be able to covert 1080p video on the fly or I'm going to be disappointed and make some noise about all the money I haven't even forked out yet.
Logged

JimH

  • Administrator
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 72413
  • Where did I put my teeth?
Re: Great Android Idea!
« Reply #1 on: September 27, 2013, 06:18:08 pm »

OK.  We'll start offering Android licenses next week. 
Logged

imugli

  • MC Beta Team
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 1598
Re: Great Android Idea!
« Reply #2 on: September 27, 2013, 08:11:45 pm »

OK.  We'll start offering Android licenses next week. 

 ;D

csimon

  • Regular Member
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 1686
Re: Great Android Idea!
« Reply #3 on: October 01, 2013, 07:05:03 am »

I just had a great thought: If you guys ported to Android you could further tap into the Linux market. For example all those that need to run a full blown media management application on hardware barely able to serve files like a NAS would be thrilled. Just think of all the folks who could use their Galaxy S2's to serve all their files and convert 1080p video on the fly! That would be stupendous.

Just remember though: it better be able to covert 1080p video on the fly or I'm going to be disappointed and make some noise about all the money I haven't even forked out yet.

I'm aware that this was not a serious post, however I want to correct the impression that people are wanting to run the full-blown desktop MC on their NAS. This is not the case, they want a light server that serves the database only with the work being done by desktop clients that connect to it.

But what you're saying isn't too far-fetched anyway...Synology DS214play http://forum.synology.com/enu/viewtopic.php?f=200&t=74702. Also remember that XBMC and Plex media servers are able to run on NAS's and they have clients on touch devices as well as PCs and other types of boxes. It sounds like this is what JRiver intends to get into but I can't help getting the feeling that it's a little too late again, JRiver is stuck on the remote-controlled Theater View interface running on a desktop PC and will be like that for some time to come.

Media and DLNA servers already run on mobile phones too, I've used MC to play from a DLNA server on my friend's mobile phone. Ooh, MC as Client, doing all the heavy work while the lower-power device simply serves files and the media directory. THAT'S what's wanted!
Logged

JimH

  • Administrator
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 72413
  • Where did I put my teeth?
Re: Great Android Idea!
« Reply #4 on: October 02, 2013, 10:19:42 am »

Logged

csimon

  • Regular Member
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 1686
Re: Great Android Idea!
« Reply #5 on: October 02, 2013, 10:40:25 am »

Some would consider MC a hybrid design and doesn't separate client and server. Many programs work this way now. Just because a client consumes data from somewhere else, doesn't mean it has to be "dumb". Even Gmail offers a "client" with offline access. In fact most web applications are now evolving this way. The brains are moving from the server to the browser. The net result is quicker interfaces and more reliable operation.

MC's design actually has some advantages especially for clients connected over slow links. For example, I run MC at work over the internet.....

It's a matter of discussion as to how thick or thin to make the client, and whether to put an application-layer server inbetween (all client/server layers could, of course, be put onto the same machine if you wish, but the point is that they are functionally separate and can be put wherever you want according to your network configuration and devices available). But even in thick clients, they don't necessarily download the whole server's database first to work on, that would actually disadvantage those on slow links!

Email and calendar applications can work in an offline mode, with sync processes running each time you connect up. But what we're talking about here mainly is a single-house media server system, where going online and offline and slow connections are irrelevant. Why cripple the product to the lowest common denominator? If there is demand for an offline version of MC then I think Gizmo needs to develop a bit further

I think you're confusing cloud services with thick and thin clients.

The way MC works at the moment isn't as a media client/server in any sort of sense (apart from the DLNA server). It may have a sync server and a sync client (or what you might call cloud services) which may work best off-site, but not in the home. Like most people, I want to run several media-consuming clients from only one copy of the database/library and be able to update the library from any of them and have changes applied instantly and reliably applied everywhere.  Cloud and sync services cannot do this, as we already know from the limitations that MC has.

In work, I am a data base administrator for a PC application that is a client to a database server elsewhere.  This is true client/server.  It holds no information locally and sends all data requests and update requests to the server. However, it *can* do a dump/extract of the entire database for loading into a standalone/non-connected version of the application for "what if" type scenarios, and it then "integrates" changes with the main database when you decide to load it back to retain the changes.  That standalone version of the program is *not* working in any sort of client/server mode!
Logged

JimH

  • Administrator
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 72413
  • Where did I put my teeth?
Re: Great Android Idea!
« Reply #6 on: October 02, 2013, 11:11:36 am »

csimon,
You may not intend it, but your continued assertion that MC is not "true client/server" is insulting.  I'm sure MC doesn't resemble your SQL database, but then neither does its intended purpose.

You might be more effective if you just pointed out incremental steps to improve the application.
Logged

csimon

  • Regular Member
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 1686
Re: Great Android Idea!
« Reply #7 on: October 02, 2013, 12:22:45 pm »

I'm sorry that it's insulting, but MC certainly doesn't work in the way described by any client/server definition you will find on the web.

Steps to improve it?

1. If there is no technical reason why clients can not be fully functional with regard to library maintenance without changing the current client/server sync mechanism, then can it be implemented fairly easily? This would really solve a lot of problems and queries and people getting stuck.  I believe the current limitations are to do with moving files, ripping discs, authentication problems, and changes sometimes taking some time to propagate through the network, although there may be more.  I gave up using remote libraries because of the ripping discs limitation and because I couldn't get authentication working properly, and therefore have to maintain local, independent libraries on each machine.

2. Failing that, it would require a new version of the library server module that does not work by downloading its database to each client as they connect and then work on synching changes between them, but accepts requests in real time from clients, and acts on the requests by making changes to its (single) database or by returning data to the client. As you have pointed out in the past, I do not know how MC is internally structured and how its messaging system works so I don't know if this is something that can be easily implemented or whether it would be a major change of structure.
Logged

MrC

  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 10462
  • Your life is short. Give me your money.
Re: Great Android Idea!
« Reply #8 on: October 02, 2013, 12:26:13 pm »

In my (not usually humble) opinion, customers should not specify architectural details, but instead functional requirements.  So long as your functional requirements are met, how the functionality is implemented is irrelevant.
Logged
The opinions I express represent my own folly.

csimon

  • Regular Member
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 1686
Re: Great Android Idea!
« Reply #9 on: October 02, 2013, 12:38:11 pm »

Fair enough...the combination of a fully-functional client and a NAS-installable library server would float an awful lot of boats, in whatever way it is implemented!
Logged

MrC

  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 10462
  • Your life is short. Give me your money.
Re: Great Android Idea!
« Reply #10 on: October 02, 2013, 01:02:45 pm »

The problem here is the term "fully functional".  Functional requirements must be measurable, and "fully" is not.
Logged
The opinions I express represent my own folly.

csimon

  • Regular Member
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 1686
Re: Great Android Idea!
« Reply #11 on: October 02, 2013, 01:12:32 pm »

The problem here is the term "fully functional".  Functional requirements must be measurable, and "fully" is not.

The ability to do exactly the same library maintenance as if you were doing it directly on the server. I can't list all the individual functions that you might want to do but current known limitations are as mentioned above. Fully functional I guess means that it would need to be transparent, i.e. you shouldn't need to be aware that you are editing/affecting a remote library and shouldn't need to do anything differently as a result, apart from initially connecting to the library that you want to use.
Logged

MrC

  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 10462
  • Your life is short. Give me your money.
Re: Great Android Idea!
« Reply #12 on: October 02, 2013, 01:15:48 pm »

I know, I know.

But let's step into JRiver's reality.  They implement features either a) when they want to, or b) when (enough) customers ask.  So prioritized lists are more useful than asking for the complete solution.
Logged
The opinions I express represent my own folly.

csimon

  • Regular Member
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 1686
Re: Great Android Idea!
« Reply #13 on: October 02, 2013, 01:19:14 pm »

Well, it's been mentioned lots of times! You can't rip discs on a client and you can't move files, and you have to get authentication and automatic and manual synching to work. I listed the limitations before mentioning "fully functional", although that phrase has been used many times by other people in other threads.
Logged

Matt

  • Administrator
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 42344
  • Shoes gone again!
Re: Great Android Idea!
« Reply #14 on: October 02, 2013, 01:43:19 pm »

I'm fuzzy on how ripping discs on a client has anything to do with the client/server model.  If anything, the thinner the client, the harder something complex like ripping that uses SCSI, threads, encoding, etc. is going to become.
Logged
Matt Ashland, JRiver Media Center

JimH

  • Administrator
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 72413
  • Where did I put my teeth?
Re: Great Android Idea!
« Reply #15 on: October 02, 2013, 01:50:49 pm »

I'm going to close this now.

If anyone has specific requests, please post them in a thread using a descriptive subject.
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up