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Author Topic: Reflecting on Media Center  (Read 4175 times)

Matt

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Reflecting on Media Center
« on: August 27, 2014, 02:33:57 pm »

I'm feeling a little reflective today.

When I started at JRiver, we were on version 5 of Media Jukebox.  It was already many hundred thousand lines of MFC code.  MFC is tied tightly to Microsoft and Windows.  CString, CMap, CDialog, etc.  

Many years ago, we said "Hey, we want to port this thing."  We started to replace all the MFC with code we designed ourselves.  This was an unbelievably huge undertaking.  First we replaced basic structures like a string, map, or array.  Then we grew to replacing complicated things like windows, edit controls, etc.  This task kept me up a lot of nights.

Then we needed to make the code we designed ourselves work on other platforms.  That was a huge task too.

But today, we have a Windows, Mac, and Linux version.  All the versions are grown from the same code.

Wow!
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Matt Ashland, JRiver Media Center

bblue

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Re: Reflecting on Media Center
« Reply #1 on: August 27, 2014, 02:41:18 pm »

Wow! is right!  Very impressive.

--Bill
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mwillems

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Re: Reflecting on Media Center
« Reply #2 on: August 27, 2014, 02:44:55 pm »

I'm feeling a little reflective today.

When I started at JRiver, we were on version 5 of Media Jukebox.  It was already many hundred thousand lines of MFC code.  MFC is tied tightly to Microsoft and Windows.  CString, CMap, CDialog, etc.  

Many years ago, we said "Hey, we want to port this thing."  We started to replace all the MFC with code we designed ourselves.  This was an unbelievably huge undertaking.  First we replaced basic structures like a string, map, or array.  Then we grew to replacing complicated things like windows, edit controls, etc.  This task kept me up a lot of nights.

Then we needed to make the code we designed ourselves work on other platforms.  That was a huge task too.

But today, we have a Windows, Mac, and Linux version.  

Wow!

It really is impressive and exciting.  I obviously haven't been in the community as long as some folks (although I've been a user longer than I've been a forum member), but the sheer speed with which things are coming onto the other platforms has blown me away.  I've been planning to transition most of my home computers to Linux for two or three years for a variety of reasons, and everytime I'd start working it out and get close to pulling trigger I'd think "oh that's right, I need JRiver," and I'd put down the liveCD and walk away from the project for a while.  

To my mind, it's a tribute to JRiver (both the software and the developers) that Media Center provides so much functionality that I've been willing to buy two or three more windows licenses just to keep using it, and it's an even bigger tribute that in another year or two I won't ever have to buy another windows license for HTPC use if I don't want to  ;D
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justsomeguy

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Re: Reflecting on Media Center
« Reply #3 on: August 27, 2014, 09:47:18 pm »

I wouldn't mind moving to linux as well. However along with MC, LAV and MADVR would both keep me tied to windows if they weren't ported over.
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JimH

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Re: Reflecting on Media Center
« Reply #4 on: August 27, 2014, 10:11:15 pm »

I believe the new video renderer, which is part of the JRiver Video Engine Hendrik has built, won't disappoint.
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DoubtingThomas

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Re: Reflecting on Media Center
« Reply #5 on: August 27, 2014, 10:13:46 pm »

JRiver Media Center is part of my daily life... keep up the good work.  Glad to have you back Matt.
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justsomeguy

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Re: Reflecting on Media Center
« Reply #6 on: August 27, 2014, 10:34:57 pm »

I believe the new video renderer, which is part of the JRiver Video Engine Hendrik has built, won't disappoint.

This sounds very interesting. Is this something we can expect to see soon in v20? Hendrik is obviously a talented guy and I'm sure it will be great.

Thanks to the entire JRiver team for their work!
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kensn

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Re: Reflecting on Media Center
« Reply #7 on: August 27, 2014, 10:46:23 pm »

JRiver Media Center is part of my daily life...

Yes... it is. Never really looked at it like that.

Ken
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astromo

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Re: Reflecting on Media Center
« Reply #8 on: August 27, 2014, 11:06:22 pm »

I'm feeling a little reflective today.
...

Wow!

That'd why I asked whether you guys had thought about an MC20 party.

You all deserve a bit of time out to acknowledge and celebrate your achievements. I'm sure everyone here wouldn't mind if that next build came out a little bit later.

Regardless, great effort. Very much appreciate what you and all the devs do..  ;)
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fitbrit

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Re: Reflecting on Media Center
« Reply #9 on: August 27, 2014, 11:44:01 pm »

JRiver Media Center is part of my daily life... keep up the good work.  Glad to have you back Matt.


Yup mine too.
Since 2007/8, this is my workflow when I build a new PC
Install Windows
Install Chrome
Install MC
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mwillems

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Re: Reflecting on Media Center
« Reply #10 on: August 28, 2014, 09:41:25 am »

I wouldn't mind moving to linux as well. However along with MC, LAV and MADVR would both keep me tied to windows if they weren't ported over.

I've got about six PCs floating around the house (counting the server and everyone's laptops).  For now, I'll have to keep a single windows PC for gaming, and that machine is where the high-end video card will be anyway, which means I'll still have a MadVR option for the foreseeable future. But MC's impressive porting efforts will allow me to switch over the four or five other assorted boxes floating around the house, which will a real savings in time and money over the long term. 

With the launch of the Linux SteamOS, I have hope that even the gaming industry will be dragged kicking and screaming to Linux (or that Steam's windows emulation will get sophisticated enough).  But that'll be a few years at least; currently only about 30% of my steam library is directly Linux compatible, and only one of those titles is a AAA title   :(

JRiver Media Center is part of my daily life... keep up the good work.  Glad to have you back Matt.


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lboregard

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Re: Re: Re: Reflecting on Media Center
« Reply #11 on: August 28, 2014, 09:54:38 pm »

I believe the new video renderer, which is part of the JRiver Video Engine Hendrik has built, won't disappoint.
are you saying it will have pq/user experience similar to lavf/madvr?
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fitbrit

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Re: Re: Re: Reflecting on Media Center
« Reply #12 on: August 28, 2014, 11:32:25 pm »

are you saying it will have pq/user experience similar to lavf/madvr?

I think it means that Linux users will soon have a PQ experience.
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rayooo

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Re: Reflecting on Media Center
« Reply #13 on: August 30, 2014, 06:42:54 am »

JRiver Media Center is part of my daily life... keep up the good work.  Glad to have you back Matt.


Perfectly said!

Music is playing in my home 24X7, via several means depending on the time of day,  the audio man-cave, background music in the living room..and/or via an iPad on the deck, bedroom system.

Guess what app is playing all of this music, 99% of the time? 
I'd hate to have to figure out how this could be any easier if there were no MC..oh yea and JRemote!

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bulldogger

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Re: Reflecting on Media Center
« Reply #14 on: September 02, 2014, 08:51:26 pm »

This sounds very interesting. Is this something we can expect to see soon in v20? Hendrik is obviously a talented guy and I'm sure it will be great.

Thanks to the entire JRiver team for their work!
Maybe this is related? http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=91188.0
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fitbrit

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Re: Reflecting on Media Center
« Reply #15 on: September 02, 2014, 09:40:11 pm »

Maybe this is related? http://yabb.JRiver.com/interact/index.php?topic=91188.0

Wow. Just read that. Thanks! I had no idea the basics were coming along so fast.
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