Xbmc?


banjeed

Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2008
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212
Hey all, I was wondering if anyone planned on porting XBMC. I'm guessing I'm not the only person sporting a modded xbox or two and since the recent porting to Linux, PC, and OS X, it seems very possible that a port to ARM could be made. I've got a terstation of music and movies that my box connects to to get my content on tv. I was drooling earlier thinking of being able to access the same content just as easily from a Pandora handheld. Not to mention the incredible playback control implemented into the xbox game controller, this could be the perfect media app
 
banjeed said:
Hey all, I was wondering if anyone planned on porting XBMC. I'm guessing I'm not the only person sporting a modded xbox or two and since the recent porting to Linux, PC, and OS X, it seems very possible that a port to ARM could be made. I've got a terstation of music and movies that my box connects to to get my content on tv. I was drooling earlier thinking of being able to access the same content just as easily from a Pandora handheld. Not to mention the incredible playback control implemented into the xbox game controller, this could be the perfect media app
There's a few of us eager for mythtv's frontend to be ported. **Someone's** going to put an interface on mplayer to be sure.. :)

That raises an interesting question. The GP2X's default menu allows you to browse the SD card for a movie and play it. I wonder if Pandora's interface will allow us to browse a Windows/Samba/NFS share as if it were local to play media...
 
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banjeed said:
Hey all, I was wondering if anyone planned on porting XBMC. I'm guessing I'm not the only person sporting a modded xbox or two and since the recent porting to Linux, PC, and OS X, it seems very possible that a port to ARM could be made. I've got a terstation of music and movies that my box connects to to get my content on tv. I was drooling earlier thinking of being able to access the same content just as easily from a Pandora handheld. Not to mention the incredible playback control implemented into the xbox game controller, this could be the perfect media app
Well, a few problems with all this.
  1. The XBMC is crap away from the Xbox, I like it, but only because it is an Xbox
  2. There will be mplayer and skins, I think you would be happy with a skin on mplayer
  3. Most of the "functionality" on xbmc is gained from mplayer and the xbox itself (we already have mplayer, and the xbox parts we don't have at all.)

Trevor Bradley said:
There's a few of us eager for mythtv's frontend to be ported. **Someone's** going to put an interface on mplayer to be sure.. :)

That raises an interesting question. The GP2X's default menu allows you to browse the SD card for a movie and play it. I wonder if Pandora's interface will allow us to browse a Windows/Samba/NFS share as if it were local to play media...
Well, the GP2X would let you browse a Samba just fine, if you mounted it to the EXT folder for example.

It just wasn't network connected, so nobody spent much trouble (aside from the people on wifi with their GP2X :)).

I bet you will be able to do that no problem, if not out of the box it won't be long before a tutorial, and then inclusion in every unit from the factory.
 
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I'm hoping to port it to OpenGL ES when I have the time and maybe eventually to DirectFB (No experience in it yet). It's probably not too difficult to make an OMAP3 port. With DirectFB support and some DSP optimizations it might even be possible to handle full 1080p h264 video. Since XBMC was originally programmed for a 64MB RAM environment it would be an ideal media center for embedded device like the Pandora--certainly much better than Elisa.
 
Be careful, DirectFB has no acceleration, at least at the moment. The binary blob for the GPU works only with kdrive.
 
CyruzDraxs said:
I'm hoping to port it to OpenGL ES when I have the time and maybe eventually to DirectFB (No experience in it yet). It's probably not too difficult to make an OMAP3 port. With DirectFB support and some DSP optimizations it might even be possible to handle full 1080p h264 video. Since XBMC was originally programmed for a 64MB RAM environment it would be an ideal media center for embedded device like the Pandora--certainly much better than Elisa.
Since we already have a GUI launcher and Mplayer there really isn't a need or a point to XBMC. Maybe you could just convert your favorite skin to the Pandora GUI and call it good?

If you mean to use it as a "media center", perhaps you could check out the BeaglBoard, it offers HDMI and is only $150.

If you look at what you get for your effort, a replacement simple GUI for a system that already has a simple GUI, XBMC just doesn't make any sense to me.
 
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nubie said:
CyruzDraxs said:
I'm hoping to port it to OpenGL ES when I have the time and maybe eventually to DirectFB (No experience in it yet). It's probably not too difficult to make an OMAP3 port. With DirectFB support and some DSP optimizations it might even be possible to handle full 1080p h264 video. Since XBMC was originally programmed for a 64MB RAM environment it would be an ideal media center for embedded device like the Pandora--certainly much better than Elisa.
Since we already have a GUI launcher and Mplayer there really isn't a need or a point to XBMC. Maybe you could just convert your favorite skin to the Pandora GUI and call it good?

If you mean to use it as a "media center", perhaps you could check out the BeaglBoard, it offers HDMI and is only $150.

If you look at what you get for your effort, a replacement simple GUI for a system that already has a simple GUI, XBMC just doesn't make any sense to me.

nubie, I guess the main real reasons I wanted to see XBMC ported to the pandora would be for the tried and true playback controls, ease of networking, and maybe...just maybe the possibility of implementing the many python scripts available. In my house I have a centralized NAS chock full of music and movies. In my experience so far, nothing has come close to the ease of XBMC in terms of porting the media to different places in the house. A few simple network paths, and BLAM!! all of a sudden I have access to ALL of my media presented to me in the EXACT same way I'm used to viewing it. Downstairs, I have an Xbox running it, upstairs, it's running on a media center pc, in the office, I've got it installed on a defunct pc, and each time I boot, from whatever device, I get the exact same interface that works every time. What I love best about running it on xbox, is that I have total control over playback from the game controller. Volume, picture scaling, speed, are all mapped to very intuitive controls that I believe could be mimicked fairly closely on a pandora handheld. So fine, if you believe it would be a waste of time to try and port something as grand as XBMC, don't do it, but for some, it would be very useful. I would very much like to start watching a movie on the treadmill, and finish it later in bed without waking the girl. This isn't supposed to be a media center solution for me...it's a "Portable" media solution. Headphones..check...screen..check...my media... last check. Thanks for expressing your concern, but I do not believe you understand the full impact of the XBMC experience.
 
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Its a great program and could be a great launcher for all types of media on the pandora. Im sure that it will be ported in time.
 
XBMC on Pandora would be fantastic. It's so much more than just an Mplayer skin. I've got two boxes running at home, and I've got my eye on a Mac Mini running Plex/OSXBMC for HD in the future. Or if an ARM port happens, I'll build a BeagleBoard media center. To have the same thing running on Pandora would make my goddam decade.
 
I didn't understand what was all the fuss and excitement with XBMC UNTIL I downloaded the Windows version on my media center PC. For the last 2 years I have been using MediaPortal as my media center. While I tried others during those 2 years, MediaPortal always won them all until I tried XBMC. In short, XBMC is simply wonderful, fast, full of features, and visually appealing. It now runs exclusively on my media pc.

Now, then, the idea of having a portable XBMC is enthralling and would appeal to many who are looking for such a device along with a gaming platform. Consequently, I definitely would like to see this become a reality.
 
banjeed said:
nubie said:
Since we already have a GUI launcher and Mplayer there really isn't a need or a point to XBMC. Maybe you could just convert your favorite skin to the Pandora GUI and call it good?

If you mean to use it as a "media center", perhaps you could check out the BeaglBoard, it offers HDMI and is only $150.

If you look at what you get for your effort, a replacement simple GUI for a system that already has a simple GUI, XBMC just doesn't make any sense to me.
nubie, I guess the main real reasons I wanted to see XBMC ported to the pandora would be for the tried and true playback controls, ease of networking, and maybe...just maybe the possibility of implementing the many python scripts available.

In my house I have a centralized NAS chock full of music and movies. In my experience so far, nothing has come close to the ease of XBMC in terms of porting the media to different places in the house. A few simple network paths, and BLAM!! all of a sudden I have access to ALL of my media presented to me in the EXACT same way I'm used to viewing it. Downstairs, I have an Xbox running it, upstairs, it's running on a media center pc, in the office, I've got it installed on a defunct pc, and each time I boot, from whatever device, I get the exact same interface that works every time.

What I love best about running it on xbox, is that I have total control over playback from the game controller. Volume, picture scaling, speed, are all mapped to very intuitive controls that I believe could be mimicked fairly closely on a pandora handheld.

So fine, if you believe it would be a waste of time to try and port something as grand as XBMC, don't do it, but for some, it would be very useful. I would very much like to start watching a movie on the treadmill, and finish it later in bed without waking the girl. This isn't supposed to be a media center solution for me...it's a "Portable" media solution. Headphones..check...screen..check...my media... last check.

So are you going to port it? You can't just expect other people to do all the work, and it is a lot of work.

Your entire point seems to be the GUI, and I simply pointed out that you could run a similar GUI and let Linux do all the work. The Xbox doesn't come with Linux, the GP2X does. So you want a GUI for the Mplayer and Linux of the Pandora, that is all.

I have XBMC installed, I find it klunky, unresponsive, and crap on a PC, it is of no use to me on the PC as it doesn't support Winlirc (A simple and free software that is the standard of PC controls) and therefore isn't any good for me.

On the Xbox it makes sense, as it greatly extends a closed box into a very nice media front-end. On a PC, fine, if you can purchase an expensive remote that it likes, or happen to have one already, but it is a GUI on the PC, not an entire OS/Media Player, it uses the media player available on windows.

I view the real XBMC and a GUI of XBMC on other platforms very differently. And since the XBMC on the xbox wasn't up to snuff for me I can't see how other ports off of it can be of higher quality (except that the underlying system and media player on those systems it doing the real work, not the "GUI" XBMC).

I am hopeful that the Pandora will have a very nice GUI and a solid OS with networking and a good media player. If the "GUI" bothers you then simply script it to act just like XBMC to your way of thinking, that way time isn't wasted on an "XBMC" GUI, simply put a different skin on GMenu2X and Mplayer so that it looks and performs in every way like XBMC. (I honestly think that the controls on the Pandora are going to be relatively intuitive, so I see no need for XBMC personally, but I can understand your desire for simplicity)

I hope you understand what I am talking about. The same goal (identical looking and performing "XBMC"), but with a simpler and more logical approach.

In my head all I can think is that the Xbox and PC/Mac ports are running on very similar hardware, and it would be a royal pain in the ass to port over all of the "functionality" for little to no benefit. You can probably just get a python interpreter for the Pandora, if it doesn't come with one it will have one soon.

QUOTE
Thanks for expressing your concern, but I do not believe you understand the full impact of the XBMC experience.

I probably can't, I tolerate it on the Xbox because it is the best solution on the console, on the PC I can't. I use Media Player Classic (Which DOES support Winlirc).

I prefer just using the simplest method, and to me the simplest method is to use the included pandora menu and media player. I am sure that it will be very robust, and I won't have any trouble playing any media from any network source on it, so XBMC just seems pointless. (the Xbox of course needs XBMC to be a useful media center, so I have no problem with it on the xbox.)
 
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nubie said:
banjeed said:
nubie said:
Since we already have a GUI launcher and Mplayer there really isn't a need or a point to XBMC. Maybe you could just convert your favorite skin to the Pandora GUI and call it good?

If you mean to use it as a "media center", perhaps you could check out the BeaglBoard, it offers HDMI and is only $150.

If you look at what you get for your effort, a replacement simple GUI for a system that already has a simple GUI, XBMC just doesn't make any sense to me.
nubie, I guess the main real reasons I wanted to see XBMC ported to the pandora would be for the tried and true playback controls, ease of networking, and maybe...just maybe the possibility of implementing the many python scripts available.

In my house I have a centralized NAS chock full of music and movies. In my experience so far, nothing has come close to the ease of XBMC in terms of porting the media to different places in the house. A few simple network paths, and BLAM!! all of a sudden I have access to ALL of my media presented to me in the EXACT same way I'm used to viewing it. Downstairs, I have an Xbox running it, upstairs, it's running on a media center pc, in the office, I've got it installed on a defunct pc, and each time I boot, from whatever device, I get the exact same interface that works every time.

What I love best about running it on xbox, is that I have total control over playback from the game controller. Volume, picture scaling, speed, are all mapped to very intuitive controls that I believe could be mimicked fairly closely on a pandora handheld.

So fine, if you believe it would be a waste of time to try and port something as grand as XBMC, don't do it, but for some, it would be very useful. I would very much like to start watching a movie on the treadmill, and finish it later in bed without waking the girl. This isn't supposed to be a media center solution for me...it's a "Portable" media solution. Headphones..check...screen..check...my media... last check.

So are you going to port it? You can't just expect other people to do all the work, and it is a lot of work.

Your entire point seems to be the GUI, and I simply pointed out that you could run a similar GUI and let Linux do all the work. The Xbox doesn't come with Linux, the GP2X does. So you want a GUI for the Mplayer and Linux of the Pandora, that is all.

I have XBMC installed, I find it klunky, unresponsive, and crap on a PC, it is of no use to me on the PC as it doesn't support Winlirc (A simple and free software that is the standard of PC controls) and therefore isn't any good for me.

On the Xbox it makes sense, as it greatly extends a closed box into a very nice media front-end. On a PC, fine, if you can purchase an expensive remote that it likes, or happen to have one already, but it is a GUI on the PC, not an entire OS/Media Player, it uses the media player available on windows.

I view the real XBMC and a GUI of XBMC on other platforms very differently. And since the XBMC on the xbox wasn't up to snuff for me I can't see how other ports off of it can be of higher quality (except that the underlying system and media player on those systems it doing the real work, not the "GUI" XBMC).

I am hopeful that the Pandora will have a very nice GUI and a solid OS with networking and a good media player. If the "GUI" bothers you then simply script it to act just like XBMC to your way of thinking, that way time isn't wasted on an "XBMC" GUI, simply put a different skin on GMenu2X and Mplayer so that it looks and performs in every way like XBMC. (I honestly think that the controls on the Pandora are going to be relatively intuitive, so I see no need for XBMC personally, but I can understand your desire for simplicity)

I hope you understand what I am talking about. The same goal (identical looking and performing "XBMC"), but with a simpler and more logical approach.

In my head all I can think is that the Xbox and PC/Mac ports are running on very similar hardware, and it would be a royal pain in the ass to port over all of the "functionality" for little to no benefit. You can probably just get a python interpreter for the Pandora, if it doesn't come with one it will have one soon.

QUOTE
Thanks for expressing your concern, but I do not believe you understand the full impact of the XBMC experience.

I probably can't, I tolerate it on the Xbox because it is the best solution on the console, on the PC I can't. I use Media Player Classic (Which DOES support Winlirc).

I prefer just using the simplest method, and to me the simplest method is to use the included pandora menu and media player. I am sure that it will be very robust, and I won't have any trouble playing any media from any network source on it, so XBMC just seems pointless. (the Xbox of course needs XBMC to be a useful media center, so I have no problem with it on the xbox.)


Nubie, this is getting a little rediculous. I'm extending a virtual handshake of "agreement of disagreement". On my side, I hope this project comes to life when the time comes, and on your side, I hope you get the functionality you want.
 
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banjeed said:
Nubie, this is getting a little rediculous. I'm extending a virtual handshake of "agreement of disagreement". On my side, I hope this project comes to life when the time comes, and on your side, I hope you get the functionality you want.
Sorry, I guess I can agree to disagree. I can understand the importance you place wanting a homogeneous video environment.

I guess if somebody ported it and it started gaining traction I could re-evaluate my stance and see if it is more or less functional than the shipping software and menu.

I was just a bit upset at people wanting this without thought to the work it would take. Unless you do the work yourself, or donate to the project.

All cool? :) :) .
 
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nubie said:
banjeed said:
Nubie, this is getting a little rediculous. I'm extending a virtual handshake of "agreement of disagreement". On my side, I hope this project comes to life when the time comes, and on your side, I hope you get the functionality you want.
Sorry, I guess I can agree to disagree. I can understand the importance you place wanting a homogeneous video environment.

I guess if somebody ported it and it started gaining traction I could re-evaluate my stance and see if it is more or less functional than the shipping software and menu.

I was just a bit upset at people wanting this without thought to the work it would take. Unless you do the work yourself, or donate to the project.

All cool? :) :) .

All cool. but who you calling homo?!? :)
 
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CyruzDraxs said:
I'm hoping to port it to OpenGL ES when I have the time and maybe eventually to DirectFB (No experience in it yet). It's probably not too difficult to make an OMAP3 port. With DirectFB support and some DSP optimizations it might even be possible to handle full 1080p h264 video. Since XBMC was originally programmed for a 64MB RAM environment it would be an ideal media center for embedded device like the Pandora--certainly much better than Elisa.
I floated the idea of XBMC on Pandora on the xbmc.org forums tonight. There was a thread on a possible ARM port already - nothing major happening at this stage, but definitely some interest in the OMAP3530. Seems someone is doing a similar thing to what you're suggesting, Cyruz:

http://xbmc.org/forum/showthread.php?t=36711
 
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I'd like to give my support to this idea as well, I also have 2 modded xbox's running XBMC, an it makes control of media sooo easy. It would be a brilliant option to have on the Pandora! :)
 
It'll happen eventually, but from me it probably won't be released for launch as I haven't even started yet. Also, nubie; it would not be as large a project as you seem to think it is. In fact, I might be able to get it to cross-compile properly within a day as it's built entirely with shaders and I don't think it uses glBegin/glEnd. Just change a handful of lines and it should theoretically work. Depending on available packages though (like Python) I may have to do a quick run through and disable some things at first.
 
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