XBMC Script for SageTV Released 3/1/2006

[Coolwave]

XBMC SageTV Script - Last Updated 3/23/2006

nielm's webserver - Required for this script. I personally have only tested version 2.6 and I know that 2.7 does not work properly. I do plan on adding support for 2.7 and taking advantage of the xml features that were added, but it could be a while before I get a chance to work on it.

I decided to have some fun and play with googlepages a bit, so features and screen shots can be found at the link provided above. This thread will simply list changes from now on.

3/23/2006:
- Support added for all resolutions used by XBMC

[flashbacck]

Hey,
So now I can use my Xbox as a client? That's AWESOME.

[Alfiegerner]

Hi m8, this is looking great

For the epg have a look over at http://xbmcscripts.com. Check out the AusTV and myTV scripts. The myTV script in particular looks like it could be modified and integrated into this. There are instructions on how to add websites as a data source. Just a heads up if you hadn't seen it ...

[lovingHDTV]

Have you tried playing back any HDTV recordings via this solution? If this works, sounds like something I'm going to have to move on it.

thanks,

[flashbacck]

Originally Posted by lovingHDTV

Have you tried playing back any HDTV recordings via this solution? If this works, sounds like something I'm going to have to move on it.

thanks,

It's still streaming mpeg2, isn't it? If that's the case, there's no way Xbox1 could handle HDTV.

[jquinlan]

Originally Posted by flashbacck

It's still streaming mpeg2, isn't it? If that's the case, there's no way Xbox1 could handle HDTV.

Since the XBMC is the underlying layer or program it supports many more formats than the MVP, and about as many as a PC since the XBOX is basically a PC. MPEG4, Divx, Xvid all work using one of several file sharing formats built into XBMC so it is possible to display HD on the XBOX. Just have to have a good HD file to test it with. And with a DVD drive built-in you also have a DVD player in this extender. This would be great.

[evolart]

Sweet I can't wait to try this!!

[JUC]

wow--this looks really neat. How would you go about installing this? And--how is the quality so far? This seems like it would be a great extender with everything the MVP doesn't have yet...

[Coolwave]

Originally Posted by JUC

wow--this looks really neat. How would you go about installing this? And--how is the quality so far? This seems like it would be a great extender with everything the MVP doesn't have yet...

Quality would be exactly the same as playing the mpeg over the network with XBMC, and XMBC is pretty good at playing video now days.

To install it you need to be running nielm's webserver. I linked to the webserver in my first post. You also need to edit the SageTV.py file to set the ip address, userid, etc. so it can connect to the webserver properly. Of course you need to be running XBMC on your modded Xbox, and if you need more info about modding an xbox and installing XBMC I would recommend heading over to www.xbox-scene.com and/or http://www.aideluxe.com/. Pretty much every release of XBMC should contain what you need to run scripts by just copying the SageTV folder to your scripts folder on the Xbox.

I wish I had the Guide working for you guys, but I keep learning more and more about scripting in XBMC that I might just be able to make something happen once I get the other items on my list working perfectly. I don't even know what I'm capable of since I never saw myself being the one to write this script and it's turning out so well so far.

Coolwave

[flashbacck]

Originally Posted by jquinlan

Since the XBMC is the underlying layer or program it supports many more formats than the MVP, and about as many as a PC since the XBOX is basically a PC. MPEG4, Divx, Xvid all work using one of several file sharing formats built into XBMC so it is possible to display HD on the XBOX. Just have to have a good HD file to test it with. And with a DVD drive built-in you also have a DVD player in this extender. This would be great.

I mean it can't handle HDTV because there's not enough processing power. Not that it couldn't handle the format.

[kricker]

Originally Posted by flashbacck

I mean it can't handle HDTV because there's not enough processing power. Not that it couldn't handle the format.

I wouldn't say that so fast, there are people on these forums who have done it. I am not one of them, but I hope to be soon.

[mlbdude]

Let us know! According to the XBMC site it can upscale 480i/p content to 720p or 1080i but it is not powerfull enough to playback full HD content.

[Tomahawk51]

This is really exciting. I have an MVP, and it works great, but an XBox would really be fun to play with.

A question about the UI - is the goal to boot into the SageTV skin directly? It looks like some of the XBMC work is pretty nice already (Music player and visualizations <drool>). Would it be possible to use the XBMC approach for a jukebox, and go back to your SageTV UI for PVR, etc?

I might see this as:
1) a button in the SageTV UI that leads you to the XBMC UI
or
2) the inverse - XBMC that allows SageTV

Just curious on your planned direction...don't mistake this for a feature request. I may have completely missed something, if so let me know.

[kricker]

I just tested 720p and it seemed to playback ok. I only had a small clip to test, so I am not sure how well a longer clip will play. 1080i didn't work out so well. Someone might want to check with Roofus. I think he said he has done it with a special build of Mplayer.

As for the UI, you use XBMC. I am using XBMC with the bluetwo skin, which look like the SageMC skin. Also, I have added a button to the main menu (thanks to Coolwave) which says "My TV" and it launches the script, which goes to what looks like the SageMC UI.

You can also set XBMC to be the default Xbox dash, and have the script start atomagically when XBMC starts.

[jquinlan]

This could be great:
- Find or build a source of soft-modded XBOX's with just the XBMC software.
- Preload the free DVD player so it does not require the Microsoft DVD dongle.
- Make XBMC the startup menu, it would even startup faster then the MVP.
- It can play all XBOX 1 titles, not Live compatible of course.
- It wont require additional SageTV licenses.
- It can work as a client for other PVR software (MythTV, MediaPortal, ect.)

All for about $150 to $200 each. And if Microsoft drops the price again on the XBOX it could even go lower.

[aperry]

You can be Live compatible (I don't use it but I've heard it works) with the software only mod. At least there is a setting in my dashboard to allow me to go into "normal" XBox mode. And several of the hardware mods also support taking themselves out of it so you can do Live (usually by flipping a switch).

[jquinlan]

I knew about the hardware mod switch, but to keep the cost down I mentioned the software mod only. Did not know they were able to find a way to be Live compatible with the software mod.
Thanks for the info.

[src666]

Do you have this set up so you can jump straight into it, or do you have to go through XBMC, then browse to the SageTV.py file and run it manually? If so, how?

Also, is it just me, or does it take a very long time to pull up the list of recordings and movies? It takes almost a full minute for both on my system. Of course, it's better than nothing, but performance is going to be an issue.

Thanks for the hard work!

[torrid]

Just wanted to say that you have done a great job so far.

[chrisc16]

Can anyone point me towards info on how to do the software mod? It seems like most of the info out there pertains to all the hardware mods you can buy.

I just want to try out XMBC, to see if I like it, before I go and spend $50 on a good chip.

Thanks,
Chris