Studio and SageMC Questions

[bama]

Hello,

I have a few questions which I hope everyone here can answer for me. After using the original SageTV for about a year, I am at the point where I have the time to truly develop SageTV's interface into exactly what the lady and myself would like. I currently use: Dynamic Menus and the IMDB Search Plugins. During the last year we tried SageMC; however, did not really prefer it to the standard SageTV interface (it was too different from what we used and I did not have time to make it better- however, I have spent quite alot of time researching SageMC and can completely understand why it is so popular.)

So far I have been detailing requirements for what we want our interface to be in the next couple months and this list is what I have come up with:

• Streamlined Graphical Interface: I have seen the impressive interfaces some users are running and would like to develop a variant of this.
• IMDB Interaction: We really enjoy being able perform a search about a video's information; in SageMC we liked being able to save this information; however, I have not been able to do this with the plugin.
• Locking down functionality: I would like to set a pin code to lock access to the settings menu as well as prevent people from deleting media center files.
• Movies: In the recording menu I would like to store movies in their own folder. I know you can do this in SageMC; however, I never got this working do to the lack of WAF approval and time constraints.
• Netflix Integration: We are planning on picking up a subscription this fall provided I can get the direct downloads to work in SageTV.
• Personal Database: We would like to begin developing a set of .my files which identify our current collection of media files. Does anyone have suggestions as to the easiest way to do this?
• Games: We… err I would like to integrate the ZSNES, Project64, and MAME emulators into Sage's interface if this is possible.
• MiniGuide: I have seen the Advanced Mini Guide plug-in and think this is extremely clean and would like to add this or its equivalent in my setup. I understand that this is a SageMC device.
• New Online Feeds: Integrating new online content into Sage. I know this is possible but I am not sure where these references.
• Additionally: We really like the layout of what I believe is mlbDude's Sage Recordings Screen (Outside of the lack of Movies Group) and the Folder View of our Videos in Media Center (We want to remove the ability to delete recordings and remove all views other than the folder view- on the opening of the videos folder and when we first enter the videos we would like to start at the base folder and when watching videos it to go back to the last folder accessed)

I have started playing around with Studio and at this point I have developed a few questions. First, can I just install the currently developed plug-ins I want to use in Sage and then make my personal Studio modifications? Also, can anyone make suggestions on how to get what I want out of Sage- in other words: should I work with SageMC or is the default STI enough and what plug-ins should I look at to complete my interface? Finally, are there any recommendations or suggestions some of the more experienced users can share?

I know this was a long post but I wanted to get as much my vision out there as possible. Please ask me any questions you may have.

Thank you in advance for you response,

bama

[bama]

Wow.

Thought I could have at least one response. That sucks.

[Brent]

Missed your post the first time, but thought I'd comment.
I'm not sure I understand what your looking for. Are you wanting to create an entire new GUI - a replacement UI like SageMC is? Or do you want to modify SageMC to port it over to your own preferences?

Originally Posted by bama

So far I have been detailing requirements for what we want our interface to be in the next couple months and this list is what I have come up with:

• Streamlined Graphical Interface: I have seen the impressive interfaces some users are running and would like to develop a variant of this.

Sounds good - what do you have in mind to do differently?

• IMDB Interaction: We really enjoy being able perform a search about a video's information; in SageMC we liked being able to save this information; however, I have not been able to do this with the plugin.

Within what plugin?

• Locking down functionality: I would like to set a pin code to lock access to the settings menu as well as prevent people from deleting media center files.

I think you can do this now within dynamic menus. Best way I know would be to remove settings as a menu item and make it only come up with a remote press or a keyboard command. You could even assign a pin to that remote press/keyboard shortcut using dynamic menus.

• Movies: In the recording menu I would like to store movies in their own folder. I know you can do this in SageMC; however, I never got this working do to the lack of WAF approval and time constraints.

Works in SageMC for me - and I think (not positive) there is a way to do this in the default STV as well.

• Netflix Integration: We are planning on picking up a subscription this fall provided I can get the direct downloads to work in SageTV.
• Personal Database: We would like to begin developing a set of .my files which identify our current collection of media files. Does anyone have suggestions as to the easiest way to do this?

In SageMC there is an excellent Netflix plugin available that does what you need. It's not been ported to the default STV so far though.

[boognish]

Ive got znes setup in my sagemc. Its pretty basic but works for me! I added a submenu for games and then for each game i wanted listed i just added it as an external program. From znes and my remote i can load any rom i want. Not sure if this will help you at all but thought id share

[GKusnick]

can I just install the currently developed plug-ins I want to use in Sage and then make my personal Studio modifications?

Importing an STVI produces a modified STV file (e.g. SageTV3-1.xml). Studio edits STV files. So yes, you can import STVIs into the stock STV (or SageMC) and use Studio to edit the result. You can then save your changes in either STV form (i.e. a complete custom UI) or STVI form (an import than can be re-applied to the stock STV to re-create your changes).

Also, questions about STV and STVI development generally belong in the Studio forum, which may explain why you didn't get much attention here in the SageMC forum (which is primarily for SageMC users).