Some newbie questions: Customizing menus, media browser etc.

[stounedi]

Hello!

I've been looking around for a good HTPC software for some time, and after playing around with free options I'm now turning my eyes on the commercial ones.

I havent been playing around with the trial version of SageTV for long time, but it seems promising.

Few questions:
- Is it possible to customize the menus?
Explanation: I'd like to keep it as simple as possible, with maybe only "Videos", "Music" and "TV" on the main menu. Then I might wanna have "More..." menu with everything else. If this is possible, where should I look for this option?

- Does SageTV have a "media browser"?
Explanation: I dont like to use media library at all. I usually put my recordings / video files on a dvd. Then I'd like to just play them from there, not at all from any media library system. Is this possible with SageTV? And if so, how? I didnt find such option in the menus with quick look.

[medwynd]

Originally Posted by stounedi

Few questions:
- Is it possible to customize the menus?
Explanation: I'd like to keep it as simple as possible, with maybe only "Videos", "Music" and "TV" on the main menu. Then I might wanna have "More..." menu with everything else. If this is possible, where should I look for this option?

Take a look at the SageMC customization. It has a dynamic menu system and a host of other features that are useful.

Originally Posted by stounedi

- Does SageTV have a "media browser"?
Explanation: I dont like to use media library at all. I usually put my recordings / video files on a dvd. Then I'd like to just play them from there, not at all from any media library system. Is this possible with SageTV? And if so, how? I didnt find such option in the menus with quick look.

Not quite sure I understand what you mean. What exactly are you wanting sage to do? Would you have a HTPC near your tv with a dvd player in it and then just want SageTV to play the dvd from the HTPC?

If so I know there is a play dvd option in the SageMC menu but I have never tried it as I rip all my media to my home server, but I assume it works

[blade]

Originally Posted by stounedi

Few questions:
- Is it possible to customize the menus?
Explanation: I'd like to keep it as simple as possible, with maybe only "Videos", "Music" and "TV" on the main menu. Then I might wanna have "More..." menu with everything else. If this is possible, where should I look for this option?

You can edit the menus in the default stv with this plug-in. I've renamed/removed/added several items from multiple menus.

- Does SageTV have a "media browser"?
Explanation: I dont like to use media library at all. I usually put my recordings / video files on a dvd. Then I'd like to just play them from there, not at all from any media library system. Is this possible with SageTV? And if so, how? I didnt find such option in the menus with quick look.

I assume you're talking about playing video files such as wmv, avi, etc... that are saved as data on a DVD and not playing an actual "DVD". There is a browse media files item on the menu (can't recall where, but it's easy to find) that allows you to navigate to different disks and folders to select a file to play that is not in the library. It's fine for playing one file every now and then, but it's a bit cumbersome.

I know you said you didn't want to use the "media library", but it might be a better option. You can setup your DVD drive as the only import directory for the video library. When the disk is inserted Sage would then recognize the videos and add them to the library. I think once the disk is removed they would be removed from the library. You'd have to wait for a the library to refresh or manually force one from the the UI. At least I think it would work for data files on a DVD. I know it works for actual DVD movies.

[stounedi]

Originally Posted by blade

I know you said you didn't want to use the "media library", but it might be a better option. You can setup your DVD drive as the only import directory for the video library. When the disk is inserted Sage would then recognize the videos and add them to the library. I think once the disk is removed they would be removed from the library. You'd have to wait for a the library to refresh or manually force one from the the UI. At least I think it would work for data files on a DVD. I know it works for actual DVD movies.

Yes, exactly, I often record the files (.avi and .ts) on a dvd as data files and watch in living room with dedicated HTPC connected to TV / Projector. Sorry for being a bit unclear about that.

Thanks for the tip, I didnt check if SageTV adds/removes the files automatically to/from video library if DVD is removed. I have to check that out. If it really does that, I've got no problem with using the library

If it doesnt remove the media files automatically (I'd need to go & manually refresh in the menu), is there any tip how I could get them removed automatically every time DVD is removed from the drive? I hate extra clicking