Add MythTV recordings to library?
#1
The XBMC library has a section for TV Shows, and I use a mythtv:// source to access my TV recordings, which works great. I've always used File mode instead of the library in XBMC because I've never found a way to get the MythTV recordings to appear in the library and switching between File/Library modes has a low WAF.

I'm playing with the Eden release now, is there a way yet to have MythTV recordings added to the library so I can use all the nice TV Show library features? It looks like recordings can still only be accessed from the File menu/mode. It's confusing to not find TV Shows under the "TV Shows" menu and have to open the "Files" menu to dig down to them.

Am I missing something obvious?
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#2
It all depends on how the files are named. See: Adding videos to the library (wiki)
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#3
Hmm. I think the mythtv:// source pulls the file information directly from the mysql database used by mythbackend, using the mythtv protocol. Since the protocol is a built-in source type for XBMC and the file meta information exists only in the database, I don't see how file naming is involved. The library can't use the actual filenames, they are just coded hashes. File naming is only relevant when adding file sources to the library, no? I would expect the meta information for mythtv:// sources to be read using the mythtv protocol from the database, since that's how it gets the info for the non-library views. It's even already organized by mythtv:// in show/episode hierarchy in a known format that xbmc already recognizes as part of protocol.

Basically, all the show title and episode information is already there and works wonderfully in file mode, it just doesn't add or update the library. This makes the library almost useless, since if everything is not in it then it's easier to just use file mode so nothing is missing.

Perhaps there's another approach to getting mythtv recordings to appear in the library that isn't obvious to me. I don't see how file naming helps, since mythtv doesn't store show/episode information in file names, and XBMC doesn't get show/episode information from the mythtv file names, it reads them from the mythtv mysql server as a mythtv:// source.

If I'm being stupidly obtuse here, please let me know. Smile

update: ok, I think I understand now. Only files can be added to the library, not any other type of sources, and the metadata for the library can only come from the file names since it's basically just a file directory scraper. So if I understand right, mythtv recordings cannot be added to the library, and even if they could, there is no way of keeping the library updated in real time as shows are recorded and deleted. Looks like I need to keep using XBMC with the library turned off, which is what I'm used to anyway. Thanks for the reply though!
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#4
If you're running XBMC on Linux, check out mythicalLibrarian.
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#5
(2012-03-25, 13:35)pkscuot Wrote: If you're running XBMC on Linux, check out mythicalLibrarian.

I used mythicalLibrarian for about a year...it's pretty good. Either copies your files to the XBMC file folder, renames them or can be set to create a symbolic link to the original Mythtv file. It uses the episode name to figure out the episode number. There's also a number of mythtv renaming utilities available but you have to make sure the myth database is properly modified...real easy to get orphan recordings.

Mythbuntu doesn't need viruses - we have Sudo
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#6
Thanks a ton! I was not aware of mythicalLibrarian, first time I've heard of it! I am indeed all-linux and am checking this out!
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Add MythTV recordings to library?0