2010-01-08, 02:51
I'm new to Python, so bear with me.
Is there a method to capture a direct stream from the user's webcam and apply it in the gui as you would an image, with it still refreshing every few milliseconds?
I see lots of eyecandy in this new generation of skins, and I want to push it a bit further. Rather than simulating reflections with the diffuse functions and gloss image overlays for art, I would like to lower the alpha on images captured in real time from a webcam and place them over a glossed image so as to simulate an actual reflection in the surfaces of GUI elements and images.
I know I can do this using DirectX, and with it's added support in the windows version, it seems possible. Can I do it without modifying the core distribution via a script? I'm just not familiar enough with python to know how it functions within XBMC.
Edit:
Nevermind, There doesn't appear to be a way to implement distortion mapping which kinda shoots down the whole idea. If reflections aren't bent around curves or distorted by refraction through glassy surfaces, it would look like crap. The resource overhead would be too high for many users anyway. I'll revisit the idea if I can find a way to make use of the directX APIs without modding the source directly.
Is there a method to capture a direct stream from the user's webcam and apply it in the gui as you would an image, with it still refreshing every few milliseconds?
I see lots of eyecandy in this new generation of skins, and I want to push it a bit further. Rather than simulating reflections with the diffuse functions and gloss image overlays for art, I would like to lower the alpha on images captured in real time from a webcam and place them over a glossed image so as to simulate an actual reflection in the surfaces of GUI elements and images.
I know I can do this using DirectX, and with it's added support in the windows version, it seems possible. Can I do it without modifying the core distribution via a script? I'm just not familiar enough with python to know how it functions within XBMC.
Edit:
Nevermind, There doesn't appear to be a way to implement distortion mapping which kinda shoots down the whole idea. If reflections aren't bent around curves or distorted by refraction through glassy surfaces, it would look like crap. The resource overhead would be too high for many users anyway. I'll revisit the idea if I can find a way to make use of the directX APIs without modding the source directly.
