[cpthompson82]

Hi All

I am new here. I am a current Plex user but I think XBMC might be better suited to me and have more features, so I am trying to move over.

I have WHS 2011 running on a Fujitsu Primergy TX100, Xeon 3.1, 8GB, Graphics ATI ES1000, Video Memory 64MB.

I should point out at this point, I use iTunes to organise all of my music, but I dont have to. I dont currently have photos or videos organised.

I dont want to use XBMC on the WHS server itself, I am only using that to stores all the files.

I intend to access XBMC via AppleTV2 connected to my HDMI 4x4 matrix over CAT5 so I can view it on most TVs in the house. I also would like to stream TO iPhones and iPads and also control the Apple TV from the iphones/ipads.


With Plex, I have the server side installed on the WHS server and have the client on a jailbroken apple tv and the plex app on the iphone/ipad. It works fairly well.


With XBMC, how do I go about setting it up? Do I have to install XBMC on the WHS server?

If not, how does all the meta data get stored etc?


If I do have to install it on the XBMC server, which I have tried, are you able to assist with the following error?

CApplication::Create() failed - check log file and that it is writeable

I should point out, this is when I try to load XBMC - it installs with no issues but as soon as I run it I get that error.

I am running as administrator.

I have checked and my server does have the right driver for the ATI ES1000.

I should point out that I only want to store data on the server - I never want to play anything directly from the server.

What do I need to do?

Like I say I am new to this :-(


Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[Fry7]

A long story short: XMBC actually is not a real client-server-system...

But you can build something similar:
You need to have at least one fileserver hosting all your media files, then you can setup a mysql-db (WIKI) on the same server, if you like, and link all your XMBC-clients to its database so that every client - no matter what device, as long as there is a XBMC-port for it - sees the same content (including posters, fanart etc.) and the actual content's status.

To start you need to have one actual XBMC installed on a machine to start manage your media so that your yet local database gets filled.
Then you can migrate that database to your mysql-db.
After that you can start equipping and configuring your devices.

Just as a starter...

[cpthompson82]

thanks for replying. I would like to use my WHS2011 machine running it so I dont have one thing in one place another thing in another place, but I get that error previously mentioned every time I try to open it.

Log below ....




I have tried re installing several times. Slider is all the way to right on acceleration. Really struggling - any suggestions?

Might it be something to do with the Roaming part - if so how do i correct?

9:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: special://masterprofile/ is mapped to: C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: special://home/ is mapped to: C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: special://temp/ is mapped to: C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\cache



LOG

19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: -----------------------------------------------------------------------
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Starting XBMC (11.0 Git:20120321-14feb09), Platform: Windows Server 2008 R2, 64-bit (WoW) Service Pack 1 build 7601. Built on Mar 21 2012 (compiler 1600)
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Intel® Xeon® CPU E31220 @ 3.10GHz
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Desktop Resolution: 1152x864 32Bit at 60Hz
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Running with administrator rights
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Aero is disabled
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: special://xbmc/ is mapped to: C:\Program Files (x86)\XBMC
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: special://xbmcbin/ is mapped to: C:\Program Files (x86)\XBMC
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: special://masterprofile/ is mapped to: C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: special://home/ is mapped to: C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: special://temp/ is mapped to: C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\cache
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: The executable running is: C:\Program Files (x86)\XBMC\XBMC.exe
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Local hostname: MediaServer
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Log File is located: C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\xbmc.log
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: -----------------------------------------------------------------------
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Setup SDL
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Found screen: Generic PnP Monitor on ATI ES1000 , adapter 0.
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Primary mode: 1152x864 @ 60.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 320x200 @ 60.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 320x200 @ 75.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 320x240 @ 60.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 320x240 @ 75.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 400x300 @ 60.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 400x300 @ 75.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 512x384 @ 60.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 512x384 @ 75.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 640x400 @ 60.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 640x400 @ 75.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 640x480 @ 60.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 640x480 @ 72.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 640x480 @ 75.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 800x600 @ 60.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 800x600 @ 70.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 800x600 @ 72.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 800x600 @ 75.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 1024x768 @ 60.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 1024x768 @ 70.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 1024x768 @ 72.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 1024x768 @ 75.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 1152x864 @ 60.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 1152x864 @ 70.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 1152x864 @ 75.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 1280x768 @ 56.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 1280x768 @ 60.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 1280x768 @ 75.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 1280x1024 @ 60.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 1280x1024 @ 70.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Additional mode: 1280x1024 @ 75.00 - Full Screen
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: load settings...
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: special://profile/ is mapped to: special://masterprofile/
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: loading special://masterprofile/guisettings.xml
19:27:24 T:6952 ERROR: special://masterprofile/guisettings.xml, Line 0
Failed to open file
19:27:24 T:6952 ERROR: Unable to load special://masterprofile/guisettings.xml, creating new special://masterprofile/guisettings.xml with default values
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Getting hardware information now...
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Checking resolution 12
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Loading player core factory settings from special://xbmc/system/playercorefactory.xml.
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Loaded playercorefactory configuration
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Loading player core factory settings from special://masterprofile/playercorefactory.xml.
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: special://masterprofile/playercorefactory.xml does not exist. Skipping.
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: No settings file to load (special://xbmc/system/advancedsettings.xml)
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: No settings file to load (special://masterprofile/advancedsettings.xml)
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Default DVD Player: dvdplayer
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Default Video Player: dvdplayer
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Default Audio Player: paplayer
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Disabled debug logging due to GUI setting. Level 0.
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Log level changed to 0
19:27:24 T:6952 NOTICE: Loading media sources from special://masterprofile/sources.xml
19:27:28 T:6952 WARNING: CRenderSystemDX::CreateDevice - initial wanted device config failed
19:27:28 T:6952 ERROR: CRenderSystemDX::CreateDevice - unable to create a device. 8876086A - D3DERR_NOTAVAILABLE (Not available)
19:27:28 T:6952 FATAL: CApplication::Create: Unable to init rendering system
19:27:29 T:7000 ERROR: CRemoteControl::Connect - failed to connect

[Fry7]

Well, as I said: XBMC is NOT a client-server system, so there is no need to go on trying to let XBMC run on your server (besides, this will never work with its ATI ES 1000: XBMC needs at least a DX9 capable gfx-card...).

As WHS2011 is meant to be a headless server, I even can't tell if you'd be able to upgrade your gfx.

XBMC is a single-instance-system with its own database on any platform if you start using it, provided the hardware in use is capable of running XBMC. On any platform it is fully provided with full, independent funcionality.

So your server should be used to hosting your media and (later) your mysql-db (ok, in fact you can start from scratch running a mysql-db if you configure XBMC to use one before feeding it data).

But at first you need to install and bring to life an XBMC-instance that is running on any (capable) platform, let's say a PC.

[Fry7]

Concerning the abilities of the ATI ES 1000 take a look here:
http://web.archive.org/web/2009041519312...specs.html

[cpthompson82]

Thanks for your help so far.

So if I initially install it on a laptop will that always have to be on or does it only have to gather all data initially and then the server takes over with MySQL?

What about when I add new tracks to the server? Will I have to run the software on the laptop to update it?

---

If I want to connect off iPhone locally using Xboxremote app do I connect to my whs server or do I have to connect to pc running Xbmc?

I want to control my ATV with the app somehow and also stream music to iPhone.

[Fry7]

So if I initially install it on a laptop will that always have to be on or does it only have to gather all data initially and then the server takes over with MySQL?

What about when I add new tracks to the server? Will I have to run the software on the laptop to update it?

Assuming that you are going to let your WHS share your media to all clients and that it will also host the mysql-db, you could precede like this:

- prepare your WHS-shares to be reachable from any clients (grant access rights, create functional user etc.)
- install mysql on your WHS (see the Wiki-link in my first answer)
- install XBMC on your laptop
- configure your laptop's XBMC: add sources (your WHS-shares via smb-protocol)
- configure the sources (simple: are movies in there or TV-shows or music...) and which scraper you prefer to get metadata

--- I'd advice you to play around a bit with only a few data so that you can verify the results until you feel comfortable enough with XBMC
--- you should also search the wiki for XBMC's naming conventions concerning folders, filenames etc. - saves a lot of frustration

- if you are done testing you can delete your local test-dbs (XBMC-userfolder), connect all your shares and let them scrape
- then you can configure XBMC to use your mysql-db (wiki-keyword: advancedsettings.xml, it cannot be done by XBMC's GUI itself) so that you can export your local db and import it to mysql
- the only job your mysql-db has from now on is to publish your media-contens incl. scraped metadata to any client
- as your laptop now is a pure client, it can add new media to your WHS-shares (as almost any client could) and scrape it, the changes are immediately published to any other client - so adding new media ALWAYS involves running an XBMC instance!

If you should progress that far, you will definitely love it - but it's really quite a bunch of reading and understanding. Once that's achieved, it's quite simple

[sfxer]

sorry its a bit after the fact but i thought I'd add my 2p's worth!

I went through all this last year when setting up my dell t300 server to run xbmc, my server also has the es1000 vga chip.

I ended up fitting a pci express card into the server which involved carefully openeing up (cutting away) the end of a 4x or 8x slot (cant remember which it was) to accept the card!

with the es1000 xbmc fails to load and I cant use the server install of it to automatically update the database, i have xbmc sickbeard and sabnzbd running and they all work together on the server and keep the sql db upto date.

when i fire up my htpc i get all the latest episodes etc and the database remembers what ive watched and so on.

much better than using my htpc to update its own database as that can take ages and is no good for a quick watch of something if ive forgotten to switch it on well in advance!

i am now going throught he same thing again as I have upgraded to a hp ml350 g6 but that also has the dreaded es1000!

luckily my server came with a 480gtx installed! i would rather not use it though as its overkill and it makes the server fans run faster than they need to.

atleast with the hp i have a 16x pci-e slot to make use of if i need to.

i love the way xbmc runs on the server and as its on all the time its free to just get on with it! took a bit of setting up but well worth it.

my g/f loves it too

[jhhoffma]

File share (to server), MySQL account (on server), and XBMC on client (with common advancedsettings.xml) is all you need:

See http://lifehacker.com/5634515/how-to-syn...-the-house

[sfxer]

File share (to server), MySQL account (on server), and XBMC on client (with common advancedsettings.xml) is all you need:

See http://lifehacker.com/5634515/how-to-syn...-the-house

Its true that works fine but..... xbmc has to scrape and update when you switch on the client, takes way too long for my liking.

keeping an instance of xbmc on the server running 24/7 means the database is always upto date.

I can switch on my client and play the latest episodes immediately.

[Malosar]

You don't have to update the library when you turn on the client, I have that turned off and only manually update when I know I have new content. Updating usually only takes around 10-15 seconds for me.

[jhhoffma]

You don't have to update the library when you turn on the client, I have that turned off and only manually update when I know I have new content. Updating usually only takes around 10-15 seconds for me.

+1, this is what I do.

Also, I think there is a way to have this happen automatically by using a script wake up your system and update the db, then put it back to sleep when finished. I just don't remember where I saw it.

[sfxer]

You don't have to update the library when you turn on the client, I have that turned off and only manually update when I know I have new content. Updating usually only takes around 10-15 seconds for me.

+1, this is what I do.

Also, I think there is a way to have this happen automatically by using a script wake up your system and update the db, then put it back to sleep when finished. I just don't remember where I saw it.

I know what you mean, but as I have a 24/7 server anyway running xbmc on there makes sense to me, as soon as a download finishes it gets updated in the xbmc library. I dont use my xbmc client very much, maybe 2 or 3 times a week so I would find it annoying having to wait for it to update the library to find my new episodes each time I turn it on.

I turn on my client to watch new episodes so I would need to update it each time anyway so turning off auto update library would be pointless

I find it takes a minuite or two atleast to update all the (lots of) new downloads if I let the client do it.

no criticism intended, its just I find my setup suits my needs very well!