Media Browser (HTPC Software) is GORGEOUS

fatchowmein

For all of you HTPC owners on Media Center running MyMovies, Open Media Library, etc...

Check out Media Browser, Salami's Movie Organizer, and TV Scout.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1094009


So far, I'm really impressed with all three software. Combined, they're dynamite. Of course, this means going through your entire library *AGAIN* :rolleyes: but I think the payoff is quite high. We'll see how it rolls after several hundred movies. Very fast. Gorgeous.

BTW, the link doesn't do the software justice. Load it and see but BACKUP your existing stuff or try it on another box for testing. Don't go jacking up your library and looking to hunt me down.

fatchowmein

1. thumbstrip.jpg
My favorite viewing configuration. 3:10 to Yuma is larger than the other cover art because my pointer is on it. Clicking it takes you to the detail screen.

2. detailscreen.jpg
There's a button to click to play. General info is here. There's an Actors tab but I don't know how to add photos yet (not that I care about it nor do I want to go hunting for photos unless it's Megan Fox).

3. view.jpg
Backing out takes you back to the thumbstrip. Click on the "view" button at the top allows you to change the viewing configuration.

4. coverflow.jpg
Similar to iTunes.

5. detail.jpg
This looks similar to XBMC. Scrolling is done vertically.

6. poster.jpg
Poster configuration. 2 rows similar to the default media center display and Open Media Library. I think My Movies does it too but then they all have multiple viewing configuration. I prefer Media Browser.

7. thumb.jpg
In this configuration, the cover art are on the left half of the screen and the backdrop picture and details are on the right half.

fatchowmein

8. salami-IMP.jpg
This is the upper portion of Salami's Movie Organizer. Specifically, I've clicked on the "Launch cover search" for IMP. The frame on the right takes me to the Internet Movie Poster Awards to search for cover art (I prefer movie posters over DVD covers). http://www.impawards.com/

9. salami-IMDB.jpg
Here I've clicked on "Launch metadata search" for details from IMDB.

10. mediascout.jpg
This utility hunts for cover art and the large backdrop image (see the wallpaper of the back of the cowboy on 2. detailscreen.jpg from above) from www.themoviedb.org. At the bottom, there are six different backdrop pictures for Rambo. Mediascout picks one by default but you can change it. I think these are 1920x1080.

If you find a wallpaper/user art/promo art elsewhere, just simply save it as backdrop.jpg in the folder holding your movie.

There's also a TV tab for mediascout but I haven't used it yet so I don't have anything to report.

fatchowmein

If you're thinking it's a lot of work to manually configure each movie, you're right.

I don't recall completely at which step but one of the utility did automatically update as best as it could (I think it was Media Browser) all of the movies but it all looks so much better if you spend the time to tweak it.

Sami

Can you play BD?

fatchowmein

Sami wrote: »

Can you play BD?

Not yet. I believe MyMovies and Open Media Library will but requires additional software like PowerDVD or Total Media Theatre (plus some tweaking). http://www.mediabrowser.tv/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=336

Also, there's a catch. If you want TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio, there's currently no perfect solution out there for bitstreaming them to your AV Receiver. Supposedly, the Asus Xonar HDAV1.3 doesn't work perfectly and the Auzentech X-Fi HomeTheatre HD isn't out yet. You can go with multi channel LPCM but supposedly you can't get the HD lossless audio that way.

I could be wrong. Haven't played with it myself.

Tanquen

I'm using PowerDVD8 and 8 channel analog out from my PC to the receiver. Works well but is still down sampled.