MP -TV server/client question

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aucklander

477 posts

Ultimate Geek

#33110 29-Apr-2009 23:26

Hi!

I installed MP on a desktop which became HTPC, it is conected to the TV only. I installed it as "single seat" (server/client on the same computer?), but now I would like to have MP installed on a laptop as well, and to be able to play on laptop (wirelessly) shows recorded on the HTPC.

1] do I need to re-install MP on the HTPC and select other options for a "server / 2nd client" configuration?

2] what remote control should I get? As far as I understand how "server / client" works, I can change channels on live TV or play recorded shows stored on the HTPC (server) from the laptop (client) once the network is set to transfer files from one computer to the other. Right?

3] can anyone advise what sort of connection speed is required to be able to have this setup running? I mean, connection speed of the wireless between laptop and HTPC. Watching live tv is pretty much the same with watching recorded tv, as you actually watch the timeshift buffer when watching live tv, which is a recording after all.

4] in the first stage, I can try with no remote control, as all functions should be available on the keyboard, correct? A wireless mouse should do it.

Your help will be highly appreciated as will save me from buying a tv to watch the news in the morning while having breakfast... and it would look pretty cool for anyone seing this working, too.

mobo Intel DH55PJ, RAM: 4GB RAM, Nova-T 500 HD + Avermedia Trinity tuner card, Geforce 520 video, 120GB SSD Sandisk + 640 WD + 1000SG, Win7 Home Prem 64-bit, Media Portal 1.15.0; BTC 9019URF Cordless Keyboard, Panasonic 55" (HDMI cable), HTPC Case Silverstone Grandia GD05B.

Dingbatt

6756 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#210826 30-Apr-2009 10:14

1. I set up like you said a while ago (pre 1.0.0) and then added client software to my desktop and laptop and pointed them to the HTPC on the network using the same server name as for my single seat installation. This was however, before the fancy installer of later versions. It's not going to do any damage to your server if you load the client software on the laptop and then see if you can link it. I never used it much and have subsequently removed the clients from the desktop and laptop and just stuck with the singleseat installation.

2 and 4. Any remote you use only has to talk to the client, the client then communicates with the server. I found the keyboard sufficient because you don't tend to sit across the room from your laptop!

3. I used a 10/100 wired ethernet connection. I did not try wireless.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

nzkc

1572 posts

Uber Geek

#210861 30-Apr-2009 11:26

1. With your current setup you can just add clients as you wish. You will just point them to the HTPC as the "server". I have a HTPC in the living room doing both server and client roles (a single seat install). I then have a PC in the spare bedroom that is configured to point to the living room PC as a client. This second client was added later. So exactly what you're trying to do :-)

2. As Dingbatt said, more or less any should work. Did you get one with the TV card you bought? I have a MCE Remote (and keyboard as it happens) and that works great. I've also got a Logitech Harmony and its fantastic (once you've spent hours/days getting it all configured). I'd say; if you get one that is compatible with Microsoft remotes then you'll be fine

3. For HDTV you need about 11Mb/sec (from my testing). So its fine on a 100Mb/s LAN but you might struggle on a 10Mb/s lan. No idea on wireless, but a lot of people on the Interweb report problems streaming TV.

4. Yes.

Just a little bit of extra info that you may be aware of. If you have multiple tuners you can watch live TV on both PCs at the same time even if they're different channels. With a single tuner you are limited to one. Where this can differ is that MediaPortal can demux streams off the sames frequency (e.g. TV1 and TV2 could be watched on a single DVB-T card). MediaPortal will show you which channels are available to be selected (I'd grab a screenshot to illustrate but I'm at work...working hard of course). So its pretty clever if you want to watch live tv on second (or subsequent) client about which channels it'll let you watch. It comes as a first come first served basis. Watching recorded TV will be fine of course as that doesnt require another tuner.

kiwijunglist

2981 posts

Uber Geek

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#211880 3-May-2009 15:05

1. If your running MP1.0 you don't need to change anything on the HTPC. it already has tvserver and client. Just install MP1.0 (needs to be same version/svn) on the laptop, the client (laptop) needs to point to the tvserver on the htpc.

2. The laptop is able to control the tvserver on the HTPC via the network connection and it can change channels on the server to what ever channel the client (laptop) wants to watch.

3. As far as i'm aware regular Wifi is a bit too slow for HDTV or 720P/1080P movies. divx and analog i think maybe ok. Just try it and find out.

4. Correct.

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.

aucklander

477 posts

Ultimate Geek

#212215 4-May-2009 19:46

Here I am, after installing MP 1.0.1.0 on both HTPC and client.

When I have to set the TV Server host, it doesn't matter if I use the network name (HTPC) or the 192.168.... address, I get the same error regarding some ports not being open:
31456 (TCP) Remote Control
554 (TCP) RTSP Streaming
1433 (TCP) MS SQL Server

I forwarded the ports to the client and it does not work, then I forwarded the ports to the HTPC and it is still not working, I am getting the same error message regarding the ports.

What do I have to do with the ports?

kiwijunglist

2981 posts

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#212245 4-May-2009 21:12

Can you disable all the firewalls (router,htpc,client) and then see if it works. Then re-enable one at a time.

Port checker - http://www.canyouseeme.org/

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.

CYaBro

4586 posts

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#212303 4-May-2009 22:55

No need to "forward" any ports on your router.
It is the firewall on your client and/or server blocking those ports.
When you installed the software you should have got the option to configure the firewall automatically.
If not you will need to manually add those ports to the firewalls on both machines.

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

aucklander

477 posts

Ultimate Geek

#212364 5-May-2009 08:04

Sorry, I realised opening ports is totally different from forwarding ports, I opened the specified ports on both client and server computers. It does not give the error message I mentioned before because the ports are open now but still cannot connect to the server. I will have to look deeper into the issue, maybe I missed something.

Thank you for the support so far.

Sharesies

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Disrespective

1926 posts

Uber Geek

#212372 5-May-2009 08:34

Have a look at this and see if it might help:
http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/installation-configuration-support-53/port-1433-blocked-52861/index2.html

Doesn't sound like it's too big of a problem so hang in there and it'll be working soon enough.