Apple TV as Media Extender

[Comitizer]

Originally Posted by PiX64

If u have sage web server and sagex installed u can hit

Http:// sage server ip : port/ sagex/api

U can find a whole slew of callable stuff there including custom functions that live in /sagex/ directory on sage server.

I think this is the way to go. Many people already have the sagex libraries and web server installed. Having said that, I think the API you found is the same.

As for fan art and meta data, you should try to integrate with BMT. It's the premiere meta data scraper. It may help with the missing fan art problem (can't say for sure).

More info here:

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=46

Lastly, I have PlexConnect installed and working. I'd be willing to try this if you have a link to your latest code. Do you have a project on GitHub? I'd love to check it out. I might be able to assist.

[PiX64]

Originally Posted by SageWizdom

So, with the great tip about the restful api's, I'm chasing fan art now. The biggest problem I run into is when there is no fan art.... what would you want to see?

I've got the basics for my next release (menus, image grids, fan art) but ... no fan art is blank slate. Is it possible for fan art to create an empty poster with just the show name (as a backup)? I'm looking into this now. Otherwise, System is pretty usable (I use it daily).

General update, I was calculating which ports are used by what, and I think I can get it to run side by side with Sage on the same box, no extra server. I need to double check all the ports.... this will probably be the next release in a week or so (after gui clean up)

----- Clarification ------
All media processing and loading is done directly by the AppleTV, so I can not validate the image... it has to *always* work, or I need to know in advance that it wont work, and change the URL on the back end.

So I have that issue as well in the Plex Integration code. If there is no fanart stored in BMT and therfore not available via sagex, there isn't anything you can hit to say "hey give me a dummy art with show name on it" AFAIK. This is available in the phoneix UI code, but i don't believe that Sean built this into the backend.

You could create some code in the custom JS if you are using it which tests for the presence of the image file, and if it doesn't exist, handle it there. presumably creating a dummy folder with name of show on it....

[SageWizdom]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

not really understanding the technical side, I wish I knew how so I could help you with this, as it seems like a brilliant idea.
However, can you explain (as if I were in fourth grade lol) the bit about hijacking the Apple Trailer feed...does this mean that the Apple Trailer feature will not work, or is there some kind of rerouting in place after the connection to Sage is made to enable connection to Apples trailer servers?

Hi, Thank you for the offer, and a great question. Currently, the answer is YES. When using SageConnect, the Apple Trailers application will only show SageTV. I believe it is possible to make the system smart enough to see a trailer request and do trailers, but it definitely doesn't do this right now. That said, I think (and will verify) the movies app also shows trailers.

As for helping, anything you want to do would be great. Even just reading the instructions and giving feedback on what doesn't make sense, or asking questions I can use as part of a FAQ is helpful because then I can try and fix that. I'm definitely learning the SageAPI so if you know that, it would be helpful.

Lastly, if you have an Apple TV and want to try this out. It would be very helpful to simply hear feedback. ex. "Step 7 doesn't work on my computer." I know this works with my system, but I am certain that I'm not checking enough errors or plugins, etc and it will take a while before the "failures" are obvious enough for me to figure out how to fix them.

Thanks!

https://github.com/SageWizdom/SageConnect

[SageWizdom]

Originally Posted by Comitizer

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=46

Lastly, I have PlexConnect installed and working. I'd be willing to try this if you have a link to your latest code. Do you have a project on GitHub? I'd love to check it out. I might be able to assist.

Thank you for the link, I'm starting with the sagex/media api, but will probably take another version or two before I can use the straight sagex/api for direct xml access. You're welcome to grab / play with the project, if you need access let me know.

I just created an "alpha" release and will check in my active code a bit later tonight. The updated code (and screenshots) are much more like the traditional sage interface. Menus down the left; System status (dummy), Recorded Shows (grid/click to grid), Imported Media (click to menu), Media Search (click for dialog). There are some limits on what I can do per screen, and right now I'm torn between consistency and easy of use.

https://github.com/SageWizdom/SageConnect

Originally Posted by PiX64

So I have that issue as well in the Plex Integration code. If there is no fanart stored in BMT and therfore not available via sagex, there isn't anything you can hit to say "hey give me a dummy art with show name on it" AFAIK. This is available in the phoneix UI code, but i don't believe that Sean built this into the backend.

Could you give an example of how to do it on the backend? I'm very much less than familiar with the Java api style and available options in Phoenix. Even being able to query (true/false) the existence of the file, I can query, and change the URL (and build an image generator in all my apparent free time). Right now, when a file doesn't exist, the API still returns a black square.

Any chance someone would be willing to update Phoenix to return a black square with the title in white letters if the image doesn't exist? Then rain or shine you get something...

[PiX64]

Originally Posted by SageWizdom

Thank you for the link, I'm starting with the sagex/media api, but will probably take another version or two before I can use the straight sagex/api for direct xml access. You're welcome to grab / play with the project, if you need access let me know.

I just created an "alpha" release and will check in my active code a bit later tonight. The updated code (and screenshots) are much more like the traditional sage interface. Menus down the left; System status (dummy), Recorded Shows (grid/click to grid), Imported Media (click to menu), Media Search (click for dialog). There are some limits on what I can do per screen, and right now I'm torn between consistency and easy of use.

https://github.com/SageWizdom/SageConnect

Could you give an example of how to do it on the backend? I'm very much less than familiar with the Java api style and available options in Phoenix. Even being able to query (true/false) the existence of the file, I can query, and change the URL (and build an image generator in all my apparent free time). Right now, when a file doesn't exist, the API still returns a black square.

Any chance someone would be willing to update Phoenix to return a black square with the title in white letters if the image doesn't exist? Then rain or shine you get something...

I'll send u a code snippet tomorrow.

I'll ask Sean again if he has time to add that feature as it would be awesome for me as well with the plex code :-)...

[tvmaster2]

hi...I don't want to be a downer, and I know nothing technically of what you are all discussing, but is there any way for Apple to upload firmware updates that could trash all the awesome things you're attempting......they have been known to be kinda dicky like that...

[SageWizdom]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

hi...I don't want to be a downer, and I know nothing technically of what you are all discussing, but is there any way for Apple to upload firmware updates that could trash all the awesome things you're attempting......they have been known to be kinda dicky like that...

Not a downer at all... The PlexConnect guys (and I give them really all the credit for this wonderful code) put in a check, so that when the Apple TV reaches back to Apple, it is simply told there is not an update.

Yes, ultimately that is a little less convenient if / when Apple comes out with an update. The expectation is that the AppleTV using community will slowly test, and once things are shown to continue to work, folks will either update, or install workarounds and updates. Its not perfect, but at least for my need, its a pretty good deal for a $99 dollar extender.

[tvmaster2]

it would be a shame to see all this good work down the drain. hopefully, as you say, Apple updates can be installed while at the same time Sageconnect countering when necessary, Since Apple is likely to fix bugs with things like Netflix, etc.

[SageWizdom]

I've put the finishing checks on Alpha 2. Much better menus / UI. Working Apple Trailers, working recordings, working imported media.

https://github.com/SageWizdom/SageConnect
https://github.com/SageWizdom/SageCo...er/screenshots
* please excuse the photo quality, I couldn't get a good angle with my camera vs the TV, so there is a bit of skew

As previously noted, I use this everyday on 2 different AppleTVs around my house. Its very solid on my setup, but I don't know how other folks setups may differ.


Next Steps:
-- Autoscan and detect SageTV server (same subnet only)

-- Figure out the Sage API and parse that instead of web scrape. This would give a more SageTV like experience (ex. TV, Movies, Music, Images, etc versus now.... whatever I can pull

-- Figure out how to pull and generate SageTV Server status for main page

-- Figure out how to query fanart existence for a specific MediaFileID and if it doesn't exist, generate a place holder

-- Figure out how to compile the python code, turn it into an executable, and see if someone can help make it a downloadable Sage plugin

-- Figure out how to stream live. (create recording and link to it.... from testing, this automatically follows live.)

-- Figure out how to do comskip. The client knows where in the file it is, I need to figure out how to have the client seek..... tricky.

[Comitizer]

Wow, that looks great.

What happens if the ATV doesn't support the format of the video you are playing? Do you manage to hook into the sage transcoder?

How did you get the trailers app to continue working? I thought you had to redirect all DNS for trailers.apple.com to the sage connect client.

I don't think event the PlexConnect client has working trailers.

Are you using Phoenix to grab the fan art?

[PiX64]

Originally Posted by PiX64

I'll send u a code snippet tomorrow.

I'll ask Sean again if he has time to add that feature as it would be awesome for me as well with the plex code :-)...

still need a code snippet? or are you good?

[SageWizdom]

Originally Posted by Comitizer

Do you manage to hook into the sage transcoder?

Yes.... Actually, I only know how to use the transcoder. Not knowing the API, I've been using the same URL that the mobile web interface uses. It turns out this works for all MediaFileIDs, including imported media. In theory the mobile web interface could be able to play imported media as well.

"/stream/HTTPLiveStreamingPlaylist?MediaFileId=<MediaFileID>"
"/stream/MediaFileThumbnailServlet?MediaFileId=<MediaFileID>"

Originally Posted by Comitizer

How did you get the trailers app to continue working? I thought you had to redirect all DNS for trailers.apple.com to the sage connect client.

I thought this was going to be MUCH harder than it was. It took about 2 hours last night where I basically built a proxy. If the url looks like a trailers url, I query the apple site and return the xml or images back to the ATV. It only works, right now, because when apple pulls the actual trailer video, they use a different URL, so I don't have to proxy that (Whew!). If you can figure out how to tell the PlexConnect guys, I'm happy for them to have it, I'd feel like less of a mooch given all the hard work of theirs I was able to take advantage of. Thanks to tvmaster2 for the impetus.

Originally Posted by Comitizer

Are you using Phoenix to grab the fan art?

Yes, I think, based on the /sagex/media/ API example I was able to find.

"/sagex/media/fanart?title=ShowName&artifact=poster"

Originally Posted by PiX64

still need a code snippet? or are you good?

Yes please. I've been chewing through the API but it is literally a foreign language for me (Java). Any other suggestions / examples would be great. (ex media search; media list; media stream). I want to compile the exe into something simple to install, but onward I'd like to look into using the api directly to get access to info as it makes sense.

[tvmaster2]

this just keeps sounding better

is the intention for this to work with ANY Apple TV, or just he newest one?

[PiX64]

Any Apple TV will do

[tvmaster2]

[PiX64]

Attached is the js file i use for Plex Scaner / BMT Agent you call it from a url by

http:// sage server : port /sagex/api?c=plex:GetMediaFileForName&1=<name of show you are looking for less the extenstion>
c=plex is the call to the file and then custom function i created which is GetMediaFileForName.

[SageWizdom]

Greetings,
I'm curious if anyone has given this a try. If yes, what did you think, what needs to be improved.

If not, why not? Is it too hard / complex to install. No AppleTV. Its missing Feature X. Not something you need just now.

Thank you for your feedback.

[HokiePerogi]

Originally Posted by SageWizdom

Greetings,
I'm curious if anyone has given this a try. If yes, what did you think, what needs to be improved.

If not, why not? Is it too hard / complex to install. No AppleTV. Its missing Feature X. Not something you need just now.

Thank you for your feedback.

I'd love to check it out, but I'm AppleTV-less right now.

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by HokiePerogi

I'd love to check it out, but I'm AppleTV-less right now.

Me too. I went to PC clients now.

[trk2]

I'm actively following this thread with interest but I do not own a Apple TV.

Do the latest Apple TV revisions support HD Audio yet (TrueHD, DTS-MA)? My sage library has transitioned to be more bluray movies then dvr recordings.