XBMC now supports mySQL

Snuck in under the radar is a HUGE feature for XBMC users with large collections.

 

It is early days but now using mySQL to store your XBMC library database is as simple as configuring mySQL with a username and password and passing that to XBMC. The method of storing artwork is not done yet but for user with large library's and multiple instances of XBMC this is a huge deal.

 

XBMC if configured to do so will create separate video and music databases.

 

Obviously getting mySQL onto could be a marriage made in heaven.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

Neat. especially for multiple instances of XBMC.

 

It's one of the reasons I wanted an SSD on my unraid server, so I could have a mysql db there and minimize another spindle.

 

When did this occur? has it been release or is it an SVN version?

Neat. especially for multiple instances of XBMC.

 

It's one of the reasons I wanted an SSD on my unraid server, so I could have a mysql db there and minimize another spindle.

 

When did this occur? has it been release or is it an SVN version?

 

Should be in the next stable release. Currently it is in SVN and because of a big code merge at the beginning of the month the devs are recommending staying away from SVN until things get more stable.

Neat. especially for multiple instances of XBMC.

 

It's one of the reasons I wanted an SSD on my unraid server, so I could have a mysql db there and minimize another spindle.

 

When did this occur? has it been release or is it an SVN version?

 

Should be in the next stable release. Currently it is in SVN and because of a big code merge at the beginning of the month the devs are recommending staying away from SVN until things get more stable.

 

Whilst that is true the mySQL branch was merged to trunk before the addons merge started.

 

What this means is if you stay at r28276 you get mySQL and alot of other stuff and no problems with the devs

Thanks for the heads up - hadn't heard about this. Should be very useful!

Just wondering, is there some kind of mysql implementation that is suggested to use on an unraid server?  I would love to have a single database and not have to manage several xbmc libraries independently. 

 

Thanks!

Just wondering, is there some kind of mysql implementation that is suggested to use on an unraid server?  I would love to have a single database and not have to manage several xbmc libraries independently. 

 

Thanks!

Me too.  I know that there is a MySql package for unMENU's package manager, but it needs tweaking to get it to install with permissions.  (I had never installed it myself as the package file was contributed by another forum member)

 

I will set it up for my own XBMC shared use as soon as I figure it out.  I'll post instructions and a revised package then.  It is a perfect match for those with multiple XBMC media center apps running.

It's value is highly limited, you still have to have local thumbnail caches (unless you do some type of symbolic linking).  The only real value is being able to pause a show in one room and start it in another.  Big problem is you still have to setup the shares on each client, I tried it and it wasn't great.  Hopefully they move to a server-based model that serves up everything and scrapes centrally etc.

 

The Plex team has some interesting ideas that are more along the lines of what I think we'd all find really valuable (IMHO) http://elan.plexapp.com/2010/03/24/the-road-to-alexandria-part-1-introduction/

 

Here's another interesting thread about an XBMC Server...  http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?t=37315

 

Regardless of my opinions, I'd love to hear how you guys are using the current mySQL support.  Maybe I missed something major.

 

 

It's value is highly limited, you still have to have local thumbnail caches (unless you do some type of symbolic linking).  The only real value is being able to pause a show in one room and start it in another.

I'll need to read up on that part of it, but that is not the big value to me at all.  The big value is that I've spent many hours getting the screen art and titles matched to my collection.  That currently has to be done at each XBMC client, or you need to copy the entire scraping data directory from one client to the other.

  Big problem is you still have to setup the shares on each client, I tried it and it wasn't great.

Pointing to a share was not hard, getting the library mode set up was the real work.  

 Hopefully they move to a server-based model that serves up everything and scrapes centrally etc.

Exactly.  I want to only scrape once.  I think that the central MySQL database does exactly that.

The Plex team has some interesting ideas that are more along the lines of what I think we'd all find really valuable (IMHO) http://elan.plexapp.com/2010/03/24/the-road-to-alexandria-part-1-introduction/

 

Here's another interesting thread about an XBMC Server...  http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?t=37315

 

Regardless of my opinions, I'd love to hear how you guys are using the current mySQL support.  Maybe I missed something major.

I'm not currently  using it, but will if XBMC supports the shared scrape library.

I'll need to read up on that part of it, but that is not the big value to me at all.  The big value is that I've spent many hours getting the screen art and titles matched to my collection.  That currently has to be done at each XBMC client, or you need to copy the entire scraping data directory from one client to the other. Big problem is you still have to setup the shares on each client, I tried it and it wasn't great. Pointing to a share was not hard, getting the library mode set up was the real work.

 

Why don't you use Ember Media Manager (I think its the best at this point by a mile) to manage that stuff.  It watches your media library folder(s) and then can scrape the information you need from a bunch of different sources (including IMDB).  It even can send a remote library update command to multiple XBMC clients automatically.  For me it pulls coverart, NFO, fanart, trailers, etc. from multiple sources for both movies and TV.  It even pulls meta data from the video files directly so tagging of quality, audio streams, etc. becomes automatic.  It is highly flexible and has a plug-in architecture.  In addition, it will respect the work you have already done and leave files alone if they exist unless you ask it to override them.  I use to do everything manually but with this the results are perfect and at the push of a single button.  

 

Here is a link http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?t=50348

I'll need to read up on that part of it, but that is not the big value to me at all.  The big value is that I've spent many hours getting the screen art and titles matched to my collection.  That currently has to be done at each XBMC client, or you need to copy the entire scraping data directory from one client to the other. Big problem is you still have to setup the shares on each client, I tried it and it wasn't great. Pointing to a share was not hard, getting the library mode set up was the real work.

 

Why don't you use Ember Media Manager (I think its the best at this point by a mile) to manage that stuff.  It watches your media library folder(s) and then can scrape the information you need from a bunch of different sources (including IMDB).  It even can send a remote library update command to multiple XBMC clients automatically.  For me it pulls coverart, NFO, fanart, trailers, etc. from multiple sources for both movies and TV.  It even pulls meta data from the video files directly so tagging of quality, audio streams, etc. becomes automatic.  It is highly flexible and has a plug-in architecture.  In addition, it will respect the work you have already done and leave files alone if they exist unless you ask it to override them.  I use to do everything manually but with this the results are perfect and at the push of a single button.  

 

Here is a link http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?t=50348

 

I can vouch for ember, works very well as you can manage your library from your pc. Get all the artwork and nfo's the way you like them. So even if you wipe the library on one of your xbmc boxes, just rescrape and it grabs everything locally from your server.

 

For me, using ember is actually more flexible than a centralized library db as I have multiple machines with different profiles with different libraries setup for the kids.

Thanks to this thread I have enabled mysql on my xbmc and it works great.. I symlinked my skin and thumbnail directories to dirs on the nas box (still on a synology cs407 until all my drives are finished prepping for the unraid server) and I have no issues.

I wouldn't worry to much this now about thumbnails. An real XBMC solution is coming (details to be announced).

 

The real value in this is that it paves the way for roaming and proper personal profile management. i.e. you have 10 XBMCs they all know what you have seen and what your personal preferences and collection are. Central library and art will be a huge boost as well to guys like us but the real magic will be in profiles.

 

FYI the XBOX will probably never support this as its down to one dev and falling more and more behind (and is no longer officially supported anyway).

 

Anyone managed to install just mysql on unraid yet (i.e. no unmenu or anything else)

I wouldn't worry to much this now about thumbnails. An real XBMC solution is coming (details to be announced).

 

Hmm, what kind of time frame are we looking at?

I cant find out. I have a good relationship with some devs but they are in lock down mode this now with massive changes happening with the plugin system. Were close to 1000 revs since the last PPA was released thats how hard they are working.

 

Wehn i know you will know is the simple answer

I cant find out. I have a good relationship with some devs but they are in lock down mode this now with massive changes happening with the plugin system. Were close to 1000 revs since the last PPA was released thats how hard they are working.

 

Wehn i know you will know is the simple answer

 

LOL, I kinda figured as much, but it never hurts to ask

What are you guys using to administer MySQL on UnRaid...

I'm thinking I'd like to play with this setup and try to get it going using my UnRaid box centrally

I ran into this Lifehacker article today describing how to set up XBMC with mySQL.

http://lifehacker.com/5634515/how-to-synchronize-your-xbmc-media-center-across-every-room-in-the-house

 

I'd love to implement this, maybe for the sole reason of synching watched items.  Too bad I don't know a thing about setting up mySQL on unRAID (or mySQL in general frankly).  Truthfully I haven't done much research on it and I may start this weekend, but I figure I'd share an interesting read.

I believe there are some unMENU configs for installing mySQL on unRAID.

Anyone have succeeded using mysql and importing the thumbnails into the other XBMC installation?

Anyone have succeeded using mysql and importing the thumbnails into the other XBMC installation?

 

It took me a few days but I finally got it going.  For now I have three XBMC installations pointing to the mysql library and also to the central Thumbnails directory.  Other than the occasional spinup delay, to me I see no noticeable difference.  I'm extremely happy with how it turned out.

 

Now I don't claim to be an expert in the subject, but what kind of trouble are you having?  Also what OS?