Serviio

Im thinking it would be cool if Serviio have a plugin installer like XBMC or Boxee on the console

Plugins can be stored in a central online database with its own version number, just incase the site changes its api/feed

Rather than going into forums, users can see what plugins are available and can install to the correct folder
Also with version number it knows if the latest plugin version is installed.

This way it gives users to find and install their desired plugins and wont be complicated to novice users to install in the correct folders
(i wish i thought of this one on the sony competition! )

that's not a bad idea, but involves quite a bit of coding, always-on hosting, etc maybe later. I was also thinking about how to make this easier and a console-based uploader came to my mind. Your solution is way nice, of course.

What about a third party app?

A third party app would be nice in the meantime while this idea could be implemented in the Serviio console.

Thought of this yesterday as my a friend bought a Samsung TV, I was telling him how great Serviio was with online feeds, he's not much good with computers, the conversation got lost in translation when I told him he has go into a forum to download plugins and copy them in the plugins folder

To top this idea to the next super level, after plugin is installed it gives the user a range of feeds to select from.
For example, after iPlayer plugin is installed, a full list of iPlayer feeds (Drama, Factual, Cbeebies ect) can be chosen, rather than the novice user researching for themselves what feeds can be added.

If you're up for it then great, although it would be better to keep it in house (talking about the repo). I guess a simple web app hosted on something like Google App Engine.

+10000 to that

if plugins are just simple groovy files, I think they can be directly checked and downloaded from Serviio website at startup.
Maybe like Maven or Debian do...?

there is a problem with versioning (some plugins will work onl with certain versions of Serviio) as well as (possible) legal issues which I don't want to risk, so an automatic download is not the way forward for me. I like the repo idea more and more. Just need to find some time to do that

I think we're talking about the same (I implied a repo with maven or debian).
This is not really clear to me and I just throw some ideas around.

Will Serviio plugins have a version number?
What if a website changes its feeds/api. How will i know if im using the most uptp date YouTube groovy plugin?

Can groovy store version number of plugin as a header when its loaded?
Think its best start now.

Basically always have the latest one, don't even think we need to have versions. They will have a version of Serviio that can run them though.

Been looking at various ways how this can work.

I'm hoping to have a web UI prototype in a few weeks, need to brush up my PHP coding

Having a think about making adding online sources easier once plugins are loaded these are my observations/points (these are very draft)

If plugins were extended to optionally present a list of URLFormats where the java class for URLFormat would be

As an example for 4oD, urlformat would be

The console and client apps would then be able to list the available url format as a list based on the 'title' fields and the user can select one of them (or select manual).

Using the above example, selecting '4oD - TV Show' would then show the following string

e.g.

The value they type in will then replace @KEY@ in 'format' to give a filled out URL in the correct format, and from the rest of the data, the correct type (Web resource) and the correct media type (video) can all be filled in.

Some plugins will only have one allowed format, while others may have multiple formats, and if they don't have any then that would also be fine, the user would just use manual (current) method.

Anyway, just a thought for a possible future of plugin driven entry of URLs

That's a good idea. I was also thinking about a concept of 'bundles' where users would just install/enable those and that would include the plugin and a set of URL's to feeds / series / seasons, etc.

now thats an online function im more likely to use than current adding url seperately. maybe even an App store like system so you selcet what u want from a site and its auto installed to correct place on your system and restarts service to get you going straight off the bat.