Premise Kodi (XBMC) support?

[etc6849]

Anyone using Premise with Kodi?

Now that M$ is killing off WMC (slowly), I'm thinking Kodi is the way to go. My nvidia shield will arrive tomorrow, so I'm going to give Kodi a try.

I ordered it after M$ pushed a guide update to potentially kill Netflix in WMC next month!

I still like WMC for my theater, but I'd like to future proof my system and make it more versatile and not tied to Windows.

Some things I'd like to do with Premise and Kodi:
1. TCP control, not sure if I'll make this generic (for Android) or via Kodi's existing TCP control
2. Have Kodi show up as a content provider
3. Parse a library listing file to enable voice control that will also crwate media content objects in Premise
4. Get Kodi boxes working with msense
5. Have Kodi pass what's playing to Premise (even if the user plays content manually through Kodi's interface)

 

[w84no1]

I would love to use Kodi with Premise.  I use WMC as my "TV server"(tuners & epg),  ServerWMC(send liveTV and epg to kodi), Emby(media library) and the WMC Kodi plug-in to create a complete client-server multimedia platform.  I have Kodi installed on a PC running openelec(Linux), 2 raspberry pi 2s(linux), FireTV(Android), Ouya(Android), Windows PC, and my tablet(Android).  The interface is the same across all devices
 
Right now I would be happy with number 5 in your list, but all of them would have some use for me.

 

[etc6849]

TCP control will be first on my list as I use URC RF remotes all over that talk to Premise.
 
I'd also like to be able to send onscreen messages (e.g. doorbell, caller id, etc...), and the what's playing is for a betabrite sign I bought that I want to install outside my make shift theater.

I just installed KODI tonight on a Tab S running CM 12.1 for fun.  The thing plays blu-ray iso images flawlessly (moderators, I own the original discs).  Too bad my HD-DVD iso files aren't supported;  I'll probably re-rip those to mkv.
 
I plan to try the PVR WMC add on too.
 
If no one has started a module, I can start one and post a beta here if you are interested.  It could be a few weeks for a basic module as I have to learn more about KODI first and I've never used JSON.

 

[etc6849]

There seems two ways of doing this from vbscript in Premise: TCP (binding a serial port to a Lantronix UDS10 virtual device to open the tcp connection) and HTTP gets.  The KODI forum has a sub forum for JSON-RPC with all kinds of examples in python using TCP.
 
Even if I have to use a python to Premise script to act as a go between (123 and I previously used a perl to Premise script for the OBi110 module), this will eventually work with Premise as I'm really liking KODI so far.
 
However, has anyone used a JSON encoder and parser under vbscript in Premise?  There seems a lot of options to explore, including creating my own global scripts for JSON parsing and encoding.  I'm hoping this has been done here before though.
 
I think I can get most of these things working without too much difficulty even if I can't find an elegant solution for JSON and vbscript.  I'm probably going to put the content provider stuff last, but will implement some custom text properties for now (player state and what's playing), transport commands, etc...

 

[w84no1]

I am going to have to get Premise back up and running so I can test everything you come up with  :rockon:   I have finally gotten my wife and kids to start using Kodi instead WMC.

 

[etc6849]

Any ideas for solving an issue of launching android apps from within KODI:   http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=234663
 
Netflix (4k nvidia shield version) launches just fine, however, KODI's JSON-RPC doesn't report an event that it has loaded Netflix.
 
This means the remote control commands for KODI cannot be used to exit Netflix (since it's the actual Netflix version, and not the lesser KODI custom made version).
 
Using a physical keyboard, the transition is seamless (except to go back, you use escape instead of back).  You would never know you are outside of KODI visually, but the JSON-RPC tcp commands can't work on Netflix.  
 
It's actually very cool to have Netflix 4k with multichannel audio, so I want this feature.  I don't see a nice workaround except using my Tasker Premise Module I made to detect when Netflix, Youtube, etc are in the foreground.  I realize this will not work for you.  Everything else will work though as long as you use KODI specific Youtube, Netflix, etc...  For my setup when Netflix is in the foreground control will automatically switch to a TCP lan app used to control Android.  When KODI gains focus, control automatically switches back to KODI's JSON-RPC
 
Any ideas on a good way to control an Android device using tcp?
 
PS:  things look good.  I have most of the stuff working (transport, menu navigation), current library ID of what's playing and current media type.  Going to add current media title too.
 

I am going to have to get Premise back up and running so I can test everything you come up with  :rockon:   I have finally gotten my wife and kids to start using Kodi instead WMC.

 

[w84no1]

That sounds awesome as I don't use any external apps for streaming as my internet is too slow.

Right now I would just like to be able to see what my kids are watching and send a message to them.

Everything else is a plus. Thanks for the hard work.

 

[etc6849]

The module will do that right now. PM your email and I can send it this evening.

However, I want to explore using KODIs EventServer instead of JSON-RPC.

If sending keys using EventServer will operate the Android Netflix app, I'm going to use it instead...

 

[chucklyons]

etc,
 
If you want to email me that module, I'd love to give it a try...
 
After a few months and a final building inspection, I powered the server up; Premise came right up.  Of course, now there are 20 more Z-Wave lights, switches and outlets have changed, and so on. So some work to do...
 
The best is my wife said she missed Premise, so the time is right for a new media player...

 

[etc6849]

Things are coming along.  I have Music, Movies and TV Channels working natively with the mSense/Automation Browser.  I have music videos and TV shows to code still.  The neat thing is I've written code so everything auto imports and involves very little set up, and cover art displays properly too.  Even movie box sets are working great!
 
I never thought I'd have a $200 box that could do 4k content that would also work with Premise's mSense feature.
 
Once everything is finished and displaying in the AB and I have some time to test it thoroughly, I'll post it. 

 

[etc6849]

I couldn't find any JSON-RPC that works with internet radio stations either.  Does anyone here use Music Videos?
 
I'm probably going to take a break from developing this for about 3 weeks...
 
But, I have everything done except building the selectors for a KODI home object.   Right now, the user just binds it to a standard PVR home object.
 
Also, I want to use the stream details information I've decided.  It's not generated automatically for music, but is for movies/videos upon import.  It will be freakin' cool to have mkv files for all my content, then have my projector anamorphic lens automatically come in and out.  Very few automation systems can do that...  Maybe a $20,000 Kaleidescape server can, but I haven't read the protocol for something like that as it's outside my price range, and I have no use for it.  My $200 nVidia Shield performs just as well after all...

 

[etc6849]

How do you handle blu-ray rips with multiple discs or boxed sets?
 
I have mine in folders like Disc 1, Disc 2, etc under a parent folder for the box set name.
 
The reason I ask is because My Movies doesn't append the disc number to the file name when it generates the Name in the nfo file, which means Premise creates multiple media content objects of the same name under each boxed set folder (especially on titles with bonus discs or 2D and 3D versions, etc...)
 
I'm thinking about appending the media content's display name with parenthesis containing it's folder name or something like that... so folder names could even be 2D and 3D.

Any thoughts?

 

That sounds awesome as I don't use any external apps for streaming as my internet is too slow.

Right now I would just like to be able to see what my kids are watching and send a message to them.

Everything else is a plus. Thanks for the hard work.

 

[w84no1]

I don't have any blurays like that. If the movie is on more than 1 disk, then I combine them into one mkv file. I don't care about extras.

As for box sets, Emby automatically creates the box sets, not sure how that is passed to Kodi, but I don't put them into special folders.

 

[etc6849]

OK, I'll make it an option you'll have to uncheck then...

 

[etc6849]

I'm going to post a video of this module to my youtube channel tomorrow:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6fLTEmRoGam7B5VoKazC9A
 
For now, I've posted a couple Amazon Echo videos there, including one that uses this module to allow the Amazon Echo to control KODI.