XMBC Metro Windows 8 App?

By Link_of_Hyrule
in Microsoft (Windows)

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Link_of_Hyrule

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I just downloaded XBMC on my Windows 8 install and I really like XMBC it's a pretty cool program and such but it's super hard to multi-task when it's open I was thinking wow wouldn't it be awesome if someone ported it to be a full blown metro app. I know there are already XBMC Remote Metro apps and I'm not looking for that does anyone know if there is a project getting XBMC it's self working as a Metro app?

http://xbmc.org/

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jasondefaoite

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I've been using this software since the XBMP days on a modded xbox. Look at the platforms it is available on now. I think Android will be the dominant platform for them over the next few years (I need a cheap but good media box ... given up waiting for an ATV3 jailbreak), but you never know. But I don't see a WinRT version being needed, well at least not yet.

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Link_of_Hyrule

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"Wow", wouldn't it be awesome of XBMC devs didn't waster their time created useless "apps" instead of improving XBMC?

How close minded are you? It would be very beneficial for them to put XBMC in the Windows Store many more people would download it and use it.I'm not proposing to redo the actual visual elements and make it look "Metro" only that they port the already existing app to be a Windows App instead of a desktop app because it's already full screen by default. It wouldn't be very hard to port the source code they already have to be a Windows 8 app like they wouldn't need to actually change anything in XBMC it's self purely encapsulate it so that the multitasking bar and Charm Bar as well as other features are accessible while the program is open. When it comes to Windows RT I wouldn't imagine it would be too hard to port it to that either they are already working on a couple arm based platforms. It would be a huge improvement to have it be a Windows App because it would allow people to multi-task better while watching a show or a movie.

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HawkMan

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It's been proven it's not that hard to get your application certified by the automated process in the windows store the SDK comes with tools to ensure your application will be accepted. We already know that open source programs are definitely welcome in the Windows Store the only thing I've seen shut out is Adult content which even the Android Google Play Store doesn't allow. So I don't really see what the big deal is that people think big bad microsoft is going to censor the app store like Apple is because it's simply not true in fact Microsoft has proven with the Windows Phone they are more than happy to help people do what they want with their devices. Microsoft has an agenda that is getting as many good applications in the Windows Store as possibly so that they can make a huge profit off of sells of them. That is the whole point of Windows 8 it's the Eco-System not the OS that's why it's so cheap because they are relying on services and the Windows Store to make money instead of a one time fee of $300 for the OS that we've seen previously.

It's been proven it's not that hard to get your application certified by the automated process in the windows store the SDK comes with tools to ensure your application will be accepted. We already know that open source programs are definitely welcome in the Windows Store the only thing I've seen shut out is Adult content which even the Android Google Play Store doesn't allow. So I don't really see what the big deal is that people think big bad microsoft is going to censor the app store like Apple is because it's simply not true in fact Microsoft has proven with the Windows Phone they are more than happy to help people do what they want with their devices. Microsoft has an agenda that is getting as many good applications in the Windows Store as possibly so that they can make a huge profit off of sells of them. That is the whole point of Windows 8 it's the Eco-System not the OS that's why it's so cheap because they are relying on services and the Windows Store to make money instead of a one time fee of $300 for the OS that we've seen previously.

He probably likes apps that include security invulnerabilities, susceptible to buffer overflow attacks, doesn't store your files in the correct place(Don't you love it when you documents folders is full of /publisher/developer/game/save/ folders instead of them being neatly in /userName/Save Games/ ?), and uses archaic win95 programming practices so yoru game requires UAC elevation to launch...

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@Leo

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How close minded are you? It would be very beneficial for them to put XBMC in the Windows Store many more people would download it and use it.I'm not proposing to redo the actual visual elements and make it look "Metro" only that they port the already existing app to be a Windows App instead of a desktop app because it's already full screen by default. It wouldn't be very hard to port the source code they already have to be a Windows 8 app like they wouldn't need to actually change anything in XBMC it's self purely encapsulate it so that the multitasking bar and Charm Bar as well as other features are accessible while the program is open. When it comes to Windows RT I wouldn't imagine it would be too hard to port it to that either they are already working on a couple arm based platforms. It would be a huge improvement to have it be a Windows App because it would allow people to multi-task better while watching a show or a movie.

Obviously you have little knowledge of how much Win32 API is used in XBMC (which has to be replaced with WinRT API, of which there may or may not be a direct alternative). Of course it can be ported, but it would require time that can be spent on better things than "Metro" nonsense. "many more people" :laugh:

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HawkMan

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well that's your opinion.

in any case, I don't really care about XBMC as it's ability to handle TV series is horrible ad it requires a ridiculously strict naming and folder placement scheme to work, as opposed to Media Portal and Plex who will scan your series folders and sort the series based on series and seasons base on filenames and add all your episodes without problems, and without special naming and folders.

Besides that, it's not terribly necessary on non RT machines as the desktop can be tiled with another app, and a media center app doesn't make much sense on the side. a media center app doesn't make much sense on an RT device int he first place. and it's pretty much a full screen app anyway and tilign it doesn't make sense. I use them to watch movies or series or TV on my guess what TV. which means I want my whole screen dedicated to it. if I want to watch a movie on my laptop or tablet device, I'll use a media player.

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srbeen

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"Wow", wouldn't it be awesome of XBMC devs didn't waster their time created useless "apps" instead of improving XBMC?

Trust me, the true xbmc 'devs' won't be - but since ANYONE can be an xbmc dev, it won't be hard to branch over to a W8MUI (windows8MetroUI) code or something which will do what the OP wanted. Its a time of evolution. When this happens theres a good chance W8 phone users will have XBMC as an installable program like iOS and android do!

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Link_of_Hyrule

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Trust me, the true xbmc 'devs' won't be - but since ANYONE can be an xbmc dev, it won't be hard to branch over to a W8MUI (windows8MetroUI) code or something which will do what the OP wanted. Its a time of evolution. When this happens theres a good chance W8 phone users will have XBMC as an installable program like iOS and android do!

I guess it's just after using the Netflix app I feel like I would use XBMC in a similar way sometimes I have to switch between apps to reply to messages or whatever the way Metro is setup it makes it super easy even pauses the video while you switch away or you can snap the video to the side. Even if XBMC was exactly the same interface and everything but it was made into an app that can use the functions as the other apps that would be great.

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@Leo

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Here are, modern computing in 2012, multitasking reduced to "switching" and "snapping". I am ashamed of you, truly and wholeheartedly.

Trust me, the true xbmc 'devs' won't be - but since ANYONE can be an xbmc dev, it won't be hard to branch over to a W8MUI (windows8MetroUI) code or something which will do what the OP wanted. Its a time of evolution. When this happens theres a good chance W8 phone users will have XBMC as an installable program like iOS and android do!

The end result of that would be some unmaintained and destined to die branch, which will rise as a POC and die quickly. WinRT code will never be allowed in the main branch, which is complex as it is, thus requiring a constant cherry picking of updates to the main branch(es) and merging them into the WinRT one. In other words, don't count on it.

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Link_of_Hyrule

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I don't understand why people think this would be so complicated Windows 8 supports almost every major programming language with the exact same APIs for all of the languages there should be very little code change to import and compile XBMC as a Windows 8 app. Considering more people use Windows more than any other platform I would say it's likely to happen.

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