Any idea on how to I can write my own .xml file and add my own backdrops for videos on a Mac?

WD Legacy Products WD TV Live Streaming
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The accompanied online media database doesn’t always provide one, so somethimes I have to get my own. I have the folder.jpg and .mp4.jpg all worked out…some how! But I can’t seem to figure out how to get the images I want as backdrops for each individual .mp4 file. On top of that, I will have to write in my own movie info as an .xml file. I don’t have much experience with that. I’ve only tried it recently with a program named “Movie Gui Builder”, but I’ve left that for now inorder to get the Folder and .mp4 .jpgs worked out the way i want them. I’ve done that and now I’m ready for the next step and even though I’ve tried renaming the intended backdrop image alot of different ways, nothing comes up on the TV screen. I’ve run out of ideas, so if anyone has any idea on what I can try or preferrably, exactly how to do it! That would greatly appreiated.

I’ve tried, video.mp4.backdrop,

video.mp4.backdrop.jpg,

video.backdrop.mp4.jpg,

video.video.mp4.backdrop, 

video.video.mp4.backdrop.jpg

This is my fisrt time with a media streamer or anything like it, besides an Ipod that is. Only comparison is adding images and media info through itunes, the latter of which I’ve never tried. I just remembered that I can add media Info on itunes though. I’m gonna try that later, but that still doesn’t help me with the backdrop issue! Can someone help with that issue first? And then I’ll work my way up to the .xml part and see how itunes does with that.

And I don’t think thumbgen is an option for me, I’ve heard that it’s not compatibale with Mac.

Thanks allot!

CeroOne

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Well, you are pretty much out of luck with a Mac, since the only Thumbgen like program, that I’m aware of, is Movie GUI Builder.

The only thing that I know that you can do is to run a Windows VM on your Mac so that you can use Thumbgen.

Or trade you Mac in on a PC.:smileyvery-happy:

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HAHA, When I look at tumbgen and what it can do, yah! It does make me hate this Mac a little bit. lol But I’ve had a PC for most of my life, until just a few years ago and I kinda still like this Mac…even though it’s a pain when it comes to vertain things like using thumbgen and the like. I’ve tried Movie Gui Builder, but it seems I need some TVIX player or some other player that I don’t have and I’m not ready to get  that just yet. However! I know this is possible with a Mac and I’m slowly making progress. So far I’ve got a thumbnail pic for a folder which is the title of a series that I have within that folder. I have each volume of the series with a different pic on each of them. I was also told that doing that, with a different pic on the  series folder other than a .jpg that’s on vol 1 within the folder was not possible. It took me a while but I figured out how to do it. I forgot if I mentioned that I’m using a WD TV Live Streaming Media Player to get this jukebox like appearance on my TV. I was working on it all day yesterday before I asked for help, so I was a bit tired when writing that previous post. But I can download backdrops and with all the film info on there, tt’s just not possible for every single DVD that I have. So if it can download all that, then there also have to be a way that I can implement that myself… while using a Mac. 

Just last night I managed to get the backdrop to go darker in color as if it were showing the backdrop of a video, only thing is, no backdrop or text is present. I just learned about using a .xml and that file extension is what causes the screen to change and show all that. So my guess is that I only need to write the .xml in a way that is accepted by the WD TV Live streaming player And that is where I’ve been stuck at.

So it is possible! Just takes a heck of allot of work to figure out how to do it… yikes! And the manual tells about everything else except backbrops! What a joke, lol. But, also I just had the thought of… instead of trading in my Mac for a PC, I might just buy a PC and keep my Mac, lol. I’m really hoping that it doesn’t come to that, but thinking of how awesome thumgen makes video themes look, makes me really wanna consider that option. I like Apple products, but I’m not some loyal “fan boy” who just think Apple is the greatest at everything, nah! They [Deleted] when it comes to some things… like this! 

Anyways, as for the .xml file and how to write it, I was just trying to copy the text layout of one of the videos that the WD TV Live downloaded and gave backdrops with film info on. But I’m still not doing it just right yet, but like I said, I’m sure it’s possibly, I was just hoping someone who has figured it out, was just excited enough about it to come on here and share how they did it.

Just added WD TV Live streaming media in the subject field, I hope that helps with getting more people to respond. Even if I can get a step by step how to do write the .xml on a PC would be a big help. Essentially, it should be the same or with minor differences I’m thinking.

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HAHAHA, I just managed to get my custom backdrop to show on the WD TV Live smp and did it all while using a Mac! That took me sometime! but I finally got it. I knew it was possible! lol. But! yah, there is a “but”, I still don’t see my video info on screen yet. So that is the next and final step that I need to get before I can (unfortunately) slowly start settig up my media with, video synopsis, director, date etc, all the way I want it, goodthing I don’t have hundreds of videos like I see some people have, lol. Anyone who knows how to write .xml so that it works, please feel free to help out a guy.

Thanks! 

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Ok, While looking at some .xml files that the smp downloaded, there are these #'s 113489tt0495212 before the movies title , date and then these #'s 559.5. The first ones before the “tt” 113489, I noticed that it is from a web address or part of it. but I don’t see where the others “tt0495212” and “559.5” are from. From what I can see, each movie that is downloaded have numbers similar to this format when you open the .xml file. What are they for  and where exactly how do I find them on a website?

Thanks for any answer!

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@MODERmore!  I wasn’t disrespecting anybody! I just don’t think Mac computers are great at everything, like for the example, it’s hard to get a jukebox style setup fairly easy like PC’s can get with thumbgen. I own a Mac and i like it , but it’s still far from being the “do everything you’d like to do on a computer without spending days trying to figure it out” kinda thing,lol I don’t think anything is like that anyways, but you get my point? Or maybe you thought I was disrespecting Apple’s hardcore fans? Nope! if that was it.  Guess it might’ve been of been the way I wrote it, if there was a misunderstanding!?

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WOWWOWOWOWOWOWOW!!! Finally! I leraned a few things about writing files and codes that I had no idea about before, lol. With a Mac it was difficult because not many people on here have a broad knowledge of this stuff from what I’ve read. I had to learn how the PC guys do it and then try things out in a similar fashion on the Mac, and when I found the few with a Mac, the posts are old and thread is closed without all the info I need. But finally! With days of searching and working trying to figure this out, I finally found that it was all UNNESCESSARY! lol. Well not completely, because now I know how to manually create custom backdrops, folder pics and mp4 pics for my WD TV Live smp. It was Unnescessay because I finally found a program that can do all that for me and all I have to do is just put in title of movie or tv show, click poster if I like it and if not I can get my own by just dragging and dropping and I get downloaded backdrops, plus I can get my own if I don’t like what they have. 

Here it is to whom ever have a Mac or a PC and is using WD Live Hub or in my case I’m using WD TV Live smp and even though it was designed for the Hub, it works perfect for the smp and it gives film synopsis, director name, actors, date, all that stuff. 

I found it on a post on here from 2011, by a person named “Tobogan”. By the way where were you when I was having all these problems? lol Thanks! for posting that though, it works for the smp no problems so far.  It’s called Hub Flow and you get user manual which is very easy to follow and straight forward. Oh, and it’s fairly short on “how to use”. Not sure if any Mac users on here who need this, maybe a couple, lol.  I can finally start cleaning up now, lol, I’ve just been going at this for almost a week now, not much else was getting done.  Thanks again Tobogan!

Original post is here

http://community.wdc.com/t5/WD-TV-Live-Hub-General/Mac-PC-App-to-get-metadata-posters-backdrops-actors-for-Movies/td-p/169372/highlight/true

HubFlow link

http://tobogan.nozonenet.com/WDFlow/

1 Like
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Hi CeroOne, 

Happy that you found HubFlow useful . The actual link is :  http://tobogan.nozonenet.com/HubFlow

Best,

Chris,

1 Like
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Hey! If you’re the one responsible for it, Thanks! Now I’m a little less envious of my PC counter parts, lol. And thaks! For the correct link also.

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Hey tobogan,

Just thought I’d chime in and thank you for the app aswell. I actually have a SMP not a Hub, but the app works fine for it too, just names things a bit differently.  My PC broke down a few weeks ago and I was struggling to find an app to do this on my mac.

Cheers,

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Hi,

I developed this app to avoid using PC apps via Bootcamp or a virtualization solution. 

Happy to see it works on your device too.

Cheers,

Chris