INSTALLATION and SETUP!

     One of the most popular programs for keeping track of your movie collection is the Movie Collector .  It just happens to have the ability to "export" each movies information to html documents, for viewing on the web, .... which is just what we need! The Movie Jukebox will take this information and generate nice "menu and detail pages" that can be run on your NMT and viewed from your TV.

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NOTE: Movie Collector has been upgraded to revision 6., which works fine with our program here, .... you must be using ver 6 Build 3 or above. BUT, version 6 takes away some of the nice features that were present in version 5.6. In 5.6 you can import your movie data from a long list of sources, namely the Internet Movie Database, DVD Empire, ... etc...  which we like. (I always import from IMDB and DVD Empire and you'll see me recommend this in these instructions.).

With revision 6, you now can only import data from one site, Collectorz.com, which is their own database, ... (yet not as complete as IMDB or DVD Empire). Also, because ver 6 you cannot import from IMDB anymore, you'll also lose the FUNSTUFF, Trivia, Quotes, Movie Locations section in My Lil Movie Jukebox.  :(  Sooooooo, .... if you have the option of keeping ver 5.6, I would highly recommend using it instead of the latest ver 6.  The nice thing about version 6, is that it is somewhat easier to use for novices... which could be a good thing!

This coming year, I'm going to investigate the possibility of using XMM (Extreme Movie Manager) with My Lil Movie Jukebox, ...  which would bring back the added flexibilty for importing movie data..... so stay tuned!    

No matter which version you use, .... by all means ENJOY YOUR MOVIES!!!!!

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 STEP 1.    Download and install the Movie Collector Pro Software.
          - Available here:  http://www.collectorz.com/movie/
            -  For now, ... you can use the "trial" version from their website. (holds 50 movies)
                 The trial version has an opening "Nag" screen, ... so Click "continue" in that window.
                 If you're going to use the Trial version here, .. it's better to just keep the MoC open on your desktop in
                 the background. (not minimized, but open and running. That way, we won't have to contend with the Nags :))
            -  Must be version 5.5 and up.
            -  The 'PRO' version costs $49 and it what you want, as the BASIC version will not work.
            -  An Example 25 movie collection is included  so you also can use that to help you
             do your first export with the Movie Jukebox.

KEEP IT SIMPLE!

... and let the Movie Collector install itself on your C: hard drive, using all the
standard defaults for folders, etc. if at all possible! Do the same when you install the Irfanview and Imagemagick sofware as well.

INSTALL IN YOUR LANGUAGE, .... BUT
(as of right now, you must switch the language of Movie Collector to ENGLISH right before you run
the export, then, when the export is finished, you can switch back Movie Collector to your language)

READ THRU ALL INSTRUCTIONS FIRST, ... then you can go back
and begin to follow the steps!

STEP 2.    Download the My_Lil_Movie_Jukebox_rev6.zip files and Extract them
                to your Movie Collector Template Folder on your PC.

For Windows XP, ... the install location should be:  C:\Documents and Settings\yourName\My Documents\Movie Collector\Templates which should have already been created when you installed the Movie Collector software.
For Windows Vista, ... the install location should be:  C:\Users\yourName\Documents\Movie Collector\Templates which should have already been createdwhen you installed the Movie Collector software.

http://www.treasure-cove.net/My_Lil_Movie_Jukebox_rev6.zip

NOTE: For Windows Vista, you'll have to turn OFF UAC (User access Control)
Update, you no longer have to turn it off, but you will get a nag screen that you'll have to Click closed.
See Appendix 5 for further info.

STEP 3.    Download the Irfanview program file and install on your system.

http://www.treasure-cove.net/iview420_setup.exe

The Movie Collector software is great , but, ... the thumbnail movie cover images that are exported have marginal quality, at best, ... so, no problem, we'll use IrfanView to resample the movie covers and clean them up so that they display with little or no pixilation, and we'll do all this for you automatically.  NOTE: People are reporting problems when they have Vista X64 and try to run this version of Irfanview. If you have Vista X64, visit the Irfanview website .... www.irfanview.com
 

The file you want to install is ImageMagic-6.x.x.x-x-Q16-windows-dll.exe

Using ImageMagick, ... we will automatically take a standard jpg image of a movie cover ..... convert it to a png file, then add mirror effects, and a blue highlight.

Reboot your system after installing the above programs!!!!!

STEP 5.    Verify that you have your NMT setup and, most importantly,
                 you're able to watch your movies using the remote!

Go through the necessary steps to get your PCH setup and running. You'll know you are finished when you can manually click on "SOURCE" in the PCHs menu, ... CLICK on your HARD DISK, ... then scroll down to find a movie, ... CLICK on it, .... and the movie starts playing on your Television set. If you can't do this, then there's no need to go any further with the My Lil Movie Jukebox, as you will not be successful here either.

For more help on getting your PCH working properly, visit Networked Media Tank 'Movie Jukebox' FORUM

STEP 6.  Initial setup of the Movie Collector Software.
                  (you only need to run this step once in the beginning)

Up until this revision, you had to manually do quite a number of steps in order to get the MoC (Movie Collector Software) setup and ready to enter/view/export your movies. With revision 5, we've made it much simpler by making a program that you can run which will do all of the hard work for you.   :)

    a. Close the Movie Collector software and verify that it is NOT running.
            (unless you have the trial version)
    b. Run a program that was unzipped to your Movie Collector Template folder called

Movie_Jukebox_SETUP_041909.exe

First time?  Run the program and answer "yes" to the 2 questions.

You can NOW Select one of 7 languages for the Genre Links and page Titles!!!
Look for the selection box, when you run the Setup Program!!

Note: If you have a Standard Definition TV, there's a
Mode Select button for this feature!

  WinXp: C:\Documents and Settings\your-Name\My Documents\Movie Collector\Templates\Movie_Jukexox_Setup_092908.exe)
  (for Vista: C:\Users\your-Name\Documents\Movie Collector\Templates\Movie_Jukebox_Setup_092908.exe)
                                          (the 6 digit number is just a date and could change)

(At this step, you should have either the "example movie database" (Trial version)
or your own database open and viewable when the Movie Collector Software is running)

NOTE: For Standard Definition TV mode, ... this box should say
SD Movie Jukebox NMT

Now let's go back to MoC and verify our export settings! Click File, Export to  HTML.  There are three tabs in this window: General, Index Template, and Details Template.   In the Details template section verify the following:

Create detail pages = YES , Current template: select the Movie Jukebox NMT template., Copy images to...  = YES Scale down images larger than 400 wide 800 height.

Now CLick on Cancel. (this will save the settings)

Locate and run a program that was unzipped to your Movie Collector Templates folder called 

Movie_Jukebox_EXPORT_041909.exe

(WinXp: C:\Documents and Settings\your-Name\My Documents\Movie Collector\Templates\Movie_Jukebox_Script_082008.exe
(for Vista: C:\Users\your-Name\Documents\Movie Collector\Templates\Movie_Jukebox_Script_082008.exe)
  (the 6 digit number is just a revision date and could change)

There are MANY options that you can set that will change the way you display, view and play
your movies. But for this first time through, ... we're only going to talk about the
main settings that are needed to get your Movie Jukebox up and running.

If you're NEW to all this, ... we just added a LITE mode for newbies which makes it much
easier (less entries to make, ... less confusing) for FIRST TIMERS!!

For NORMAL mode, keep reading below, .. but SKIP for LITE MODE,

- NORMAL MODE -



In the GENERAL tab you'll see the "Export Drive Location" box. This variable will need to be set,
which usually the root folder of your NMT. (trailing backslash required)

"Copy Resources Folder"?  If this is the first time you've run this program, then you'll
need to enter YES. Once the Resources folder has been copied over to the NMT, you
should be able to select NO for future export 'runs'.

"Thumbnail Cleanup using Irfanview?"   Usually answer YES as the Movie Collector
software program export thumbnails that are pixilated. Irfanview will fix this and make
the thumbnails looks nice.

Use ImageMagick to "jazz up" the Movie Covers? Usually answer YES to this.

Also, make sure that the program location for both programs are set properly.
(use the Browse and Select Buttons when you come across inputs like this one! .. makes it easy!)

NOTE: For Standard Definition TV Mode, . there will be fewer Options!!!!
ie, no Irfanview, no imagemagick, and no Actor exxport




Now Click on the Filters/Genres tab.

Here's where you can setup your own Genres for export over to the NMT. Genres like
"Kids Only", "Adult", and "Campy Horror" are but a few. For this first time though,
just leave this page as-is, and the program will export 20 standard Genres over to your NMT.

Later on, after you have become acquainted with the program, you can come back here
and experiment with setting up your own Genres.
 (SEE APPENDIX 3 at bottom of page for a more info about genres & filters)



Click on the Index Settings tab.
Here you can set the background image for the index pages, plus other variables.
For now, just leave this page as-is. Again, later on you can re-visit and
change some of the settings, and customize your Movie Jukebox output!



You can also leave the Detail Settings at their
default values as well. (Overwrite Existing should be YES)


NOTE - NOTE - NOTE
Suppose you did an export "previously" and the play button didn't play the movie, ... ie, maybe
you didn't enter the NMT variables correctly, etc, etc, etc ... ie, for whatever the reason, .. you are trying to re-do the export so that the details html movie page will play the movie on the PCH,
you ALWAYS must keep OVERWRITE EXISTING DETAILS/IMAGES set to YES!!!!!
especially in the beginning , when you are trying to get everything the way you want it on
the movie details html page!

Then ... AFTER you have gotten the export working properly, ... and are in the mode of just "adding a few movies" ... you can set this variable to NO.  With this set to NO, ... your export will run much faster, because all of the 'previous' movies that you have exported over to the PCH will NOT get updated or rewritten, ie, they're fine the way they are.

SO, .. let's go OVER this one more time..   :)   
When you do an export, ... the main index menu page always gets rewritten.  The Genre menu pages
and the , Actors, Series, Boxsets, Directors, Stars, ... will get re-written depending on whether you
have UPDATE ONLY set to YES or not. ... and ...
the individual Movie Details pages ONLY get re-written if you have
OVERWRITE EXISTING DETAILS/IMAGES set to YES!!




Ditto for the Actors Settings tab.



The Media Location Variables tab, has the most important settings. If these are NOT set properly
your movie html pages will display on your TV, but when you Click on PLAY,
nothing will happen.   :(

There are 5 pairs of location variables which means that the Movie Jukebox can find, and export
movie pages that will support movies that are located in 5 places in your system.
Some of these places are: Internal Hard Drive installed in the NMT, USB Hard Drive plugged
into the NMT, SMB Network Share with the movies stored on an internal hard drive
installed in your PC, or NAS, and an NFS Network Share with storage in an external NAS/NFS.

If you have any small hard drive, .. I would highly recommend that you install it in your NMT,
copy a few movies over to it, .. then run this program to get those movies to display, view and
play properly using the My Lil Movie Jukebox.

The PC Location variable is the Windows folder location (with trailing backslash) of your movies
as viewed from your PC. The NMT location describes the SAME movie location as viewed by
your NMT (Linux)

Note: Do not skip an entry, and what I mean by that, is don't fill out #1, then skip to #3.
Fill out the pairs in sequence only. If you're a novice, .. and have more than one location,
don't worry about that now, .. just use the 1st location to test things out and get
the Movie Jukebox working. Later, you can come back and enter more locations.



Click on the LOCATOR button, ... and you'll see the window above open.
Now, enter the IP Address of your NMT.  Click OK.  Continue after LITE Mode.

- LITE MODE -



When you first run the Export program, .. On the right side of the window is the
CHANGE MODE button, ... just Click it so it says  LITE MODE.

Using LITE mode, you only have 4 entries you need to make in order to get the
My Lil Movie Jukebox Menu exported over to your NMT!

Note: Once you have gotten the LITE mode working, .. and can view, select and play
your movies on the NMT, then you can switch over to NORMAL mode, and see what other
options can be set.


EXPORT DRIVE LOCATION: This is the location where you want the My Lil Movie Jukebox
html menu files exported to. Usually, ... the root folder of the internal hard drive that
you installed inside the NMT. (trailing backslash required)

MAIN MENU PAGE TITLE: Enter what you'd like the main menu title to say., ie...
something like "Our Family's Movie Menu", etc...

PC MOVIE LOCATION: The PC Location variable is the Windows folder location
(with trailing backslash) of your movies as viewed from your PC. If you installed an
internal hard drive inside the NMT, .. and copied your movie files (*.avi, *.mkv, etc) to the
Video folder, ... then this entry will be X:\Video\ (where X is the Windows mapped drive location
of the internal hard drive)

NMT MOVIE LOCATION: The NMT location describes the SAME movie location as viewed by
your NMT (Linux) . If you installed a hard drive in the NMT, then this entry will be
file:///opt/sybhttpd/localhost.drives/HARD_DISK/Video/

continue below....
 

Still having trouble?
(SEE APPENDIX 4 at bottom of page for a more detailed explanation)

After, you have entered the information, .. Click on EXPORT MOVIES!!!
It will take anywhere from 15 minutes to 45 minutes to perform the export.

DO NOT USE YOUR MOUSE
WHILE THE PROGRAM IS RUNNING!!!!
(just move away from the mouse/keyboard and let the program do it's work!)

Have patience! Remember that the Movie Jukebox Export is performing
"460" Exports of the Movies you entered in the Movie Collector program!
 

Now turn on the Popcorn Hour:

If you've labeled your main export file index....  then all you have to do is click on "media source", then click on your local hard drive, ... and the index.htm file should run automatically!!!!!! If you name the index filename something other than index, .. then you will have to create a Cover Page called "index" and put links on that page to navigate to your movie menu.

NOTE: If you're using a SMB or NFS share, then that share will have to be Manually Mounted "first" before you can use the Movie Jukebox to view and play your movies! (ie, select and play a movie as you used to with your PCH, .... which will MOUNT the share and allow it to be used.)

As you can probably tell, I've spent many, many countless hours getting the Movie Jukebox up to the point where I consider it a "fine" program for displaying and running your movies. I also have to mention those who have also helped me along the way, with words of encouragement, and help with the scripts, and mods. ... Excal(James) , Garp(Dan), McMilly, lugi, Pmontanari(Pat), Kendo, DaveC .. plus many others, THANK YOU!.

Return to Table of Contents
 

---- PLEASE DONATE ---

Although all of my hobby software is free, the time and effort that has gone into this endeavor has been fairly heavy. I estimate more than a thousand hours have gone into development, answering emails, webpage maintenance and finding servers willing to host it all!

So, I am now asking for donations from anyone who is willing to help. I am not going to ask for a specific amount as I appreciate that people have differing financial resources, just whatever you feel that you value the software. If you do Donate I guarantee to personally answer via email any questions that you have.

I want to be clear - the software is FREE and if you feel you should not (or cannot) donate or have any reason why you would rather not donate - that's perfectly fine. However, a $? general donation will go a long way to helping keep my software available for as long as possible. So go ahead and download my software - use it all you like. If you feel you got $? worth of use out of any of it and wish to contribute please press the Donate button.

 Comments? by all means email me at aks@iglou.com . Should you have questions about setting up your Popcorn Hour, please visit the USER APPS section of http://www.networkedmediatank.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=34 and ask your questions there. I do this part-time, ... so I'm not able to answer tech questions via email, but I will respond and answer any/all questions about the Movie Jukebox on the NMT forums.

If you DONATE, ...then I'm more than happy to answer questions via email, and I'll provide my phone number for tech support a well.

Table of Contents:

1. 
   Movie Jukebox Main Page

2. My Movie Jukebox Features

3. Getting Started - Installation and Setup
   Appendix 1: Setup for Best Picture

4. Appendix 2: Adding your Movie Links.

5. Appendix 3: Changing Filters/Genres.

6. Appendix 4:  Media Location Variables.

7. Appendix 5: User Account Control (Vista)

8. Appendix 6: Setting up SMB shares
   Appendix7: Revision 6 Changes
   Appendix8: Adding Fanart

9. Tips & FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

10.