DynamicSkin

EDIT: Whilst this has been downloaded quite a number of times, I have had absolutely no feedback - I have no idea whether anyone else has managed to get it working, and if so, whether they are actually using it. Due to the lack of feedback and thus being able to work on any issues raised, I am removing the download link until I am satisfied that I have finished this project.

I have created a database driven Movie Jukebox for the NMT which uses a Python Powered dynamic skin generator which runs on a D-Link NAS.

The skin I am using as a template is heavily borrowed from the Unique_Glas theme. However, the generator is set up so that can design your own skin.

To use DynamicSkin you will need the following:

- NMT (duh!) ;-)

- A Dlink (or Conceptronic) NAS running:

• fonz fun_plug
• Python
• CherryPy 3 (Python package)
• Beautiful Soup (Python package).

YANFOE / Ember Media Manager (or similar) to create the NFO files for importing.

I don't have instructions on setting those up - there's plenty of info on the 'Net, but hey, if I can do it so can you!

This is still very much in development, so there are no set up instructions or guarantess of any type that it will work.  At this stage if you are not confident on running Python on your NAS, or don't have a NAS you can still trial DynamicSkin on your PC (Windows or Linux) by installing Python and the two packages (no need for the fun_plug). I understand that there is Python on Mac too...

Instructions for running DynamicSkin

All the components of the DynamicSkin are included on the archive now, including the documentation, for single file download.

:: Information on the fun_plug for the NAS. Use this to get Telnet, and Python running on your NAS - http://nas-tweaks.net/CH3SNAS:Tutorials/fun_plug

:: CherryPy download. You will need to wget this to your NAS once you have Telneted to it - http://download.cherrypy.org/cherrypy/3.1.2/CherryPy-3.1.2.zip

:: BeautifulSoup download. Again you will need to wget this once you have Telneted to your NAS - http://www.crummy.com/software/BeautifulSoup/download/3.x/BeautifulSoup-....

Once you have downloaded the two Python packages you will need to unzip them, then install them to make them available to Python. I will assume that if you are able to get as far as Telneting to your NAS and wgetting the packages you won't need help with the packages.

I am putting this out there to make people aware that it exists, and does indeed work. I am using it as my skin for my NMT and it works a treat, although it quite a bit slower on the NMT than on the PC, even when the .py files are run from the NAS in both cases. I haven't looked into why this is, but will eventually.

Feel free to leave feedback / questions / criticisms for me.

PC based video demo here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMjt7Bonigs.

Actual demonstration video here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLp_BfYpJ2w. It's a bit blurry - my video camera didn't cope well with the screen, in hind sight I should have used manual focus.

Credit to Mr M for creating the Unique_Glas skin on which this is based, and for inspiring me to take the leap into creating DynamicSkin.

If anyone has tried this and got it working or wants to contact me about it - you can get me at thewinnards@gmail.com.

NOTE - While this project is still incomplete, it is sufficiently complete to be workable, so I am going to embark on another project for a while. This new project is going to be a similar project for audio.

The intention is to have a database backend, which will allow the user to have a dynamic skin for playing MP3s etc. The big problem I have found with skin generators is 1) you have to run them manually 2) there is no dynamic playlist abilities (that I have found) - i.e. no party mode.  

Example images: