Video streaming media server feature requests

[vbguy2011]

I thought I'd compile a few things here, instead of just separately listing feature requests.

First I'd like to say that madsonic is great, and although I appreciate this is originally meant for audio streaming but also allows video streaming, it is the best video streaming server I've found, tested and approved:
1) web streaming through flash (and hopefully html5 soon enough)
2) user accounts and login
3) monitoring user activity
4) chat

Plex is 2nd best in my view for video streaming, although it's strictly limited (no user accounts/login except when using myplex and publishing the server, which requires open access to network and wouldn't work within closed network), and is therefore NO GO!

Feature Request #1
request: Video seeking for on-the-fly transcoded web streams
comment: I note there's been a number of discussions on this issue, but not properly addressed within the server itself.

Feature Request #2
request: player support for subtitles, multiple audio streams, multiple video streams
comment: Subtitle support would allow 1) external files with same name; and 2) mkv files that contain subtitles. Video streaming would ALSO have to allow options for selecting subtitle (not sure how the player itself would work, but I assume that each time a subtitle is selected this would require changing the transcoding settings every time to set the arguments to process selected subtitle, and restart transcoding at the point where the video was?). Similarly to subtitle support, player would allow choosing which audio or video stream and transcoding settings/parameters would change accordingly.

Feature Request #3
request: Metadata support for videos retrieved from anidb, tvdb and the likes
comment: I do already appreciate how we can "google" artwork and replace it. It would be great if the server would automatically seek the data from metadata sources anidb/tvdb/others and provide not only artwork but plot details/other info/etc.

I understand these features would be a move away from subsonic being predominantly a "music streamer" and becoming instead a "media streamer", but as madsonic is already the best video streamer in my books this seems like a natural progression.

[chali]

Hi
I use almost exclusively my server to the movies too. and I think you mention some good things, I just want to mention two things that might be interesting,

1: You do not need an extra file for subtitles,
handbrake can add multiple subtitles (soft titles) and multiple audio tracks without having extra files. (I always put in two languages ​​and three soft subtitles)

so the only thing that would be needed is a way to chose track

2: This might be the solution,

I spoke with jw player yesterday to buy a license for their corporate players, unfortunately, is That's very expensive (for a private media server). but he then said that they in a few months will release a new player that will be aimed at people like us, with their own movie servers. and that it will have support for most functions.

/ Chali

[zeb]

3: Would it simply not be easier to import the metadata from existing files that are created by other programs such as Media Centre Master, which will do everything from remaining files to pulling fan and cover art for your folders down automatically, surely this would be an easier solution to implement as it simply just a case of parsing & displaying existing information.

[Ricky1252]

ffmpeg currently does support subtitles contained within mkv's that are ssa/ass format. Also being that ssa/ass fotmated subtitles are much more complicated then any of the other formats, there is alot more work to be done on the user side. Adding fonts and such as well as environment variables for fonts for ffmpeg to use. Also when it comes to transcoding there is a bit to add in the subsonic/madsonic side. http://forum.madsonic.org/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=559 is a rough guide for it using linux. Ill create a more user friendly guide for everyone if people are interested.

jwplayer already supports srt subtitles.

handbreak is a good option but does'nt support animated subtitles currently.

Hi
I use almost exclusively my server to the movies too. and I think you mention some good things, I just want to mention two things that might be interesting,

1: You do not need an extra file for subtitles,
handbrake can add multiple subtitles (soft titles) and multiple audio tracks without having extra files. (I always put in two languages ​​and three soft subtitles)

so the only thing that would be needed is a way to chose track

2: This might be the solution,

I spoke with jw player yesterday to buy a license for their corporate players, unfortunately, is That's very expensive (for a private media server). but he then said that they in a few months will release a new player that will be aimed at people like us, with their own movie servers. and that it will have support for most functions.

/ Chali

Woo that sounds interesting! I cant wait to see this =]