Problems going between MediaBrowser and MPC-HC

I currently run Windows 7, MadVR, MPC-HC, MediaBrowser.  It's not an unusual setup around here.  I play MKV rips (full rips) on my theater.  Here's the problem:

Attempt #1 to Play a Movie

From MB, I hit the play button.  Everything works fine in full screen.

Movie's done or I am, and I hit stop on my remote (which launches the shortcut for ALT-F4 in MPC-HC)

I am returned to MB

Attempt #2 to Play a Movie

I press the play button from MB.

MB stays up, and I hear the movie playing in the background.

I hit stop on the remote and the movie stops.

MB is still on the screen and has been the whole time.

Attempt #3 to Play a Movie

I press play button again from MB

The movie opens, with sound, but no video.

At any point during #2 or #3, I grab the mouse/KB and have to do some combo of killtasking MPCHC or closing it/reopening it.

Has anyone seen or heard of this behavior?

Any suggestions would be great appreciated!

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelman1991 

I have the same set-up, but see none of the behaviour you describe.

In the configurator when you set-up MB did you 'configure the player' - see below, link in bottom left portion of box?



This is all I had to do.

Why have you set-up a shortcut (Alt-F4 in mpc-hc)?

What I do have is 'exit' key, App Command (MPC-HC\Options\Keys) set to MEDIA_STOP - this exits mpc-hc when I press stop and returns me to MB. This is a left over command from previous external player configurations and I'm not even sure that it is needed, since Luke developed the latest configuration to include the 'resume' function.

I have the App Command set to the same thing, but the "Key" is set to Alt X.  Like this.

Maybe I can just delete the Alt + X?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDLIVE 

What version of MPC-HC?

1.5.3.3757 is what I'm running.

Thanks for the replies, guys.  I didn't see them until just now because I thought I have a subscription setup, but I guess I didn't!

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelman1991 

No need to mine is set to that as well. Did you configure mpc-hc as per my screenshot. Wouldn't do any harm to re-configure if you have previously done it in case something hasn't 'stuck'.

There is a newer version of mpc-hc available see here http://mpc-hc.org/, might be worth downloading and trying.

I updated the client.  I'm still have the same issue, unfortunately.  Another tid bit here that I've noticed.  When I play the movie and get no video, but I do get audio, then I can right click the screen to bring up the context menu.  The video appears, and I can click the movie to close the menu and it's fine.

Oh!  And yes, I did configure the way you have it.  I didn't have that first check box checked, but it doesn't seem to make a difference so far.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pagali 

To the OP: I don't think how you choose to close MPC has anything to do with it. I had constant and recurring focus problems with MediaBrowser and external players for about the last 6 weeks. With both MPC-HC and ZoomPlayer, they no longer would open Fullscreen, and even Alt-Enter wouldn't fullscreen them above the MB window, which should have been minimized by my settings. They would be in a smaller borderless window in the top left of the screen, and refused to go fullscreen. I had used the MB/ZP combo succcessfully for 2 years, but suddenly all these focus problems cropped up. Even my remote control software could no longer see which app should have the focus and switch to it. I tried restoring my system to an earlier time, even a clean reformat and reinstall of everything. No luck. Personally, I tend to blame a conflict between some Windows update and MB, but not sure why more people didn't have these problems.

After trying everything I could find online that might even remotely affect MB and external players, in desperation I installed the new version of XBMC, Frodo, and set it up with ZP as my external player... and NO FOCUS PROBLEMS! Not one! I had tried XBMC a few times in the past, never got past the non-intuitive setup process. This time I persevered, and was rewarded by a smooth, customized interface (using the Aeon Nox skin, which I highly recommend).

Not that anyone cares, but... my reasons for stubbornly sticking with ZoomPlayer are 1) smooth, dependable built in screensaver to protect my nice new Panny plasma, and 2) ease of FF and RW in most video formats, 3) easy to select/unselect subtitles, alternate audio tracks, etc. 4) allows selection of renderers and filters of your choice, so I have the same MadVR/Lav Filters setup as in MPC-HC.

I get that sometimes: hey would be in a smaller borderless window in the top left of the screen, and refused to go fullscreen

I used to have it setup properly, which why it's frustrating, especially when the wife or kids want to use it because they don't know how to fix it.

I'm going home for lunch and am going to play around with settings to see what I can get.  So far, today, I've been testing with Logmein, which, surprisingly, has handled the fullscreen and windowing very well.

Problem solved!

Here are the changes I made that may have helped:

-update MPC-HC

-Enable "Minimize Windows Media Center" in the MediaBrowser settings for MPC-HC external player

-In the MadVR settings, delay 3 seconds before starting the video

That was about it!  I think it was the Minimize setting that helped - maybe along with the madvr setting.  I don't know, but I'm not touching it to find out! 

Thanks for you help!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sammy2 

I don't have that delay setting in madVR.

I was remembering the setting from memory.  Here it is exactly:

delay switch to exclusive mode by 3 seconds