Multiple Media Players (4 Parts)

Configuration
1

Question 1) Before making groups the default one had the ability to auto discover new Medias. Plex, being the example.
How could I make a view that still does that? I tried things like ‘media.all’ etc, but that didn’t work.

Question 2) Kodi specific - Actually, similar question above. I would need each box to allow it’s own web server/API Config and then add independantly? (As I typed this, I am almost 99% sure the answer is ‘Yes’)

Question 3) I don’t like the ‘idle’ image that is there, often. Can I have a placeholder image? Or can someone show me a switch(?) template that would 'if state(media_player.thisMediaPlayer) == idle, don’t show?

Question 4) Can I ‘order’ the videos in the view? I thought I remember seeing an ‘order’ param on some views, no?

2

Jet @dnorthrupva,

Not sure I can answer all the above but:

  1. that experience you mention is happening in the default group still. Behind the scenes it should be finding your devices. If you go to the entities section in he Dev Tools you’ll find the new discovered players.

  2. AFAIK yes. I do have web server enabled in each Kodi (currently 5 at home) … Not only for HA but also for remote control.

  3. check this: Allow dynamic visibility of items in UI

Hope this helps a little.

3

Hey @davedan - Thanks for taking the time to reply. Appreciate it.

For number 1, that I -can- fix, but I was curious about a more proactive way of identifying/showing the new Plex windows, instead of using the Entity finder and adding them to the group. I was thinking maybe something like media_players.plex or something (group.media_players I think). I know I tried a bunch of random entities that made no sense.

P.S. I just read your link - That is definitely what I’m wondering about! Awesome.

4

So, while you can find that set of groups for lights, I don’t think it’s happening for other entity types.

I faced the same situation, using the entity finder helped to see what I had … Controlling those devices is a different history. In my case (for Kodi) I use this to control multiple Kodi implementations in one shot: