Plugin
A concept behind TV-Browser is that its program kernel remains small and slim. The kernel is just responsible for maintaining and displaying tv-data, as well as maintaining plugins and user settings. This ensures that the kernel program remains stable. Using plugins, the user can activate exactly the desired functions. Moreover plugins allow users to add new functionality. There are two kinds of plugins:
- "normal" plugin
- TV-Data Services
"Normal" Plugins
A so-called "normal" plugin extends TV-Browser by functionality which is related to tv-data. This might for instance be a service reminding the user if a certain show starts.
TV-Data Services
TV-data services supply TV-Browser with data. Every |update of the TV listings makes the TV-Data services download the new data.
TV-Browsers own TV-Data service can get listings of any number of servers that provide them in our format. How you can provide such a service yourself is explaine in the TV-Data tutorial.
This mechanism can in fact be used to provide all sorts of data from any source and in any format.
Installation of Plugins
To install plugins you can use the button Plugins->Manage Plugins->Update/Install plugins.
Plugins downloaded from other sources (e.g., from the plugin page) have to be copied as a *.jar file into the plugins directory. In Mac OS this is the /Library/Application Support/TV-Browser/plugins directory.
Finally,you have to restart TV-Browser, activate and possibly configure the plugin.
Data plugins can be found in Settings - TVDataServices. After configuring the plugin you have to update your channel list.
- Note for Mac OS X Users: the plugins directory is in Volume/Library/Application Support/TV-Browser/plugins.
