media
T H E U L T I M A T E
s y s t e m
16
SCRAPING YOUR MEDIA
Scraping typically means that XBMC will connect to the internet when adding media, and
download all the Movies & Series Covers, Fanart and Information.
Scraping happens automatically when you add your media paths to XBMC.
Note: if your media is not copied to your HTPC yet, now would be a good time to do it.
(Unless you will be streaming your media through a network)
What is Scraping?
THE SCRAPED LIBRARY
Here you can see what a typical XBMC
library looks like after all the covers have
been scraped.
Scraped libraries are better to look at, and
also help when finding something.
This skin used in the example on the left is
called ReFocus, which is amazing to use.
Each XBMC Skin will display covers and
fanart differently.
MY HTPC HAS NO INTERNET ACCESS
If your HTPC doesn’t have access to the internet, you can scrape the covers on a
computer with a Windows based XBMC installation, and then simply export all the covers,
fanart and information to the folders.
When you add the media to XBMC on the HTPC, covers inside the folders will be used
instead of it trying to download them from the internet.
WWE AND UFC SPECIAL EVENTS
Some things like
sporting events cannot be scraped.
The reason is because thetvdb.com does not have any sport in it’s database.
You may find some people online who have created zip packages though, that contains all
the needed files and cover artwork. Google is your friend.
WWE, UFC and other
WARNING! GOTCHA AHEAD
Before we begin scraping though, please go to System > Add-ons > Enabled Add-ons > TV
information > The TVDB. Click “Configure” and enable the option titled “Prefer Posters”.
If you do not tick this option, banners will be downloaded, which will look very stretched if
the skin uses Posters.
Do this on any XBMC installation that will be scraping covers & fanart of your media.