DVD Playback.... :eek:

[henk99]

Guys,

I have read a lot of posts to see if i can play back-ups of DVD's on my MVP. I am so sorry, but i can't find my way in these post, they are to confusing for me to follow as i am new to this. I have read about transcoding, AC3 to stereo and a lot of other stuff.
Basically i want to know if it can be done (i'm on 4.1.13 Beta now). If so, are there any special things i must do (convert the files?) or set (change in properties files?)?

I would greatly appreciate some help on this. I have Womble (see that name come by a few times) and Videoredo. So any help based on either of these would be great.

I am really new to this, so explaining is better on a 'for dummies' level :D

Henk

[stanger89]

Guys,

I have read a lot of posts to see if i can play back-ups of DVD's on my MVP. I am so sorry, but i can't find my way in these post, they are to confusing for me to follow as i am new to this. I have read about transcoding, AC3 to stereo and a lot of other stuff.
Basically i want to know if it can be done (i'm on 4.1.13 Beta now). If so, are there any special things i must do (convert the files?) or set (change in properties files?)?

The closest you can come right now, is to import the VOBs (not as 'DVDs' but as files, you can do this by adding .VOB to the library import extensions).

And then you can play the series of VOBs. It sounds like the builtin Sage transcoder will take care of transcoding the audio for you.

[henk99]

you can do this by adding .VOB to the library import extensions).

Ah i see.

Is that in some of the properties files? Or in a menu somewhere?

Thanks for your help!

[stanger89]

properties file, you'll need to add it to the line for video files. I don't remember the exact name of the property though.

[henk99]

Cool! I'll check it out

[henk99]

I doesnt' work yet.

The DVD back-up plays fine on the SageTV Server, but the MVP gives an error (-19). "There is no mediaplayer to playback the selected file"

Any ideas?

[stanger89]

You might have to enable transcoding for the MVP. Also, "DVD's" won't work on the MVP, but VOBs should.

[henk99]

You might have to enable transcoding for the MVP. Also, "DVD's" won't work on the MVP, but VOBs should.

Erm.....what do you mean with both of these ??

I thought DVD's consisted of Vob's?? And how do i enable transcoding on the MVP? Is that something in SageTV or is it a Hauppauge setting of some kind?

[stanger89]

Erm.....what do you mean with both of these ??

I thought DVD's consisted of Vob's??

Yes, but DVDs consist of IFO files in addition to VOBs. The MVP can't deal with full DVD structure, navigation, etc, it can't play DVDs. VOBs are basically just MPEG files though, and it can play those.

And how do i enable transcoding on the MVP? Is that something in SageTV or is it a Hauppauge setting of some kind?

I thought there was a setting somewhere in Detailed Setup for it.

[henk99]

Yes, but DVDs consist of IFO files in addition to VOBs. The MVP can't deal with full DVD structure, navigation, etc, it can't play DVDs. VOBs are basically just MPEG files though, and it can play those.

Okay, so what does that mean? Simply delete the ifo files and then it is ok? Or should the directory structure also be removed (video_ts and audio_ts)? Or shoudl i do something like decode it?

Btw, i can't find any setting regarding transcoding :confused:

[stanger89]

No, just add .VOB to this line:
seeker/video_library_import_filename_extensions=.mpg,.mpeg,.mp2,.mpeg2,.mpe,.avi,.divx,.mpg1,.ts,.tp,.trp,.wmv

Then the VOBs should show up as imported media (vs "DVD"s) and you should be able to play them.

[Hector]

Or copy the VOBs from the DVD to one single file on your hard drive (automatically via dvddecrypter) and if you wish reencode the audio to mpeg (from ac3) with womble or what not.

Then you just have one single file with mpeg audio. I thought the mvps couldn't play ac3 but maybe that was never true or not true any more.

peace . . .



The closest you can come right now, is to import the VOBs (not as 'DVDs' but as files, you can do this by adding .VOB to the library import extensions).

And then you can play the series of VOBs. It sounds like the builtin Sage transcoder will take care of transcoding the audio for you.

[BugMan]

It's a shame that you have to go through all this trouble. I have many movies that are each contained in its own subfolder under the movie title. All are in the native VOB/IFO/BUF files. I sure wish the SageTV MVP Extender could handle this. Maybe in version 5.1; I'll keep my fingers crossed.

[stanger89]

To be perfectly clear, SageTV (and SageClient) can handle DVD rips just fine (I've got 281 in Sage right now :D). It's the MVP/Extender that can't deal with DVD rips as DVDs.

[Hector]

I just recently got DVD playback working through Sage and I was pretty impressed with how well it worked. The functionality is a little basic but it's really nice to have one stop shopping. The only thing that doesn't quite seem to work 100% for me is the mouse pointer on some DVD menu items.

peace . . .

To be perfectly clear, SageTV (and SageClient) can handle DVD rips just fine (I've got 281 in Sage right now :D). It's the MVP/Extender that can't deal with DVD rips as DVDs.

[JUC]

what i have been doing is for all my new rips is i only rip the main movie and set it so it only has one file-so its one big .vob. Then, when you import it into sage-you can use the DVDprofiler information and it will show up just like any other imported video with info and pic. Its pretty slick. I'm still having a problem though with my .vobs being zoomed in--only my .vobs. Kind of weird but a support ticket is in and hopefully i will get a response soon.
JUC

[garyellis]

This is strange...I thought I was understanding it..I opened the Sage.properties file and found the "seeker video line" and added ,.vob and then saved the file. I even checked back to make sure that it had changed. Then I opened SageTV and checked to see if it found my vob file...It had not. So, I checked back in the Sage.properties file and the ,.vob was no longer added. Some how it got changed back. :confused: So,I tried again, and the same thing happened.

Help...how do I change the properties files so the VOB stays added?

Thanks,

Gary

[stanger89]

First you shouldn't (need to) be adding VOB in the properties file, Sage will detect DVD structures automatically.

If you do have a reason to need the VOBs themselves imported. You need to add it to the video library import extensions line.

You also need to add it to the sage.properties file, and make sure the service is stopped if you're using it.

[garyellis]

Let me be clear what I am trying to do....

I have several MPG movies with AC3...They work great on my server,but do not work on the MVP extender. I get a black screen and the slider bar is moving. I've been told that the AC3 audio must be "Transcoded" on the server and then it will play across the MVP. So, how does the AC3 get transcoded? Does Sage do it automatically and I just need to wait longer for the movie to start on MVP? Or do I need to take each movie and split the video and audio and convert the AC3 to MP2 and then mux them back together? or another way?

I was told earlier in this thread that a VOB file with AC3 would play fine on MVP...(doesn't make sense since VOB is just anMPG file, but I'll try)... so, that's why Iwant to put VOB in the properties file.

I tried it again and the VOB went away again upon loading Sage.

Thanks for listening...

Gary

[Hector]

Its like an mpeg file but usually without mpeg compliant audio.

I don't have an MVP but if they still can't play AC3 then you need to transcode the audio to mpeg audio. Out of habit I use the old mpeg2vcr and from the user perspective its just a matter of loading the file and saving it back with the audio button toggled but of course that save takes awhile because its actually transcoding it but you don't have to demux mux etc. Simple load/click/save/wait. I just like my old tools but I am sure there is something newer and free.

peace . . .



Let me be clear what I am trying to do....

I have several MPG movies with AC3...They work great on my server,but do not work on the MVP extender. I get a black screen and the slider bar is moving. I've been told that the AC3 audio must be "Transcoded" on the server and then it will play across the MVP. So, how does the AC3 get transcoded? Does Sage do it automatically and I just need to wait longer for the movie to start on MVP? Or do I need to take each movie and split the video and audio and convert the AC3 to MP2 and then mux them back together? or another way?

I was told earlier in this thread that a VOB file with AC3 would play fine on MVP...(doesn't make sense since VOB is just anMPG file, but I'll try)... so, that's why Iwant to put VOB in the properties file.

I tried it again and the VOB went away again upon loading Sage.

Thanks for listening...

Gary

[BobPhoenix]

I tried it again and the VOB went away again upon loading Sage.

Any time this has happened to me its because I had either the SageTV GUI or the SageTV Service still running. Make sure you have completely exited Sage BEFORE editing the file. This means that you have to have your SageTV Server that the MVP connects to stopped/exited.

BobP.

[garyellis]

I just closed SageTV by hitting the X..then I edited the file and saved it,then I opened Sagetv again...shouldn't that do it..? or is there something else I need to stop?

[Opus4]

When you clicked the X, did SageTV just sleep in the system tray? If so, you have to exit from there.

Are you using service mode? If so, you have to stop the SageTV service.

Otherwise, any properties file edits will be ignored because the file is not loaded again after SageTV is running.

- Andy

[garyellis]

Thank you...the service thing did it....I was running it as a service...not sure why...but anyway, the vob file was recognized after I changed it in the properties file

So, now I have VOB with AC3 playing on my MVP and of course the picture is way bigger than the screen. I understand Sage is working on this. So, now I am off to convert all my MPG with AC3 to VOB's with AC3. Wish MVP would support AC3 on MPG's before I do it.

Here's how convert it, if anybody wants to know..I just open the MPG in video redo and then select the whole movie and then do a save as...one of the save as options is VOB...So,I save it as a VOB file and now the MVP will find it and play it, even though it has AC3.

Thanks all,

Gary

[stanger89]

I tried it again and the VOB went away again upon loading Sage.

What exact line are you changing (post it if you would)?

[garyellis]

Here is the line in the Sage.Properties file...by adding .vob Sage now searches for VOB files as imported files.


seeker/video_library_import_filename_extensions=.mpg,.mpeg,.mp2,.mpeg2,.mpe,.avi,.divx,.mpg1,.ts,.wmv,.asf,.wm,.tivo,.m2t,.vob



Gary Ellis

[stanger89]

You do completely shutdown Sage (stop the service) before you change that right?

[Opus4]

I think you missed where he said it works now. :)

- Andy

[stanger89]

Sneaky bugger ;)

[garyellis]

slid that right on by you, huh?

I just saw a note that the next release should contain the fix for the overscan problem.Now if we could just get AC3 to work on MPG's through extender.

:D

Gary

[jryan15]

Thank you...the service thing did it....I was running it as a service...not sure why...but anyway, the vob file was recognized after I changed it in the properties file

So, now I have VOB with AC3 playing on my MVP and of course the picture is way bigger than the screen. I understand Sage is working on this. So, now I am off to convert all my MPG with AC3 to VOB's with AC3. Wish MVP would support AC3 on MPG's before I do it.

Here's how convert it, if anybody wants to know..I just open the MPG in video redo and then select the whole movie and then do a save as...one of the save as options is VOB...So,I save it as a VOB file and now the MVP will find it and play it, even though it has AC3.

Thanks all,

Gary

so we do have to convert the ac3 audio to mpg, or will sagetv automatically transcode the audio for us? i assume it would probably require more power than my sempron with 1gb could handle?

[garyellis]

I am hearing that Sage is working on AC3 support. So,I am only going to convert a few movies for my daughter and be patient for the update.

Gary

[stanger89]

My understanding is that now (maybe with a property change, I can't remember) Sage will transcode audio in vob files to MVP-compatible format.

assume it would probably require more power than my sempron with 1gb could handle?

Transcoding of audio is trivial. If you can handle transcoding video, you can do audio.