SageTV supported video types

[julesjohn]

SageTV on their main site does not appear to clarify the supported video types for playback of video or movies from imported videos. They just say standard types.

I have not been able to play standard AVI, or MPEG or MPG files so far. I believe I have downloaded numerous codec packages, but I have no idea if SageTV only uses its own or what.

Does anyone know of exactly what is supported in SageTV for playback of videos or movies so I can ensure my imported videos are in that same format? Thanks.

[korben_dallas]

Here's the defaults right out of the 2.2.6 properties file:

seeker/video_library_import_filename_extensions=.mpg,.mpeg,.mp2,.mpeg2,.mpe,.avi,.divx,.mpg1,.ts

MPEG-1 files should play right out of the bag. MPEG-2 files will need an MPEG-2 decoder. Highly recommend the NVIDIA DVD/MPEG-2 decoder. AVI files aren't so simple, because they are just containers and can be a combination of pretty much any video codec and audio codec.

Are you actually seeing the files listed in SageTV, but getting playback errors.. or are you not seeing the files listed at all?

[julesjohn]

Originally Posted by korben_dallas

Here's the defaults right out of the 2.2.6 properties file:

seeker/video_library_import_filename_extensions=.mpg,.mpeg,.mp2,.mpeg2,.mpe,.avi,.divx,.mpg1,.ts

MPEG-1 files should play right out of the bag. MPEG-2 files will need an MPEG-2 decoder. Highly recommend the NVIDIA DVD/MPEG-2 decoder. AVI files aren't so simple, because they are just containers and can be a combination of pretty much any video codec and audio codec.

Are you actually seeing the files listed in SageTV, but getting playback errors.. or are you not seeing the files listed at all?

Thanks. I am seeing the files listed in SageTV. I am using the PVR 350 TV-Out. So I am not using any video card. I have a really old video card installed just in rare cases where I need to hook up a monitor. It sounds like SageTV should play these files. In the files 2 of them say XDiv but have an AVI extension. So you are probably right about the issue of it being a container of an unknown.

I also though can't play an MPG file that was ripped from a DVD of mine. In the cases of the XDiv...one I can hear sound and no video and one errors in SageTV.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by julesjohn

Thanks. I am seeing the files listed in SageTV. I am using the PVR 350 TV-Out.

That's why, the PVR-350 can ONLY play standard MPEG 2 video. It's a hardware decoder and rather picky, so it's possible that even if it is MPEG-2 the 350 could choke on it if it's not standard. With the 350 Sage is NOT using directshow, this is not a limitation of Sage, it's a limitation of the PVR-350.

If you want to play anything but MPEG2 you need to use something else. The Xcard is a little better, supporting DivX, but a video card, and therefore directshow playback, is the only way you'll be able to play anything.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by stanger89

The Xcard is a little better, supporting DivX

Yes & no: while the Xcard can play DivX, DVDs, and whatever else it supports, you can only use it to play MPEG2 files within SageTV so far. You really have to go with a video card if you want more versatility.

- Andy

[stanger89]

Sage uses directshow to build graphs and play files, most anything that will play in Windows Media Player will play in Sage, there are a couple limitations though:

Sage supports (AFIAK) any file type that uses/provides BOTH:
Standard Directshow audio/video decoders
Standard Directshow file source and splitter filters

Sage does not support:
File types that don't use Dshow, like Real/Quicktime (although I think there are some unofficial Dshow decoders for those that might get them to work)
File types that don't use standard source and splitter filters, like WMV which uses an integrated filesource/spli
tter filter, likewise with Nero Digital.

[julesjohn]

Thanks for the info.