What Java Versions Should We Be Running?

[RAlfieri]

I just upgraded a client to 1.5.0_06-b05 and the client could not stream over the Internet.

The Server is still running 1.4.x.

Thanks,
Rob

[arielshu]

I had the same problem and got the placeshifting client to work when both java versions were 1.4.2

By the way I am a little disappointed with the streaming quality... Orb gives superior results when using the exact same Internet link, but it's a hastle to use... by definition placeshifter is seamless with sage. I'm going to hold off on buying PlaceShifter until it improves a bit more.

[Alfiegerner]

It would be nice to have a definitive answer to this question. There's so much advice spotted around the forum about what sort of Java to use.

In general I thought it safe to assume that we should be using 1.4.x java as that ships in the sage install exe. Then I saw in a recent release that 1.4.x was causing issues (can't remember now but I think it was encryption related) and 1.5.x worked. And now 1.5.x breaks the placeshifting?

What JDK is Sage compiled against?

[Polypro]

There was a definitive answer, it's in a thread I started, just search my name. I use the latest Java with no problems.

Nevermind the search, here :

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...highlight=java

"Internally we use a few different JVMs to test with, all 1.4.2 or 1.5.0 based at the present time. They both should work fine with SageTV. The main difference is the way the memory management is handled in 1.4.2 vs. 1.5. SageTV optimizes the garbage collector for 1.4, but it doesn't for 1.5. The reason is that 1.5 has a more optimized garbage collector which didn't need tweaking.

The other difference we've noticed is with FSE. It does seem to have some weird issue with the 1.5 JVM, and we've added code to workaround the issues that occur (although it just 'works around' the problem, the problem still occurs). Those issues do not occur in the 1.4.2 JVM.

My recommendation would be to use the 1.4.2 JVM (the latest from Sun is fine, the one in our installer is probably not the absolute latest) if you're using FSE (full screen exclusive) mode. But if you're not using FSE you're probably better off with the 1.5 JVM (it's what I use on my SageTV systems at home) because they'll give slightly better performance.

You can switch between JVMs by editing the registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\JavaSoft\Java Runtime Environment\CurrentVersion

If you've got both 1.4 and 1.5 installed then you can just set that to be which one you want SageTV to use."
__________________
Jeffrey Kardatzke
CTO
SageTV, LLC

Edit: By the way, I use the latest Java with FSE without problems. I did set the property "disable_dx9fullscreenex=true" to false. I Don't know what it actually does but it stays set to true even with FSE enabled in the UI. FSE worked after that for me.

P

[elaw]

Originally Posted by Polypro

You can switch between JVMs by editing the registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\JavaSoft\Java Runtime Environment\CurrentVersion

Actually there's a much easier way to do it.

Specific procedure varies according to version, but if you fire up the "Java" thingy in control panel, there should be a place in there to set which JRE version is used.

In the version that's on my computer (1.4.2), it's a dropdown on the "advanced" tab.

[mayamaniac]

Originally Posted by elaw

In the version that's on my computer (1.4.2), it's a dropdown on the "advanced" tab.

On mine, it actually under the Java tab, clicking on View under the Java Application Runtime Settings will allow you to enable the Java version to be used. Not sure what happens when both 1.42 and 1.5 are selected, but that how it is on mine.