STV Import: SageMC Video Tools v3.0

[flashbacck]

Just a quick suggestion that appeals to my obsessive/compulsive desire for everything to have meaning: How about using the present system time instead of a random number?

[hammondr]

Originally Posted by gveres

Hammond, if you find the solution, please PM me. I will do the same. It seems you and I are experiencing the same problem.

Every one of my recordings has a .autocompress file next to it, but none of them are being autocompressed.

Greg

Well, the prize goes to mp328. I took mp328's recommendation and rebooted the htpc. It seems that the reboot fixed all the problems. I HATE that answer, though. I had restarted the sageTV service and sageTV UI several times, to no avail. Somehow, restarting unclogged whatever was going wrong. Your mileage may vary. Let us know if that works?

[hammondr]

Originally Posted by rlvogel322

It seems to me, the combination of these two things is why the edl file is not being moved to edlcut.

To pile on here. Here is a relevant snip from one of my Seinfeld compression jobs. I am only using commercial cutting here (using the built-in profile), not an "Auto Encode" before hand. (I will try that once commercial cutting is working 100% for me.)

As rlvogel indicated, the "Commercial Cut" profile has some logic for "cuttingComm", but it looks like there may be two logic test errors.

1: a test for "cuttingComm" is failing
2: a test for "comCutSuccess" is failing

    - CLI #2 : ?>cuttingComm<:>?>EXT:edl&&comCutSuccess<:>#Moving_EDL#"%%ORIGINAL_FILE%%.edl" "%%ORIGINAL_FILE%%.edlcut"<?<?
      + Processing conditional: EXT:edl&&comCutSuccess<:>#Moving_EDL#"%%ORIGINAL_FILE%%.edl" "%%ORIGINAL_FILE%%.edlcut"
        -  Conditional List: EXT:edl&&comCutSuccess
          + Checking: EXT:edl
            - Does file exist next to orignal video with a (.edl) extention? (\\HTPC\PVR01\Seinfeld-TheCheeverLetters-245439-0.mpg)
              + True
          + Checking: comCutSuccess
            - Does custom conditional (comCutSuccess) exist?
              + False
        = Overall: False, leaving blank!
      + Processing conditional: cuttingComm<:>
        -  Conditional List: cuttingComm
          + Checking: cuttingComm
            - Does custom conditional (cuttingComm) exist?
              + False
        = Overall: False, leaving blank!
      + Command has no Output
      + Result : 
      ! CLI command is empty, skipping batchfile

    - CLI #3 : ?>cuttingComm<:>?>EXT:txt&&comCutSuccess<:>#Moving_TXT#"%%ORIGINAL_FILE%%.txt" "%%ORIGINAL_FILE%%.txtcut"<?<?
      + Processing conditional: EXT:txt&&comCutSuccess<:>#Moving_TXT#"%%ORIGINAL_FILE%%.txt" "%%ORIGINAL_FILE%%.txtcut"
        -  Conditional List: EXT:txt&&comCutSuccess
          + Checking: EXT:txt
            - Does file exist next to orignal video with a (.txt) extention? (\\HTPC\PVR01\Seinfeld-TheCheeverLetters-245439-0.mpg)
              + True
          + Checking: comCutSuccess
            - Does custom conditional (comCutSuccess) exist?
              + False
        = Overall: False, leaving blank!
      + Processing conditional: cuttingComm<:>
        -  Conditional List: cuttingComm
          + Checking: cuttingComm
            - Does custom conditional (cuttingComm) exist?
              + False
        = Overall: False, leaving blank!
      + Command has no Output
      + Result : 
      ! CLI command is empty, skipping batchfile

On the plus side, it seems like the commercial *cutting* is happening, but the .edl and .txt files aren't being renamed. What do you think?

[rsagetv99]

Evil,
The reason I am asking all of these questions is because I was hoping to try to get DVD processing working with the default STV using a combination of External Apps, Other Programs (assuming this still works in 6.3), and my limited scripting ability. I have successfully scripted the creation of the .qdvd file and can script the creation of the .txt file, then the perl2dvd program should do the rest right?

My plans were to write a small script that also checks for your status files and creates the appropriate file in the OtherPrograms directory, with the final one being the batch that creates the DVD.

Do you have any advice or tips to help with this?

[flashbacck]

Is anyone else experiencing a lowering of the volume after compression?

[evilpenguin]

Originally Posted by flashbacck

Is anyone else experiencing a lowering of the volume after compression?

SDTV or HDTV?

[evilpenguin]

Now that SageMC has its own forum we can afford to strech out a little bit so feel free to post problems and issues with the plug-in outside of this thread!

Just be sure to preface the titles with something like "Video Tools:...".

[rsagetv99]

Originally Posted by rsagetv99

Evil,
The reason I am asking all of these questions is because I was hoping to try to get DVD processing working with the default STV using a combination of External Apps, Other Programs (assuming this still works in 6.3), and my limited scripting ability. I have successfully scripted the creation of the .qdvd file and can script the creation of the .txt file, then the perl2dvd program should do the rest right?

My plans were to write a small script that also checks for your status files and creates the appropriate file in the OtherPrograms directory, with the final one being the batch that creates the DVD.

Do you have any advice or tips to help with this?

OK, so I was able to get perl2dvd to process a DVD, what is the command line to burn to a dvd, are you still using imgburn?

[evilpenguin]

Originally Posted by rsagetv99

OK, so I was able to get perl2dvd to process a DVD, what is the command line to burn to a dvd, are you still using imgburn?

I'm using a MS tool called dvdburn.exe which comes with the Server 2003 tool kit linked in the instructions. Here's the CLI, its super simple...

Usage: dvdburn <drive:> <image> [/Erase]

Where you use /erase for DVD+RW's but not DVD-RW's.

[rsagetv99]

Originally Posted by evilpenguin

I'm using a MS tool called dvdburn.exe which comes with the Server 2003 tool kit linked in the instructions. Here's the CLI, its super simple...

Usage: dvdburn <drive:> <image> [/Erase]

Where you use /erase for DVD+RW's but not DVD-RW's.

Thanks!

So do you think OtherPrograms works in 6.3?

[flashbacck]

Originally Posted by evilpenguin

SDTV or HDTV?

HD for sure. I'll have to check on SD when I get home. I am playing back audio on the two speakers of my TV, not a 5.1 system, if that matters...

I'm using Intervideo audio decoders, although the same lower volume issue is present if I use AC3 filter or Sage audio decoders.

[rsagetv99]

Originally Posted by rsagetv99

Thanks!

So do you think OtherPrograms works in 6.3?

It looks like OtherPrograms 1.22 does work. Do you remember all of the shortcut postfixes?

_m - minimizes Sage
_x - exits Sage
_i - doesn't run the batch - more like a status marker

That's all I could find in your OtherPrograms thread. Seems like there was another one that put sage to sleep, do you remember what that was? _u maybe?

So from here the only thing left is for me to monitor the "qdvd folder" folder for changes and then script the various .lnk file changes in my OtherProgram folder, I may even try copying your status icons into that folder - might as well go completely old-school.

If you can briefly tell me the format of the status file changes in the "qdvd folder" folder it will save me some time, otherwise I will just try to monitor the process to see for myself.

[gtdave]

Hey folks,

When I try to compress HDTV shows using an edited AutoEncode profile (In Place, disabled every option, set bitrate to 2500, MKV container, h.264 Normal compression, Copy Audio), they seem to almost complete and then give a "doesn't exist" error of some sort. Here's the error file that was generated when I tried to encode an episode of Smallville last night:

Smallville - Veritas(1).Auto Encode.77
compress
Error
! Final video, \\SERVER\MEDIA (G)\SageTv\Smallville-Veritas-962454-0.mpg.Auto Encode.compress.WorkFolder\Smallville-Veritas-962454-0.2_auto_encode.19.dumpVideo.video.264, doesn't exist

Everything works fine when compressing SD shows (and FAST too!).

Also note that I have Dirmon2 and all the perl2dvd stuff running on a quad-core machine that is not my SageTV server. It is still using the SageTV server's hard drive for the work folder location (just read about that nice setupworkfolder.exe option when I was searching around for help with this). I have everything setup with UNC paths, and again seems to work fine for SD shows.

I've attached the full compress log file and I'm hoping I just have some setting wrong...any tips?

Thanks!
Dave

P.S. I apologize in advance if this kind of error has already been addressed in the thread or elsewhere in the forums, but I just can't seem find anything searching around...

[rsagetv99]

Nevermind, I got it.

World's Best - (1).videoDVD.41.qdvd - queued
World's Best - (1).videoDVD.41.working.txt - processing
World's Best - (1).videoDVD.41.burnDVD.txt - ready to burn

[evilpenguin]

Originally Posted by gtdave

I've attached the full compress log file and I'm hoping I just have some setting wrong...any tips?

Thanks!
Dave

P.S. I apologize in advance if this kind of error has already been addressed in the thread or elsewhere in the forums, but I just can't seem find anything searching around...

There should be a really big zipfile with all of the logs, can you send that to me @ perl2dvd(at)gmail(dot)com?

[evilpenguin]

Originally Posted by flashbacck

HD for sure. I'll have to check on SD when I get home. I am playing back audio on the two speakers of my TV, not a 5.1 system, if that matters...

I'm using Intervideo audio decoders, although the same lower volume issue is present if I use AC3 filter or Sage audio decoders.

When you use the Auto Encode profile I re-encode the AC3 audio into AC3 again because it helps maintain a/v sync. The only two downsides to this are

a) It loses a tiny bit of quality
b) The volume level is lowered a little bit

In my experience those two things have never resulted in a noticeable difference but if you think it gets too quiet there are things I can do to boost the volume a little bit.

[evilpenguin]

Originally Posted by rsagetv99

Nevermind, I got it.

World's Best - (1).videoDVD.41.qdvd - queued
World's Best - (1).videoDVD.41.working.txt - processing
World's Best - (1).videoDVD.41.burnDVD.txt - ready to burn

The biggest problem you're going to run into is creating the .lnk files, it was a PAIN.

You're prolly better off porting my SageMC status menu which has the code to read the burn path from burnDVD.txt file and launching the burning from within sage without all that shortcut nonsense.

[gtdave]

Originally Posted by evilpenguin

There should be a really big zipfile with all of the logs, can you send that to me @ perl2dvd(at)gmail(dot)com?

Done...thanks for the great support!

Dave

[rsagetv99]

Originally Posted by evilpenguin

The biggest problem you're going to run into is creating the .lnk files, it was a PAIN.

Yeah, I am in the process of scripting the shortcut creation now. Not sure why the OtherProgs couldn't just look for an executable or batch. I think I almost have it.

Originally Posted by evilpenguin

You're prolly better off porting my SageMC status menu which has the code to read the burn path from burnDVD.txt file and launching the burning from within sage without all that shortcut nonsense.

I would love to do this, it's just I have "NO" studio experience, and limited java programming skills. I should probably use this opportunity to get my feet wet though.

[gveres]

Originally Posted by hammondr

Well, the prize goes to mp328. I took mp328's recommendation and rebooted the htpc. It seems that the reboot fixed all the problems. I HATE that answer, though. I had restarted the sageTV service and sageTV UI several times, to no avail. Somehow, restarting unclogged whatever was going wrong. Your mileage may vary. Let us know if that works?

Ah, that might explain why mine started working too. I inadvertently did a reboot. I didn't tie the two events together.

Thanks
Greg