new hd200 user with questions/concerns

[cat6man]

just got my hd200 and i have a couple of questions: (not found in included manual)

based on my 1st hour of playing around with my just delivered hd200

1. i keep getting the -2 error: file no longer there...........huh? i'm browsing my network drives, its sees the files that are there, then tells me they are not there?

2. i can't see(when i set to 'media') any of my TP files recorded with either my hdhr or hdpvr. they show up if i select 'all files' but they can't be played.
what's up with this? my old ziova network media players all see/play TS/TP files with no problem, but the hd200 isn't even seeing the TP as a valid type of media file? also, TP files in TVersity are apparently being converted or transcoded to mpg or something.............since almost all my video recordings are TP, this is a bottom line issue for me.........if i rename the files TS they play fine but I shouldn't have to do that.

3. is DVD playback supported for IFO as well as ISO? i don't even see the IFO files in 'media' file browsing mode (haven't tried clicking on an IFO yet in 'all files' mode)

4. what is the deal with 'import directories'? what does that mean? i'm looking for a way to have shortcuts to favorite directories on my 3 NAS.........when i hit 'info', it asks if i want to import the directory or copy it...........huh? what does import do? does in give me a path to a directory and all subdirectories?

5. some MPG music videos play fine, others seem to hang (though all play fine on my ziova media players)

6. using skip ahead occasionally froze up the machine.........not good......haven't yet tried to figure out exactly how/what did it

7. is there a specific tversity profile to use with the hd200?

any and all help would be appreciated

fyi..........running the latest offical f/w, internet video seems to work fine, weather set up easily

[HelenWeathers]

I think I resolved the -2 error in Media Player (standalone) Mode by setting up a usergroup named "Everyone" and giving the group full read write delete access to the files on the server.

I had a lot of TP files that were created by BTV that I moved onto my server and I renamed them with the .ts extension (as you mentioned) and they played fine for me also. Unless there is a reason not to, that is a solution. I think you might contact Sage support on this one though. The .tp extension just needs to be added to the files that are recognized as media. That's in firmware I would think.

I also think you need to download the latest beta. It has better file support and has been rock solid since it's release for me. Look at post #3 here:
http://forums.freytechnologies.com/f...ad.php?t=38677

EDIT: Are yor DVDs stored in DVD folder structure (video_ts, audio_ts etc)?

[cat6man]

Originally Posted by HelenWeathers

I think I resolved the -2 error in Media Player (standalone) Mode by setting up a usergroup named "Everyone" and giving the group full read write delete access to the files on the server.

I had a lot of TP files that were created by BTV that I moved onto my server and I renamed them with the .ts extension (as you mentioned) and they played fine for me also. Unless there is a reason not to, that is a solution. I think you might contact Sage support on this one though. The .tp extension just needs to be added to the files that are recognized as media. That's in firmware I would think.

I also think you need to download the latest beta. It has better file support and has been rock solid since it's release for me. Look at post #3 here:
http://forums.freytechnologies.com/f...ad.php?t=38677

EDIT: Are yor DVDs stored in DVD folder structure (video_ts, audio_ts etc)?

thanks........i've been using both network media players and BTV (hence the TP files) for many years but am new to sage

1. how does one 'contact sage support'? (pretty basic question, huh?) and yes, it should be trivial to recognize TP files
2. yes, my DVDs are currently stored in DVD folder structure and i play them on my ziova media players by clicking on IFO.........that is a short term issue as i delete the files/directories after i watch them so eventually i could switch to ISO which the ziova also plays
3. i will go to the beta today and see how that feels
4. my Dlink NAS seems to work ok but my 3 BuffaloTech ones have the -2 problem, so it seems like an SMB handshake issue in the hd200.........that should also be an issue for sage support as no other media players have a problem with the current setup or require a special user group to be set up.

this little box has a lot of potential, which i think magnified my frustration last night...........from what i read, the sage folks are pretty responsive so i trust we'll get through these things (and get me to bluray eventually in standalone, the real killer app here in a crowded media player market)

edit: just to clarify the question of sage support, the only options i see require picking some type of software, of which i have none.........is there a special
form for requesting support for the hd200? http://sage.tv/request.html is the page i'm using

[cat6man]

Originally Posted by cat6man

just got my hd200 and i have a couple of questions: (not found in included manual)

based on my 1st hour of playing around with my just delivered hd200

1. i keep getting the -2 error: file no longer there...........huh? i'm browsing my network drives, its sees the files that are there, then tells me they are not there?

2. i can't see(when i set to 'media') any of my TP files recorded with either my hdhr or hdpvr. they show up if i select 'all files' but they can't be played.
what's up with this? my old ziova network media players all see/play TS/TP files with no problem, but the hd200 isn't even seeing the TP as a valid type of media file? also, TP files in TVersity are apparently being converted or transcoded to mpg or something.............since almost all my video recordings are TP, this is a bottom line issue for me.........if i rename the files TS they play fine but I shouldn't have to do that.

3. is DVD playback supported for IFO as well as ISO? i don't even see the IFO files in 'media' file browsing mode (haven't tried clicking on an IFO yet in 'all files' mode)

4. what is the deal with 'import directories'? what does that mean? i'm looking for a way to have shortcuts to favorite directories on my 3 NAS.........when i hit 'info', it asks if i want to import the directory or copy it...........huh? what does import do? does in give me a path to a directory and all subdirectories?

5. some MPG music videos play fine, others seem to hang (though all play fine on my ziova media players)

6. using skip ahead occasionally froze up the machine.........not good......haven't yet tried to figure out exactly how/what did it

7. is there a specific tversity profile to use with the hd200?

any and all help would be appreciated

fyi..........running the latest offical f/w, internet video seems to work fine, weather set up easily

loaded latest beta......and pretty good progress being made
1) -2 problem has now disappeared for me, including on BuffaloTech NAS boxes

2) TP playback still to be resolved

3) can play DVD VOB files for now, will move to ISO in future. also, bluray
m2ts files seem to play

4) something still strange on import directories.........things that work fine on browsing network act strange when path is via imported directory (e.g. an ISO that plays fine on browsing network doesn't via imported.....in the latter case, it has a corrupted popup window (1st 2 options not visible) and then hangs when selected top/non-visible option to play)

5) mpg music videos that hung yesterday played fine with beta

6) still saw a runaway skip ahead on a music video, but most seem ok

7) tversity changes my TP files to mpg but only plays in progress recordings up to point where tversity loaded file..............i'm used to tversity playing
through that point so i can watch recordings in progress through to the end (perhaps fixed when TP supported directly)

so, overall the beta is a HUGE improvement.........if i can get the TP files playing, this might be ready to take pride of place in my home theater system versus the testing location with basement TV.........not bad for 1st 24 hours though

one issue that definitely needs to be addressed over time is the user (un)friendliness of the file navigation, common to many syabas systems.
i'm spoiled by my ziova where i could put my favorite directories on the home screen and access each of them directly.............please consider this as it is a huge issue with other members of my family who have no interest in long navigation paths to play videos..........i set up a direct path on the ziova so each family member has a one click to get to their personal video folder.

edit: i LOVE the skip ahead and skip ahead #2............brilliant design there!

[paulbeers]

I don't use the HD200 in standalone much other than to play hulu videos from Playon, but I did want to comment on #3.....

Should you decide to leave the dark side and join us (meaning leaving BTV for SageTV ), in extender mode you would want your videos in the VIDEO_TS/AUDIO_TS folders as that is the "normal" way Sage handles DVD's.... (supposedly Sage Extenders can playback from ISO, but full clients and servers prefer the folder structure).

Just thought I would throw that out there....

[cat6man]

thanks paul.......that's good to know............however since the hd200 plays iso perfectly well, i'm not sure what the advantage is even for an extender with sage

the only real reason to change that i can see now is liveTV from centralized cable STB to hdpvr to TV sets via hd200 throughout the house........that sounds potentially compelling

on the other hand, my BTV setup with 2x hdhr (ota), 2x hdhr (clear qam) and 2x hdpvr (stb) is rock solid so why mess with it?

the liveTV argument could be seductive down the road though.........

[FreshOne]

Originally Posted by cat6man

i'm spoiled by my ziova where i could put my favorite directories on the home screen and access each of them directly.............please consider this as it is a huge issue with other members of my family who have no interest in long navigation paths to play videos..........i set up a direct path on the ziova so each family member has a one click to get to their personal video folder.

When navigating in the file browser UI, highlight a directory and press INFO button on the remote to save the highlighted directory as a Library Path.

It will then show up under the Browse Import Paths menu inside the File Browser.

A little deeper in the menus (3 clicks) than on the ziova, but better than navigating a bunch of file paths.

[cat6man]

Originally Posted by FreshOne

When navigating in the file browser UI, highlight a directory and press INFO button on the remote to save the highlighted directory as a Library Path.

It will then show up under the Browse Import Paths menu inside the File Browser.

A little deeper in the menus (3 clicks) than on the ziova, but better than navigating a bunch of file paths.

thanks........i did set up that, but some files played ok in network browser but hung/failed when i sent to it via library path............that was before i loaded new beta, so i'll have to go back and check again

edit: confirmed to still be a problem..........ISO plays fine from network brownser, fails (and popup menu is corrupt) via import library to same ISO file

[cat6man]

ok.........now that i know how to play both iso and ifo DVDs (in video/dvd), my biggest issue is getting TP to be recognized as video files (sage development issue).........then i can put the hd200 into regular service in my basement exercise room setup (sort of a small lightweight doorstop until then )

a few more questions from my first 48 hours with an hd200:

1. what is the stuff downloaded at power up (and what happens if you 'skip' it)? do i need it, if it can be skipped?

2. what is the white rectangle in the upper right corner i see sometime?

3. it would be very nice to have the option to set the refresh time by imported directory.................most of mine could be refreshed daily (e.g. DVDs, music videos) but the directory containing my new recordings needs at least hourly refresh...........a single setting for both seems not practical..........on the other hand, a faster quick link to a favorites directory for browsing would also solve the problem for the directories needed a faster refresh

4. does refresh occur in the background when the unit is in stanby?

5. really need a upnp TVersity profile for this unit........i'll see if anyone on TVersity forum has an idea.........TVersity is a potential work around for the TP
problem but currently TVersity (with whatever default profile it is using) shows TP files as MPG when the files are less than about 1GB (and these play fine)
and as small M3U files (which do nothing) for larger TP file sizes...........if i could get TVersity to recognize all TP and play them as MPG, i'd have a klugey but functional workaround until TP were natively supported by the hd200

[FreshOne]

Originally Posted by cat6man

.ISO plays fine from network brownser, fails (and popup menu is corrupt) via import library to same ISO file

Are the first and 3rd menu choices missing their text and squished vertically ????

[FreshOne]

Originally Posted by cat6man

ok.........now that i know how to play both iso and ifo DVDs (in video/dvd), my biggest issue is getting TP to be recognized as video files (sage development issue).........

If you rename .TP to .TS the HD200 will play them. I would guess if you created a custom STV (a little complicated) you could get HD200 in standalone to play them.

Originally Posted by cat6man

2. what is the white rectangle in the upper right corner i see sometime?

HD200 is rescaning Import directories.

Sorry I can't answer the other questions.

[cat6man]

Originally Posted by FreshOne

Are the first and 3rd menu choices missing their text and squished vertically ????

yes, that sounds right

[cat6man]

Originally Posted by FreshOne

If you rename .TP to .TS the HD200 will play them. I would guess if you created a custom STV (a little complicated) you could get HD200 in standalone to play them.

but since other media players handle TP, it should be trivial for the hd200 to do so

......what is an STV?

[cat6man]

just got email on my bug report and TP files will be recognized in the next hd200 release.........nice quick support appreciated here!

[Brent]

Originally Posted by cat6man

......what is an STV?

Looks like you got your problem addressed, but since you asked a STV is the "User Interface" if you will for the HD200 Media Player. The STV you see right now is called the "default STV". Alternative UI's can be installed (or created) to change the way the UI looks and works. It's a step above just changing the theme.

Here's a how-to on customizing the HD200 Media Player with a new STV

And here's a link to the one custom UI (STV) that is currently available. Hopefully we'll see more of these soon.

[cat6man]

hey brent,

so if i understand this correctly, the startup page could be modified, for example,so that favorite folders (e.g. ones being imported) could be placed on the startup screen?