Utility: Web Radio and TV Encoder

[scanner95]

Hello Michael,

I've attached a screenshot of the config. When I click "Test" I see nothing on the screen, but the command prompt window where the config app was run produces the following output:

C:\Program Files\webfeedencoder>java -jar "c:\Program Files\webfeedencoder\libs\
configtool.jar"
java.lang.NullPointerException
        at uk.co.mdjcox.config.view.ChannelDialog.getChannel(ChannelDialog.java:
1209)
        at uk.co.mdjcox.config.view.ChannelDialog.testChannel(ChannelDialog.java
:911)
        at uk.co.mdjcox.config.view.ChannelDialog.access$700(ChannelDialog.java:
37)
        at uk.co.mdjcox.config.view.ChannelDialog$9.actionPerformed(ChannelDialo
g.java:688)
        at javax.swing.AbstractButton.fireActionPerformed(Unknown Source)
        at javax.swing.AbstractButton$Handler.actionPerformed(Unknown Source)
        at javax.swing.DefaultButtonModel.fireActionPerformed(Unknown Source)
        at javax.swing.DefaultButtonModel.setPressed(Unknown Source)
        at javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicButtonListener.mouseReleased(Unknown Sour
ce)
        at java.awt.Component.processMouseEvent(Unknown Source)
        at javax.swing.JComponent.processMouseEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Component.processEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Container.processEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Component.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.retargetMouseEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.processMouseEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Window.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Dialog$1.run(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Dialog$3.run(Unknown Source)
        at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
        at java.awt.Dialog.show(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Component.show(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Component.setVisible(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Window.setVisible(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Dialog.setVisible(Unknown Source)
        at uk.co.mdjcox.config.actions.AddChannelAction.performViewAction(AddCha
nnelAction.java:94)
        at uk.co.mdjcox.gui.actions.BaseAction.actionPerformed(BaseAction.java:2
05)
        at javax.swing.AbstractButton.fireActionPerformed(Unknown Source)
        at javax.swing.AbstractButton$Handler.actionPerformed(Unknown Source)
        at javax.swing.DefaultButtonModel.fireActionPerformed(Unknown Source)
        at javax.swing.DefaultButtonModel.setPressed(Unknown Source)
        at javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicButtonListener.mouseReleased(Unknown Sour
ce)
        at java.awt.AWTEventMulticaster.mouseReleased(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Component.processMouseEvent(Unknown Source)
        at javax.swing.JComponent.processMouseEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Component.processEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Container.processEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Component.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.retargetMouseEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.processMouseEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Window.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(Unknown Source)

If I click add, then I get a pop-up error, saying "java.lang.nullpointerexception"

Thanks,
Yuly

[michaeldjcox]

Originally Posted by scanner95

Hello Michael,

I've attached a screenshot of the config. When I click "Test" I see nothing on the screen, but the command prompt window where the config app was run produces the following output:

If I click add, then I get a pop-up error, saying "java.lang.nullpointerexception"

Thanks,
Yuly

Hi,

This is an easy one.

Please define the "Grabber" as something.

The best default is "Basic day long programme".

It should have defaulted to that but clearly hasn't - something else to fix.

Michael

[scanner95]

Easy and quick Thanks for a fast reply. Will digg further. In the meantime, it seems you've created a killer app for the SageTV!

One feature request (I know it already have been asked for): please allow for multiple instances of your encoder. Then we could watch different channels on different extenders.

Please keep the good work!
Thanks,
Yuly

[michaeldjcox]

Originally Posted by scanner95

Easy and quick Thanks for a fast reply. Will digg further. In the meantime, it seems you've created a killer app for the SageTV!

One feature request (I know it already have been asked for): please allow for multiple instances of your encoder. Then we could watch different channels on different extenders.

Please keep the good work!
Thanks,
Yuly

Its on the list :-)

Michael

[scanner95]

I have another question.
I already use LM Geston XMLTV importer. I actually already have all the EPG info for channels I want to add in a form of a XMLTV file (I download it from external source, no need for me to parse Web pages).
How do I make use of existing XMLTV file, without using the built-in EPG grabber? I tried to simply add the new channel in the XMLTV importer, but I ended up with two channels with the same number (901) in SageTV: one had the logo I entered in your app (the correct one), the other had the EPG info, but played a different channel (from existing lineup) when started.

Thanks again.

[michaeldjcox]

Originally Posted by scanner95

I have another question.
I already use LM Geston XMLTV importer. I actually already have all the EPG info for channels I want to add in a form of a XMLTV file (I download it from external source, no need for me to parse Web pages).
How do I make use of existing XMLTV file, without using the built-in EPG grabber? I tried to simply add the new channel in the XMLTV importer, but I ended up with two channels with the same number (901) in SageTV: one had the logo I entered in your app (the correct one), the other had the EPG info, but played a different channel (from existing lineup) when started.

Thanks again.

OK. This may be tricky.

First thing - make sure the callsign used in the XMLTV importer and that used in WFE agree. That is the unique key for channels in SageTV.

Then the XMLTV import should add EPG to the correct channel.

They can be issues with WFE grab overwriting the other.

We should be able to disable WFE EPG updates for that channel though.

Michael

[scanner95]

Originally Posted by michaeldjcox

OK. This may be tricky.

First thing - make sure the callsign used in the XMLTV importer and that used in WFE agree. That is the unique key for channels in SageTV.

Then the XMLTV import should add EPG to the correct channel.

They can be issues with WFE grab overwriting the other.

We should be able to disable WFE EPG updates for that channel though.

Michael

No luck. What about lineups? Shall I create a new lineup in the XMLTV? How do I disable WFE EPG updates?

[michaeldjcox]

Originally Posted by scanner95

No luck. What about lineups? Shall I create a new lineup in the XMLTV? How do I disable WFE EPG updates?

I think this is more complicated than first thought.

I think the problem is that XMLTV importer creates a lineup and WFE creates a lineup both with the same channel in.

The WFE encoder lineup is very much associated with the WFE "tuner" wheras your XMLTV lineup is not.

If it is the case that all the channels in the WFE lineup are the same as those in the XMLTV lineup then...

...you can go into sageTV source setup and change the lineup for the tuner to be your XMLTV lineup.

I suspect that WFE may try and change it back if you add new channels or perhaps on its periodic EPG grab - but we may be able to stop some of that.

Try this first.

Michael

[n9cqs]

Well, I'm going to ask what is probably a really stupid question with a really easy answer... but I have been unable to find it.

I configured a custom podcast, and got a pair of files
CustomOnlineVideoLinks_wfe.properties
CustomOnlineVideoUIText_wfe.properties

in my OnlineVideos folder.
I cannot get SageTV to read those files and thus cannot get it to recognize the podcasts that I have added using WFE.

I already had several added podcasts by simply editing
CustomOnlineVideoLinks.properties
CustomOnlineVideoUIText.properties

...and those files exist.

Do I have to remove those files to get it to recognize the ones generated by WFE? Or is there somewhere else I need to put in a path to those files?

Thanks.
Jeff

[scanner95]

Originally Posted by michaeldjcox

I think this is more complicated than first thought.

I think the problem is that XMLTV importer creates a lineup and WFE creates a lineup both with the same channel in.

The WFE encoder lineup is very much associated with the WFE "tuner" wheras your XMLTV lineup is not.

If it is the case that all the channels in the WFE lineup are the same as those in the XMLTV lineup then...

...you can go into sageTV source setup and change the lineup for the tuner to be your XMLTV lineup.

I suspect that WFE may try and change it back if you add new channels or perhaps on its periodic EPG grab - but we may be able to stop some of that.

Try this first.

Michael

Thanks, Michael; I'm going to try that and post the results. In the meantime, two questions, related to playback:

1. I believe there is a problem with WFE when the channel name uses non-latin characters (cyrillic in my case), or, maybe, has spaces in it.
When my channel was named "Премьера (НТВ Плюс)", nothing showed up after I hit play (I use HD-200 extender). I noteced mpg file were created, but the name was rather odd (_______________-2154311-0.mpg). I've changed the channel name to "prem", and everything worked.


2. Another question is a basic one, forgive me for not being VLC/streaming professional. I understand that what your plugin does is it receives the incoming stream with the help of VLC, transcodes it to mpg file and makes Sage play this mpg while its being built up by VLC. Obviously, some quality is lost since VLC is transcoding. Also, CPU power can be a limiting factor.
Now, in my case the incoming streams are of high quality; some of them are even HD, and I don't want to waste CPU and quality by transcoding them. I made a test, and run VLC with the following configuration:
C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC>vlc udp://@238.10.10.15:1234 :demux=dump :demuxdump-file=c:\temp.mpg
To my surprise, this worked and produced an MPEG-TS file which I was able to watch with Media Player classic.
So, here comes the actual question(s) in relation to this case:

2.1 Will SageTV be able to use this file?
2.2 Is it possible to change the settings in WFE to allow raw save instead of transcoding?
2.3 What is the best way to achieve it in WFE? Ideally, I imagine several preset profiles that you assign to different channels.
2.4 What about the case when incoming UDP stream is MPEG-TS with AVC and AC-3? I have tried both HD and SD streams with raw save; both produced valid files, and here is what mediainfo is saying about them:

SD:

Format : MPEG-TS
File size : 136 MiB
Duration : 8mn 52s
Overall bit rate : 2 148 Kbps

Video
ID : 329 (0x149)
Menu ID : 31009 (0x7921)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@Main
Format settings, Matrix : Default
Duration : 8mn 52s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 1 807 Kbps
Nominal bit rate : 15.0 Mbps
Width : 704 pixels
Height : 576 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4/3
Frame rate : 25.000 fps
Colorimetry : 4:2:0
Scan type : Interlaced
Scan order : Top Field First
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.178
Stream size : 115 MiB (84%)

Audio
ID : 409 (0x199)
Menu ID : 31009 (0x7921)
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 2
Duration : 8mn 52s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 192 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Resolution : 16 bits
Video delay : -449ms
Stream size : 12.2 MiB (9%)
Language : Russian
Language, more info : Clean effects

HD:

Format : MPEG-TS
File size : 411 MiB
Duration : 8mn 9s
Overall bit rate : 7 044 Kbps

Video
ID : 321 (0x141)
Menu ID : 12101 (0x2F45)
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Main@L4.0
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 4 frames
Duration : 8mn 9s
Bit rate : 6 107 Kbps
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16/9
Frame rate : 25.000 fps
Resolution : 24 bits
Colorimetry : 4:2:0
Scan type : Interlaced
Scan order : Top Field First
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.118
Stream size : 357 MiB (87%)

Audio
ID : 401 (0x191)
Menu ID : 12101 (0x2F45)
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Duration : 8mn 9s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 448 Kbps
Channel(s) : 6 channels
Channel positions : Front: L C R, Surround: L R, LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Video delay : -1s 159ms
Stream size : 26.1 MiB (6%)
Language : Russian
Language, more info : Clean effects

Forgive me for such long post and lots of questions, please.

Thanks a lot!
Yuly

[michaeldjcox]

Originally Posted by n9cqs

Well, I'm going to ask what is probably a really stupid question with a really easy answer... but I have been unable to find it.

I configured a custom podcast, and got a pair of files
CustomOnlineVideoLinks_wfe.properties
CustomOnlineVideoUIText_wfe.properties

in my OnlineVideos folder.
I cannot get SageTV to read those files and thus cannot get it to recognize the podcasts that I have added using WFE.

I already had several added podcasts by simply editing
CustomOnlineVideoLinks.properties
CustomOnlineVideoUIText.properties

...and those files exist.

Do I have to remove those files to get it to recognize the ones generated by WFE? Or is there somewhere else I need to put in a path to those files?

Thanks.
Jeff

Hi,

SageTV recognises multiple sets of these files.

But you need to have the right STV update - see:

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...384#post386384

You can upgrade your setup from SageTV setup (unless you are using Vista I think where there is a manual workaround).

Michael

[michaeldjcox]

Originally Posted by scanner95

Thanks, Michael; I'm going to try that and post the results. In the meantime, two questions, related to playback:

1. I believe there is a problem with WFE when the channel name uses non-latin characters (cyrillic in my case), or, maybe, has spaces in it.
When my channel was named "Премьера (НТВ Плюс)", nothing showed up after I hit play (I use HD-200 extender). I noteced mpg file were created, but the name was rather odd (_______________-2154311-0.mpg). I've changed the channel name to "prem", and everything worked.

Yeah I haven't tested non-latin characters. Thanks for the heads up.

Originally Posted by scanner95

2. Another question is a basic one, forgive me for not being VLC/streaming professional. I understand that what your plugin does is it receives the incoming stream with the help of VLC, transcodes it to mpg file and makes Sage play this mpg while its being built up by VLC. Obviously, some quality is lost since VLC is transcoding. Also, CPU power can be a limiting factor.
Now, in my case the incoming streams are of high quality; some of them are even HD, and I don't want to waste CPU and quality by transcoding them. I made a test, and run VLC with the following configuration:
C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC>vlc udp://@238.10.10.15:1234 :demux=dump :demuxdump-file=c:\temp.mpg
To my surprise, this worked and produced an MPEG-TS file which I was able to watch with Media Player classic.
So, here comes the actual question(s) in relation to this case:

2.1 Will SageTV be able to use this file?

Probably.

Originally Posted by scanner95

2.2 Is it possible to change the settings in WFE to allow raw save instead of transcoding?

Yes.

Originally Posted by scanner95

2.3 What is the best way to achieve it in WFE? Ideally, I imagine several preset profiles that you assign to different channels.

The commands directory contains scripts for tuning and detuning.

e.g. tune.tv.windows.commands and detune.tv.windows.commands

Create some of your own e.g. tune.rawtv.windows.commands

(I'm guessing your are on windows not unix)

Edit the vlc line to perform your raw dump rather than transcode.

Take out this bit:

--sout="#transcode{vcodec=mp2v,vb=800,fps=30,scale=1,width=720,height=576,acodec=mpga,ab=128,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=ts,dst='%recording%'}}" --sout-transcode-audio-sync

and put in this bit:

--demux=dump --demuxdump-file="%recording%"

Then there is the concept in WFE of channel types (in the channeltypes directory).

You needs to define a new one of those. Copy the tv.props one and edit your copy.

Change the tune and detune properties to refer to your new files.

Restart everything. Define your channel as being off the new type. Enter your tuning URL udp://@238.10.10.15:1234.

Try a test.

Originally Posted by scanner95

2.4 What about the case when incoming UDP stream is MPEG-TS with AVC and AC-3? I have tried both HD and SD streams with raw save; both produced valid files, and here is what mediainfo is saying about them:

I think you will have to try this and see. SageTV will be the fussy one probably - and if it is then some transcoding or dropping of unwanted streams is required.

If you get it working sending me your channel type and command files and I will incorporate them in the release.

Hope this helps.

Michael

[scanner95]

Originally Posted by michaeldjcox

...
If you get it working sending me your channel type and command files and I will incorporate them in the release.

Hope this helps.

Michael

Wonderful! Thanks, Michael! I'll do the tests and update you.

[scanner95]

Wow! I could only try the placeshifter since I'm not at home, but it works even via placeshifter!! I'll test on HD-200 when I'm back home; I really hope it will work too. And both SD and HD are showing up! (Of course, my 4 year old PC is not up to the task to transcode HD stream for placeshifter, but this is a different story). But: 0% CPU for VLC, and I get my TV channels in original quality! What can I say: just magnificent!

Now if this works on HD-200 too, next I will have to sort out the EPG thing.
And I have some small requests too (like this non-english names, and making logo pictures proportional, and maybe a few more). But: you have really made it happen! Bravo, Michael!

[scanner95]

Originally Posted by michaeldjcox

I think this is more complicated than first thought.

I think the problem is that XMLTV importer creates a lineup and WFE creates a lineup both with the same channel in.

The WFE encoder lineup is very much associated with the WFE "tuner" wheras your XMLTV lineup is not.

If it is the case that all the channels in the WFE lineup are the same as those in the XMLTV lineup then...

...you can go into sageTV source setup and change the lineup for the tuner to be your XMLTV lineup.

I suspect that WFE may try and change it back if you add new channels or perhaps on its periodic EPG grab - but we may be able to stop some of that.

Try this first.

Michael

Ok. Here is how it goes. I have three channels in my lineup in WFE, set-up with Basic grabber. Channel numbers is 901 - 903 (offset 900). I upload the lineup and send EPG from inside WFE config tool into Sage. All fine; new channels 901-903 appear in Sage, with Basic EPG (just the name essentially) from WFE.

Now I go to XMLTV app and create a complete new linup. I add there 3 new channels with the following parameters: ID = CH0001.LVA - CH0003.LVA (this is the default), callsigns = same as in WFE, names differ from WFE, and numbers is 901-903 (same as channel numbers in WFE). I assign XMLTV data to it. I save and upload this new linup to Sage. I manually import guide data into sage from XMLTV importer.

So far, nothing changes in SageTV: channels 901-903 is there, no EPG.

Now I go into Sage/Setup video sources. I select WFE. In its properties it shows "EPG lienup: WebFeedEncoder". I change it to my new lineup from XMLTV. It asks to wait while channel lineup is downloaded.
Now what I see in Sage that my three channels are still there; logos are in place as it was before. However, for two of them, channel numbers have changed from 902 and 903 to 42 and 52! And, of course, EPG is there from XMLTV. But, if I try to watch those 3 channels now, they show up different programs, taken from analog tuner in the server. Even the channel which still has its number as before (901) foes not fire up vlc and shows just black screen. A mess!
I go back to WFE, re-send channel lineup to Sage, and I'm back to working 3 channels, but without EPG. And in Setup video sources it shows again "EPG lienup: WebFeedEncoder".
So I guess this didn't work...

[scanner95]

Originally Posted by michaeldjcox

If you get it working sending me your channel type and command files and I will incorporate them in the release.

Hope this helps.

Michael

The channel type and command types are attached. Thanks again for making it possible!

Yuly

[michaeldjcox]

Originally Posted by scanner95

The channel type and command types are attached. Thanks again for making it possible!

Yuly

Thanks very much for that I'll put them in the next release.

Still thinking about the EPG issue. I'm sure it possible to configure a away out of this mess.

Also as WFE reads XMLTV so I may make another grabber type where you can specify a file to pull listings from or even a URL.

Hoping to push out another release very soon and this should be an easy one to build in.

Michael

[scanner95]

Great news! Waiting to try it out.

Thanks,
Yuly

[scanner95]

Originally Posted by michaeldjcox

Thanks very much for that I'll put them in the next release.

Still thinking about the EPG issue. I'm sure it possible to configure a away out of this mess.

Also as WFE reads XMLTV so I may make another grabber type where you can specify a file to pull listings from or even a URL.

Hoping to push out another release very soon and this should be an easy one to build in.

Michael

I've put a sample xmltv file at http://ymilner.myftp.org:1968/temp/xmltv.zip
If you test with it, please be aware it contains cyrillic symbols.

Cheers,
Yuly

[michaeldjcox]

Hi Yuly,

So reading the new XMLTV file be a doddle. I have now done that and will be able to give you a patch to try.

As part of the channel setup you can provide a file name or URL.

Does the file name or the URL (if we download it from wherever you are downloading it from) contain any parts representing the date - or in fact any parts that can change over time?

Michael