Utility: Web Radio and TV Encoder

[Jason]

Originally Posted by Jason

I was under the assumption that both the Home and Professional version of Windows XP come with the tool Tskill . In addition, XP Professional has the more powerful tool Taskkill. I am using XP since it appears to be the lowet common denominator for Win systems...

Just for clarification, I said that I am using XP, but for the purposes of that statement. I am actually using Win7 x64.



-Jason

[sic0048]

Quick question from the local idiot

I have an HTML file on my SageTV server that will pull up my webcam with all the authentication built into the file. So I simply click on that HTML file and it opens a windows explorer page and shows nothing but the actual live camera image.

Is it possible to call that HTML file directly using this plugin? If I call the Camera's IP address, not only do I have to authenticate, but the web page ends up with lots of extra "junk" like PTZ controls, etc, that I do not need.

The other possible problem is that the browser needs to be running some activex software to display the feed correctly. Will that cause a problem? Or can I simply make sure that Windows IE on the server has that activex installed?

Hopefully you guys can understand what I am asking...

Thanks,

[michaeldjcox]

Originally Posted by sic0048

Quick question from the local idiot

I have an HTML file on my SageTV server that will pull up my webcam with all the authentication built into the file. So I simply click on that HTML file and it opens a windows explorer page and shows nothing but the actual live camera image.

Is it possible to call that HTML file directly using this plugin? If I call the Camera's IP address, not only do I have to authenticate, but the web page ends up with lots of extra "junk" like PTZ controls, etc, that I do not need.

The other possible problem is that the browser needs to be running some activex software to display the feed correctly. Will that cause a problem? Or can I simply make sure that Windows IE on the server has that activex installed?

Hopefully you guys can understand what I am asking...

Thanks,

Jabroni was playing with a direct show filter he downloaded and which appears as a device in VLC. There are places specfiiy user name and password in the VLC window and you can save this config.

Look back earlier in the thread - I think there are more details earlier in the thread.

Then the plugin can use it - but only with the next version 0.9.6 which I am still trying to get out the door.

Michael

[Jabroni]

Originally Posted by sic0048

Quick question from the local idiot

I have an HTML file on my SageTV server that will pull up my webcam with all the authentication built into the file. So I simply click on that HTML file and it opens a windows explorer page and shows nothing but the actual live camera image.

Is it possible to call that HTML file directly using this plugin? If I call the Camera's IP address, not only do I have to authenticate, but the web page ends up with lots of extra "junk" like PTZ controls, etc, that I do not need.

The other possible problem is that the browser needs to be running some activex software to display the feed correctly. Will that cause a problem? Or can I simply make sure that Windows IE on the server has that activex installed?

Hopefully you guys can understand what I am asking...

Thanks,

First of all, what brand of cam/model is it ??? You should check if there is MJEPG url for it (ie on my case is http://cam.ip/cgi/mjpeg/mjpeg.cgi) This is what we will need to get it working on the new WFE, or as Michael said, you could use a directshow filter (the one I was testing was one that is bundled with webcam7)

[sic0048]

It is an ACTi ACM-4200.

[kha]

Hi Michael,

I noticed that you now have the possibility to add online service (onlineservices.props). How is it differnt from adding custom video feeds directly in SageTV online services? Can I use VLC to reencode/capture an online video feed?

For example, I would like to add video stream http://123.456.789.012/program1 as an online video. If I put it in an XML file, Sage won't play it in online services since this is a stream rather than a file. Can I use VLC to save the stream into a temporary file so that I can play it as an online video?

I see that in onlineservices.props file you have placeholders for tune=tune.device and detune=detune.device. However actual commands in tune.tv.windows.commands are expecting %recording% entry, which is more suitable for Sage TV channel definition. Do you have suggestions on how I can make this working for online services?

Regards,
Michael

[michaeldjcox]

Originally Posted by kha

Hi Michael,

I noticed that you now have the possibility to add online service (onlineservices.props). How is it differnt from adding custom video feeds directly in SageTV online services? Can I use VLC to reencode/capture an online video feed?

For example, I would like to add video stream http://123.456.789.012/program1 as an online video. If I put it in an XML file, Sage won't play it in online services since this is a stream rather than a file. Can I use VLC to save the stream into a temporary file so that I can play it as an online video?

I see that in onlineservices.props file you have placeholders for tune=tune.device and detune=detune.device. However actual commands in tune.tv.windows.commands are expecting %recording% entry, which is more suitable for Sage TV channel definition. Do you have suggestions on how I can make this working for online services?

Regards,
Michael

The online services feature is pretty much just an editor of the sageTV online services config making use the fact that they now allow user defined sets of the two config files.

The files had a complicated format and I wanted to add my own feeds more easily.

The tune URL in this case is a podcast XML file.

VLC takes no part in this process - there is no transcoding its just an editor.

However, I did want to experiment with this and build a podcast server into webfeedencoder to see if I could take streams and turn them into podcasts.

But I have not got there yet. Still mucking around trying to get round the fact that the "input-slave" feature of VLC I needed for radio is no longer in later versions of VLC. The feature of VLC am I using instead is also required for showing ip cameras so this is the focus at the moment.

What I plan for online services could be done manually. VLC can certainly save streams to a file in what ever format you like. This is essentially what the vlc tune commands are doing. You could create your own podcast XML file and put a URL for as an online service tune URL.

Michael

[kha]

Originally Posted by michaeldjcox

The online services feature is pretty much just an editor of the sageTV online services config making use the fact that they now allow user defined sets of the two config files.

The files had a complicated format and I wanted to add my own feeds more easily.

The tune URL in this case is a podcast XML file.

VLC takes no part in this process - there is no transcoding its just an editor.

However, I did want to experiment with this and build a podcast server into webfeedencoder to see if I could take streams and turn them into podcasts.

But I have not got there yet. Still mucking around trying to get round the fact that the "input-slave" feature of VLC I needed for radio is no longer in later versions of VLC. The feature of VLC am I using instead is also required for showing ip cameras so this is the focus at the moment.

What I plan for online services could be done manually. VLC can certainly save streams to a file in what ever format you like. This is essentially what the vlc tune commands are doing. You could create your own podcast XML file and put a URL for as an online service tune URL.

Michael

Hi Micheal,

Thank you for the reply.

Could you please give more details how online streams (as opposed to video files) can be added manually to XML file. What's the correct syntax? Do I need to (and if I do how) incorporate VLC in Sage podcast tuning.

Best Regards,
Michael.

[michaeldjcox]

Originally Posted by kha

Hi Micheal,

Thank you for the reply.

Could you please give more details how online streams (as opposed to video files) can be added manually to XML file. What's the correct syntax? Do I need to (and if I do how) incorporate VLC in Sage podcast tuning.

Best Regards,
Michael.

I'm not sure I can fully answer your questions at the moment.

I don't understand enough what is or isn't possible from SageTV point of view.

I guess we need to intercept the request for a file from SageTV and start a download / transcode. Which implies some sort of local web server.

This is esentially what I want to build into webfeedencoder.

Michael

[CanadianEh]

I've been using the Webfeedencoder now for a few months and totally love it!

Unfortunately, I really want to be able to encode the following stream,, however when it is played back, it plays at half speed for some reason? The VLC temp files on the server play at half speed too. Any thoughts? I can't really listen to it, since it sounds totally demonic.. lol

http://64.34.159.32/cjfm-aac.m3u


Thanks!

[kha]

Originally Posted by michaeldjcox

I'm not sure I can fully answer your questions at the moment.

I don't understand enough what is or isn't possible from SageTV point of view.

I guess we need to intercept the request for a file from SageTV and start a download / transcode. Which implies some sort of local web server.

This is esentially what I want to build into webfeedencoder.

Michael

Hi Michael,

Thank you. This is my basic understanding as well.

I'll have to look into more details to understand what format Sage expects in online services. From the first glance it seems that it's limited to files and won't allow stream as an input (in XML file). Hopefully someone can correct me if I am wrong.

Reagrds,
Michael.

[michaeldjcox]

Originally Posted by CanadianEh

I've been using the Webfeedencoder now for a few months and totally love it!

Unfortunately, I really want to be able to encode the following stream,, however when it is played back, it plays at half speed for some reason? The VLC temp files on the server play at half speed too. Any thoughts? I can't really listen to it, since it sounds totally demonic.. lol

http://64.34.159.32/cjfm-aac.m3u


Thanks!

Does it playback halfspeed when opening with VLC using File->open network stream?

Michael

[CanadianEh]

That's what's funny - it plays at normal speed when playing directly through VLC. Any ideas? Are you able to click this station link to test, or is it blocked from the UK? (It's Canadian)

http://64.34.159.32/cjfm-aac.m3u

[michaeldjcox]

Originally Posted by CanadianEh

That's what's funny - it plays at normal speed when playing directly through VLC. Any ideas? Are you able to click this station link to test, or is it blocked from the UK? (It's Canadian)

http://64.34.159.32/cjfm-aac.m3u

Yes it plays fine for me in VLC. I have added it to my home lineup but not had a chance to test yet. Get back to you soon on that.

Michael

[scanner95]

Hello Michael,

I've noticed that WFE is not uploading EPG for lineup automatically (at least, not every time).
I understand that by default it's set to run every 24 hours at 5:00; as per the following lines in encoder.props:

epg.grab.start.hour=5
epg.grab.start.minutes=0
epg.grab.period.minutes=1440

However, after I run a manual EPG update, I just see the following in wfesageplugin.log inside Sage directory (if this is at all the correct log file to look for EPG data):

07.04.2010 10:03:17 EPG uk.co.mdjcox.epgplugin.EpgPlugin updateGuide INFO: Updating guide for 9999 to sage.at@9fe84e
07.04.2010 10:03:17 EPG uk.co.mdjcox.epgplugin.EpgPlugin updateGuide INFO: Other plugin = DummyEpgPlugin
07.04.2010 10:03:17 EPG uk.co.mdjcox.epgplugin.EpgPlugin updateGuide INFO: Updated guide for 9999 to sage.at@9fe84e result = true
08.04.2010 10:03:32 EPG uk.co.mdjcox.epgplugin.EpgPlugin updateGuide INFO: Updating guide for 9999 to sage.at@9fe84e
08.04.2010 10:03:32 EPG uk.co.mdjcox.epgplugin.EpgPlugin updateGuide INFO: Other plugin = DummyEpgPlugin
08.04.2010 10:03:32 EPG uk.co.mdjcox.epgplugin.EpgPlugin updateGuide INFO: Updated guide for 9999 to sage.at@9fe84e result = true
09.04.2010 10:04:00 EPG uk.co.mdjcox.epgplugin.EpgPlugin updateGuide INFO: Updating guide for 9999 to sage.at@9fe84e
09.04.2010 10:04:00 EPG uk.co.mdjcox.epgplugin.EpgPlugin updateGuide INFO: Other plugin = DummyEpgPlugin
09.04.2010 10:04:00 EPG uk.co.mdjcox.epgplugin.EpgPlugin updateGuide INFO: Updated guide for 9999 to sage.at@9fe84e result = true
10.04.2010 10:04:16 EPG uk.co.mdjcox.epgplugin.EpgPlugin updateGuide INFO: Updating guide for 9999 to sage.at@9fe84e
10.04.2010 10:04:16 EPG uk.co.mdjcox.epgplugin.EpgPlugin updateGuide INFO: Other plugin = DummyEpgPlugin
10.04.2010 10:04:16 EPG uk.co.mdjcox.epgplugin.EpgPlugin updateGuide INFO: Updated guide for 9999 to sage.at@9fe84e result = true
11.04.2010 10:04:30 EPG uk.co.mdjcox.epgplugin.EpgPlugin updateGuide INFO: Updating guide for 9999 to sage.at@9fe84e
11.04.2010 10:04:30 EPG uk.co.mdjcox.epgplugin.EpgPlugin updateGuide INFO: Other plugin = DummyEpgPlugin
11.04.2010 10:04:30 EPG uk.co.mdjcox.epgplugin.EpgPlugin updateGuide INFO: Updated guide for 9999 to sage.at@9fe84e result = true
12.04.2010 10:04:59 EPG uk.co.mdjcox.epgplugin.EpgPlugin updateGuide INFO: Updating guide for 9999 to sage.at@9fe84e
12.04.2010 10:04:59 EPG uk.co.mdjcox.epgplugin.EpgPlugin updateGuide INFO: Other plugin = DummyEpgPlugin
12.04.2010 10:04:59 EPG uk.co.mdjcox.epgplugin.EpgPlugin updateGuide INFO: Updated guide for 9999 to sage.at@9fe84e result = true
13.04.2010 10:05:17 EPG uk.co.mdjcox.epgplugin.EpgPlugin updateGuide INFO: Updating guide for 9999 to sage.at@9fe84e
13.04.2010 10:05:18 EPG uk.co.mdjcox.epgplugin.EpgPlugin updateGuide INFO: Other plugin = DummyEpgPlugin
13.04.2010 10:05:18 EPG uk.co.mdjcox.epgplugin.EpgPlugin updateGuide INFO: Updated guide for 9999 to sage.at@9fe84e result = true

Any clues?

Thanks,
Yuly

[michaeldjcox]

Originally Posted by scanner95

Hello Michael,

I've noticed that WFE is not uploading EPG for lineup automatically (at least, not every time).
I understand that by default it's set to run every 24 hours at 5:00; as per the following lines in encoder.props:


However, after I run a manual EPG update, I just see the following in wfesageplugin.log inside Sage directory (if this is at all the correct log file to look for EPG data):



Any clues?

Thanks,
Yuly

Heh. It looks like its running daily at 10AM.

wfesageplugin.log is the SageTV end of the link - there should be a lot more debug about specific programmes.

encoder.log is the webfeedencoder end - is there anything useful in that log.

Michael

[scanner95]

Encoder.log does not apparently have any info about EPG; just probing SageTV:

12.04.2010 9:55:18 TuningThread uk.co.mdjcox.webfeedencoder.TuningThread listenForConnections INFO: Accepted connection
12.04.2010 9:55:18 ClientThread-6213371 uk.co.mdjcox.webfeedencoder.ConnectionThread run INFO: Connection encoding is Cp1251
12.04.2010 9:55:18 ClientThread-6213371 uk.co.mdjcox.webfeedencoder.ConnectionThread process INFO: Command: NOOP
12.04.2010 9:55:18 ClientThread-6213371 uk.co.mdjcox.webfeedencoder.ConnectionThread answer INFO: Answer: OK
12.04.2010 10:00:19 TuningThread uk.co.mdjcox.webfeedencoder.TuningThread listenForConnections INFO: Accepted connection
12.04.2010 10:00:19 ClientThread-32159812 uk.co.mdjcox.webfeedencoder.ConnectionThread run INFO: Connection encoding is Cp1251
12.04.2010 10:00:19 ClientThread-32159812 uk.co.mdjcox.webfeedencoder.ConnectionThread process INFO: Command: NOOP
12.04.2010 10:00:19 ClientThread-32159812 uk.co.mdjcox.webfeedencoder.ConnectionThread answer INFO: Answer: OK
12.04.2010 10:04:57 TuningThread uk.co.mdjcox.webfeedencoder.TuningThread listenForConnections INFO: Accepted connection
12.04.2010 10:04:57 ClientThread-12774998 uk.co.mdjcox.webfeedencoder.ConnectionThread run INFO: Connection encoding is Cp1251
12.04.2010 10:04:57 ClientThread-12774998 uk.co.mdjcox.webfeedencoder.ConnectionThread process INFO: Command: NOOP
12.04.2010 10:04:57 ClientThread-12774998 uk.co.mdjcox.webfeedencoder.ConnectionThread answer INFO: Answer: OK
12.04.2010 10:04:58 ClientThread-12774998 uk.co.mdjcox.webfeedencoder.ConnectionThread process INFO: Command: NOOP
12.04.2010 10:04:58 ClientThread-12774998 uk.co.mdjcox.webfeedencoder.ConnectionThread answer INFO: Answer: OK

I've hit manual EPG upload now via configtool, and this went just fine; lots of info in the wfesageplugin.log and probably in configtool.log too.

[michaeldjcox]

Originally Posted by scanner95

Encoder.log does not apparently have any info about EPG; just probing SageTV:


I've hit manual EPG upload now via configtool, and this went just fine; lots of info in the wfesageplugin.log and probably in configtool.log too.

Do you think that I'm running the auto EPG at 5 AM GMT but this translates to 10AM local time and for whatever reason at that time there is no EPG data to insert?

e.g. I had a problem with BBC backstage EPG because they published slightly later sometimes. Particular a problem if the web page or file has a date in it and the output for that day does not appear.

Michael

[scanner95]

I don't believe this is the case. I'm 3 hours ahead of GMT (summer time), and my xml files have data at least 3 days ahead.

[dbullock]

Is anyone using this add-on to feed security cameras into Sage?