Android application: taSageTV

[planetc]

Originally Posted by Fonceur

If you have a beefy server, you could replace the h.263 (i.e. mp4v) by h.264 using the parameters shown on the wiki:

vcodec=h264,venc=x264{no-cabac,level=12,vbv-maxrate=384,vbv-bufsize=1000,keyint=75,ref=3,bframes=0}

What I installed came from the link on the wiki, I assumed it would be the most recent? I copied in the first section of code from the tcpserver wiki and it's a lot better already, I'll play some more, but that played fine and although a bit rough looking it was watchable. I won't be using it on 3g as the data limits aren't generous enough in the uk, it'll be wifi only. The limitation I would think will be my up connection at 768kb, possibly the server as I only tried it with no load so far.
Just a thought, I don't get the About page come up when I start streaming, just a message that the video cannot be played. I have to go back and try again in order to play. Is it possible that this is related to the version I downloaded too?

To update, after a little research I switched to vlc 1.0.5 which improved the quality to a passable level 'in house'. The link to the page to purchase the paid version on the wiki is broken also, or am I missing something?

[planetc]

Originally Posted by planetc

What I installed came from the link on the wiki, I assumed it would be the most recent?

Checked version on about page, it was the most recent it seems

Originally Posted by planetc

Just a thought, I don't get the About page come up when I start streaming, just a message that the video cannot be played. I have to go back and try again in order to play.

Trawling through the thread I realised that you have changed this

Originally Posted by planetc

The link to the page to purchase the paid version on the wiki is broken also, or am I missing something?

Found that the link at the top of the page works, the link within the text doesn't. Anyway, I paid my money and will await my activation code. :-)

[planetc]

You or your partner really need to get some consistency in the website, there are broken links all over the place and trying to order a license results in chaos because following the instructions results in returned email

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by planetc

What I installed came from the link on the wiki, I assumed it would be the most recent?

If you mean the VLC options, not quite. As I said, I did lowered the default settings lately, to make it smoother on 3g access and low power servers. Which of course is the opposite of your situation, where you are using wifi and requires a better picture quality.

Just a thought, I don't get the About page come up when I start streaming, just a message that the video cannot be played. I have to go back and try again in order to play. Is it possible that this is related to the version I downloaded too?

No, this is related to the installed software on your Android device. Either the default media player that gets automatically launched can't support rtsp streaming, and clicking the link uses another one. Or it is not waiting long enough for the streaming to actual start from the server...

The link to the page to purchase the paid version on the wiki is broken also, or am I missing something?

I fixed that broken link and updated the part about including the Android ID in the feedback box during ordering.

[planetc]

Originally Posted by Fonceur

If you mean the VLC options, not quite. As I said, I did lowered the default settings lately, to make it smoother on 3g access and low power servers. Which of course is the opposite of your situation, where you are using wifi and requires a better picture quality.

Everything except VLC came from the links on the wiki :-)

Originally Posted by Fonceur

No, this is related to the installed software on your Android device. Either the default media player that gets automatically launched can't support rtsp streaming, and clicking the link uses another one. Or it is not waiting long enough for the streaming to actual start from the server...

I guess not waiting long enough, it always goes on the second attempt of starting the stream from TaSage

Originally Posted by Fonceur

I fixed that broken link and updated the part about including the Android ID in the feedback box during ordering.

Cool, should make it easier for others, any feedback on the email I sent about the problem I had with the license key?

[sadtaz]

I have installed this app on my pan digital book ready which I have installed the open android software on. The app is great, but I can not see any of the content on the media. I have an Nas server running on the sage system. The other issue I have is when I try to run the guide, it posts a forced closed on the tablet. I don't know if this is a limitation of the pan digital device or is there something I have missed.

Scott

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by sadtaz

The app is great, but I can not see any of the content on the media.

You do need to hit sync from the menu to get data...

The other issue I have is when I try to run the guide, it posts a forced closed on the tablet.

I would need the log from the device and possibly the SageTV server to determine that...

[sadtaz]

I can attach the log from the server. I don't know where the log on the device would be. The other issue that I have is that I do not have an android ID due to the PDN not having the GE on it. Without the GE I can not get an android ID for the market place. If I want to purchase the software, is there a way that I can purchase a full license version.

Scott

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by sadtaz

I don't know where the log on the device would be.

There are apps like Log collector that will grab those logs.

The other issue that I have is that I do not have an android ID due to the PDN not having the GE on it.

If you press the Menu button and select Registration, that is the Android ID needed...

[sadtaz]

I will look for an app to catch the log. As far as the Id goes, it just shows ID undefined. When I get the app to catch the log, I will send the log for both the tablet and the server.

Scott

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by sadtaz

As far as the Id goes, it just shows ID undefined.

Hmm, as long as you are using taSageTV 1.34, that would mean that the tablet has no Android_ID or wifi Mac address... Let me find another unique ID for that case then...

[Fonceur]

Version 1.35

- Improved the image support in detailed view.
- Changed the displayed Android ID on some devices.


You do need to be using the Phoenix API for those images to display.

[planetc]

OK, got this running quite nicely and streaming nice too. Solved all my issues bar one. If I begin to watch something, then quit, is there any way to stop the stream on the server? If I start to watch something else then I end up with multiple instances of vlc.exe and a hit on server resources. Particularly important as there are some videos that will not play over the network but will tie up an instance of VLC anyway once initiated.
I've currently settled with this...

sageTCPServer/streamingRTSPType=mp4a-latm
sageTCPServer/streamingTranscodeOptions=vcodec\=h264,venc\=x264{no-cabac,level\=12,vbv-maxrate\=384,vbv-bufsize\=1000,keyint\=75,ref\=3,bframes\=0},width\=320,height\=180,acodec\=mp4a,ab\=64,vb\=384
sageTCPServer/streamingVLCOptions=-I dummy --no-sub-autodetect-file --one-instance
sageTCPServer/streamingVLCPath=C\:/Program Files/VideoLAN/VLC/vlc.exe

Which gives a watchable picture on a 7" screen.

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by planetc

If I start to watch something else then I end up with multiple instances of vlc.exe and a hit on server resources.

In principle, the --one-instance was supposed to handle that, and kill the old instance... Maybe try to also set it in VLC itself, in the advanced options...

[planetc]

Originally Posted by Fonceur

In principle, the --one-instance was supposed to handle that, and kill the old instance... Maybe try to also set it in VLC itself, in the advanced options...

That's what I figured. I will try setting it in the interface then, thanks. Otherwise it seems quite good, useless for photo's in it's current form though. I have 9000 photo's, very few of which have a descriptive title. They really need thumbnails.

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by planetc

useless for photo's in it's current form though. I have 9000 photo's, very few of which have a descriptive title. They really need thumbnails.

Actually, getting the images in the detailed view pre-resized and to load in the background was the first step to getting them there...

[Fonceur]

Version 1.36

- The lists of Photos, Recorded shows and Videos have gained thumbnails.


EDIT: Those thumbnails are too small on high resolution screens...

[Fonceur]

Version 1.37

- Increased the size of the thumbnails on high DPI displays.

[planetc]

Do I need a new license key for this version then? My problem with multiple VLC instances was solved by rolling back from 1.0.5 to 1.0.0, ticking boxes etc didn't seem to make any difference. Video quality isn't quite as good but I'll play with it some more.

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by planetc

Do I need a new license key for this version then?

Yes, just check the registration screen for the new ID to email us. It turns out that the Android ID is based on an optional file used as seed, so every devices missing it are showing up as ANDROID_ID: 9774d56d682e549c (Droid2, Galaxy tab, etc...).

http://groups.google.com/group/andro...72384?lnk=raot

So I had to black list that ID and use another identifier when that one is detected. The good thing is that you are the first to encounter that issue, so no one else will need a new key.

My problem with multiple VLC instances was solved by rolling back from 1.0.5 to 1.0.0, ticking boxes etc didn't seem to make any difference. Video quality isn't quite as good but I'll play with it some more.

Right, that's the annoying thing with VLC, things get broken/un-fixed from version to version...