Trial is really a trial....

[gizmo3141]

Why doesn't the linux placeshifter trial version just display a dialog when it opens telling you it's a trial like the windows version does?

Why is it better to interrupt video playback every couple of seconds, causing video and audio to be choppy, and making the video interface impossible to use?

This makes it absolutely impossible for me to evaluate if this software works with my system or not.

Is there some advantage to this method, because I can't buy it if I can't evaluate it...

By the way I own both a windows sever and client licence for this software and they work fine, thought the linux version might work well on the laptop...but there is no way of evaluating this...

[gplasky]

As afr as I remember it should just overlay trial on the screen and not affect anything reagrding video or audio. If it doesn't you need to check out your installation, video drivers, audio drivers, etc.

Gerry

[reggie14]

Originally Posted by gizmo3141

Why doesn't the linux placeshifter trial version just display a dialog when it opens telling you it's a trial like the windows version does?

I don't think there's any difference between the ways the Linux and Windows placeshifter trials work (which also happens to be the same way the MVP extender trial used to work). As gplasky said, I think they all just have the word "Trial" overlaid on the screen.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by gizmo3141

Is there some advantage to this method, because I can't buy it if I can't evaluate it...

Placeshifters are licensed per seat on the server, there's no registration of the Placeshifter app itself. Only way to enforce the trial is to display the trial overlay. Windows placeshifter, and extenders (prior to HD200) do the same thing. Like the others said though, it should just be an overlay, not an interruption.

I think you're thinking of SageTV Client which is licensed differently, which prompts you once at startup.

[gizmo3141]

Thanks for your replies.

I'm using the place shifter on Ubuntu over a wireless network. The server is a member of the same domain, in fact it sits about 10 ft away from where I do.

While watching TV, the word 'trial' appears on the video screen every couple of seconds. Not on top of the video, but rather turning the whole screen black in order to display itself. So what I get is the audio and video pausing every two to 5 seconds just to display the word 'trial' on my screen.

Therefore, there is no way I can tell if it can play video smoothly over my network.

However, the system monitor in ubuntu seems to show very low network and processor/memory usage. I would actually like to see it happen before I buy another licence.

Is the word 'trial' meant to be superimposed over the video like the closed caption? If so, how do I make it do that?

Thanks

[GKusnick]

Originally Posted by gizmo3141

I'm using the place shifter on Ubuntu over a wireless network. The server is a member of the same domain, in fact it sits about 10 ft away from where I do.

Then I'd suggest deploying a 10-foot network cable to eliminate the wireless link as a possible cause of poor performance.

You might also try enabling or disabling 3D acceleration in the Placeshifter settings dialog to see if that makes a difference.

What you're seeing is not normal, even in trial mode. You should have smooth video playback with the word "Trial" superimposed on the screen. The fact that you're not seeing that indicates some problem with your graphics subsystem or your network bandwidth.

[gizmo3141]

There is no option to enable/disable 3D acceleration in the placeshifter therefore I can't do it. Also no option to choose EVR or overlay etc...I think the problem is that the system is not capable of EVR so it uses overlay, and therefore can't overlay the word 'trial' on the screen.

The placeshifter seems to work on my win7 starter netbook, so I can assume it's not the network. Also connected the client over gigabit cable, and it still does it.

Think I'll just get the placeshifter for the netbook, as I'm gonna make it ual boot eventually anyway. Ubuntu netbook edition. Has anyone had any experience with that?

Thanks!