How to get DVD content length

[jpaddock3000]

I'm working on an issue where I can't seem to be able to pull the DVD length from the API. I was hoping someone here can provide some assistance.

Both sagex.api.MediaFileAPI.GetFileDuration(MediaFile) and sagex.api.AiringAPI.GetAiringDuration(MediaFile) return 1 for DVD's. I'm looking to get the milliseconds for the entire DVD that is being watched. Well I guess only for the main movie. Do I need to do other things with the Title and Chapter or is it just a different API that I need to hit?

Thanks in advance!

[Fonceur]

Getting a reliable length (or end time) from all possible formats is a pain... If the ones you tried fail, have a fall back using the (EndTimeAiring - StartTimeAiring)/rescaling, that should do it.

[jpaddock3000]

Originally Posted by Fonceur

Getting a reliable length (or end time) from all possible formats is a pain... If the ones you tried fail, have a fall back using the (EndTimeAiring - StartTimeAiring)/rescaling, that should do it.

Thanks for your input. That makes sense and I will try that later tonight. I wasn't able to find anything on rescaling? What should this value be and which API can I call it in?

Thanks again!

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by jpaddock3000

I wasn't able to find anything on rescaling?

For the airing time: "The time is in Java time units, which are milliseconds since Jan 1, 1970 GMT "

So you would have to divide the difference by a rescaling factor of 1000 to get it back in seconds. Actually, I think they're not really using milliseconds, but an even smaller unit, but you should be able to figure it out easily with a real DVD.

[jpaddock3000]

Ah, makes sense. Thanks!

[jpaddock3000]

Looks like the same issue:

DVD End Time = 1303702442541 and DVD Start Time = 1303702442540

The difference is 1 millisecond. This is the same response as the duration call. Any other ideas?

Thanks

[jpaddock3000]

So I tried pulling the DVD end time and the DVD start time. The difference is 1 millisecond.

DVD End Time = 1303702442541 and DVD Start Time = 1303702442540

I'm keep working on it, but it doesn't seem promising.

* merged *

[Fonceur]

Try the airing.GetShow(), and see if the getShowDuration and/or air time are as useless...

[jpaddock3000]

Same info. I think the MediaPlayerAPI will give me the info so I'm trying that one now.

[jpaddock3000]

Nope, no luck How/Why is it so hard to pull DVD duration?

[tmiranda]

Originally Posted by jpaddock3000

Something interesting I just noticed, looking at a DVD using Sage Webserver:

Episode: The Dilemma
Aired: Jul 16, 2011 3:53 PM - 3:53 PM
Duration: 0 m

Looks like they couldn't figure out how to tell duration with it either. One thing that is interesting:
Internal details: MediaFileID=9005048 , AiringID=9005069

I noticed that these 2 values are different. Have your tried playing with the AiringID instead of the MediaFileID or vice versa? I would think MediaFileID would be the correct one to use, but just wanted to figure out what you have already done before I tackle this project.

Thanks

Most of the Sage API's take either a MediaFile Object or an Airing Object, you can use either interchangably. So it doesn't matter if you use the MediaFileID to get a MediaFile Object or an AiringID to get an Airing Object.

[tmiranda]

Originally Posted by jpaddock3000

So I tried pulling the DVD end time and the DVD start time. The difference is 1 millisecond.

DVD End Time = 1303702442541 and DVD Start Time = 1303702442540

I'm keep working on it, but it doesn't seem promising.

Why do you need the duration to figure out where to resume playback?

One thing I was going to try: The way the API works now is to start playing the DVD and then immediately try to seek to the saved Title and Chapter. IIRC this was failing. I was thinking this may be failing because I'm trying to seek too soon and the MediaPlayer has not fully loaded the DVD. What I was going to try was putting a delay before the seeks to give the MediaPlayer time to do it's thing.

If you can get that to work you still will not be at the exact playback position, but at least you'll be at the nearest chapter within the title.

[stanger89]

Because DVDs don't have a duration, they're made up of menus and a series of video clips that run on indefinite repeat, so there's no easy way to determine the duration of a DVD.

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by tmiranda

Why do you need the duration to figure out where to resume playback?

One thing I was going to try: The way the API works now is to start playing the DVD and then immediately try to seek to the saved Title and Chapter. IIRC this was failing. I was thinking this may be failing because I'm trying to seek too soon and the MediaPlayer has not fully loaded the DVD. What I was going to try was putting a delay before the seeks to give the MediaPlayer time to do it's thing.

If you can get that to work you still will not be at the exact playback position, but at least you'll be at the nearest chapter within the title.

How about checking MediaPlayerAPI.IsMediaPlayerFullyLoaded then seeking?

[Opus4]

SageTV does not report DVD duration unless it was included in its metadata (properties file). For an example of determining if the duration info is valid, look at the code around widget ID "OPUS4A-178354".

For the DVD duration shown on the OSD's timebar during playback, check the code below widget ID "BASE-52545".

- Andy

[jpaddock3000]

Originally Posted by tmiranda

Why do you need the duration to figure out where to resume playback?

I want the duration so I know if we are within 5 minutes of the end of the DVD so I can mark the DVD watched and not force the user to fast forward through all the credits and go to the end of the file.

Originally Posted by Opus4

SageTV does not report DVD duration unless it was included in its metadata (properties file). For an example of determining if the duration info is valid, look at the code around widget ID "OPUS4A-178354".

For the DVD duration shown on the OSD's timebar during playback, check the code below widget ID "BASE-52545".

Sorry, how do I find these widget ID's? I think I'm more interested in BASE-52545 as my goals are to be able to mark the DVD watched if you stop playback within the last 300 seconds (5 minutes) and be able to capture where the user left off during playback so we can properly resume playback.

Thanks

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by jpaddock3000

Sorry, how do I find these widget ID's? I think I'm more interested in BASE-52545 as my goals are to be able to mark the DVD watched if you stop playback within the last 300 seconds (5 minutes) and be able to capture where the user left off during playback so we can properly resume playback.

Just enable the Tools option to "Display Widget UIDs" and then use Edit -> Find All to search for the IDs I listed.

- Andy

[tmiranda]

Originally Posted by BobPhoenix

How about checking MediaPlayerAPI.IsMediaPlayerFullyLoaded then seeking?

That's probably a better idea.

[jpaddock3000]

Kind of a novice here. Would this be a good way to go about waiting for the media player to be fully loaded?

if (eventName.startsWith("PlaybackStarted")) {
   if (sagex.api.MediaFileAPI.IsDVD(MediaFile)) {
      Log.getInstance().write(Log.LOGLEVEL_TRACE, "sageEvent: DVDPlaybackStarted");
      while (!sagex.api.MediaPlayerAPI.IsMediaPlayerFullyLoaded()) {
         Log.getInstance().write(Log.LOGLEVEL_TRACE, "sageEvent: DVDPlaybackStarted: Waiting for DVD to load");
      }
   }
}

Family is watching TV at the moment, so I'm not going to be able to test until tonight.

Thanks in advanced!

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by jpaddock3000

Kind of a novice here. Would this be a good way to go about waiting for the media player to be fully loaded?

if (eventName.startsWith("PlaybackStarted")) {
   if (sagex.api.MediaFileAPI.IsDVD(MediaFile)) {
      Log.getInstance().write(Log.LOGLEVEL_TRACE, "sageEvent: DVDPlaybackStarted");
      while (!sagex.api.MediaPlayerAPI.IsMediaPlayerFullyLoaded()) {
         Log.getInstance().write(Log.LOGLEVEL_TRACE, "sageEvent: DVDPlaybackStarted: Waiting for DVD to load");
      }
   }
}

Family is watching TV at the moment, so I'm not going to be able to test until tonight.

Thanks in advanced!

I think that would work but I would also put the thread to sleep in that loop as well. Couple hundred milliseconds - maybe less depending on time media player usually takes to load - or a configurable value even better. Then you won't flood the log with trace statements that state the obvious.