MVP Client 1.3.0 (2005/08/16)

[ukmgranger]

damn! I'm still looking for a good way to convert DVD's so that I can watch them on the MVP. We tend to watch DVD's more than anything else in the bedroom (not those kind!!) and it would be nice to be able to encode them easily to a format that the MVP will use.

[JasonJoel]

About only way to do it would be to dump it as a normal MPG. So you could get a VOB -> MPG converter. I know they exist, I've used them before - but it has been a while.

Then it would work fine.

Jason

[Matt]

Originally Posted by ukmgranger

damn! I'm still looking for a good way to convert DVD's so that I can watch them on the MVP. We tend to watch DVD's more than anything else in the bedroom (not those kind!!) and it would be nice to be able to encode them easily to a format that the MVP will use.

Ever tried DVDx (http://dvdx.sourceforge.net/)? While conversions to MPEGs are pretty slow, the SVCD MPEG2 files it produces seem to play fine on the MVP.

Sorry, no MPEG4 support at this time (requires realtime transcoding on the PC). Should I run across a transcoding library I can easily integrate into the MVP Client, I'll see what I can do.

-Matt

[jcato]

Trying to set this up, but I'm having some problems. The MediaMVP works fine with the Hauppage software, but not with this client. I stopped the Hauppage software, unplugged the MVP, and then ran StartMVPClient.cmd. The MVP says Connecting to DHCP, Connecting to BootServer, and then just goes back and forth between these lines. The MVP log files says the MVP doesn't have an IP address.

So, I go to the admin screen of my modem (a Zoom DSL Modem) and it only lists the 3 computers on the network. So it appears that the MVP is not getting an IP. So I stopped the client, started the Hauppage software again, it loaded up fine. Looked at the DHCP list again and it's still not listed. But its working. Weird.

Neither of the Hauppage services should be running, right? Anything else I can check? How can I tell if the MVP has an IP address?

Thanks

[gplasky]

You need to run the SageTVClient.exe. Not just the Sage MVPclient.cmd. Did you follow the instructions and unzipped the MVP client into a Sage Client directory or the Sage server directory? If so either start the client like you normally would or SageTV.exe if you are using it from the server directory.

Gerry

EDIT: See post below. I stand corrected on the startup. My bad.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by jcato

The MVP log files says the MVP doesn't have an IP address.

So, I go to the admin screen of my modem (a Zoom DSL Modem) and it only lists the 3 computers on the network. So it appears that the MVP is not getting an IP.

How is your MVP connected to the server? Directly or via Modem? I take it the Modem also acts as switch or hub.

If it's directly connected to the server and not to the Modem, the MVP will not get an IP from the Modem. This setup is not supported by the MVP Client, but might work with the Hauppauge software if it acts as DHCP server in this case. I have to try direct connection once to see how the original software behaves in such a setup.

If the MVP is directly connected to the Modem then I have no idea why it doesn't get an IP from the Modem's DHCP server.

Running StartMVPClient.cmd is the correct way to start the MVP Client with the 1.1 builds (it itself calls the the appropriate .exe).

-Matt

[jptaz]

Matt,

It appears that the MediaMVP Software has a BootP Server. I wish there was a way to manually set the IP on the MediaMVPs since my Router seems to be having issues lately and will occasionally not assign IP addresses until I cycle the power on it. It would be really cool to have the MediaMVP client assign IP addresses so that I could basically have them always have the same IP Address. I am actually thinking about manually assigning all my devices in the house since the router is having issues lately.

By The Way Great Job!! My wife and I are really enjoying the Media MVP in our Master bedroom. So nice not to have a loud PC in the room...but also very weird since we have been living in our guest bedroom for the last 9 months with two PCs on 24/7 and I have gotten used to the noise.

John

[jcato]

Okay, got it working and I'm just going to say Wow and leave it at that! It really looks nice.

Let me see if I can explain what was happening in case it helps someone else. My Zoom modem is also a DHCP server. It is set at 10.0.0.2 and is serving address from 10.0.0.3 and up. With the Hauppage software running, the MVP was somehow getting an IP of 10.0.0.1. So, it was working even though it wasn't showing up in the DHCP client list of the modem. I guess it was getting it from the modem, but the modem didn't know it.

I changed the modem to be at 10.0.0.1 and to give IPs starting at 10.0.0.2. Now the MVP gets the 10.0.0.2 address and all is well. Go figure. Seems weird to me, but I'm no networking expert.

Thanks for the great plugin!

[jcato]

Nevermind, I guess I spoke too soon. This is still not working. The modem simply will not give the MVP an IP address if this client is running. It will happily give it one when the Hauppauge software is running. This makes no sense to me. How does the modem even know what software is running on what computers?!?!?

Very frustrating.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by jptaz

It appears that the MediaMVP Software has a BootP Server.

The MVP Client also has a BootP server, but I only return TFTP boot image/server information back to the MVP.

Originally Posted by jptaz

I wish there was a way to manually set the IP on the MediaMVPs since my Router seems to be having issues lately and will occasionally not assign IP addresses until I cycle the power on it. It would be really cool to have the MediaMVP client assign IP addresses so that I could basically have them always have the same IP Address. I am actually thinking about manually assigning all my devices in the house since the router is having issues lately.

I'd get a new Router if I were you ;-), but I'll see what would be needed to allow static assignment of IPs.

Originally Posted by jptaz

By The Way Great Job!! My wife and I are really enjoying the Media MVP in our Master bedroom. So nice not to have a loud PC in the room...but also very weird since we have been living in our guest bedroom for the last 9 months with two PCs on 24/7 and I have gotten used to the noise.

Glad you like it!

Originally Posted by jcato

Nevermind, I guess I spoke too soon. This is still not working. The modem simply will not give the MVP an IP address if this client is running. It will happily give it one when the Hauppauge software is running. This makes no sense to me. How does the modem even know what software is running on what computers?!?!?

Very frustrating.

I guess it's the Hauppauge software assigning the IP. Can you configure MAC<->IP mappings in your Zoom modem/router DHCP server configuration (I can do this in my Netgear FVS318)? If so, you could try to map the MVP MAC address to something special like 10.0.0.200 and see if the MVP ever gets it w/ the MVP Client or w/ the Hauppauge software.

-Matt

[natesneat2000]

MATT, you are a GENIUS! I know I've been gone for awhile, but I gave in and bought a new MVP from pcAlchemy. Could it be a newer version, because I've seen 2 things that I wasn't expecting:
o The remote is silver, but has 45 buttons. I'm attaching my programming for it (from SageClient.properties).
o While playing something, when the info bars pop up, they are nicely transparent, but the picture doesn't seem to get darker at all.

I haven't yet tried a few remotes to see if it can learn more buttons, but I wasn't expeting 45, which may be enough. How is power handled; does it go thru Sage at all or does the MVP turn off without asking software?
Also, I know I was asking about use; I'll hopefully get back with some quantitative numbers, but on my 950 mhz AMD with 128 mb ram, playing video (haup. decoders) on Sage did noticebly reduce MVP menu performance, but either way works pretty similar to actual PC. Playing video on both seemed to play fine (it was even the same recording ).

Thanks again Matt! As soon as I get my credit card bill (to put money in PayPal), I'll probably donate--expecially if I get several MVP's up! As for the attachment, if you wish to use, paste into the MVP client's SageClient.properties, replacing the old section..

[jcato]

Originally Posted by Matt

I guess it's the Hauppauge software assigning the IP. Can you configure MAC<->IP mappings in your Zoom modem/router DHCP server configuration (I can do this in my Netgear FVS318)? If so, you could try to map the MVP MAC address to something special like 10.0.0.200 and see if the MVP ever gets it w/ the MVP Client or w/ the Hauppauge software.

-Matt

No, I don't see any way to assign an IP based on the MAC address. I guess I'm SOL. I guess I'll go back to planning a light-weight computer for the bedroom. At least that will give me DVDs and Divx. Thanks.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by natesneat2000

o The remote is silver, but has 45 buttons. I'm attaching my programming for it (from SageClient.properties).
o While playing something, when the info bars pop up, they are nicely transparent, but the picture doesn't seem to get darker at all.

Thanks for the butten mappings. I'll add them in the next release, at least those not conflicting with the old remote.

Full transparency is a feature of the latest Version 1.1 beta 6. Should work w/ all MVPs.

Originally Posted by natesneat2000

How is power handled; does it go thru Sage at all or does the MVP turn off without asking software?

Not sure if I receive the power off "key pressed" message from the MVP, but the MVP turns off itself.

-Matt

[mhatten]

Originally Posted by ukmgranger

damn! I'm still looking for a good way to convert DVD's so that I can watch them on the MVP. We tend to watch DVD's more than anything else in the bedroom (not those kind!!) and it would be nice to be able to encode them easily to a format that the MVP will use.

If you haven't been told a solution yet... here is what I do.
I have another PC using a very limited setup of GBPVR with the DVD2MPEG plugin only (http://www.bladerhq.com/pmwiki/pmwik...lugin/DVD2MPEG). I can throw a DVD in and in about an hour I have single mpeg file of the movie. I then copy the mpeg into one of my sage import directories.

The first version of the plugin had audio synch problems, but the later ones work perfect. I've ripped about 5 DVDs to mpegs and the MVP plays them perfectly.

[dvd_maniac]

I would also like a way to convert my dvd's and use this setup. I convert my dvd's to mp4 though, as I want all my dvd's on server. Not practical to just rip them. I need to compress as well. Hopefully a solution to allow divx & xvid playback will come soon. Maybe Hauppauge will come out with a newer MVP.

[mayamaniac]

Any screenshots of this SageTV skin for the MVP?? I've searched but could not find any screenshots. I'm planning to buy an MVP so would like to see what it looks like with the SageTV skin.

[insomniac]

The MVP skin is any .stv that you run on the server.

Originally Posted by mayamaniac

Any screenshots of this SageTV skin for the MVP?? I've searched but could not find any screenshots. I'm planning to buy an MVP so would like to see what it looks like with the SageTV skin.

[JasonJoel]

Just like insomniac said...

It looks exactly like a sage server or client would look like. Essentially it takes the screen from the client or server (depending on setup) and just sends it to the MVP. So the interface is exactly what you would see on your PC (fullscreen though of course).

Jason Bottjen

Originally Posted by mayamaniac

Any screenshots of this SageTV skin for the MVP?? I've searched but could not find any screenshots. I'm planning to buy an MVP so would like to see what it looks like with the SageTV skin.

[mayamaniac]

thats awesome. Definitely will get an MPV now.

I read that some people said there are lags for the menu interaction during playback, how much of a lag is it? split second, one second or two?

One more thing, whats a recommended PC processor speed for the MVP Client software?

[insomniac]

I seem to experience a spot or 2 of lag here and there (split second, 2 or 3 times in an hour show). It is noticable, but not a major irritant. Even my very critical wife seems to find it acceptable. The menu is just slightly slower than a full bloomed sage client menu, but very close. At this point, I could not live without it in my bedroom(i hated having a noisy pc as a bedroom client!).

If i were to make a recommendation for a processor, I would say that you should go big(p4 3+ gig are cheap now). Not because the MVP needs it, but that you will be needing it in the near future when you get majorly hooked and have 6 tuners + fulltime commercial skipping + compression + DVD ripping, etc running like myself

As for minimal processor power, I would guess that anything p2 and up would be fine. The biggest processor consumption is the video display, which is being offloaded by the MVP.

I.

Originally Posted by mayamaniac

thats awesome. Definitely will get an MPV now.

I read that some people said there are lags for the menu interaction during playback, how much of a lag is it? split second, one second or two?

One more thing, whats a recommended PC processor speed for the MVP Client software?