Plugin: Web User Interface for SageTV 2.2-6.6 (V2.25 18 Sep 2009) - Page 75

jamart3d · #**1481** 03-27-2007, 12:53 PM

I've noticed better transcoding when I start a stream from the web interface of
vlc or from cmd line, than what the webserver does.

when started from webserver some sections of the image are blocky, and never really recover.
where when started from the http interface or cmd line from vlc, no blockyness..

probably a bug in vlc

Also vlc doesn't respect the --one-instance arg when started from web server
but does when started from cmd line

transcode.properties
VlcOpts=-I http --http-host :8080 --high-priority --one-instance --no-sub-autodetect-file %LOCAL_PATH% \:sout\=\#transcode{vcodec\=%VIDEO_CODEC%,vb\=%VIDEO_BITRATE%,scale\=%SCALE%,acodec\=%AUDIO_CODEC%,ab\=%AUDIO_BITRATE%,channels\=2,threads\=2%DEINTERLACE%}\:duplicate{dst\=std{access\=http,mux\=%MUX%,dst\=%SERVERPORT%}}

transcodeMode/work/256\ kbps\ mpeg2=mode\=vlc&vc\=mp1v&vb\=256&ac\=mpga&ab\=64&scale\=.5&mux\=mpeg1&serverport\=1080

cmd from cmd line that works well..
"c:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" -I http --http-host :8080 --high-priority --one-instance --no-sub-autodetect-file "H:\sage\StarTrek-TheGalileoSeven-2757054-0.mpg" :sout="#transcode{vcodec=mp1v,vb=256,scale=0.5,acodec=mpga,ab=64,channels=1}:duplicate{dst=std{access=http,mux=mpeg1,dst=:1080}}"

any thoughts? anyone else see this behavior?

thanks...

emok · #**1482** 03-27-2007, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamart3d

I've noticed better transcoding when I start a stream from the web interface of
vlc or from cmd line, than what the webserver does.

when started from webserver some sections of the image are blocky, and never really recover.
where when started from the http interface or cmd line from vlc, no blockyness..

probably a bug in vlc

Also vlc doesn't respect the --one-instance arg when started from web server
but does when started from cmd line

transcode.properties
VlcOpts=-I http --http-host :8080 --high-priority --one-instance --no-sub-autodetect-file %LOCAL_PATH% \:sout\=\#transcode{vcodec\=%VIDEO_CODEC%,vb\=%VIDEO_BITRATE%,scale\=%SCALE%,acodec\=%AUDIO_CODEC%,ab\=%AUDIO_BITRATE%,channels\=2,threads\=2%DEINTERLACE%}\:duplicate{dst\=std{access\=http,mux\=%MUX%,dst\=%SERVERPORT%}}

transcodeMode/work/256\ kbps\ mpeg2=mode\=vlc&vc\=mp1v&vb\=256&ac\=mpga&ab\=64&scale\=.5&mux\=mpeg1&serverport\=1080

cmd from cmd line that works well..
"c:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" -I http --http-host :8080 --high-priority --one-instance --no-sub-autodetect-file "H:\sage\StarTrek-TheGalileoSeven-2757054-0.mpg" :sout="#transcode{vcodec=mp1v,vb=256,scale=0.5,acodec=mpga,ab=64,channels=1}:duplicate{dst=std{access=http,mux=mpeg1,dst=:1080}}"

any thoughts? anyone else see this behavior?

thanks...

I'm not sure about the "--one-instance" argument, but the blockiness you're seeing is most likely because the response from the webserver isn't buffered. I'm actually not seeing the issue you describe (maybe it's because my video quality expectations have already been lowered and I didn't really compare).

Basically, what's happening is vlc is being launched from java as a dos command and the webserver is taking the output from the vlc transcoding stream and writing it to the response that your vlc on the client machine is reading.

Request/Response flow:
VLC client --> Sage Webserver --> VLC "server"
VLC client <-- Sage Webserver <-- VLC "server"

The webserver is basically an extra hop between the vlc client and vlc "server" and there is no additional buffering going on. In addition, if the transcoding machine isn't powerful enough, it may not be able to keep up.

Perhaps a future release will have more intelligent buffering capabilities for this stream. Another option would be to have an "internal" mode which would allow the client to connect directly to the vlc process rather than going through the webserver.

E

Trouble · #**1483** 03-27-2007, 06:55 PM

Hello,
I've been using VLC and the webserver successfully for quite a while now. I used to be able to play back videos just fine in firefox. Now I am getting a screen with no video or sound and the buttons on the webpage do not appear to play pause or skip.

Since I last tried video playback, I've updated to Java SE 6, Firefox 2.0.0.3, and VLC 8.6a. I have version 5 of Sagetv installed, running on Windows XP.

I've used about:plugins in firefox and see VLC listed for the media files I expect.

Any ideas? If use firefox on the machine that has the webserver it works. However I want to use a different computer to watch the videos on.

Thanks in advance!

jamart3d · #**1484** 03-27-2007, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emok

I'm not sure about the "--one-instance" argument, but the blockiness you're seeing is most likely because the response from the webserver isn't buffered. I'm actually not seeing the issue you describe (maybe it's because my video quality expectations have already been lowered and I didn't really compare).

Basically, what's happening is vlc is being launched from java as a dos command and the webserver is taking the output from the vlc transcoding stream and writing it to the response that your vlc on the client machine is reading.

Request/Response flow:
VLC client --> Sage Webserver --> VLC "server"
VLC client <-- Sage Webserver <-- VLC "server"

The webserver is basically an extra hop between the vlc client and vlc "server" and there is no additional buffering going on. In addition, if the transcoding machine isn't powerful enough, it may not be able to keep up.

Perhaps a future release will have more intelligent buffering capabilities for this stream. Another option would be to have an "internal" mode which would allow the client to connect directly to the vlc process rather than going through the webserver.

E

Hi emok,

Thanks for the explanation, I noticed vlc client is requesting the websever
to start streaming... but i didn't think the webserver did the streaming.

On a different machine than the server,
when I compare vlc client logs of webserver -vs- vlc http streams:
I do get alot of "dropping buffer main warning" from a webserver stream,
but not from http/cmd line vlc stream.

--one-instance is an option to "force" only one running instance of vlc,
so the java dos cmd / vlc appears to be doing something different.

vlc transcoding from either webserver or http takes less than half of my servers cpu usage.

I'd like to have the time to muck with the webserver and get it to "internally" control vlc via one of vlc's interfaces, like embedding vlc http interface into streamingoptions page. But just don't have the time..

superthanks tho, emok

I should paypal at least a beer to you, and everyone else
who had anything to do with this very useful sage customization.

sundansx · #**1485** 03-28-2007, 12:00 AM

For those of you debugging problems, here is a handy method...

download sysinternals (now ms) process explorer:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sys...sExplorer.mspx

open process explorer then start a streamed player via a client (can be local in loopback i presume).

Now right click on the sub-task called vlc.exe under SageTV or SageTVService and select properties.
In that dialog under the Image tab is the exact command line passed to vlc.exe

I have used this quite a bit in the past when launching stuff via php or perl.

nielm · #**1486** 03-28-2007, 12:01 AM

Ideally, the webserver should proxy to VLC's VOD service, and control it by it's telnet interface, but that is a bit more complicated

[edit]except that the VLM VOD interface hangs as soon as I add a VOD media item...

Trouble: you need to update VLC/the vlc plugin. They changed the name of the Mozilla plugin a few versions back (compare the case of the name of the about

lugins list with the one in player.html

Wheemer · #**1487** 03-28-2007, 12:04 AM

Could the webserver ever be linked to orb? I find that a very effective streaming program.

emok · #**1488** 03-28-2007, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamart3d

Hi emok,

Thanks for the explanation, I noticed vlc client is requesting the websever
to start streaming... but i didn't think the webserver did the streaming.

On a different machine than the server,
when I compare vlc client logs of webserver -vs- vlc http streams:
I do get alot of "dropping buffer main warning" from a webserver stream,
but not from http/cmd line vlc stream.

--one-instance is an option to "force" only one running instance of vlc,
so the java dos cmd / vlc appears to be doing something different.

vlc transcoding from either webserver or http takes less than half of my servers cpu usage.

I'd like to have the time to muck with the webserver and get it to "internally" control vlc via one of vlc's interfaces, like embedding vlc http interface into streamingoptions page. But just don't have the time..

superthanks tho, emok

I should paypal at least a beer to you, and everyone else
who had anything to do with this very useful sage customization.

haha... virtual beers are fine.

Actually, it's all Nielm. He's the glue that keeps everything together. He seems to spend countless hours on this stuff.

Regarding the one-instance option... if you specified this, would it potentially limit you to a single transcoded stream at once? I don't know how many servers would be able to handle transcoding two streams in realtime at the same time anyway.

I'll see if i can improve the buffer handling and add the ability to control the stream using vlc http interface in the next version.

E

nielm · #**1489** 03-28-2007, 02:11 AM

re one-instance. WMP transcodes require a minimum of 2 instances, because for some strange reason, it requests the stream, closes it, then reopens it, and the webserver/VLC is sometimes not quick enough to shutdown the first before the second starts.

The webserver's transcoding manager does limit the number of VLC instances internally...

Quote:

He seems to spend countless hours on this stuff.

the wife would agree, but not in a positive way

nielm · #**1490** 03-28-2007, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sundansx

For those of you debugging problems, here is a handy method...
[...]
Now right click on the sub-task called vlc.exe under SageTV or SageTVService and select properties.
In that dialog under the Image tab is the exact command line passed to vlc.exe

easier method: look at the webserver's logging

[edit] actually this applies to the not-yet-released 2.14 version - please ignore!

Jason · #**1491** 03-28-2007, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wheemer

Could the webserver ever be linked to orb? I find that a very effective streaming program.

It actually can... at least according to Orb.

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...postcount=1377

Here is the post on the Orb forums...

http://forums.orb.com/viewtopic.php?t=5919

If they can get the API finalized (working...) a simple command will allow anyone to use Orb's streaming from within another program...

-Jason

nielm · #**1492** 03-28-2007, 04:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason

Exactly right!

<A href="http://mycast.orb.com/orb/data/stream.asx?q=path.filename="BattlestarGalactica-Rapture-4960918-0.mpg">http://mycast.orb.com/orb/data/stream.asx?q=path.filename="BattlestarGalactica-Rapture-4960918-0.mpg"

This will stream the file, based on a filename query... Yohan from Orb said basically the same as you... unfortunately it is not working for me.

If this can ever work, then a simple link from within the WebServer will utilize Orb as the streaming server...

-Jason

I had a quick look at the API doc... the search does work, provided you have an active session, but the format is a little odd..

To search for all video files (outputting all path info in the result)

Code:

https://mycast.orb.com/orb/xml/search?q=mediaType%3dvideo.file&fields=fileName,path.filename,path.extension,path.root,path.directory,path

To search for a specific file:
E:\Video\Movies\Fugitive.avi
you cannot search on a real path, but you can search on the filename only (not including the extension (%3D='=', %22='"', %20=' ')
giving:

Code:

https://mycast.orb.com/orb/xml/search?q=mediaType%3dvideo.file%20path.filename%3D%22fugitive%22&fields=fileName,path.filename,path.extension,path.root,path.directory,path

So, to generate ORB links, the webserver will have to know your ORB username/pass to be able to log onto your ORB account.

It then searches for the path.filename, and matches the full path in the results to get the medium ID

Once it has got the medium ID, the webserver can create streaming playlist links using the mediumID in the results

Code:

http://mycast.orb.com/orb/data/stream.asx?mediumId={mediumID}
http://mycast.orb.com/orb/data/stream.rm?mediumId={mediumID}

Note that if accessed directly, this will delay the detailed info servlet, as it has to access orb. Probably the best option is another OrbHandlerServlet linked in the detailed info servlet that

prompts for user/pass (via HTTP auth)
logs on to ORB
searches for mediumID
redirects to Orb's playlist.

Note that I am not going to implement this

Someone else is welcome to do so, and I will integrate it

However, there is a quick and dirty method, at least in the current version of ORB.
First open ORB's non Ajax 'Home theater' or 'Mobile' interface by using the URL below:
https://mycast.orb.com/orb/html/inde...at=hometheatre

Then use this interface's search URL to search for the vid (append the filename to search without file extension)

Code:

https://mycast.orb.com/orb/html/video/search.html?title=video+Results&mediaType=video&goBack=3&start=0&search=Search&query=

Provided you have Sages' video paths in Orb, you should have a search result...

To switch back to orb's PC interface, use the Settings, or this URL
https://mycast.orb.com/orb/html/index.html?format=PC

I will put a link in the Streaming box with these links in the next version. Quick+dirty, but it may works.

(PS: Orbs transcoding is very hard on the CPU?!)

Trouble · #**1493** 03-28-2007, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nielm

Ideally, the webserver should proxy to VLC's VOD service, and control it by it's telnet interface, but that is a bit more complicated

[edit]except that the VLM VOD interface hangs as soon as I add a VOD media item...

Trouble: you need to update VLC/the vlc plugin. They changed the name of the Mozilla plugin a few versions back (compare the case of the name of the about

lugins list with the one in player.html

nielm, I've got a bit farther. Now I see a black screen with the text [no video].
Any other ideas? I checked the case of the strings that I found with VLC. I did notice that there are no file types associated with vlc in the plugins listiing. It used to have that before I re-installed vlc.

Thanks in advance.

Jason · #**1494** 03-29-2007, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nielm

I had a quick look at the API doc...

Quite different... eh? :-)

Quote:

So, to generate ORB links, the webserver will have to know your ORB username/pass to be able to log onto your ORB account.

It then searches for the path.filename, and matches the full path in the results to get the medium ID

Once it has got the medium ID, the webserver can create streaming playlist links using the mediumID in the results

Actually, it is now (after they got back with me...) much easier. If you know the name of the file, you can stream based on that, ala...

http://mycast.orb.com/orb/data/stream.asx?q=path.filename="BattlestarGalactica-Rapture-4960918-0"

The difference from previous is that Orb does not need the ending file format... in this case ".mpg".

You are right that Orb does need to have an active session or the user/pass needs to be sent, but that is accomplished by the "u=username" and "p=password" prepends.

Quote:

The xml/search API always requires a valid session, even to search public shared lists. However the xml/rss doesn't require a session.

Quote:

I will put a link in the Streaming box with these links in the next version. Quick+dirty, but it may works.

(PS: Orbs transcoding is very hard on the CPU?!)

With this, the requirement of having/searching/knowing the mediumid is not required anymore and having a simple link with the filename can start a stream...

Here is the post from yohan (orb) clarifying this for me...

http://forums.orb.com/viewtopic.php?t=5919

-Jason

nielm · #**1495** 03-29-2007, 10:00 AM

v 2.14 29/Mar/2007
BUGFIXES
* Transcoding now works on segmented files
* better logging for transcoder
* Quotes paths in transcode.properties

ENHANCEMENTS
* added ToonGal's Full webremote (and ability to switch between them)
* added ability to name extenders using 'extenders.properties' file
* (paused) indication on Home screen for paused playback
* added link to search for file on Orb / stream file via ORB
* basic streamed DVD transcoding added (only title 1 with the default audio track)

rickgillyon · #**1496** 03-29-2007, 11:39 AM

Wow, that was quick! Thanks, will give it a try tomorrow.

bcjenkins · #**1497** 03-29-2007, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nielm

v 2.14 29/Mar/2007
BUGFIXES
* Transcoding now works on segmented files
* better logging for transcoder
* Quotes paths in transcode.properties

ENHANCEMENTS
* added ToonGal's Full webremote (and ability to switch between them)
* added ability to name extenders using 'extenders.properties' file
* (paused) indication on Home screen for paused playback
* added link to search for file on Orb / stream file via ORB
* basic streamed DVD transcoding added (only title 1 with the default audio track)

yeah! just in time to go on vacation.. Now I can stream DVDs at the inlaws

dpackham · #**1498** 03-30-2007, 10:02 AM

Can you customize the the Web UI guides to show which shows are recorded in HD? maybe by showing the HD icon like the full guide does?

Dave P

jreichen · #**1499** 03-30-2007, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpackham

Can you customize the the Web UI guides to show which shows are recorded in HD? maybe by showing the HD icon like the full guide does?

Dave P

Click the Show Options link at the bottom of the page to display options for the guide. One of the options is to show HD markers.

bcjenkins · #**1500** 03-30-2007, 07:48 PM

Using the DVD playback, I am only able to get a few of the profiles to work.

I am at the inlaws, here's the speedtest.

Current Throughput
KiloBits/Sec : 709.2
KiloBytes/Sec : 88.7

The profiles which work are:

# 128kbit deinterlaced quarter-res

* [Play in Web-player]
* Play in External Player: [wvx] [m3u] [pls]

# 256kbit deinterlaced third-res

* [Play in Web-player]
* Play in External Player: [wvx] [m3u] [pls]

# 352kbit deinterlaced third-res

* [Play in Web-player]
* Play in External Player: [wvx] [m3u] [pls]

If I play

# 480kbit deinterlaced half-res

* [Play in Web-player]
* Play in External Player: [wvx] [m3u] [pls]

I get a strip of video in the web browser window and audio. I would like to bump up the bits to clean up the picture.

Any suggestions? I am using the VLC plugin on OS X.

B

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