SageTV V3.0.13 Release Candidate

[Narflex]

The SageTV V3.0.13 Release Candidate 2 is now available.

That's right, it's Release Candidate time!

As always, thanks for all the testing, feedback, and bug reports for the previous version!

Here are v3.0.12/13 release notes:

Core Changes V3.0.13

1. Changed event handling so that when a keyboard character is pressed and it maps to an event, the character is still included in the event
2. TSSplitter starts dumping A/V from video header start. old one starts when either audio or video header is ready.
3. Fix no-playload packect processing (it's rare, but it exists)
4. Fix small data (less than 188 ) buffering and alignment bug.
5. Fixed bug where the demux wasn't tracking the PTS when it was parsing TS because it didn't have the track stream ID set correctly.
6. Fix bug: after changing channel 50 time, it can be tuned to any channel, reports play file access denied error.
7. Fix bug: buffer is not reset after changing channel.
8. FIX: digital tv channel tuning without major, minor channel specfied problem
9. Optimized setting position of video window so that it isn't done redundantly
10. Fixed registry setting for CopyVideoTextures so it works and re-enabled it by default

Core Changes V3.0.12

1. Adding line wrapping to color depth warning message.
2. Changed show uniqueness cachings so a restart of SageTV is not required if the show uniqueness check is changed
3. Changed show redundancy calculations to be totally strict. The old format can be used if the property epg/advanced_show_redundancy_check=true is set.
4. Fixed bug with not detecting multiple composite/svideo inputs.
5. Added AC3Filter to the list of audio decoder filters
6. When using the 350 HW decoder only; the other SW decode filters aren't added to the graph anymore.
7. When using the 350 HW decoder the NumBuffers for the MpegDeMux is set to be 32 (this is controlled by a property)
8. Use no language setting when English is chosen so we don't override system defaults for date/time formatting.
9. Added property which increases the thread priority of the media server (defaults to 2): media_server_thread_priority_offset
10. Changed some of the timeout contraints for scheduler calculations to help with unresolvable schedules.
11. Fixed issue with SageTV losing keyboard focusing when switching into and out of full screen mode with FSE enabled.
12. Fixed issue with SageTV not giving up the focus when it goes to the system tray.
13. Optimization for running as SageTVClient (recording indicator is not displayeD)
14. Added signal loss detection to media playback
15. Updated channel surfing code so that it uses the same sorting order as is used in the EPG
16. Fixed bug where wrapped text would sometimes only render the first line and end it with ...
17. Fixed bug where demux wasn't finding the last PTS in the stream correctly. It was ignoring PIDs < 0x100 which was incorrect.
18. Fix ATI harware encoder setup bitrate peakrate bug.
19. Optimized autotune to only check for signal lock which is quicker then checking lock, strength and quality
20. Disabled making a copy of the video frame every time it was rendered to use in pause mode. This can be re-enabled with the registry setting HKLM\Frey Technologies\SageTV\DirectX9\CopyVideoTexture=1
21. Removed wmvcore.lib dependency


STV Changes V3.0.13

1. Changed "epg/advanced_show_redundancy_check" property to be a server-based property.
2. No Signal msg: changed to just use a conditional statement to show this error message. Also added it to the source setup preview screens and the config wiz playback text screen.
3. Playback: fixed Watched status display on the time bar so that only the portion watched is colored in. (Previously, the unwatched/unrecorded beginning parts of live TV would be colored as watched.)
4. Config Wiz main menu: changed first button ("Complete the Entire Configuration Wizard") to be the same size as all others on the menu.
5. Channel Setup: Wrap-around scrolling re-enabled.
6. Further menu name changes, including several places in the Music menus.
7. Removed confirmation request when archiving or unarchiving a recording.
8. Conflict Management: Expanded width of conflict resolution Options Menu.
9. Conflict Management: Added "Cancel Recording" option when the missed airing is a manual recording. (MRs can appear in the conflict list if their channel has been disabled.)
10. When playing digital channel live, if there is no signal, then a "No Signal" notice is shown. This applies to the playback screen and the the video background or preview window for menus.
11. Source Details: disabled "Color Calibration" for digital TV tuners.
12. Channel Setup: If the current input device is a digital TV tuner & the currently playing media is currently being recorded on the current input device, the current signal strength is displayed as a % number and as a colored bar. The signal strength display is updated every 5 seconds.
13. In lists of airings/recordings, the "Right" command jumps to Detailed Info, so it is the same as "Info" instead of "Select".
14. Playback: options menu closes after toggling full screen.
15. Playback: padded area colors are now slightly darker than the colors used for the show's actual airing time.
16. Completed the latest menu reorganizations.

STV Changes V3.0.12

1. Weather: fixed possible bad wrapping for Wind value; changed "Standard" units to "English" units.
2. For new file Deletion dialogs, made sure to use Refresh() after deleting the file so the list would get updated.
3. Video library: Fixed pop-up options to leave out the unarchive option.
4. When deleting a recording from the pop-up options menu, it no longer confirms the deletion after choosing why to delete it. Because the extra confirmation was removed, the default button is now "Don't delete it" so it won't be deleted by accidentally pressing OK too many times.
5. As tests for easier use of the airing/video pop-up menu, it no longer auto-closes after the following items are selected: Set/Clear Watched; Set/Clear Don't Like; Delete (if you don't actually delete the file); Archive/Unarchive Recording; Add to Playlist; Clear Video Playlist
6. Playback: after deleting a file, now jump to appropriate menu; also limited delete during playback to recorded TV files only.
7. Archived recordings can be unarchived. An unarchived recording will be marked as a Manual Recording to prevent SageTV from feeling like it can be deleted right away.
8. Channel Setup: Added option to "Change Channel Sorting Method"; can choose from Channel Number, Channel Name, or Channel Description. Selection is remembered via a property.
9. Channel Setup: Type letter/number to jump to next channel in the list where the number/name/description starts with the char entered; seach based on sort setting; for name/description search, numbers cycle through the NTE letters associated with the number entered.
10. Channel Setup: List no longer wraps scrolling from beginning <--> end.
11. Added menu header mouse icons to toggle full-screen mode and go into standby. They are only shown on Windows systems & only if mouse icons are enabled. New icons: GoFullscreen.png, GoSleep.png, GoWindowed.png (from ToxMox)
12. Weather: Added 10-day forecast button; made short term forecast non-scrollable w/3 entries; added new screen showing overview of complete 10-day forecast.
13. Weather: Resized Current Conditions's center column to give it more space; reduced size of right column. Similarly, resized Forecast pop-up columns to give Wind more space since its text is largest.
14. Modified airing start/end time marker colors in padded playback progress bar in an attempt to make the marks more visible.
15. The playback menu checks to see if any media is playing in the BeforeMenuLoad hook. If no media is playing & the menu was reloaded, jump to the Main Menu -- this prevents accidental starting of live TV after playback of any media is stopped.
16. Restored: Jump to appropriate media menu after stopping playback on the playback screen, and added jump to Programming Guide if a currently airing show is stopped.
17. Playback Options Menu: changed "Close File" to "Stop Playback"
18. Fixed problem where the list in the top info area (list of airings in the group) could erroneously gain focus.
19. Detailed Info menus: changed layout so entire bottom portion is for show info
20. STV v"3.0.12.2" "October 4, 2005"
21. Airing options menu: Removed check for "No Data", so the menu now shows up, but it still skips adding buttons for thing like additional airings & watched/don't like.
22. Airing options menu: Watch Now/Record Options are the choices on the top row as default choices; detailed info is now on the 2nd row.
23. Enabled option to set repeat show detection on or off.
24. Playback: Added Stop playback control icon.
25. Record Options: Added "Record Future Airing" option, if the current airing is not already recorded or scheduled as a Manual Recording & there are future airings to choose from.
26. Channel Setup: Channel scan start-up wait maxes out at 5 seconds.
27. Record Command pop-up: made the "record" & "cancel record" options the default buttons.
28. ideo Library: fixed "Clear Playlist" so that it would update the buttons after clearing the list & the option to "Add to Playlist" would still work after clearing the playlist.
29. Video Library: Added confirmation dialog for request to clear the Video Playlist.
30. Major modification of EPG-airing/recording/imported video selection process: selection causes an options menu to be shown, with various options available to perform for that airing/recording/video. This pop-up menu also has listeners for the commands available via the visible buttons.
31. As part of this, the detailed info screens now simply have 2 buttons: Options and Back.
32. Weather: Increased size of date for forecast in pop-up
33. Reorganized the menu layout.
34. Weather: Added up/down arrows for barometric pressure
35. Changed playback progress time bar to include the padded areas of recordings. The expected duration of a recorded show is indicated with green vertical bars at both ends of the show; the areas outside those green bars are padded recording times.
36. Added file browser menu access
37. Rearranged several menus to handle additions of the Weather menu and the file browser menu access
38. Added initial weather menu

Additional notes:
The new Weather screen is at Media Center -> Online Services -> Weather. You will configure your location the first time you go to that screen or when you go throuhg the Configuration Wizard.

See Chapter 8 of the new v3 PDF manual (at the beta download link) for specifics on some documented new features.

The current wiz.bin and properties files are backed up as part of the upgrade install process... but being beta, it is always a good idea to make backup copies yourself.

If you wish to try v3, yet continue to use v2, then you should make a complete backup copy of your v2 installation directories, then install v3 to try it. If you wish to return to using v2, uninstall v3, re-install v2, then copy your v2 backup over that fresh v2 installation.


You can download the betas and the updated manual at http://www.sagetv.com/beta.html

Please submit any bug reports to http://www.sagetv.com/bugs.html

Thanks for your help!

[Naylia]

woohoo!!!

/dance
/dance some more...

Looking forward to reformatting my pc This time I ordered Norton Ghost to make images along the way

[davidjames]

I apologize if this is answered elsewhere, I did a quick search and couldn't find anything. Also searched the 3.0 PDF file.

Will 3.0 natively support my Hauppauge Media MVP?

[Enormous]

Another question on the feature set: Is Online Scheduling still slated for the 3.0 release? And does it allow for management of favorites?

Good work on the betas. They've worked very well for me.

Thanks in advance!

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by davidjames

Will 3.0 natively support my Hauppauge Media MVP?

No; you would still use Matt's plugin if you want to use the MVP w/SageTV's UI.

Originally Posted by Enormous

Is Online Scheduling still slated for the 3.0 release?

I don't think so.


BTW: the v3 manual hasn't yet been updated for all the UI changes... I suggest simply looking around a bit for now -- there are a couple changed items in Detailed Setup -> Customize; go to Media Center -> Online Services -> Weather to see your local weather conditions & forecast; check out the new pop-up dialog when you select an airing/recording/video; and note that the playback time bar now shows the padded ares of the recording, among many other things.

- Andy

[dagar]

Any word on redbook audio (aka audio CD player?)

[Fluffdaddy]

No Online Scheduling slated for the 3.0 release !!

D@mn

[Opus4]

The changes available in v3.0 are what have been listed so far. Other than that, maybe I'll simply suggest that just like version 2, v3 development doesn't stop with the ".0" version...

- Andy

[mikesm]

It doesn't look like adding support for FLAC tags or import of other media formats into the media library has been done either. Is Sage trying to make 3.0 a true media center, or just a PVR platform?

Thanks,
Mike

[Fluffdaddy]

Originally Posted by Opus4

The changes available in v3.0 are what have been listed so far. Other than that, maybe I'll simply suggest that just like version 2, v3 development doesn't stop with the ".0" version...

- Andy

Alrighty then, Maybe I overreacted to your post. Online Scheduling is the ONLY thing that is keeping my last ReplayTV and Tivo in my home

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by mikesm

It doesn't look like adding support for FLAC tags or import of other media formats into the media library has been done either. Is Sage trying to make 3.0 a true media center, or just a PVR platform?

Thanks,
Mike

WM Lossless with tags works.

[mikesm]

Originally Posted by stanger89

WM Lossless with tags works.

I understand that, but WMA isn't the only codec out there. My macro point is that if Sage really wants to be a Media Center, and not a PVR solution that also can act as a Media Library, it really needs to be very liberal with the codecs and formats it can import. We haven't even discussed on the fly transcoding for audio devices, support of audio streaming services, better photo display support, etc... This is just basic media center functionality.

My question is really about product direction rather than FLAC tag support in particular, though knowing more of their roadmap specifics woulld be helpful.

Thanks,
Mike

[JasonJoel]

Intersting and unfortunate...

Sage really needs to get up to speed with a true standalone client if they are going to compete. Oh well, maybe next year.

Figured we wouldn't see something 'good' (better than MVP... Play HD recordings, DIVX, etc) until we see the MVP. So I guess this is either a long way out or never going to happen...

Jason

Originally Posted by Opus4

No; you would still use Matt's plugin if you want to use the MVP w/SageTV's UI.

[ldavis]

I hate to be the first kill joy but here goes(BTW, I did submit a bug report on this for the previous beta). When playing back TS files recorded from two specific channels (CBS & TBS in Atlanta, GA) more often than not Sage will not play back the audio. I know the audio exists since the file plays back fine in just about every other media player I can find. The only way to fix the problem is the change back an forth between CBS and another HD channel until the file recording is started in such a way that Sage can decode the audio, and that may take 10 or more channel changes. If Sage tries to record a show from CBS or TBS, more likely than not, I will have to watch it in another media player. Does anyone have any idea what is going on here?

[boogerbomb]

Maybe its just me but when i download the beta it says that its not a valid win32 application when i try to run it. I have downloaded it twice with Firefox and am trying IE right now. Has anyone else had this problem yet?

EDIT: Well IE cant even download a good copy. What gives?

[alon24]

I see this is a RC, but no word about unicode support (as far as I've seen).

Has it been pushed out, after it was promised(email from support)????

[Deadbolt]

Originally Posted by boogerbomb

Maybe its just me but when i download the beta it says that its not a valid win32 application when i try to run it. I have downloaded it twice with Firefox and am trying IE right now. Has anyone else had this problem yet?

EDIT: Well IE cant even download a good copy. What gives?

Not sure...mine downloaded and installed fine.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by alon24

I see this is a RC, but no word about unicode support (as far as I've seen).

Has it been pushed out, after it was promised(email from support)????

I posted quite a while back that v3 already has unicode support. If there are still unicode problems, please file bug reports about it.

- Andy

[Jkimmell]

For me after installing 3.0.13 I had terrible HD playback using my A180. It studders and locks up. I have tried Intervideo and Nvidia codecs in Overlay, VMR9 and FSE. I reverted back to 3.0.11 and HDTV is ok for all of my networks with the exception of the lineup being wrong on WTHRDT which I still cannot get to remap correctly even in 3.0.13. I submitted another Bug report.

Anyone else having these problems?

[zz5]

Is support for the MediaMVP or web scheduling in Sage 3 still planned?