SageTV V4.1.8 Beta Is Available - Placeshifting! (improved streaming)

[cmaffia]

Originally Posted by Narflex

Music playback doesn't work yet in the Placeshifter. This'll be fixed for the next build. We'll also make the ports configurable.

YAY! Configurable ports!! Now I will be able to set it to port 80 and demo it to all the blokes at work! I will convert all of them to SageTV once this is implemented!!!

[bcjenkins]

Originally Posted by donkey

Some HD tuner crash or stuttering is probably related to a MSFT’s bug, please check
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=896626.

1:26:44 bug is still alive in client end, it’ll be killed soon.
Qian

Qian,

Thanks for the response. I am not sure what alive in client means, but I am seeing this running in service mode then running the UI on the same machine.

Thanks,

B

[ellweber]

Originally Posted by bcjenkins

Qian,

Thanks for the response. I am not sure what alive in client means, but I am seeing this running in service mode then running the UI on the same machine.

Thanks,

B

Yes, that is what is still happening. I am seeing the same thing. The term "Client" is sometimes confusing!

[donkey]

1:26:44 bug is spotted, fixed in next release.
And I tested MSFT’s bug, when the signal is weak and more than one tuner is recording simultaneously, it’s likely to crash SageTV or stop recording with no reason.

Qian

[marneb17]

Originally Posted by srothwell

Lastly, The notes say that it's supposed to remember the STV. These don't. When you close the miniplayer and open again under the same user, it reverts back to the default STV. (Did this on 4.1.7 also)

Stacy

Aloha,
the STV doesn't stick here, either. Although it is in the client's properties. I have the same problem with the mvp boxes at the beginning of each new version, but after redoing it over and over again, it will finally stick. It is propably just a small bug, but it has been there since the third version that supported the mvp. The first two versions were fine (I think).

Oh, and before I forget, the Placeshifting thing is super great ;-)

Marneb

[jptaz]

Originally Posted by donkey

1:26:44 bug is spotted, fixed in next release.
And I tested MSFT’s bug, when the signal is weak and more than one tuner is recording simultaneously, it’s likely to crash SageTV or stop recording with no reason.

Qian

Does this mean that the link you posted with an update to MSFT fix does not solve the problem?

Thanks,
JOhn

[marneb17]

Concerning the "STV sticking":
The stv setting is written correct to the "000000000000.properties" file located in the "\clients" directory. But the entry in the sage.properties is not changed for the users. There it still has the standart stv for all the users.

And for me it only seems to work with either no transcoding or the 300kbps setting. Anything else will get me a black video screen with no sound. Only the timebar showing progress. With the normal 300 though it will work.
Both server and client are 4.1.8 and java is the newest 1.5 on both mashines (i think).

Edit: I think it is the same problem that "thatdude90210" mentioned:
http://forums.freytechnologies.com/f...7&postcount=72

With 300 it will always work, with other values it only sometimes.

My log:

Sa 2/25 14:29:00.381 Detecting cryptography support...
Sa 2/25 14:29:01.068 Sending out discovery packets to find SageTVPlaceshifter Servers...
Sa 2/25 14:29:01.068 Discovery packet received:java.net.DatagramPacket@1f82982
Sa 2/25 14:29:01.084 Added server info:UFP-HQ 192.168.0.2
Sa 2/25 14:29:02.068 Error discovering servers:java.net.SocketTimeoutException:Receive timed out
Sa 2/25 14:29:02.178 Starting SageTVPlaceshifter Client
Sa 2/25 14:29:02.178 Starting main loop
Sa 2/25 14:29:07.068 Sending out discovery packets to find SageTVPlaceshifter Servers...
Sa 2/25 14:29:07.068 Discovery packet received:java.net.DatagramPacket@364641
Sa 2/25 14:29:07.068 Added server info:UFP-HQ 192.168.0.2
Sa 2/25 14:29:08.068 Error discovering servers:java.net.SocketTimeoutException:
Receive timed out
Sa 2/25 14:29:13.068 Sending out discovery packets to find SageTVPlaceshifter Servers...
Sa 2/25 14:29:13.068 Discovery packet received:java.net.DatagramPacket@159780d
Sa 2/25 14:29:13.068 Added server info:UFP-HQ 192.168.0.2
Sa 2/25 14:29:14.068 Error discovering servers:java.net.SocketTimeoutException:
Receive timed out
Sa 2/25 14:29:19.068 Sending out discovery packets to find SageTVPlaceshifter Servers...
Sa 2/25 14:29:19.068 Discovery packet received:java.net.DatagramPacket@4ab2f
Sa 2/25 14:29:19.068 Added server info:UFP-HQ 192.168.0.2
Sa 2/25 14:29:19.865 Connection accepted by server
Sa 2/25 14:29:19.865 Connected to media server
Sa 2/25 14:29:20.068 Error discovering servers:java.net.SocketTimeoutException:
Receive timed out
Sa 2/25 14:29:20.068 Connection accepted by server
Sa 2/25 14:29:20.068 Connected to gfx server
Sa 2/25 14:29:20.521 GetProperty: GFX_TEXTMODE
Sa 2/25 14:29:20.521 GetProperty: GFX_BLENDMODE
Sa 2/25 14:29:20.521 GetProperty: GFX_DRAWMODE
Sa 2/25 14:29:20.537 GetProperty: GFX_BITMAP_FORMAT
Sa 2/25 14:29:20.537 GetProperty: GFX_SUPPORTED_ASPECTS
Sa 2/25 14:29:20.537 GetProperty: GFX_ASPECT
Sa 2/25 14:29:20.537 GetProperty: GFX_SUPPORTED_RESOLUTIONS
Sa 2/25 14:29:20.537 GetProperty: GFX_RESOLUTION
Sa 2/25 14:29:20.537 GetProperty: GFX_COMPOSITE
Sa 2/25 14:29:20.553 GetProperty: GFX_COLORKEY
Sa 2/25 14:29:20.553 GetProperty: INPUT_DEVICES
Sa 2/25 14:29:20.553 GetProperty: DISPLAY_OVERSCAN
Sa 2/25 14:29:20.553 GetProperty: VIDEO_CODECS
Sa 2/25 14:29:20.553 GetProperty: AUDIO_CODECS
Sa 2/25 14:29:20.553 GetProperty: PULL_AV_CONTAINERS
Sa 2/25 14:29:20.568 GetProperty: PUSH_AV_CONTAINERS
Sa 2/25 14:29:20.568 GetProperty: FIXED_PUSH_MEDIA_FORMAT
Sa 2/25 14:29:20.568 GetProperty: CRYPTO_ALGORITHMS
Sa 2/25 14:29:21.693 SetProperty CRYPTO_PUBLIC_KEY
Sa 2/25 14:29:21.693 GetProperty: CRYPTO_SYMMETRIC_KEY
Sa 2/25 14:29:21.834 SetProperty CRYPTO_EVENTS_ENABLE
Sa 2/25 14:29:21.834 SageTVPlaceshifter event encryption is now=true
Sa 2/25 14:29:31.662 SetProperty CRYPTO_EVENTS_ENABLE
Sa 2/25 14:29:31.662 SageTVPlaceshifter event encryption is now=false
Sa 2/25 14:29:41.490 Execute media command 0
Sa 2/25 14:29:41.490 Execute media command 27
Sa 2/25 14:29:41.490 Execute media command 16
Sa 2/25 14:29:41.506 Executing mplayer cmd: [mplayer.exe, -identify, -osdlevel,
0, -autosync, 5, -noconsolecontrols, -slave, -priority, abovenormal, -vo, direct
x:colorkey=65552,, -cache-prefill, 0, -framedrop, -cache, 2048, -wid, 2359962, -
nokeepaspect, -vf, pp=fd, -activefile, stv://marneb.ath.cx/\\Ufp-hq\TVB\Viererke
tte-2489842-3.mpg]
Sa 2/25 14:29:41.506 MPlayer was launched successfully
Sa 2/25 14:29:41.506 Waiting for MPlayer to finish loading
Sa 2/25 14:29:41.537 stdout:MPlayer dev-CVS-051101-10:18-3.2.3 (C) 2000-2005 MPl
ayer Team
Sa 2/25 14:29:41.537 stdout:CPU: Intel Pentium 4/Xeon/Celeron Foster (Family: 8,
 Stepping: 5)
Sa 2/25 14:29:41.537 stdout:Detected cache-line size is 64 bytes
Sa 2/25 14:29:41.537 stdout:CPUflags:  MMX: 1 MMX2: 1 3DNow: 0 3DNow2: 0 SSE: 0
SSE2: 0
Sa 2/25 14:29:41.537 stdout:Compiled with runtime CPU detection - WARNING - this
 is not optimal!
Sa 2/25 14:29:41.537 stdout:To get best performance, recompile MPlayer with --di
sable-runtime-cpudetection.
Sa 2/25 14:29:41.537 stdout:
Sa 2/25 14:29:41.537 stdout:Setting process priority: abovenormal
Sa 2/25 14:29:41.553 stdout:Playing stv://marneb.ath.cx/\\Ufp-hq\TVB\Viererkette
-2489842-3.mpg.
Sa 2/25 14:29:41.553 stderr:DEBUG - active_file=1 circFileSize=0
Sa 2/25 14:29:46.506 Done waiting for MPlayer to finish loading
Sa 2/25 14:29:46.506 Sending mplayer command:volume 0
Sa 2/25 14:29:46.506 Waiting for MPlayer to pass time:0
Sa 2/25 14:29:51.506 Done waiting for MPlayer to pass time:0
Sa 2/25 14:29:51.506 Execute media command 18
Sa 2/25 14:29:51.506 Execute media command 25
Sa 2/25 14:29:51.506 Sending mplayer command:video_out_rectangles 0 0 720 480 0
37 819 546
Sa 2/25 14:29:51.506 Execute media command 29
Sa 2/25 14:29:51.506 Sending mplayer command:seek 0.0 2
Sa 2/25 14:29:51.506 Waiting for MPlayer to start seek
Sa 2/25 14:29:56.506 Done waiting for MPlayer to start seek
Sa 2/25 14:29:56.506 Execute media command 21
Sa 2/25 14:29:56.506 Execute media command 17
Sa 2/25 14:30:02.631 stderr:Failed to open stv://marneb.ath.cx/\\Ufp-hq\TVB\Vier
erkette-2489842-3.mpg
Sa 2/25 14:30:02.631 stdout:
Sa 2/25 14:30:02.631 stdout:
Sa 2/25 14:30:02.631 stdout:Exiting... (End of file)
Sa 2/25 14:30:02.631 stdout consumer has closed
Sa 2/25 14:30:02.631 stderr consumer has closed
Sa 2/25 14:30:02.646 MPlayer quit unexpectedly....reloading the file...
Sa 2/25 14:30:18.646 Execute media command 17
Sa 2/25 14:30:19.568 Execute media command 17
Sa 2/25 14:30:19.568 Execute media command 19
Sa 2/25 14:30:19.568 Sending mplayer command:pause
Sa 2/25 14:30:19.568 Execute media command 1
Sa 2/25 14:30:19.568 Closing down mplayer
Sa 2/25 14:30:19.568 Sending mplayer command:inactive_file
Sa 2/25 14:30:19.599 Sending mplayer command:quit
Sa 2/25 14:30:19.599 MPlayer process exit code:0
Sa 2/25 14:30:19.599 Error w/ Media Thread: java.io.EOFException
java.io.EOFException
        at java.io.DataInputStream.readFully(Unknown Source)
        at java.io.DataInputStream.readFully(Unknown Source)
        at sage.miniclient.MiniClientConnection.MediaThread(MiniClientConnection
.java:678)
        at sage.miniclient.MiniClientConnection.access$000(MiniClientConnection.
java:6)
        at sage.miniclient.MiniClientConnection$3.run(MiniClientConnection.java:
171)
Sa 2/25 14:30:19.803 Connection accepted by server

[rickgillyon]

I've bought a placeshifting client just to use around the house. As my 70-day-old Sony LCD TV is broken it means I can still watch TV on my laptop with no transcoding. Fantastic stuff...

However, one omission when Placeshifting - I can't set the aspect ratio. Is this planned? Still one or two channels transmitting 4:3 here.

Also one recording so far which plays in the client but not in the placeshifter - any idea why that would happen? Progress bar just runs straight to the end.

Again, thanks for this great feature!

[srothwell]

Originally Posted by marneb17

And for me it only seems to work with either no transcoding or the 300kbps setting. Anything else will get me a black video screen with no sound. Only the timebar showing progress. With the normal 300 though it will work.
Both server and client are 4.1.8 and java is the newest 1.5 on both mashines (i think).

Same exact thing for me. I can get 350K to work.

The other thing I'm experiencing is not matter what I do, the server becomes unwatchable when using a PlaceShifter client. Video stutters unmercifully. Do not have this problem with MVP.

My server isn't the latest, greatest but it's no slouch and should be able to handle the on-the-fly recoding (opinions welcome). It's an AMD Athlon FX 2800+ with 1GB RAM nVidea Nforce 3 (ASUS).

Stacy

[Narflex]

Stacy, Under what conditions is the video stuttering on the server after using the Placeshifter client?

Your server is plenty powerful. We just did a test the other day where we served up 2 Placeshifter clients at once on a cable modem connection w/ 512Kbps upstream. And the server powering it was a Athlon 2800+ w/ 1GB RAM. SageTV handled the multiple clients nicely and gave each of them half the bandwidth. We were all quite impressed.

[Bohica]

Jeffrey,

Do you plan on adding support for VOB playback through the placeshifter? Much thanks!

[srothwell]

Originally Posted by Narflex

Stacy, Under what conditions is the video stuttering on the server after using the Placeshifter client?

Your server is plenty powerful. We just did a test the other day where we served up 2 Placeshifter clients at once on a cable modem connection w/ 512Kbps upstream. And the server powering it was a Athlon 2800+ w/ 1GB RAM. SageTV handled the multiple clients nicely and gave each of them half the bandwidth. We were all quite impressed.

Hi Jeff,

The only time the stuttering on the server does not occur is when it's sending non-recompressed files (i.e. to Client or Extender). Any time that it's recompressing it becomes unwatchable.

I'm not sure how others do it, but my server is always up-resing everything to 1080i (actually 1776x1000) through DVI out of the PC into DVI on the TV set. Don't know if up-converting like that is putting a strain or what?

Did a few tests here.... I started playing a video on the server/main TV. Then I logged into PlaceShifter and made sure it went out through the internet (did not use local lan setting). I set the bitrate to 300K and set post processing on.

While the server's video was playing by itself, the CPU usage was around 20%. As soon as I started playing the file in PlaceShifter, it shot to 100%, stayed there about 15 seconds than started alternating between 35%-60% most of the time then wouls spike to 100% where it would stay for about 6 second then go back to the 35-60%. The whole time, the video was stuttery and had lots of "banding".

Then I decided to play with the video settings on the server and much was revealed. I use WinDVD7 and the Intervideo decoder. Up until this very moment it's been fine.

As soon as I switched to the SageTV decoder, the problems on the server completely stopped. CPU usage was still up there but no stuttering.

Only catch is that the SageTV decoder looks awful. Any lines have terrible aliasing on them. It looks like it's throwing every other line away or not doing a very good job of up-resing to 1776x1000. That's why I was using intervideo.

I also had the following regedit settings applied to the intervideo decoders to make the playback much smoother:

HKLM\Software\InterVideo\Common\VideoDec\Dxva = 1
HKLM\Software\InterVideo\Common\VideoDec\Hwmc = 1

Is there anything that can possibly make SageTV decoder look better?

Also what else can I try? It seems to me the stuttering is having much to do with the intervideo decoder.

Stacy

[foolio]

how do you set the bitrate settings? I also can not get the video to transcode correctly

thx

[that_kid]

Right now I'm watching tv via placeshifter and posting this using my EvDO connection from my sprint 6700 pocket pc phone. This is great and now I'm wondering if there's a way to run placeshifter on a pocket pc if I install a java runtime. Now that would be very impressive.

[mayamaniac]

Another bizarre problem with 4.18. I upgraded 2 days ago over 4.17 and it was working fine. Just today, SageTV Client on a separate machine locked up while trying to playback a show. I went to server machine and looked at the SageTVservice.exe process, and its pegging the CPU all the way up to 100%. I shut it down and restarted the service, but it would go up 100% as soon as I playback a show. Here are the things I tried to trouble shoot it:

Rebooted Server machine
Downgrade to Java 1.42
Delete Sage.prop file, let SageTV create a new one.
Replaced wiz.bin with older one in 4.17.
Disable SageTV service.
Upgrade back to java 1.5.6

After each one, I would launch SageTV and it would do the same thing again, shoots CPU up to 100%. So I copied the 4.17 backup I had and launched SageTV, everything works like before, CPU usuage is mornal again. The strange thing is I had 4.18 installed for two days without problems, even placeshifting worked. And nobody touched the server machine the entire time, no updates, nothing changed. But suddenly the problem began and I can't fix it no matter what I tried. Had to revert back to 4.17. Very bizarre, I will wait for 4.19.

[jptaz]

Hi all,

Qian has found the solution to the multiple HD Tuner crashes.
I have done extensive testing with the fix and the following DLL definitely solves the problem:

http://download.sage.tv/users/qian/PsisDecd.dll

Download this file and then register it with regsvr32 and then reboot your PC to make sure that any programs actively using the old one reload with the new version.

Do not attempt to over write the existing version in the system32 directory as windows file protection will just replace it with the origianl file, you can just place it in the SageTV Directory and register it there and then all programs will use it instead of the one in system32.

I found the easiest way to force the error to happen when using the old dll is to disconnect and or make the coax connector from your Tuner and move it around. This should result in heavy pixelation and even total loss of signal. When recording on more than one tuner at a time this will result in SageTV locking up and not recovering the signal once the cable is restored. With the fix you can do this all day long and sageTV will continue recording without a problem. I have been testing this on the cable before my splitter to my 3 tuners and it works perfectly.

Hope this helps others,
John

[jptaz]

Mayamaniac,

Look for any zero length files in your imports or recording directories...I nearly went crazy the other night when this happened until I deleted a zero length file and all was well.

John

[Narflex]

Originally Posted by that_kid

Right now I'm watching tv via placeshifter and posting this using my EvDO connection from my sprint 6700 pocket pc phone. This is great and now I'm wondering if there's a way to run placeshifter on a pocket pc if I install a java runtime. Now that would be very impressive.

Read the first post of this thread and it links to another thread where I've got a JAR posted so you can run the Placeshifter (without video) on anything that has a JVM.

[Homebuilder]

Hi, I am looking into buying a treo 700 phone and using it with nielm's webserver, but I would love to use it with the new place shifting.

Anyone try this out? or know if this will run on windows mobile? I just noticed the one post that has it going on a "EvDO connection from my sprint 6700 pocket pc phone"

Will that work on any mobile windows?

If not, any plans to get it to work with windows mobile with video?

verizon is at around 700k for mobile internet in atlanta, and sprint is planning a 3000k wifi internet this year for their phones are cards...

[foolio]

can someone please tell me how to change the transcoding bitrate?

thanks