"View more options" missing/video conversion

[efdawson]

I apologize if this has been covered somewhere, but I can't find it. In 6.4 I used to be able to convert asf files to mp4 that were in my video library folder by finding them in Media Center - Browse Media files and there used to be "View more options for the video" button where I could then choose to convert the files. However, now in 6.6 that option is no longer there. I can not locate these type of files anywhere else in Sage to convert these files to mp4, though of course I can convert native sage recordings to mp4. Does this option still exist somewhere and I simply can't find it? Or was it removed, and if so, why?

TIA,
Eric

[Opus4]

If you used to see a button for "View additional options" when viewing a video in the file browser, that meant the file was already imported (or a recording), so it could offer imported video options. So, it sounds to me like the file isn't getting imported for some reason. Maybe it isn't in an import directory?

- Andy

[efdawson]

To my knowledge it is in an import directory. Actually, same directory as my sage recordings. To be more specific, I am seeing them by going to: Media Center - Browse Media files - Browse Import Library paths. Additionally, wow, once I am there I see everything. I have the video options button for any other type of file. Just not .asf. However .asf definitely had the option in at least v. 6.2. It just seems like the support for this conversion was dropped. I am hoping this isn't the case. I use slinger and slingbox to get stuff off my other Comcast DVR and this is the only format it records to.

Thanks

[Opus4]

Is the file imported -- is it listed in the video browser?

Is the .asf extension listed on the seeker/video_library_import_filename_extensions property?

If the file is imported, do you see a convert option for other videos?

- Andy

[efdawson]

Thanks for your help Andy. But I am a real newbie here. The ONLY place I see the asf files in question are when I go to "Media Center - Browse Media files - Browse Import Library paths" and they are in white while everything else is in yellow. How can I go about listing the .asf extension on the seeker/video_library_import_filename_extensions property? Is this a config file somewhere that I need to edit?

[Opus4]

The first part of Appendix A in the PDF manual & this FAQ should help find the sage.properties file & give a quick overview of how to edit it:
How do I edit the properties file? The settings don't change when I change them.

- Andy

[efdawson]

Andy-Again thanks for your help. Are any of the directions different in Windows 7? I can only find the file "Sage.properties.defaults" and there are very few lines there. No line resembling what you wrote.

[Opus4]

See that FAQ's link for finding the files in Vista. They are probably in the VirtualStore.

- Andy

[efdawson]

OK, making progress. You were right. They were in virtual store. .asf was not there. I added it to the line you specified. Restarted the Sage service and refreshed imported media. Still did not have the "view more options" option. They are still listed in white as opposed to yellow. Any more I can modify?

[Opus4]

Make sure it is still in the properties file & that you didn't edit the .autobackup copy instead -- you could miss it if extensions are hidden in Explorer.

- Andy

[efdawson]

No, I have hide extensions off and I checked both files afterwards. Is it possible that on my old PC (XP) that I ran Sage 6.4 on that I had some kind of different codec? Of course I can still play the asf file now, just don't have the option to convert it to mpeg. Sage did such a nice and fast job with these.

[Opus4]

What format is in use inside the asf file? I was told that it may contain formats that SageTV can't convert.

- Andy

[efdawson]

I don't know how to answer that question. But I don't think that could be the problem. I can tell you that I can simply tote the asf files via memory key to my old machine with 6.4 on it and convert the files. However, I would like to not do that.

[Opus4]

I'm still not clear on whether the file is getting imported or not. If it is not listed in the imported video browser, test it by moving the file to an import directory and tell SageTV to rescan the import dirs.

- Andy