SageTV 2.2.3 Beta Available

[Narflex]

SageTV 2.2.3 Beta is now available.

The updates since 2.2.2 are all bug fixes.

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

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

Thanks for your help!

[heffe2001]

Had a feeling that there'd be a new version tonight .

Is there a actual changelog out there for this version, so we can see what all bugs were fixed? Especially stuff like the 100% CPU usage bug, and possibly the VMR9 problems with Nvidia cards?

I can report at least two things, while the server service starts out with near 100% usage, it drops down to none after it's done scanning the databases & video files. Streaming to 2 clients bumped it up to about 4%. Need to watch what it uses when you log on another client though. The other is that the problems with video stutter when FF/RWing the video seem to be gone (on my upstairs system at any rate, using the included Sage MPEG decoder even. I'm getting good performance out of it, speed/artifact wise that is). Now to see if it crashes in the next 24 hours

[mls]

I'm still trying to figure out where these are: "Also review the Release Notes that accompany each version to determine which bugs have been fixed from a previous release."

Other than that, on first quick runs, it still randomly goes to 100% CPU and becomes useless when selecting a program from the guide. I use Cyberlink decoder (PowerDVD 5) and had not had this problem back with 2.0.20 that I can recall. Started with the 2.1 betas and still seems to be there yet in all the 2.2.x betas.

Got a few other things to check yet, but this 100% CPU (randomly) hang when first trying to play a show seems to be the first major klinker that hasn't been resolved on my list.

[Narflex]

mls,

Can you please submit a log file to betatest@freytechnologies.com from when you've got 100% CPU usage?

Here's the actual release notes:

1. Don't do fast file switching when encoding in MPEG-1.
2. Disabled use of timeshifting in non-TV media player because it should never be used that way.
3. Fixed sorting in filter name compare (caused some filters not to show up)
4. Fixed 2D render clipping which caused single line artifacts
5. Filenames for media files only use ASCII characters now. This should resolve all issues with Unicode filenames.
6. Fixed issue with properties file loss when the disk fills up.
7. Imported file duration calculations are now done in Java for MPEG2 & AVI files.
8. Logo files can be in the lower case of the logo also (for case sensitive filesystems)
9. Added occasional properties file saves to the client instead of just on exit.
10. Fixed periodic client GC loop so that it actually runs.
11. Fixed update latency for forced records between the scheduler & seeker.
12. Added property "binary_overlay_trans" which defaults to true and causes only 1 levels of fake transparency to be used instead of 3.
13. MPEG-1 files are now correctly identified as not being able to be played back while recording.
14. EPG data changes after a file is recorded will now retain their link to the file.
15. OSD size is now configurable in the properties file with osd_rendering_width and osd_rendering_height_ntsc/pal

[lovingHDTV]

Wow you hit 2400 posts with that one !

[DavidFeinzeig]

I was wondering when you expect the video stuttering problem to be resolved. From reading the forum it sounds like a Direct X 9.0c update-the-code kind of issue. It sounds like a lot of people are having problems with that and I think it is a fairly big annoyance. Also, out of curiosity, any idea on a time-frame for integration of ATSC capture?

Thanks!
Dave

[alon24]

Originally Posted by Narflex

mls,

Can you please submit a log file to betatest@freytechnologies.com from when you've got 100% CPU usage?

Here's the actual release notes:

1. Don't do fast file switching when encoding in MPEG-1.
2. Disabled use of timeshifting in non-TV media player because it should never be used that way.
3. Fixed sorting in filter name compare (caused some filters not to show up)
4. Fixed 2D render clipping which caused single line artifacts
5. Filenames for media files only use ASCII characters now. This should resolve all issues with Unicode filenames.
6. Fixed issue with properties file loss when the disk fills up.
7. Imported file duration calculations are now done in Java for MPEG2 & AVI files.
8. Logo files can be in the lower case of the logo also (for case sensitive filesystems)
9. Added occasional properties file saves to the client instead of just on exit.
10. Fixed periodic client GC loop so that it actually runs.
11. Fixed update latency for forced records between the scheduler & seeker.
12. Added property "binary_overlay_trans" which defaults to true and causes only 1 levels of fake transparency to be used instead of 3.
13. MPEG-1 files are now correctly identified as not being able to be played back while recording.
14. EPG data changes after a file is recorded will now retain their link to the file.
15. OSD size is now configurable in the properties file with osd_rendering_width and osd_rendering_height_ntsc/pal

Nice JOB!!! - option 5 is the one that hold dearest.
My lang is hebrew here and sage 2.2.2 did not stream the tv or files ok for me because of the unicode problem.
This is now fixed in 2.2.3 and it streams the tv for me very nicely.

BUT, all my previous files which were recordered using hebrew in the filename, now do not work on client (they work just fine on the server).

is there a fix for this?

[nielm]

Originally Posted by alon24

Nice JOB!!! - option 5 is the one that hold dearest.
My lang is hebrew here and sage 2.2.2 did not stream the tv or files ok for me because of the unicode problem.
This is now fixed in 2.2.3 and it streams the tv for me very nicely.

BUT, all my previous files which were recordered using hebrew in the filename, now do not work on client (they work just fine on the server).

is there a fix for this?

Provided you keep the same number at the end of the filename (xxx-123456-0.mpg), you might be able to rename the text part of the filename while Sage (Server/service) is shut down. When it restarts, it matches the number with an internal airing ID in it's DB...

Try it with a file you don't mind losing first.. -- the worst that can happen is that the file pops up in the imported videos...

[edbmdave]

Did the fix for when you went into SETUP/Video, and selecting the MPEG decoder, that will allow all the decoders to show for selection make it?

Thanks.

[alon24]

Originally Posted by nielm

Provided you keep the same number at the end of the filename (xxx-123456-0.mpg), you might be able to rename the text part of the filename while Sage (Server/service) is shut down. When it restarts, it matches the number with an internal airing ID in it's DB...

Try it with a file you don't mind losing first.. -- the worst that can happen is that the file pops up in the imported videos...

Unfortunatly that did not do the trick

and also, the server can see these files but i would rather that the client be able to also.

If I loose the file due to changing the filename then I also loose all metadata associated with it (description, air date and such).

Is there any other fix???

Update 01/14
My bad I erased the text instead of ranaming it, if there is no text then it does not work, but when added "SageTV-" instead of hebrew it does work

Thanks again

[heffe2001]

I have had one problem, occasionally (VERY occasionally), playback will pause for say, 1-3 seconds, then restart, with audio playing normally, and video running in a fast-forward type mode (like the decoder is catching up with the data by playing it fast). I've not troubleshot whether this is a network problem, or a Sage problem yet tho. Need to try replacing my switch in the basement and see if that helps it out..

Just noticed another small problem, seems client will not remember what display it was on when it was shut down. Before with 2.2.2 and previous, I could shut down the client on display 2, and when it opened, it'd open on that screen, now it always opens on my main display. I'll keep trying, but if it won't work like it used to, I'll bug it.

[edbmdave]

but program info shows 2.2.3 Beta...

[heffe2001]

Well, I'll be, I didn't notice that but you're right .

[mls]

Originally Posted by Narflex

mls,

Can you please submit a log file to betatest@freytechnologies.com from when you've got 100% CPU usage?

Will send some bug reports in a day or two after checking a few other things. Got a log file for the situation I described ready to attach also.

Thanks for the release notes. Been wondering why the web page says they "accompany each version", but I've never found any after install.

[srothwell]

(Don't worry I will fill out a bug report too)

Installed 2.2.3 today on the server and found the following:

1. Now, whenever you are playing Live TV or Recorded File, if you have video option set to Window and go into a menu with the file playing it will automatically pause it. The WAF just plummetted! She wants the old software back. You have to hit PLAY again to continue watching the video. This was not this way in v2.2.2.

2. This is ongoing and dates back clear to 2.1.... We all know the video stuttering problems that appeared with 2.1. When 2.2.2 came out, the stuttering was markedly improved. However, I have noticed if I use sage as a service and run sagetv.exe on the same server computer (which I think is supposed to start a client version?) the stuttering comes back full force. As soon as I stop using the service and use sage the old-fashioned way, the stuttering goes away. I have also noticed that when I run Sage as a service that when I click on SageTV.exe it takes almost a full minute for the UI to start running. In fact, if you look at the splash screen it will sit for quite a while on "Starting SageTV Service...." then move on. Am I doing something wrong?

Stacy

[srothwell]

(yes I will fill out a bug report...)

I reported about a month ago that I saw a problem being with 2.2.2 in which a ripped DVD, during playback, would lock up the system. Not just Sage but Windows as well.

I just tested with 2.2.3 with a completely different movie and it still happens. Here are the symptoms that happened with "Collateral" today:

1. DVD starts to play normally.
2. If you use FFW2 to jump ahead 1 minute, the movie will jump three times before the picture freezes. In this case, it hasn't locked anything up, it just won't play any more of the movie. If you bring up OSD, it won't have any title left, or chapter info or anything. If you do OSD before it locks up (like on the 2nd FFW2) then you'll see the correct data in the OSD -- current/total chapters, title, etc).
3. To get out of this incident, just hit STOP and play the movie again.
4. However if you just let the movie play, it will get to about the same point as described above and will lock everything up. The NUM LOCK button will still work on the PCs keyboard, but CTL-ALT-DEL will not bring up taskman and the only way to reset is to pull the plug on the PC.

I had this happen about a month ago with "I, Robot" but the system lockup happened at about 26:30. Again, you could move around but if you either tired to jump past that part it would "soft-lockup" or if you were actually playing at the point the whole system would freeze.

WinDVD 6 (and intervideo decoder) is installed on the server PC this is happening on. The Server PC does not have a DVD drive to try to play an actual DVD -- so there's no way to test it.

Howefver, I have WinDVD 6 (with same decoder) installed on my laptop and I have sucessfully watch both movies mentioned above from the same exact files that were ripped with absolutely no problems. So this leads me to beileve it might be a sage problem.

Anyone have any ideas.

Stacy

[GbrNole]

stacy - that isn't a sage problem you have that's a system problem. my dad had the same issues you describe but with an mce box. he had initially a corrupt xp install but we later figured out his mobo was to blame. swapped that out and been fine since.

the movies you rerefenced i have in original, dvd rip and HDD backup and all play just fine in beta 2.2.2 and beta 2.2.3.

[srothwell]

Originally Posted by GbrNole

stacy - that isn't a sage problem you have that's a system problem. my dad had the same issues you describe but with an mce box. he had initially a corrupt xp install but we later figured out his mobo was to blame. swapped that out and been fine since.

the movies you rerefenced i have in original, dvd rip and HDD backup and all play just fine in beta 2.2.2 and beta 2.2.3.

GbrNole,

One thing that didn't get posted to the forum, but was submitted on the bug report was it also crashes on Sage Client on a completely different PC, with a completely different motherboard with a completely different chipset and processor (one is AMD one is P4).

Also, this didn't happen at all until v2.2.2.

[srothwell]

I don't want to pronounce this "fixed" but I wanted to bring up to date what I've found:

If you use a ripping program that makes VOB files larger than 1GB (i.e. technincally out of DVD spec) this is when Sage seems to have lockup problems.

I was using a program called DVDShrink (which will re-encode a DVD9 into the space of a DVD5) and by default, it has a parameter set that will create one VOB for each Video Title Set. This seems to be what sage barfed at.

I re-ripped the two movies that locked up using only 1GB VOB files and it works just fine.

Best regards,

Stacy

[Wheemer]

I too am seeing the video studder when using sage in serivce mode. It's very random, but all of a sudden the video stream freezes and the audio continues just fine. After a few seconds the video starts again in hyper mode till it catches up to the audio stream. Then everything is normal until it happens again.