SageEncoder v0.4.2 01/29 - Encode .mpg to .wmv streaming files & divx

[jbanera]

Whatever I try with Ajuhawk's sage encoder 4.2, I can't seem to make it work! I have the settings setup correctly, at least I think I do, the input dir is set to X:\ which is where all of my shows get recorded to as well as where the SA files get written, such as the vprj files. The output dir is set to C:\PocketPC and I have the output file extension set to 'wmv'. Back in the main program, I have 'Run VideoRedo' and 'WMV Output' checked. I then press start (as well as select Auto Run and Run at Intervals) but nothing ever happens. I see SageEncoder.exe in the Windows task list at it takes some times as much as 11MB but never uses the CPU, always at zero. Other times its at 800K and zero CPU. I can't seem to locate any log or debug files, so I am lost at the moment!

Can anyone help point me in the right direction???

[ajuhawk]

Originally Posted by jbanera

Whatever I try with Ajuhawk's sage encoder 4.2, I can't seem to make it work! I have the settings setup correctly, at least I think I do, the input dir is set to X:\ which is where all of my shows get recorded to as well as where the SA files get written, such as the vprj files. The output dir is set to C:\PocketPC and I have the output file extension set to 'wmv'. Back in the main program, I have 'Run VideoRedo' and 'WMV Output' checked. I then press start (as well as select Auto Run and Run at Intervals) but nothing ever happens. I see SageEncoder.exe in the Windows task list at it takes some times as much as 11MB but never uses the CPU, always at zero. Other times its at 800K and zero CPU. I can't seem to locate any log or debug files, so I am lost at the moment!

Can anyone help point me in the right direction???

Did you make sure you setup the location of the WME executable? Any output in the log window when you press start? You'll also need to point it to videoredo. Also check that you have the profile file tvshows.prx in the sageencoder directory.

I recommend setting up a test input directory until you know it's working, and using smaller clips to begin with.

If that doesn't help, let me know and I'll see what else I can think of...

[jbanera]

Ajuhawk,

Thanks for the quick reply. I have posted a couple of screenshots so you can see my configuration a little better. I have verified everything you mentioned such as the right path to the WME exec, which is currently set to the WMcmd.vbs and I never get anything in the log window, other then settings saved, or auto run mode. Video redo is also been verified to be the correct path. tvshows.prx is also in the same directory as sageencoder.exe, which they are both in the Windows Media Components\Encoder dir, as seen in the screen shots.

SE42-1.jpg - this is what it looks like when SageEncoder is run.
SE42-2.jpg - these are my current setup settings.
SE42-3.jpg - Same as SE42-1.jpg, but I pressed the Start button.
SE42-4.jpg - Dir showing both SageEncoder.exe and tvshows.prx

Any other ideas as to what I'm doing wrong???

[ajuhawk]

Originally Posted by jbanera

Any other ideas as to what I'm doing wrong???

You have "allow web triggers" checked. With this checked, Sage Encoder will only encode the files you tell it to from Neilm's webpage interface. If you want everything in the input folder encoded, just uncheck that and it should keep the processor busy for awhile.

[jbanera]

Ajuhawk,

I have tried what you recommended, but still no processing. See attached screenshot. Do I have something else setup incorrectly?

[ajuhawk]

Originally Posted by jbanera

Ajuhawk,

I have tried what you recommended, but still no processing. See attached screenshot. Do I have something else setup incorrectly?

can you post a screenshot of the input directory you're pointing to?

EDIT: You may also try unchecking the use of VideoRedo, this may be causing it to hang up for some reason, if it works that way we can go from there...

[jbanera]

Ajuhawk,

Sorry for the delay this week, I was out of town travelling until tonight.. The input directory is 'X:\' as seen in the screen shots and I also tried your idea about unchecking the Run VideoRedo option and save settings, then restart the SE42, but still no luck...

Any other ideas??

[ajuhawk]

Originally Posted by jbanera

Ajuhawk,

Sorry for the delay this week, I was out of town travelling until tonight.. The input directory is 'X:\' as seen in the screen shots and I also tried your idea about unchecking the Run VideoRedo option and save settings, then restart the SE42, but still no luck...

Any other ideas??

I think it may be because you're using the root directory... I'll have to look at my code tomorrow and see what it would do in that situation. Another idea would be for you to type "X:" instead of "X:\". Been a long day/week, so I'll take a look tomorrow and see what I can see.

[jbanera]

I have tried using 'X:' instead of 'X:\', but it still does not seem to work..

[ajuhawk]

Originally Posted by jbanera

I have tried using 'X:' instead of 'X:\', but it still does not seem to work..

2 things to try:
1) Make a test directory on C: and copy those files over, see if it'll work on a local drive.
2) if that fails, run the attached debug version and post the log window back. It won't fix anything but it'll show me where it might be bailing - to a point, if it makes it through all that I'll have to add some more debug prints.

-AJ

Edit: removed attachment

[jbanera]

AJ,

Making a test directory on C: (eg. C:\Recordings) worked great. I set both the input dir and trigger dir to C:\Recordings and it works great. So this program will only work with the C: local drive? Is there a way around it to get it to work on X:?

Also, is there anyway to have both SE4.2 and VideoRedo 'minimized' when activity is taking place?

Thanks again, AJ!

[ajuhawk]

Originally Posted by jbanera

AJ,

Making a test directory on C: (eg. C:\Recordings) worked great. I set both the input dir and trigger dir to C:\Recordings and it works great. So this program will only work with the C: local drive? Is there a way around it to get it to work on X:?

Also, is there anyway to have both SE4.2 and VideoRedo 'minimized' when activity is taking place?

Thanks again, AJ!

I think it's more of a permissions issue. I personally have used it on network drives without a problem, so you might look into that - make sure you have write permissions and all to your X: drive.

SE can obviously be minimized and it will take care of everything. Unfortunately I've not yet figured out how to make VideoRedo not pop up... but I'll keep it in the back of my mind when I get time to work on this more again.

[jbanera]

AJ,

I have done a little more testing and here is what I have come up with.

- When I make the input dir/trigger dir and output dir to be C: it works great.
- When I make the input dir/trigger dir to be C: drive and the output dir to be X: drive, it works great.
- When I make the input dir/trigger dir to be X:, and output dir C:, it does not work.

I also tried using the DOS subst command (eg. subst g: c:\trial) and made these changes in SE42 and it will not work either. I understand that network shares work, but I don't believe other drive access is working correctly, at least when it has to access and read the drive. It appears to work when it has to copy the resulting encoding file over though.

Also, I'm not sure if you have implemented arguments for the VideoRedo command line, but according to VideoRedo forum, /q will allow quick mode for VideoRedo, but I tried adding this switch and it failed.

Stated as the last forum response at the bottom.
http://www.videoredo.net/msgBoard/sh...ghlight=vp.vbs

Let me know what else I can help out with. Do you still want me to run the debug version?

[jettman]

I just set up Sage Encoder .4.2 and I can't get it to work. It keeps saying:

3/6/2006 3:33:36 PM: No files to process.
3/6/2006 3:33:36 PM: Loop completed...waiting 5 minutes

I do have an .mpg file in my input directory.

I would put in some screen shots but don't know how to.
Does anyone know how to post a screen shot?

[jettman]

ajuhawk, any ideas on my problem directly above this reply?

[ajuhawk]

Can you give me an idea of your setup (i.e. what's checked)? Also, if you ran it once on a "test" file and then try to rerun it, you have to clear the log file as it won't reprocess the same file once it's logged.

Sounds like it's all setup right, it's just not seeing anything that needs to be processed.

[jettman]

Auto Run on Start and
Divx Output are both checked.

Also,
Input Directory - I:\Recordings
Log File Location - I:\Squeezed
Output Directory - I:\Squeezed
Output File Extension - avi
VirtualDub Location - C:\Program Files\VirtualDub\VirtualDub.exe

There is a folder in I:\Squeezed called xmlfiles but there is nothing in it. I tried other files and I still get:
3/11/2006 3:10:40 PM: No files processed.
3/11/2006 3:10:40 PM: Done!

[ajuhawk]

Do you have a .vprj file associated with the .mpg file? Sage Encoder looks for that so I know the mpg is done being written. I should probably look at changing that, but that's the way I originally wrote it.

[jettman]

I don't have a vprj file w/any of my mpeg's.
What is a vprj file?

[ajuhawk]

Originally Posted by jettman

I don't have a vprj file w/any of my mpeg's.
What is a vprj file?

It's a file generated by commercial detection or show analyzer to tell VideoRedo where commercials are. If you don't use either of those programs then you won't have those files and SageEncoder won't see anything that needs to be encoded.

The quick fix is to make a file with the same name as the mpg and just give it a .vprj extension (blank file). Obviously this isn't ideal. I may have some time to work on this next week (there were some other changes requested awhile back) .