Automated SageTV --> iTunes (for video iPod)

[squidmarks]

I am just finishing up software that scans the SageTV directory for shows, transcodes them for the video iPod, adds them to iTunes then updates your iPod. So far its working pretty good. If anyone out there has a video iPod and wants to try this software, post a reply here and I'll get you setup.

Geoff

[Deadbolt]

Wow, this is exactly what I have been looking for! Where can I download this? Thanks!

[richgnoe]

I have been looking for just this thing. Where do I download

[mightyt]

WOW! If this works, it sounds like something good to post on the Customization sticky!! I have to get me one of those iPOD things!!!

Hmmm ... Tiz the Seazon! ... isn't it !!!

[Deadbolt]

so...a 3.2 GB/hour would end up being what size wise as an iPod ready file..and how long does the transcoding take?

[alijiwani]

wow, if this really works well, I might have to upgrade my 5 month old iPod to the new video iPod

If I can please get a copy of the software to test, I would most appreciative. (contact me at alij at mit dot edu)

[squidmarks]

Wow, good to see there's people interested in this. I will post a link for download soon. I thought it was ready to go, but lastnight I made some changes to it and it gaked - tonight I need to figure out why and make the necessary changes.

Here's a few more details on it:
The software I have written is a front end for a public domain video processing package called FFMPEG.

Basically, here's what it does:
- You enter your SageTV directory and the directory you want to store iPod videos.
- It monitors your SageTV directory for new files and automatically transcodes new files as they appears, storing them in your iPod video directory.
- After it has transcoded the video, it adds the transcoded video file to your iTunes video library
- It then checks for the xml info file SageTV produces with show info and adds this show info to the tag info in iTunes (i.e. it properly names the iTunes entry with Show Name - Episode, adds show description info to the comment area et cetera).
- If enabled, it will update your iPod (if connected) with the new show.

Transcoding time per show: On my rather modest machine (2Ghz Celeron) the transcoding rate is ~1.5 sec/sec (i.e. it takes ~20 min to transcode a 30 min show). With a better machine, I expect the transcoding rate would be better.

[squidmarks]

I'm just stamping out a few bugs. Hopefully I'll get something out by Sunday. If you want to keep closer track of the progress on the SageTV to iPod software, you can go to http://inveteratediy.blogspot.com/

Geoff

[Narflex]

This is pretty cool.

[shifty_ford]

I am currently looking at buying an ipod. I was going to get the ipod photo because of the price drop, but if this is possible I may lean toward the ipod video. A couple of questions
How much space is an hour of video on the ipod?
Is the video a decent quality?
If watching a video on the ipod can I use a fm transmitter (such as the itrip) to listen to the audio?
I am using version 2.2.2.8 (????) I believe of sage tv will this still be able to be converted? (I will upgrade to ver 4 but not until my computer needs a reformat i am finally really happy with my current setup, and i have even got the wife using sage now, so no more changes until she is addicted)

Great work on this, sounds like something many people will use

[squidmarks]

Originally Posted by shifty_ford

I am currently looking at buying an ipod. I was going to get the ipod photo because of the price drop, but if this is possible I may lean toward the ipod video. A couple of questions
How much space is an hour of video on the ipod?
Is the video a decent quality?
If watching a video on the ipod can I use a fm transmitter (such as the itrip) to listen to the audio?
I am using version 2.2.2.8 (????) I believe of sage tv will this still be able to be converted? (I will upgrade to ver 4 but not until my computer needs a reformat i am finally really happy with my current setup, and i have even got the wife using sage now, so no more changes until she is addicted)

Great work on this, sounds like something many people will use

I don't think Apple offers an iPod photo anymore. The video iPod is the only full-size iPod available now.

I've been using a frame rate of 15fps which seems to work very well for the iPod - 30fps just doubles the file size without improving the picture much. A one hour video transcoded for the iPod runs about 150Mb (when transcoded at 15fps). This is using the "Good" recording quality on SageTV.

I just upgraded from v2 to v4 of SageTV. SageTV v2 works fine. The only thing you need to add is an STV that creates an XML file with show info.

I would think you can use and FM transmitter for the audio. The only thing, tho, is that the old iTrip does not work on the new iPod. If you have an FM transmitter that just plugs into the headphone jack, you're golden.

The SageTVtoiPod software is comming along nicely. Hopefully I will have something to release tomorrow. Check inveteratediy.blogspot.com for details.

Geoff

[edbmdave]

What format are you transcoding to? Do you need QuickTime 7.0.3 installed?

[squidmarks]

Originally Posted by edbmdave

What format are you transcoding to? Do you need QuickTime 7.0.3 installed?

The software defaults to mp4 encoding. You should be able to use h264, but haven't been able to get a video encoded using FFMPEG in h264 mode to work on the iPod. You don't need QuickTime 7 installed.

Geoff

[squidmarks]

Go to Inveterate DIY to download the SageToiPod software. Version 1.00 is ready.

Geoff

[Deadbolt]

Anyway we can see the manual or a feature set or more details before we turn this baby lose on our iTunes libraries?

[squidmarks]

Originally Posted by Deadbolt

Anyway we can see the manual or a feature set or more details before we turn this baby lose on our iTunes libraries?

The first time you run the software, a text document will be displayed that is all I have put together for a manual. Sorry for the limited documentation. Its pretty straighforward, tho. Here's the basics:

1) Install and run the software
2) Specify your SageTV directory, and the directory you want to store your iPod video files
3) Once you have specified these directories, the software will scan the SageTV folder for files
2) When it sees a new file, it adds it to the transcode queue (the first time you run the software, it will add all the files to the queue).
3) When you hit the "Active" button, it will begin chugging thru the transcoding queue until it has transcoded all files in the SageTV video directory
4) Everytime it transcodes a file, if you have the check box selected, it will add the file to iTunes and update your iPod (separate check box for that). Playlists will be created in iTunes (and on your iPod) to organize by show title.
5) Once it has transcoded your entire SageTV video directory, it will sit and wait for new files to show up, adding them to the queue when the do.

If you want full tag info to be imported into iTunes, get the Meekel STV (http://www.vinceanido.com/blog/sagetv-plugins/) and enable XML file generation.

This software uses the ffmpeg encoder. If you are not familiar with ffmpeg, just use the default encoding parameters. This will encode with mp4 at 15 frames/sec, which I have found works well for TV shows. If you want to try h264 or different framerates et cetera, google ffmpeg and read the documentation. I will add a more user friendly interface to allow easier manipulation of the encoding parameters later. For now, I suggest you use the defaults.

Geoff

[Deadbolt]

Excellent.. sounds great!\

Thanks!

[Diginerd]

This is a Truely Great Thing... (tm)

Of course I have one request.... ;-)

Any chance of setting it up so it only adds shows with a wildcard match to a whitelist?

eg Only dump "Battlestar Galactica", "Stargate**", & "Lost" to the iPOD and leave all the other random shows right where they are on the Sage HD.

I'm sure someone else would want a "Black list" version too. ie dumpeverything that ISN'T "Battlestar Galactica", "Stargate**", & "Lost". The logic to do one is pretty much the same as the other (err, preaching to a far better coder than me herre.. I'll stop now)

I ask this as I have a 5 tuner setup (Two with HD via firewire) and 1.5TB of online TV storage. I think even the 60GB iPOD might melt under this onslaught, as would my HTPC trying to transcode the lot, at the same time as stripping ad breaks..

Actually whilst you are at it for version two intergrating ShowAnalyizer's cut files would ROCK.. www.dragonglobal.org if you missed this other awesome tool..

/me drools thinking about having my personal favorite shows pop up on my ipod with all the adverts chopped out automagically.

[Humanzee]

Originally Posted by Diginerd

This is a Truely Great Thing... (tm)

Yes, unless you don't have a Video IPod.

Squidmarks, Please consider the rest of us out here with other PMP devices. With the work you have already done you might consider making this tool also work with some more generic capabilities.

My convergence comes in the form of a PDA cell phone, so my storage is limited to the size of my SD card. However, I do have a nice big screen and a decent length bus ride to and from work. I think some simple modifications can facilitate the rest of us folks too.

Some Ideas for instance:
*Be able disable the iTunes stuff.
*Be able to determine any number of directories to trans code files into (active sync directory, Web server folder, ORB folder)
*Be able to dynamically rename files based on data from xml files. (for those formats without tags)
*Be able to ignore or not require the xml files.
*Be able to “keep at most” X number of megabytes of data in the destination folder. ( by replacing the oldest files with the newest, or something)
* White list & Black list (good idea Diginerd)
*Automatic commercial removal (good idea Diginerd)
*Somehow, track which shows have been uploaded to a device and then subsequently deleted from it. Then when you reconnect your device the application would know to delete the source and or the original sage recording. (this would eliminate the administrative task of deleting a file from sage manually. Probably a long shot. Plus the recording wouldn’t get marked as watched, but its an idea)

This whole idea revives my interest in haveing a pocket pc client version of sage.

[Evil_Attorney]

Wow, this looks great. I'll try it tonight. I have been using the free Videora at http://www.videora.com/en-us/Converter/iPod/

It also uses ffmpeg, but no automation, of course.

All of the programs and mods for the Ipod that people are making are almost worth the extra cost over other mp3 players. I just purchased this http://www.vaistech.com/aic100i.html for my Toyota Prius that controls the ipod with the car's stereo controls and displays the track names on the center screen. Now if the ipod would only display video on the center Prius screen, I'd be all set (for an accident).