HDTV Transport Stream playback

[DCipher]

OK - so i've got an Fusion HDTV5 Lite card working great with Sage 4.1.4 - recording the transport stream. Sage can record & playback without a problem.

However, the mpeg files can't be played back by any other software - TheaterTek refuses to play them (starts & stops); VLC will play back video only; My Roku will only play back the video too - just doesn't see the audio track.

If I record to a .tp (transport stream) file from the fusion application, i can play back the files everywhere - VLC, Roku, no problem.

So - what's Sage doing to the files???

Thanks,
Jeff

[Slack]

So no one here knows?

I'm guessing it's a 'feature' built in by SageTV to force you into the client.
It's BS.

Why can't I stream a show from my HTPC to my office PC using good old SMB? Well I can, but in VLC it has no audio.

I've found that I can copy the whole file over & it will play in Womble Mpeg Video Wizard.

[Mark SS]

Originally Posted by Slack

I'm guessing it's a 'feature' built in by SageTV to force you into the client.
It's BS.

Idiot, what a ridiculous statement to make.

Originally Posted by DCipher

However, the mpeg files can't be played back by any other software

Could be a bug, submit a bug report and see what support have to say.

[jkohn]

I discovered the same problem. You can configure SageTV to record Transport Stream (*.TS) instead of Program Stream (*.mpg) by changing a setting in the properties xml file. This may help with some software (for instance I could play the TS files back on my desktop using PowerDVD), but in my experience TheaterTek still won't be able to play the files.

I think the problem may have to do with the fact that SageTV strips out the extra sub-channels (even when recording TS files).

[Slack]

Originally Posted by jkohn

I discovered the same problem. You can configure SageTV to record Transport Stream (*.TS) instead of Program Stream (*.mpg) by changing a setting in the properties xml file. This may help with some software (for instance I could play the TS files back on my desktop using PowerDVD), but in my experience TheaterTek still won't be able to play the files.

I think the problem may have to do with the fact that SageTV strips out the extra sub-channels (even when recording TS files).

Can you be more specific. What setting?

I've perused the properties file for SageTV and cannot find an obvious setting to change.

[Slack]

Originally Posted by Mark SS

Idiot, what a ridiculous statement to make.
.

Idiot, No, Pessimist, Yes.

It's just so far fetched that a company might attempt to modify a file format to drive sales of another product.

[blade]

Originally Posted by Slack

Idiot, No, Pessimist, Yes.

It's just so far fetched that a company might attempt to modify a file format to drive sales of another product.

Maybe do a little research and contact tech support before making baseless accusations and people won't react that way.

[salsbst]

Originally Posted by Slack

Idiot, No, Pessimist, Yes.

It's just so far fetched that a company might attempt to modify a file format to drive sales of another product.

Sure, there are companies that play file-format games to try to lock you in. SageTV isn't one of them. You should look into the history of these boards to see the efforts SageTV has made to support the quirks of the various TV cards before you make any more guesses.

[acegolfer]

I can't playback the mpg file that SageTV created in another PC. Has anyone figure this out?

[jkohn]

Originally Posted by acegolfer

I can't playback the mpg file that SageTV created in another PC. Has anyone figure this out?

There's something non-standard about the files SageTV creates. I've yet to find another application that will play back the "program stream" MPG files and even when changing to transport stream files some apps (like TheaterTek) still can't play them although PowerDVD can play the TS files.

[sandor]

Originally Posted by jkohn

There's something non-standard about the files SageTV creates. I've yet to find another application that will play back the "program stream" MPG files and even when changing to transport stream files some apps (like TheaterTek) still can't play them although PowerDVD can play the TS files.

i havent had any problem playing back the files i get with a pair of AverMedia a180's. What HD tuner card are you using?

(VideoRedo and VLC and WMP all play the *.mpg back fine)

[Polypro]

There's also a new version that lists a .ts improvement. 6.0.19

P

[stanger89]

Sage strips unwanted/unneeded subchannels, and I know at one point there were some apps that didn't like the way Sage did that. IIRC there have been a lot of transport stream recording fixes since version 4.

For one V6, and maybe even V5 default to recording to an MPEG PS instead of an MPEG TS.

I have that disabled and my TS recordings play fine in WMP on a different machine.

[morfinx]

Just curious, how does one change the default setting to record to TS instead of PS?

EDIT: How do I know which format it's currently recording in? The file extension is .mpg

[stanger89]

In the sage.properties file:
mmc/encode_digital_tv_as_program_stream=false

[garyellis]

So, let me ask the basic question...

What is the benfit of recording to a TS vs a PS?

Obvious I don't understand what TS even is....

Gary Ellis

[stanger89]

Transport Streams (vs Program Streams) are just a different way of holding audio and video, the only real benefit is a lot of the HD-specific processing programs out there only work on TS streams.