A Few Initial Questions. . .

[Xleon]

I've not used SageTV for many years. I always keep an eye out and it seems to have reached a level now where I think it would fit in with exactly what I want and I may consider switching.

I do have a few questions I hope someone may be able to answer. Apologies if they are obvious or stupid, they are functions I could not live without. . .

1) Can you schedule recordings easily via a web-interface?

2) I don't think I'll have access to XML TV EPG data. Can you still schedule recordings manually (like a VCR) and can you simply hit "Record" when watching a program to record it and manually stop the recording (or set it to record for 1 hour)

3) When watching videos on your PC, is there an easy way to adjust the aspect of the video while watching it? Some of my files are in the wrong aspect.

4) As 3, if there a function to allow you to zoom up or down the video being watched? Eg. 100% (normal), or press a button and adjust to 110% or 120% etc. between a bunch of varying zoom levels?

Thanks for any help with the above.

[Xleon]

OK, I've installed the latest stable 15 day trial and have a few observations ...


* It's incredibly easy to setup. Took no time at all and everything worked first time. The video conversion system is genius and works brilliantly. Also impressed with how well the SageTV Client interfaces from another PC.


* The GUI is a little clunky and some bits are not very intuitive. eg. When you browse to view a file not in the library, you have to navigate to the drive/folder/file each and every time. If it remembered where you last were it would be helpful. (Also, when browsing some folders/drives, the text disappears so you only have the blank folder icons)


* It has an AR setting, but no zoom options. Some video files which are 2:35 aspect are getting filled vertically and thus cutting the sides off, while some Google Videos are too blocky full-screen and could be done with being zoomed down. Is there an option to control zoom?


* Google Video works, but every clip tried on YouTube reports "Could Not Determine Video Type".


* Can you add different file-types? It doesn't understand that ".MKV" files are in fact media files? Is there a way to assign a particular filter graph to a file type? I have some .TS files which contain MPEG2 and need to be decoded with a particular filter/decoder combo, while I also have some .TS files which are H264 and need another filter/decoder combo.
I currently have them tagged with a different extension than .TS and inform my other media players to treat them as a special case.


* I can access my mapped network drives when browsing media, but it refuses to add them to the Library? The drive letters do not appear, despite being visible to all my other applications.


* I was unable to demo PlaceShifter as the download appears to be broken. Tried several times from different browsers, but the setup file always stopped at the same size (18.4MB) and Windows reported it was not a valid EXE file.


* Is there a way to view the files on both the Library and when browsing a folder in a list form and not use the thumbnails? I couldn't find the option and it would make transversing larger lists much quicker and would not cut so much of each filename off in a thumbnail box.


* Is there a way to make "shortcuts" to folders so if you have files in a location you need to get to often and quickly, there is a fast way of doing this?


Cheers.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Xleon

* It has an AR setting, but no zoom options. Some video files which are 2:35 aspect are getting filled vertically and thus cutting the sides off, while some Google Videos are too blocky full-screen and could be done with being zoomed down. Is there an option to control zoom?

Each AR has individual horizontal and vertical zoom settings, plus horizontal and vertical shift settings.

* Can you add different file-types? It doesn't understand that ".MKV" files are in fact media files?

seeker/video_library_import_filename_extensions

* I can access my mapped network drives when browsing media, but it refuses to add them to the Library? The drive letters do not appear, despite being visible to all my other applications.

Is this client or server, any mapped drives need to be visible on the server (and if you're using the service you can't use mapped drives, you have to use UNC paths).

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by Xleon

1) Can you schedule recordings easily via a web-interface?

Placeshifter has the full SageTV UI at a remote location, or you could use nielm's web server -- see the sticky List of available customizations in the customizations forum.

2) I don't think I'll have access to XML TV EPG data. Can you still schedule recordings manually (like a VCR) and can you simply hit "Record" when watching a program to record it and manually stop the recording (or set it to record for 1 hour)

You can create manual timed recordings, but Rec/Rec isn't used to start/stop recordings.

Originally Posted by Xleon

* Google Video works, but every clip tried on YouTube reports "Could Not Determine Video Type".

See: STV update for Online Videos in v6.1.9.

* I was unable to demo PlaceShifter as the download appears to be broken. Tried several times from different browsers, but the setup file always stopped at the same size (18.4MB) and Windows reported it was not a valid EXE file.

Thanks -- I got the same result & passed the info along. Edit: It works for me now.

* Is there a way to view the files on both the Library and when browsing a folder in a list form and not use the thumbnails? I couldn't find the option and it would make transversing larger lists much quicker and would not cut so much of each filename off in a thumbnail box.

I'm not sure if I understand completely, but you can use the Options command in the imported video browser to change the number of rows & columns, so try setting it to 1 column for more space for the title. There isn't really an option to turn off the thumbnails.

* Is there a way to make "shortcuts" to folders so if you have files in a location you need to get to often and quickly, there is a fast way of doing this?

Also in the customizations index, check out nielm's Dynamic menus system.

- Andy

[Xleon]

Thanks to you both . . .

*nielm's web server is beautiful. A very nice plugin indeed.


* but Rec/Rec isn't used to start/stop recordings - OK, but would be nice put in the pot as a feature suggestion if you need to do a fast record for 1 hr.


* Found the aspect-change option using it's own button, thanks. Can you add other aspects in there as well as 16:9? eg. 1:78, 1:85, 2:35 & 2:40?


* I'd like something which you can change the Zoom of the output on-the-fly while watching, rather than having to keep going in to a couple of option menus and tweak it, like how Aspect works in point 3 above.


* Demo'd Placeshifter and it's brilliant ;-) Thanks for the quick D/L fix.


* "There isn't really an option to turn off the thumbnails." - This is exactly the option I need! Like when using Windows Explorer, I never use icon view as I find it's messy. I prefer to use neat text lists. Could an option be added to view the items as a list (maybe if the text is too long, it could scroll when you highlight it) please? I know the icons user smaller font to fit the name in, but it often becomes too small to read at a distance and scrolling text would be more readable.


* "nielm's Dynamic menus system" - Have it running, cheers. It may well do the trick.


* "seeker/video_library_import_filename_extensions" - Found thanks. Will have a play with the options.


* " (and if you're using the service you can't use mapped drives, you have to use UNC paths)." - I am indeed running it as a service under "Local System". Would it make a difference if I ran it under a user account? The drives are mapped to a letter from a SAMBA server. You can view content on them, just not import them in to the database.


* Just like to add another feature request - When you browse some large folders, if you go back out and back in to view another, it has "forgotten" the original location and you have to navigate all-the-way-back-again. Please can it remember the last location you want to?

Cheers.

[ke6guj]

Originally Posted by Xleon

* but Rec/Rec isn't used to start/stop recordings - OK, but would be nice put in the pot as a feature suggestion if you need to do a fast record for 1 hr.

The SageMC alternate UI has some more options in how the REC button works, you can record partial recordings if need be. I also think there is a plugin for the stock UI to add that functionality.

* Found the aspect-change option using it's own button, thanks. Can you add other aspects in there as well as 16:9? eg. 1:78, 1:85, 2:35 & 2:40?

Do you really need more aspect ratios? have a widescreen tv? On my 16:9 TV I normally watch everything in Source AR. All the different aspect ratioed imported videos display full width and the letterbox bars vary as needed. My HD 16:9 recordings display in full-screen and my SD 4:3 recordings displayed as pillarboxed.

The only other AR I use is 16:9 which I have adjusted to make 16:9 content that is recorded in 4:3 zoom in 133% so that it displays in full-screen instead of postage stamped.

There is a nice auto-aspect ratio changer import that will automatically switch the aspect ratio according to your specified rules.

* I'd like something which you can change the Zoom of the output on-the-fly while watching, rather than having to keep going in to a couple of option menus and tweak it, like how Aspect works in point 3 above.

Also in SageMC, you can bring up the options menu while actually watching a recording and adjust the zoom settings of an Aspect ratio on the fly instead of having to go all the way into the Detailed Setup screens.


edit:

* " (and if you're using the service you can't use mapped drives, you have to use UNC paths)." - I am indeed running it as a service under "Local System". Would it make a difference if I ran it under a user account? The drives are mapped to a letter from a SAMBA server. You can view content on them, just not import them in to the database.

In Detailed Setup>Imported Folders add the shared SAMBA folders as \\Samba\shared-folder instead of by by the mapped drive letter. And you can't used Local System, you need to use a user account that has permission to the SAMBA shared folder.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Xleon

* Found the aspect-change option using it's own button, thanks. Can you add other aspects in there as well as 16:9? eg. 1:78, 1:85, 2:35 & 2:40?

Guess that's the question, do you really need more than the 4 that are there? I mean I've got an uncommon display AR (2.39:1) and I think I only use three of them. Don't get all hung up on the names, they're somewhat arbitrary.

Plus with the Display Aspect Ratio setting, I don't find myself needing for anymore ARs. Here's what I've got (on a 2.39:1 screen).

Source - basically everything
16x9 - used for 16x9 in 4x3 letterbox content zooms to cut off bars, maintains AR.
fill - used for anamorphic scope content - zooms 2.39:1 content to fill my 2.39:1 screen cropping bars.

* " (and if you're using the service you can't use mapped drives, you have to use UNC paths)." - I am indeed running it as a service under "Local System". Would it make a difference if I ran it under a user account? The drives are mapped to a letter from a SAMBA server. You can view content on them, just not import them in to the database.

Services just can't use mapped drives period, because drives are mapped by explorer.exe (the UI process), but services don't have an associated UI context/process so drives are never mapped and made available to them.

If you need to access network resources with a service:
1) It needs to be running as a user with permission to access those resources
2) Network resources must be specified by UNC path (\\server\share).

[Xleon]

Cheers for the AR and UNC info -- I'll check those out.

I didn't know about SageMC -- Turns out, the UI looks much nicer than the stock SageTV UI and even has the "Folder list" option to view without thumbnails I requested! Perfect.

Ask and you shall receive

[Xleon]

Trial period has been going very well (apart from I can't get it to keep any of my recordings - it just seems to delete them!)

One thing I'm missing is a way to find out which filters/splitters Sage TV is using when you play back an imported file. ZoomPlayer has a "Filters..." option on it's right-click menu. Has Sage TV got an option like this?

I couldn't find it and it's a vital option to have in a media player.
Any help greatly appreciated.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Xleon

Trial period has been going very well (apart from I can't get it to keep any of my recordings - it just seems to delete them!)

One thing I'm missing is a way to find out which filters/splitters Sage TV is using when you play back an imported file. ZoomPlayer has a "Filters..." option on it's right-click menu. Has Sage TV got an option like this?

Nope.

I couldn't find it and it's a vital option to have in a media player.
Any help greatly appreciated.

ZP is one of the only ones I'm aware of with that option.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by Xleon

Trial period has been going very well (apart from I can't get it to keep any of my recordings - it just seems to delete them!)

Are you setting up Manual recordings and/or Favorties, or just watching live TV? Live TV can get deleted shortly after the show is over.

If MRs or Favs are getting deleted quickly, then check that there is enough space to keep recoridngs in your recording dir & that there is no undelete utility on the recordig drive that prevents SageTV from seeing deleted files as free space. You can also enable debug logging to see if the files are getting deleted due to recording corruption or some other issue.

- Andy

[Xleon]

ZP is one of the only ones I'm aware of with that option.

TVedia 4 (which I'm currently using) has this option and some highly advanced filter manipulation (beyond even what ZP has), but no PVR. It's looking increasingly likely I'll be flipping between the two - Using TVedia for my HD H264/X264-type material and using Sage for the PVR functionality and possibly SD AVI playback.

I need to sort out some XML TV listings before the trial expires to prove to myself that the UK listings are workable. I'll probably try the RadioTimes feed as others seem to be having success with that.

I've sorted out the deleting of shows now - human error!


I tested out the "Play DVD" option and found it only plays my first DVD drive. I have two fitted and it didn't give me the choice of which one to play from - is this normal?

Also, is there a way to determine how far the media import process has got through the list of drives/folders/files you have given it? There doesn't appear to be a way to find out when it's likely to finish.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Xleon

TVedia 4 (which I'm currently using) has this option and some highly advanced filter manipulation (beyond even what ZP has), but no PVR. It's looking increasingly likely I'll be flipping between the two - Using TVedia for my HD H264/X264-type material and using Sage for the PVR functionality and possibly SD AVI playback.

videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter ?

[Xleon]

I didn't see that property mentioned on the forums or in any file. I'll have to play with that.

My current task is to setup XMLTV from the Radio Times UK feed to test. It's like wading through treacle with all the various different plugins / external apps etc. and the processes involved!!

I've followed the excellent (if 2yrs old) guide at http://www.sisko.org/archives/2005/0...load-epg-data/
Sage has imported the correct channels, but there is no EPG data in the program. I've been tweaking the XMLTV.exe output types but I can't find where in Sage you can force it to reload the epgdata.xml file.

Is there a database file I can delete to force it to reload the data, if there isn't an option in the program to force a re-load?

There is no messages in the logs, so it's not clear what the issue is.