Mac Client and ripped DVD playback

[inlvnv]

Can the Mac Client play ripped DVDs like the Windows Client? I'm getting file system error whenever trying to play the DVDs.

[flavius]

I have tried with version 6.3.3 and 6.3.4 of the client. Crashes every time.

[inlvnv]

Was it capable in previous versions?

[flavius]

Never tried before.

[bcjenkins]

For DVD playback to work you have to have direct file level access to the VIDEO_TS folders. Are you using unc shares?

If you are, I am afraid this falls into the same category as to why a linux server can't be an encoder to a windows server. I have submitted a request in the past that SageTV update their java cifs implementation and enable a path of file://server/share to work. This would work across all three platforms. Maybe you could too.

B

[flavius]

No shares.

[inlvnv]

Originally Posted by bcjenkins

For DVD playback to work you have to have direct file level access to the VIDEO_TS folders. Are you using unc shares?

If you are, I am afraid this falls into the same category as to why a linux server can't be an encoder to a windows server. I have submitted a request in the past that SageTV update their java cifs implementation and enable a path of file://server/share to work. This would work across all three platforms. Maybe you could too.

B

I do have it setup with unc shares in my WHS box. Changed to d:\shares\videos and is now crashing the Client. Do you know if any previous Mac Client versions worked?

[inlvnv]

Tried Mac Client 6.35RC. Still no hd based DVD playback with same file access error.

[bcjenkins]

I would send an email to support. I don't expect that it will work though.

B

[HawgGuy]

I just checked - ripped DVD's don't play for me either. I had not tried in a while, but I definitely remember being able to play them in the past - It was a big deal for me when it finally got that capability - now gone I guess.

[inlvnv]

Submitted a bug report, and their reply was that they are workig on it. I'm still curious as to which previous version worked with dvd playback. I wouldn't mind installing that version.

[gravis12]

Hi, Just bought a mini mac to use as a client. Was dissapointed when I realized that dvd folders playback is not working for mac. What is the problem in this matter?
/Thomas

[flavius]

It actually works fine. What do your Media Center Import Directories look like?

[miimura]

Originally Posted by flavius

It actually works fine. What do your Media Center Import Directories look like?

I'm evaluating SageTV on an XP box as my server and I'm also evaluating the Mac Client on a 24" iMac. I have my folders arranged just as described in the appendix of the 6.4 manual and the server is configured with UNC paths. The error I get on the Mac is "There was a Playback Error in playback: Details: sage.PlaybackException: ERROR(-3,0x0): There was a problem accessing the filesystem for playback. [OK]". I can browse to the DVD folders in the Mac finder without typing any passwords because I saved the XP username and password when initially connecting from the Mac.

Edit: SageTV Client for windows works fine my networked HTPC using WinXP (the third computer in this setup)

Any ideas?

- Mike

[Halstead]

Flavius- if you have a Mac client with a Windows server, it really doesn't. I've been using SageTV since v2, and there has never been an issue with my DVD rips on my many Windows clients. However, now that I'm spending more and more time in front of my Mac, the inability to access my VIDEO_TS based DVD rips is really bugging me. As with everyone else here (it seems), I have all of my media on UNC shares.

inlvnv- glad you submitted a bug. Have you heard anything lately?

[flavius]

So, you're saying when I watch a ripped DVD (VIDEO_TS) stored on my windows server using a Mac client it's not really happening?

OMG!

[Halstead]

Originally Posted by flavius

So, you're saying when I watch a ripped DVD (VIDEO_TS) stored on my windows server using a Mac client it's not really happening?

OMG!

No, although I will say you're being needlessly snarky about a problem that several users are clearly having. Can you lend a hand instead?

Let's find out what's different about your setup and what the commonalities are with those of us that are having the issue.

So: I have a SageTV Server running on a Windows 2003 SP2 box. All of my media is on an UnRAID server, which is accessed via UNC shares (e.g. \\videos\movies\2001\VIDEO_TS)

All of my Windows machines can access these DVDs with no problem, but when I try and play back on OS X, I get the "There was a Playback Error in playback: Details: sage.PlaybackException: ERROR(-3,0x0): There was a problem accessing the filesystem for playback. [OK]" error.

Single file playback (e.g. .AVIs) work fine.

As a side but possibly relate note, the Mac doesn't see comskip .EDL files either.

Others?

[gplasky]

What user ID is being used on the Mac? Does that user ID exit on the UNRAID server or does it have the necessary permissions to read the file? If you can't see the .edl files from comskip it sounds like a permissions problem. Give the group Everyone read/write permissions to the share.

Gerry

[Halstead]

Gerry-
I don't have user-level security turned on for the UnRAID- everyone on the network has full access to the shares. In fact, I have the video drive auto-mount under OS X with an automator script, and have already copied several DVDs from my Mac.

Having said that, the user name on my Mac is different from that of the SageTV Server, which is Administrator.

I'm wondering if it could be some latent SMB mapping issue.

[inlvnv]

Originally Posted by Halstead

Flavius- if you have a Mac client with a Windows server, it really doesn't. I've been using SageTV since v2, and there has never been an issue with my DVD rips on my many Windows clients. However, now that I'm spending more and more time in front of my Mac, the inability to access my VIDEO_TS based DVD rips is really bugging me. As with everyone else here (it seems), I have all of my media on UNC shares.

inlvnv- glad you submitted a bug. Have you heard anything lately?

Nope, didn't hear back from them since 13 months ago when they stated they were working on it. Placeshifter or client will play back individual vob files through "Browse Media Files" option though. Anyway, I don't believe mac support is high priority for the SageTV folks. Anyway, I gave up and have been happily using VLC to play back DVDs on WHS.