STV Import: NetFlix for SageMC (v2.1) 28-Feb-09

[Morgan111]

Originally Posted by Mitch G

So, I did a clean install of v2.05. (In other words, I started with a copy of my SageTV directories that were pre-netflix plugin installs.)

One thing I found was that I had to restart sage after the initial import in order to be able to edit the netflix settings, and then I had to restart sage after entering the settings in order to see the lists of movies. This isn't a problem, per se, but I thought I would mention it.

But, the real issue for me is that now when I select watch now, the viewer appears and the display says "connecting to media" and then says "Ready." But nothing else happens. I used to see "buffering media - xx%" or something like that and then after a while the movie or show would start playing.

BTW, the "stop" button seems to clean things up nicely.


Mitch

I'll check on the settings problem. I have put in some changes to make initial usage easier, but perhaps something broke there.

Does it show the title on the status line? Did you try pressing play a 2nd time?
Does it work if you choose the IE player instead of the custom player?
Does it download videos Ok?

[boognish]

Hot damn! This looks like an amazing update morgan! Im gonna have to get this setup soon.. thanks for all you have done for us

[Mitch G]

Yes, I tried pressing play a few times. I tried a few other button presses as well.
The strange thing is that I don't see the "buffering" messages at all. It goes from "Connecting to media" to "Ready" within seconds.

I also tried downloading for later viewing. It downloaded the file (some Charlie Brown cartoon) but it wouldn't play either.

Here's the thing about IE and me. Apparently because of my Nvidia graphics card and the fact that I'm using S-Video, I get a DRM issue. (At least that's the story Netflix gave me when I called them.) But, your netflix viewer bypassed that problem with the previous version of the plugin.

A couple of other data points:
Initially, I tried installing the plugin and tried getting everything working solely on the server first. Then I tried a clean install again, but this time I set up everything through the extender. In both cases the same problem occurred - the viewer pops up, acts like it's downloading the movie, etc and then just sits there with the "Ready.


Mitch

[lovingHDTV]

Originally Posted by Morgan111

null is not usually good. It should be a bitrate code but it is not obvious how that is not being set. Did you set your download bitrate to 2200? Did you try a difference rate or Manual Select? That should have something in the sage logfile, near the end before it crashes (look for the word EXCEPTION). It would be helpful to see what information there may be in the log around there.

I played a little more and found that I can download some movies. Actually everything else I tried excpt The Office: Season 1

When I try to download this series it crashes SageTV. Could it be the : in the title?

dave

[Morgan111]

Mitch, if it will not run through the official NetFlix IE player, I would expect it to fail with the custom player. They both use the Windows Media Player engine and DRM restrictions (handled internally by the WMP). I had a lot of DRM problems on one machine where some things fixed it temporarily before it would fail again, but then I fixed it by putting my LCD interface box back in the loop from my DVI and it was happy after that.

If you can fix your DRM problem you should be OK after that.

[Morgan111]

Originally Posted by lovingHDTV

I played a little more and found that I can download some movies. Actually everything else I tried excpt The Office: Season 1

When I try to download this series it crashes SageTV. Could it be the : in the title?

dave

The title doesn't have any restrictions as if were to be used for a filename. In fact I had used The Office quite a bit while testing with what seems like hundreds of downloads. I just tried it again to be sure. You may have to send me the end of the sage debug, say, where it changes to that last Video Details page until it crashes.

Did you try other TV series/episodes?

[lovingHDTV]

Originally Posted by Morgan111

The title doesn't have any restrictions as if were to be used for a filename. In fact I had used The Office quite a bit while testing with what seems like hundreds of downloads. I just tried it again to be sure. You may have to send me the end of the sage debug, say, where it changes to that last Video Details page until it crashes.

Did you try other TV series/episodes?

I did not try anything other tv series.

How do I turn on the debugging on as I don't see a log file. I do get this type of file after it fails:

hs_err_pid3656.log

looks like a java core dump file.

[Morgan111]

Put in properties file (with SageTV closed):

debug_logging=TRUE

That should create a file called sagetvclient_0.txt (or sagetv_0.txt for server/extender)

[voorhees]

Morgan,

Unbelievable! Excellent update! Love the download feature (trying it now).

These latest versions (post 2.0) have fixed my issues of not being able to see anything in the Browse DVD Titles or Browse Watch Now Titles sections. However, I am still not able to make changes to My Queue. If I move a movie up or down and then click Save, then go back to My Queue, my changes do not stick. Is there a step I am missing? It would be nice if I could make changes to my queue, but I have to say if it never happens I am fine with it because what it does do is fantastic.

Thanks.

[Mitch G]

Well, maybe I accidentally found a way to trick the DRM before because it was working.
Anyway, I googled a bit ("nvidia s-video netflix") and found that if one just disables the Nvidia adapter in the device manager, the native windows drivers are used and these seem to be DRM-friendly.
So, things work once again.

So, now for some usage questions and/or feature requests.
Is there anyway to access the Watch Instantly queue from the netflix site?
Or, make watch now work when selecting instantly watchable movies from the normal queue? Or, allow movies that are being downloaded to be selected before done and watched instantly.

Here's the scenario I'm dealing with - maybe there is a better/different solution that already exists within the plugin:
- I'm really digging the show "Dead Like Me."
- But, to watch instantly, it requires doing a search for "dead like" which actually at this point I can text with the best of them. But, it's still kind of annoying.
- So, I would like to be able to find it once, throw it in a queue and then select it and pick the episode I want to watch. I realize the download feature mitigates this a bit, but sometimes I want instant gratification.


Mitch

[chiledog]

I am sure I am missing something, but how do you get the Netflix menu on the main menu.

I installed the STVi, and can edit the setup in the sagemc setup.

But I don't see the menu. The instructions mentioned something about "*You will have to add the link into the "NetFlix Main Menu" menu."

What am I missing?

Thanks in advance.

[evilpenguin]

Originally Posted by chiledog

I am sure I am missing something, but how do you get the Netflix menu on the main menu.

I installed the STVi, and can edit the setup in the sagemc setup.

But I don't see the menu. The instructions mentioned something about "*You will have to add the link into the "NetFlix Main Menu" menu."

What am I missing?

Thanks in advance.

Press the Options button on the main menu and the top item should be something about changing the menu. That'll bring up a slightly modified version of Neilm's Dynamic menu, check out this page for details about it...

http://tools.assembla.com/sageplugin...uleDynamicMenu

[lovingHDTV]

Originally Posted by Morgan111

Put in properties file (with SageTV closed):

debug_logging=TRUE

That should create a file called sagetvclient_0.txt (or sagetv_0.txt for server/extender)

Your right there is an EXCEPTION line:

Fri 8/1 7:13:48.946 EXCEPTION in getValueAsObject:sage.a.e: Error in method reflection of org_gnu_dwarf_sage_netflix_show_ShowBrowseManager_updateShowWatchNowUrls of java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException forrg_gnu_dwarf_sage_netflix_show_ShowBrowseManager_updateShowWatchNowUrls(show)
Fri 8/1 7:13:48.946 sage.a.e: Error in method reflection of org_gnu_dwarf_sage_netflix_show_ShowBrowseManager_updateShowWatchNowUrls of java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException

[Morgan111]

Originally Posted by Mitch G

So, now for some usage questions and/or feature requests.
Is there anyway to access the Watch Instantly queue from the netflix site?
Or, make watch now work when selecting instantly watchable movies from the normal queue? Or, allow movies that are being downloaded to be selected before done and watched instantly.

Here's the scenario I'm dealing with - maybe there is a better/different solution that already exists within the plugin:
- I'm really digging the show "Dead Like Me."
- But, to watch instantly, it requires doing a search for "dead like" which actually at this point I can text with the best of them. But, it's still kind of annoying.
- So, I would like to be able to find it once, throw it in a queue and then select it and pick the episode I want to watch. I realize the download feature mitigates this a bit, but sometimes I want instant gratification.


Mitch

Mitch, The Watch Instant queue should be a feature in the next update. I didn't want to hold up the current version any longer that I did.

I don't think it will play the file while it is downloading but I will take a look at that. Right now I download to a temporary local file and then copy it to the netflix download directory. That would have to be changed.

Once I add the Instant Queue you should be able to add a show to that queue and can go to it to choose your episodes without searching for it each time.

[Mitch G]

Glad to hear of the future update. No hurry. Things are fine as is.
And I wouldn't jump through any hoops to support being able to watch instantly a downloading movie.

Also, if you haven't already, check your private messages.


Mitch

[Mitch G]

Originally Posted by evilpenguin

Press the Options button on the main menu and the top item should be something about changing the menu. That'll bring up a slightly modified version of Neilm's Dynamic menu, check out this page for details about it...

http://tools.assembla.com/sageplugin...uleDynamicMenu

Just to add to this:
- press options
- select main menu whatever
- select new ... internal screen
- find netflix main menu
- save the menu file
- hover over the netflix menu button
- press options
- select main menu whatever
- make sure "Current Menu Item" is the netflix menu button you just added
- select edit menu item and then set icon
- navigate up to to themes/default/menuicons and select hoover_my netflix.png [sic]
- save the menu file again

[Morgan111]

Originally Posted by lovingHDTV

Your right there is an EXCEPTION line:

Fri 8/1 7:13:48.946 EXCEPTION in getValueAsObject:sage.a.e: Error in method reflection of org_gnu_dwarf_sage_netflix_show_ShowBrowseManager_updateShowWatchNowUrls of java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException forrg_gnu_dwarf_sage_netflix_show_ShowBrowseManager_updateShowWatchNowUrls(show)
Fri 8/1 7:13:48.946 sage.a.e: Error in method reflection of org_gnu_dwarf_sage_netflix_show_ShowBrowseManager_updateShowWatchNowUrls of java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException

Dave, not sure why you see that. Would you reload the STV before NetFlix was imported and import the attached xml file instead. THen Look for the lines in the Sage debug log that start with "NetFlix:" and pm me those lines and any before or after that could seem related.

[chiledog]

Originally Posted by Mitch G

Just to add to this:
- press options
- select main menu whatever
- select new ... internal screen
- find netflix main menu
- save the menu file
- hover over the netflix menu button
- press options
- select main menu whatever
- make sure "Current Menu Item" is the netflix menu button you just added
- select edit menu item and then set icon
- navigate up to to themes/default/menuicons and select hoover_my netflix.png [sic]
- save the menu file again

Thanks for the steps. I followed the steps and now have a "My Netflix". But when I click on it the current main menu does not go away. I do get the Netflix sub-menu (where I can manager my queue, watch it now, etc), but the main menu is super-imposed. When I navigate the Netflix menu, everything stays selected (like it is not removing or repainting.).

Does anyone have an why?

Thanks in advance.

[evilpenguin]

Originally Posted by chiledog

Thanks for the steps. I followed the steps and now have a "My Netflix". But when I click on it the current main menu does not go away. I do get the Netflix sub-menu (where I can manager my queue, watch it now, etc), but the main menu is super-imposed. When I navigate the Netflix menu, everything stays selected (like it is not removing or repainting.).

Does anyone have an why?

Thanks in advance.

Sounds like you may not have unzipped either SageMC or Netflix to the proper folder. IIRC they should both be unzipped directly to "ProgramFiles\SageTV\SageTV\".

[boognish]

Well after getting it installed today I am having a few problems. The same thing that happened to lovinghdtv happened to me. Im sorry i dont know what episode i picked but I will wait for his testing results before I create a debug log. also i chose a movie to download and it seemed to be working.. it got to about 73% and just disappeared from the list. Any clue on why it would do that?

Edit: ok i tried the same movie again and it finished downloading.. now when i press watch it now the player opens and just says volcanoes on the sea:imax -ready but does not start playing. I have always been able to use watch it now before so not sure what may have changed. The wife just took over the tv so ill have to wait a while to play around again Ill report back