Media extender not reading files

[tedhartman]

I have several questions, hopefully I can get it together to make the 100 work for me.

1. running an xp home system, (2 pvr 500= 4 tuners) what file system is best to use for video storage, NTFS or FAT32? What does the 100 like the best?

Background

I have 5 directories on a SATA 500 gig NTFS hard disk formatted with the larger cluster size as recommended my SAGETV. The directories are called: Music Videos, VS, DEMOS, FULL LENGTH MOVIES (mp4), and TV Shows (mpg).

The TV shows are this years shows in their own sub directories, all recorded using SAGETV.

As

Tvshows
DESPHW
Show1
Show2
Show3
LAW AND ORDER
MEN IN TREES
AND SO ON

The question and problem is…

When I browse for a TV show by drilling down from tvshows to men in trees to the filename.mpg the 100 locks up for a while with the scrolling circle. The system finally comes back and says it had an error accessing the file system.
(All these directories are in the setup section of SAGETV.)

The questions are,

What caused the system to come back and say that or is there more to this error than meets the eye?

Do I need to share these directories out?

I defragged the disk, did not help.

The 100 does play my hardisk based dvd's (ts_video directories ripped with magicdvdripper) ok.

Anyone having this problem? Please help! Thank you…

Even with this problem, this streamer is the best in class so far. I am sure that my probelm can be resolved.

[Opus4]

Are you using service mode? If so, how are those paths imported? If they are network paths, then the service needs to be configured to log in as a user w/a password who has permission to access the path & it needs to be a UNC path, not a mapped drive letter.

- Andy

[tedhartman]

Thanks for your fast reply

i am using service mode, although I don't understand it completly. I do understand that it is used to record and function without sagetv living on my screen. I standby sagetv as much as possible as you cannot turn off continious recording unless you do.

all my drives are on the server so none of them come from the network.

They are also set up within sagetv via the setup menu.

[Opus4]

These are imported videos? If you go to the Titles view on the browser & select one of the videos, then view its detailed info, what does it list as the path to the file?

And, is the video playable from that view?

- Andy

[tedhartman]

Andy

Thanks for staying with me on this...

To answer your questions:

Yes they are ALL imported files.

As soon as a nights worth of recording is done, then or the following day, I drag them to their associated directory and rename the TV shows to better view them in episode order...

From the TITLES MENU - DETAILS

FILE:[D:\TVSHOWS\ELI STONE\03 ELI STONE-FATHERFIGURE.MPG]
FORMAT: MPEG2-PS[MPEG2-VIDEO 4:3 480i @ 25.97 FPS, MP2/384KBPS@48KHZ STEREO]

Also I have never noticed this before but ALL titles regardless from what directory they are all in show up in the TITLES MENU.

some of these files I can play, some will not, even from the server.

Using windows explorer, all will play.

I am screwing something up here?

[Opus4]

Well, for one, it should be fairly easy to watch shows in their correct order from the SageTV Recordings menu, so I'm not sure of the value of moving the files. Have you tried playing recordings before you move them?

Is D a local drive letter on the server & not a mapped drive letter? If so, I'm not sure what the error would be. Maybe a debug log would tell you something about what is happening when you try to play the video or browse to its directory.

You may want to contact support for help.

- Andy

[gplasky]

You can sort your recordings based on episode number. That shold put them in the right order for you. Sage will manage all your recordings and files for you. You don't need to create directories for each show, drag files around, etc. Check out the manual and let the program do the work for you.

Gerry

[drewg]

Originally Posted by Opus4

Are you using service mode? If so, how are those paths imported? If they are network paths, then the service needs to be configured to log in as a user w/a password who has permission to access the path & it needs to be a UNC path, not a mapped drive letter.

- Andy

I'm somewhat confused by this. By "service mode", do you mean the HD Extender, or the SageTV software on the PC?

Is it possible to have the extender directly play files without having the SageTV software running on a PC? Or to play files via UPnP from other media servers?

I'm currently awaiting my extender, which according to the UPS tracking info, has been delayed by a "train derailment", and I'm imagining all the things I might be able to do with it, if it ever gets here...

Thanks,

Drew

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by drewg

I'm somewhat confused by this. By "service mode", do you mean the HD Extender, or the SageTV software on the PC?

"Service mode" is a way of running the SageTV software on a PC as a Windows service -- see the info starting on p. 14 of the SageTV PDF manual.

Is it possible to have the extender directly play files without having the SageTV software running on a PC? Or to play files via UPnP from other media servers?

No, it has to connect to a SageTV server.

I'm currently awaiting my extender, which according to the UPS tracking info, has been delayed by a "train derailment", and I'm imagining all the things I might be able to do with it, if it ever gets here...

I guess all I can say is that I hope your shipment gets back on track soon.

- Andy

[tedhartman]

I want to thank everyone for your help.

From any video menu I can play AVI and DIVX just fine. SOME MPG will not play. I messed around with codecs all afternoon, not much change.

All files play from windows explorer though.

I now have some buz and erratic mice via usb problems going on now.

I ordered an Intel MB, memory, and dual core processor yesterday.

My XP box gets stripped Friday, back up Saturday, gonna bet myself this is going to fix all my problems. The existing system is getting flaky.

I am ripping a DVD to the hard disk, straight copy
Will rip the same DVD to MPG2 - movie only with 5.1
DVD to AVI - movie only with 5.1
DVD to Archos MP4 - movie only with 5.1
DVD to Apple .MOV - movie only with 5.1
Then last but not least, tgranscode the MPG2 to DIVX (the longest convert)

All this to view the movie via the extender and judging resolution vs file size.

I have no HD where I live unless I go direct tv. My Onkyo upconverts to 780I or P and that is close enough for these old eyes. No HD TV for another year or so.

I have been watching Archos full length MP4 movies via the extender for the last day or so and they are almost perfect but I no longer have those original DVD's ripped to disk for direct compare.

OR

Has someone done this already?

[tedhartman]

After replacing my MB, memory and CPU with new updated parts, XFX MB and dual core Intel cpu my extender responds correctly and plays anything I throw at it. the 500 gig seagate drive that contained all my video came to a screaching stop 3 days ago. the entire 2007-08 season lost. i think this hard disk was the fault of not reading files correctly by the extender to start with.

Thanks for all your help for those that responded to my questions.

The 100 has developed a problem with its remote and have sent the system back for whatever they do with defective parts at Sage. I have no idea when the 100 will be back but my server is ready for anything.

Thanks again.