Need help testing something for PlayOn

[evilpenguin]

UPDATE: Thanks, I got everything I needed!

I'm doing a little investigation and I could use some data from other people who are using Playon. I wrote a little test tool for quickly parsing UPnP Media Server file systems and i'm curious if the ID's PlayOn uses are universal.

Could I get a few people to download this program and run the following commands via the command prompt and then post the results?

> UPnP.exe ""Hulu:TV Episodes:+2"
> UPnP.exe ""Hulu:TV Episodes:W:+2"
> UPnP.exe ""Hulu:TV Episodes:W:Warehouse 13:+2"

And if you have Netflix configured (Make sure you don't have anything embarrassing in your Queue before you post )

> UPnP.exe "Netflix:Instant Queue:Top:+2"

Thanks,
EP

Example Output:

G:\mediaScraper>upnp.exe "Netflix:Instant Queue:Top:+2"
Device: PlayOn (secretivo)(urn:schemas-upnp-org:device:MediaServer:1)
 * Found PlayOn
Device: SIDECAR(urn:schemas-upnp-org:device:tvdevice:1)
Device: SIDECAR(urn:schemas-upnp-org:device:tvdevice:1)
Device: ()
Device: SIDECAR: Macrovision Media Server(urn:schemas-upnp-org:device:MediaServer:1)
  + Looking For: Netflix
    - Found: Netflix (Netflix)(netflix)
  + Looking For: Instant Queue
    - Found: Instant Queue (Instant Queue)(netflix-02c5cdef-1919-4a89-a242-03efb5c18e8d)
  + Looking For: Top
    - Found: Queue Top 50 (Top)(netflix-e4ec129f-bf5b-4991-bcbc-b39e2e884782)
We're Free! (2)
         + netflix-e4ec129f-bf5b-4991-bcbc-b39e2e884782 = Queue Top 50
                 + netflix-636da797-c906-4bed-9484-ad0d9954b55e = The Office: Season 2
                 + netflix-4d2f31a9-1109-4fc3-93ee-4835bf99d8d7 = The Office: Season 3
                 + netflix-5728c726-86ed-4bcd-b8a4-5f212d0a2b09 = The Office: Season 4
                 + netflix-18f36f09-f491-4694-b37f-9ebf05644688 = 30 Rock: Season 1
                 + netflix-df8c4632-34ef-4e31-985a-db31bff36ee4 = 30 Rock: Season 2
                 + netflix-02691fcd-6fe6-4232-8390-6b3fab853bfb = Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (http://10.0.1.2:63478/netflix-02691fcd-6fe6-4232-8390-6b3fab853bfb/1-netflix-02691fcd-6fe6-4232-8390-6b3fab853bfb.mpg - 2005-01-01T00:00:00 - video/mpeg)
                 + netflix-3b25ed35-77b7-4982-af30-9c366e6b977c = Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (http://10.0.1.2:63478/netflix-3b25ed35-77b7-4982-af30-9c366e6b977c/1-netflix-3b25ed35-77b7-4982-af30-9c366e6b977c.mpg - 1988-01-01T00:00:00 - video/mpeg)
                 + netflix-98b23ed9-8bb1-4c0f-a432-3a2eaddf3d4d = Tootsie (http://10.0.1.2:63478/netflix-98b23ed9-8bb1-4c0f-a432-3a2eaddf3d4d/1-netflix-98b23ed9-8bb1-4c0f-a432-3a2eaddf3d4d.mpg - 1982-01-01T00:00:00 - video/mpeg)
                 + netflix-da622551-8a31-4bc0-b698-a51ff58efcfc = Man on Wire (http://10.0.1.2:63478/netflix-da622551-8a31-4bc0-b698-a51ff58efcfc/1-netflix-da622551-8a31-4bc0-b698-a51ff58efcfc.mpg - 2008-01-01T00:00:00 - video/mpeg)
                 + netflix-b8b95d0d-00f4-48ad-80b4-5e62265399a7 = My Favorite Year (http://10.0.1.2:63478/netflix-b8b95d0d-00f4-48ad-80b4-5e62265399a7/1-netflix-b8b95d0d-00f4-48ad-80b4-5e62265399a7.mpg - 1982-01-01T00:00:00 - video/mpeg)
                 + netflix-33ac96ef-ae6b-4528-af95-bbddcc9ce898 = The Muppets Take Manhattan (http://10.0.1.2:63478/netflix-33ac96ef-ae6b-4528-af95-bbddcc9ce898/1-netflix-33ac96ef-ae6b-4528-af95-bbddcc9ce898.mpg - 1984-01-01T00:00:00 - video/mpeg)
                 + netflix-d2015880-0a66-4841-9cff-a6c8a05efc90 = Sneakers (http://10.0.1.2:63478/netflix-d2015880-0a66-4841-9cff-a6c8a05efc90/1-netflix-d2015880-0a66-4841-9cff-a6c8a05efc90.mpg - 1992-01-01T00:00:00 - video/mpeg)
                 + netflix-4f3a81cd-bb81-47b9-bed5-1f90058decdb = Hancock (http://10.0.1.2:63478/netflix-4f3a81cd-bb81-47b9-bed5-1f90058decdb/1-netflix-4f3a81cd-bb81-47b9-bed5-1f90058decdb.mpg - 2008-01-01T00:00:00 - video/mpeg)
                 + netflix-fc9240fd-6af6-4b18-a939-5a3450e553c7 = Roxanne (http://10.0.1.2:63478/netflix-fc9240fd-6af6-4b18-a939-5a3450e553c7/1-netflix-fc9240fd-6af6-4b18-a939-5a3450e553c7.mpg - 1987-01-01T00:00:00 - video/mpeg)
                 + netflix-441c11c8-c732-4770-a963-b8db0cf0996e = A League of Their Own (http://10.0.1.2:63478/netflix-441c11c8-c732-4770-a963-b8db0cf0996e/1-netflix-441c11c8-c732-4770-a963-b8db0cf0996e.mpg - 1992-01-01T00:00:00 - video/mpeg)
                 + netflix-fcd0ceed-fd43-4223-afe3-1cb270363c7f = Dead Like Me: Life After Death (http://10.0.1.2:63478/netflix-fcd0ceed-fd43-4223-afe3-1cb270363c7f/1-netflix-fcd0ceed-fd43-4223-afe3-1cb270363c7f.mpg - 2009-01-01T00:00:00 - video/mpeg)
                 + netflix-2c59519a-f721-4e87-a087-5eb91c31608c = Chocolate (http://10.0.1.2:63478/netflix-2c59519a-f721-4e87-a087-5eb91c31608c/1-netflix-2c59519a-f721-4e87-a087-5eb91c31608c.mpg - 2008-01-01T00:00:00 - video/mpeg)
                 + netflix-00b6aeb6-b98b-4720-8e84-79aecf9906a9 = Harvard Beats Yale 29-29 (http://10.0.1.2:63478/netflix-00b6aeb6-b98b-4720-8e84-79aecf9906a9/1-netflix-00b6aeb6-b98b-4720-8e84-79aecf9906a9.mpg - 2008-01-01T00:00:00 - video/mpeg)
                 + netflix-25852abf-2c71-465f-9faf-85741a14cc66 = The Iron Giant: Special Edition (http://10.0.1.2:63478/netflix-25852abf-2c71-465f-9faf-85741a14cc66/1-netflix-25852abf-2c71-465f-9faf-85741a14cc66.mpg - 1999-01-01T00:00:00 - video/mpeg)
                 + netflix-b8fe3f01-bb47-4812-96f9-01b072a2512e = 10 Things I Hate About You (http://10.0.1.2:63478/netflix-b8fe3f01-bb47-4812-96f9-01b072a2512e/1-netflix-b8fe3f01-bb47-4812-96f9-01b072a2512e.mpg - 1999-01-01T00:00:00 - video/mpeg)
                 + netflix-b963d87b-3327-48ae-b1fb-45e2536d0da1 = Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (http://10.0.1.2:63478/netflix-b963d87b-3327-48ae-b1fb-45e2536d0da1/1-netflix-b963d87b-3327-48ae-b1fb-45e2536d0da1.mpg - 1993-01-01T00:00:00 - video/mpeg)

[pedz25]

Here you go.

Seems like you've got something interesting cooking. Let me know what else I can do to help.

Ed

[robogeek]

Here ya go...text file attached to this post.

[evilpenguin]

Excellent, that's actually all I needed to see: Nope, the ID's aren't universal.

And I'm not quite cooking anything up yet, I'm just exploring some ideas for improving PlayOn performance on the HD200. Right now its uselessly slow, but I'm wondering if we can pre-cache the paths to a file daily for snappy browsing and easy filtering/favoriting.

[evilpenguin]

Ok, wtf, there is no way its this easy...



So all we need is a way to convert the UPnP listing my tool generates to a compliant RSS podcast feed and PlayOn will work in extender mode?

Edit: Yep, just tested and it works on just fine on the HD200 via the default STV complete with pause, fast forward, and rewind. And most importantly: not a spinning circle in sight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7Aj8u95zsU

The duration's a bit screwed up because that's the length of the podcast I overwrote with the PlayOn URL.

[MeInMaui]

EP, I just gotta say....

You are the Penguin!!

[wado1971]

That screenshot looks like a client?? Is it a client?? Please tell me it's a client!!

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by evilpenguin

Ok, wtf, there is no way its this easy...



So all we need is a way to convert the UPnP listing my tool generates to a compliant RSS podcast feed and PlayOn will work in extender mode?

Edit: Yep, just tested and it works on just fine on the HD200 via the default STV complete with pause, fast forward, and rewind. And most importantly: not a spinning circle in sight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7Aj8u95zsU

The duration's a bit screwed up because that's the length of the podcast I overwrote with the PlayOn URL.

holy crap penguin man I look foward to this.

[Brent]

Is there any way that Hulu could block this?

I ask because I'm prepping a blog post and thought that I wouldn't publicize it IF it might cause Hulu to try to block it. Otherwise I'd like to share with the masses.


Oh, and by the way - WAY TO GO EP!!!!!! Love it


EDIT: I looked into this a little and basically Hulu could block it. But if they did they'd be blocking all RSS-type feeds which would cause them other problems. So I went ahead and blogged it.

[aflat]

Holy cow EP, you are the Penguin! I can't wait to try it out.

[simonen]

I have created a vbscript using the upnp.exe tool to pull out the hulu user queue and parse the information to the screen. It works pretty well and task manager could be used to run the script every x hours. The next step is to write that parsed data to a file (if need be) and turn it into an rss feed xml file.

Stop me here if you think that your method will bring a browser function into Sage instead of using the custom online feeds like I am working on. Obviously that would be more useful.

[evilpenguin]

Originally Posted by Brent

Is there any way that Hulu could block this?

I ask because I'm prepping a blog post and thought that I wouldn't publicize it IF it might cause Hulu to try to block it. Otherwise I'd like to share with the masses.


Oh, and by the way - WAY TO GO EP!!!!!! Love it


EDIT: I looked into this a little and basically Hulu could block it. But if they did they'd be blocking all RSS-type feeds which would cause them other problems. So I went ahead and blogged it.

No worries, this is nothing more than PlayOn. So as long as PlayOn works, this will work

[evilpenguin]

Originally Posted by simonen

I have created a vbscript using the upnp.exe tool to pull out the hulu user queue and parse the information to the screen. It works pretty well and task manager could be used to run the script every x hours. The next step is to write that parsed data to a file (if need be) and turn it into an rss feed xml file.

Stop me here if you think that your method will bring a browser function into Sage instead of using the custom online feeds like I am working on. Obviously that would be more useful.

I'm thinking the quick and dirty way to get this going is to make it a CGI script for the jetty webserver that generates a custom podcast feed. Then you could just add the links just like you would for any other online service.

http:\\JettyServer\PlayOn\Hulu:TV Episodes:W:Warehouse 13:+2
http:\\JettyServer\PlayOn\Netflix:Instant Queue:Top:+2

[Peter_h]

EP strikes again. This is great news.

[matt91]

Looks cool. Thanks to EP for the investigative work on this. (And thanks to Brent for reminding me of the $10 coupon code).

matt

[simonen]

I like it. Thanks for the update, I will cease my work on it. BTW, I did notice that when I tested the links to the hulu mpeg files that they downloaded at such a high rate that after 10-20 seconds, I was able to do quite a bit of fastforwarding. I imagine that sage is buffering the file instead of leaving it up to playon to handle. I wasn't going to mention it for fear of hulu repercussions, but I am sure it will get mentioned eventually.

[cncb]

Aw, man. You couldn't have come out with this before the $20 coupon expired ?

[aflat]

simonen was working on something similar, and I pulled the trigger on the last day of the $20 coupon for this very reason. It's really sweet to start seeing it in action though.

[simonen]

Ok, my buddy came through last night (just found out) and he wrote it in PHP. Basically it is using a different approach (I was tackling the VBscript approach while he did the PHP one).

It navigates through PlayOn's internal webserver, which I think is used for the Wii on port 54478. It follows the links to the Hulu user queue and parses out the links and reformats them into an rss feed. He is still adding some other information, like the titles, because they just show up as empty boxes in the online feed, but they are playable.

I like the upnp.exe approach because you can pull the list directly from a specific location without having to navigate to a specific web page. I think that it makes it more robust, since I am not sure if the netflix queue is at the same directory level as the hulu queue. I don't have netflix to try.

Either way, it would be completely live in regards to queue additions showing up (or at least however long it takes for playon to update that) with no task scheduling.

[evilpenguin]

I think we're trying to do the same thing and you're much further along. What are the valid web address's for PlayOn's built in webserver, I keep getting 403's.