Placeshifter shuts down when choosing HD content

[MitchSchaft]

I recently rebuilt my Sage box (reinstalled windows, etc). When I watch videos at work via Placeshifter and choose a program that was recorded from OTA/HD channels, it shuts itself down. It didnt' used to do this. The only thing that I can think of that's differnet is I don't use nvidia decoders anymore, but the sage default. It used to transcode it fine. For instance, I just tried to watch Nova that I recorded last night from an OTA PBS station.
Have any of you heard of this?

[jsin]

Originally Posted by MitchSchaft

I recently rebuilt my Sage box (reinstalled windows, etc). When I watch videos at work via Placeshifter and choose a program that was recorded from OTA/HD channels, it shuts itself down. It didnt' used to do this. The only thing that I can think of that's differnet is I don't use nvidia decoders anymore, but the sage default. It used to transcode it fine. For instance, I just tried to watch Nova that I recorded last night from an OTA PBS station.
Have any of you heard of this?

Yeap, I see this too, with SageMC 6.3.9b pre-release 17 as well as 6.3.9a.
Placeshifter (v6.6.1.217) will quit if I select any Recorded TV item with "HD" icon (regardless of source).

If I revert back to the default STV, the same Recorded TV will play fine.

[MitchSchaft]

Cool, so I'm not crazy. That's exactly the problem I have.

[MitchSchaft]

Maybe we're both crazy

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by MitchSchaft

Maybe we're both crazy

I can't playback HD content recorded with HD-PVR on Placeshifter. So I must be crazy as well

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by MitchSchaft

I recently rebuilt my Sage box (reinstalled windows, etc). When I watch videos at work via Placeshifter and choose a program that was recorded from OTA/HD channels, it shuts itself down. It didnt' used to do this. The only thing that I can think of that's differnet is I don't use nvidia decoders anymore, but the sage default. It used to transcode it fine. For instance, I just tried to watch Nova that I recorded last night from an OTA PBS station.
Have any of you heard of this?

ARe we supposed to install the Arcsoft h.264 codecs on the Placeshifter machines? That's the only thing I can think of. I can still access Online videos and videos that were recorded from SD channels, but any h.264 HD recordings are both out of sync and barely watchable, even with data rates upwards of 900kbps

[MitchSchaft]

It's worked fine for me in the past. I'll try another one for now.

[jsin]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

ARe we supposed to install the Arcsoft h.264 codecs on the Placeshifter machines? That's the only thing I can think of. I can still access Online videos and videos that were recorded from SD channels, but any h.264 HD recordings are both out of sync and barely watchable, even with data rates upwards of 900mb (?)

I don't think you're supposed to install anything for Placeshifter, since the SageTV Server should transcode everything, if needed. But I like said, this is only a problem with SageMC, since I am able to play HD programs fine if I switch to the default STV. If that isn't the case with you, then you have a different problem than I.

[MitchSchaft]

Oh, I see. No, don't install anything on the machine running placeshifter. Just on your server.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by jsin

I don't think you're supposed to install anything for Placeshifter, since the SageTV Server should transcode everything, if needed. But I like said, this is only a problem with SageMC, since I am able to play HD programs fine if I switch to the default STV. If that isn't the case with you, then you have a different problem than I.

SageMC - as in Media Center? That's what I run, but I'm not sure I understand what you mean. How would I switch to the "default STV"? Is that in the Placeshifter machine setup, or the server machine setup?

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by MitchSchaft

Oh, I see. No, don't install anything on the machine running placeshifter. Just on your server.

OK - thanks for that . . . that would have been too easy I guess

[MitchSchaft]

I installed Sage server on yet another WinXP box as I finally got my parts in. Placeshifter still crashes when accessing HD content. I wonder if it's codec related?

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by MitchSchaft

I installed Sage server on yet another WinXP box as I finally got my parts in. Placeshifter still crashes when accessing HD content. I wonder if it's codec related?

720p or 1080? I think the Sage folks told me that 1080 wasn't likely to work - period.

[MitchSchaft]

It's whatever OTA HD is. Mainly PBS NOVA and Frontline stuff. But it worked fine before and would even transcode it.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by MitchSchaft

It's whatever OTA HD is. Mainly PBS NOVA and Frontline stuff. But it worked fine before and would even transcode it.

weird - it works for me, but if it's a 1080 file, it's never in sync.
And what kinda cat is that - a real breed or a photoshop breed?

[MitchSchaft]

Ha, he's a sphynx mixed with an american curl and a munchkin cat. His breed is called Bambino Curl.

[vhurst]

No fix for this yet? That's a long wait. I'm having the same issue, but not w/ OTA HD content, I don't do OTA at this point. My difference seems to be analog SD vs. HDHR digital content, all on cable.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by vhurst

No fix for this yet? That's a long wait. I'm having the same issue, but not w/ OTA HD content, I don't do OTA at this point. My difference seems to be analog SD vs. HDHR digital content, all on cable.

Nope - nothing yet from what I've heard. Not sure if the SageTV people are planning on doing anything about it, which would be sad.
Do you use Placeshifter, or Client? I was wondering how HD-PVR content played on a client software package, or if it suffered the same fate as the Placeshifter software.
It's a real drag, because I had to re-install an older PVR-150 tuner to record in mpg2 just so I could watch some shows when I'm out of town/country.

bummer
get on it, sagetv - and if you have and we just haven't got work of the update, then I apologize in advance

[Fuzzy]

I've never seen this happen.. What version of Java are you running on the computer running placeshifter? Have you requested support for this issue? The worst I've ever gotten from Placeshifter was some H.264 recordings while my server is playing back something else (chewing up CPU resources, causing studder on both). Never had it just close on me.

And, no, It's not a codec issue, as there aren't really any codecs involved. just MPlayer. (Well, SageTVTranscoder on the server, and SagePlayer on the placeshifting machine).

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

I've never seen this happen.. What version of Java are you running on the computer running placeshifter? Have you requested support for this issue? The worst I've ever gotten from Placeshifter was some H.264 recordings while my server is playing back something else (chewing up CPU resources, causing studder on both). Never had it just close on me.

And, no, It's not a codec issue, as there aren't really any codecs involved. just MPlayer. (Well, SageTVTranscoder on the server, and SagePlayer on the placeshifting machine).

I contacted Sage directly (not the forums) and was told that Placeshifter was never meant to run h.264 - which is what the HD-PVR sold on their site records in, to the best of my knowledge. And yes, it stutters, locks up and dies.