sagedct update coming soon hopefully

[Deacon Crusher]

fixes many (most/all?) comcast style issues with recording via ffmpeg.

Just went through a major night of testing an update of sagedct that allows it to use a more current (most current?) build of ffmpeg and the results are fabulous.

I've been having an increasing number of shows be unwatchable in the last 3 weeks. When looking at details there were issues with number and labeling of audio streams and video playback was problematic or non-existent. Got this update for sagedct 2702 (the donateware version of sagedct) yesterday, installed last night and gave it a major test Tuesday evening.

Basically complete success. Tuesday night was the perfect night to test.

Set my system up so the 3 channels that have been giving me the most grief would all record via Ceton and sagedct. 5 shows from MSNBC, a Baseball game from our local sports channel (Comcast sports net, go Giants) and 2 shows off the CW including one that's been a complete fail the last 2 weeks (izombie).

They all recorded perfectly. Only oddity is issues with comskip on some of these ffmpeg shows (both via sagedct and prime network encoder).

Have asked Andy if I can share his patch or if he just wants to roll out a new release, it's of course his call.

Thanks

[jarredduq]

What issues with comskip are you having?

[Monedeath]

Originally Posted by Deacon Crusher

I've been having an increasing number of shows be unwatchable in the last 3 weeks. When looking at details there were issues with number and labeling of audio streams and video playback was problematic or non-existent. Got this update for sagedct 2702 (the donateware version of sagedct) yesterday, installed last night and gave it a major test Tuesday evening.

I was actually considering posting a question about that type of problem I've been witnessing here. Although the only channels that seem to have that issue occur (and with great frequency at programming changes on the hour) are the shopping networks(HSN/QVC/et al), which while not an issue for me so long as the audio-channel switching keeps itself to only those networks. It is an issue for another resident in the house. Has been an ongoing thing here since we initially started using a CableCard to tune into those channels some 6+ months ago, so it has done the same thing with both a HD Homerun Prime and a Ceton Infinitv 6 PCIe.

Edit: I'm seeing a SageDCT 2.7.3 available on his download page as it is, although the posted date is showing from 2013.

Edit2: downloaded the difference file he linked to in the post notes. File dates for those are 4/27&4/29/2015. Moved those files into place, things seem to be working ok so far, will keep an eye on it for a while.

[Deacon Crusher]

Yep, here's message from Andy

BEGIN QUOTE
http://babgvant.com/files/folders/li...s/default.aspx

The individual dll download zips are listed in the description. Feel free to spread the word around, I'll do a blog post later.
END QUOTE

Definitely worth testing out the update to sagedct.

The issue(s) I'm having with comskip revolve around the accuracy of the marks. For some shows it still seems good to great, but for other shows I'll get just a couple of commercials marked or none at all. 99% sure that it's starting an analysis and then either crashing or failing to be able to read the file or somehow reading it but not seeing any commercials? The last seems the least likely, so hoping that when I have time to review comskip logs/behavior I'll be able to figure out what's up.

Thanks

[Monedeath]

Originally Posted by Monedeath

I was actually considering posting a question about that type of problem I've been witnessing here. Although the only channels that seem to have that issue occur (and with great frequency at programming changes on the hour) are the shopping networks(HSN/QVC/et al), which while not an issue for me so long as the audio-channel switching keeps itself to only those networks. It is an issue for another resident in the house. Has been an ongoing thing here since we initially started using a CableCard to tune into those channels some 6+ months ago, so it has done the same thing with both a HD Homerun Prime and a Ceton Infinitv 6 PCIe.

Edit2: downloaded the difference file he linked to in the post notes. File dates for those are 4/27&4/29/2015. Moved those files into place, things seem to be working ok so far, will keep an eye on it for a while.

Well, the audio is still shifting between channel 1 and channel 2 on the shopping networks, but I was inclined to suspect that CableOne is somehow the culprit for that. Now to see if the "halt detected" error message becomes less frequent on the Ceton card.

On the flipside, it is being noted that the live transition times between programs/channels seems to be slightly faster now. Might be psychological, but I don't have reason to revert and break out a stop watch to find out.

[KryptoNyte]

Why is the posting date on those files year 2013? We've been using 2.7.2 all this time, right? So 2.7.3 should be new then, and all we need to do is swap out the files from the direct download (for the 64 bit version)?

http://babgvant.com/files/folders/li...ntry21866.aspx

Do you need to shut down either the SageDCT of Sage services to replace those files?

[Monedeath]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

Why is the posting date on those files year 2013? We've been using 2.7.2 all this time, right? So 2.7.3 should be new then, and all we need to do is swap out the files from the direct download (for the 64 bit version)?

http://babgvant.com/files/folders/li...ntry21866.aspx

Do you need to shut down either the SageDCT of Sage services to replace those files?

I made sure Sage wasn't using any of the Sage DCT tuners, then simply shutdown SageDCT and exited out of the configuration utility to be safe, swapped the files, relaunched the config utility then restarted SageDCT. Nothing exploded on me.

[jarredduq]

Just want to thank the OP and Andy for the updates to SageDCT.

[Monedeath]

So far so good, no error messages regarding tuner/capture device failures as of this morning.

[waynedunham]

I got the updated SageDCT working on one of my machines. Now to see if it makes a difference with the bizarre stuff going on with Comcast's channels the last week or so.
I have 2 servers and the same channels weren't giving viewable recordings on both machines using the dump method of recording. The recordings would comskip, and also show thumbnails in the listings, but wouldn't play in SageTV. They would however play in VLC and even weirder in Windows Media Player on one machine, but not another even though there were both the identical versions of WMP. (missing codec on one machine?)

So now I've go the new version on one machine using FFMPEG and the other machine still using dump. Next time a channel causes weirdness we'll see if FFMPEG makes SageTV viewable recordings vs. dump. <fingers crossed>

If that works out then it is time to try and figure out why I never could get FFMPEG to work on that other machine. (it does work on WHS right?)

[FriscoJohn]

I'm in need of a little hand-holding here. I've been having the well known issue with SageDCT not being able to handle some Comcast channels ever since I started using it. It occurs randomly and just often enough to be annoying. I note that Andy has released 2.7.3 which may alleviate this problem by using a more recent version of ffmpeg. Andy says the only difference with 2.7.2 is four .dll files and that they can be applied directly--which I assume means that you don't have to uninstall 2.7.2 and do a new install of SageDCT 2.7.3.

What's not clear to me is how to "apply directly" the new files. Does one just copy them over the files of the same name in the Program Files--babgvant--SageDCT folder and that's it? (I'm assuming it would be a good idea to stop the SageDCT service before doing that and restart it after.)

I'm just nervous about screwing up what has been a 98% satisfactory installation for the sake of the 2% of the time that it doesn't work. It would be nice, however, to swat that Comcast bug.

[NetworkGuy]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

Why is the posting date on those files year 2013? We've been using 2.7.2 all this time, right? So 2.7.3 should be new then, and all we need to do is swap out the files from the direct download (for the 64 bit version)?

http://babgvant.com/files/folders/li...ntry21866.aspx

Do you need to shut down either the SageDCT of Sage services to replace those files?

I just checked and is says 2.7.0.2. Is that the same as 2.7.2?

[KryptoNyte]

I have no idea. In fact, when it comes to the highly technical issues of this forum, I feel like Steve Wright does most of the time:

“You know when you're sitting on a chair and you lean back so you're just on two legs and you lean too far so you almost fall over but at the last second you catch yourself? I feel like that all the time...”

[Deacon Crusher]

2.7.2. is 2.7.0.2 and new release is 2.7.3 (or 2.7.0.3) if you find it that way, interchangeable.

And yes, if you have a working 2.7.2 install then stop the sagedct service and copy the 4 dll files into the directory where the previous versions already are (if I remember correctly they aren't all a match by name) and then start the service and you are done.

Good luck.

Wayne, really curious to hear the results of your head to head experiment.

[mwhittaker1024]

I'm trying to upgrade to the latest version of SageDCT but am getting the following error:

Module C:\Program Files (x86)\babvgant.com\SageDCT\FFMpegMuxFilter.dll failed to register. HRESULT -2147024770. Contact your support personnel.



Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Mark

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by mwhittaker1024

I'm trying to upgrade to the latest version of SageDCT but am getting the following error:

Module C:\Program Files (x86)\babvgant.com\SageDCT\FFMpegMuxFilter.dll failed to register. HRESULT -2147024770. Contact your support personnel.



Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Mark

Just making sure-you're upgrading with the 32 bit files, correct? Your other option is to just download the dll files, stop the service and update them.

Gerry

[reggie14]

What do you have to do to get access to the "Limited Release" files?

[FriscoJohn]

You need to register for the site and make a nominal donation--$5 as I remember. You can then email Andy with your username for the site and request he authorize you for access to the limited access area.

[jarredduq]

I've been running the updated SageDCT with my Ceton 4 tuner usb and HDHomeRun Prime for a week now. I have not had any failed recordings. However, I still experience occasional break-ups and sound drop-outs on most recordings. This is on either the Ceton or Silicondust tuners.

So it's picking between getting several failed recordings (was able to fix 90% of them with video-redo software, but pain to do all the time) and no drop-outs on good recordings or no failed recordings and drop-outs.

I wish SageDCT had the ability for us to try different versions of FFMPEG.

I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth though and appreciate any progress that has been made.

[KryptoNyte]

Have you checked the signal levels on your Ceton tuner to make sure the issue isn't with the incoming service?