OpenDCT: An open source digital cable tuner.

[uberpixel]

Originally Posted by EnterNoEscape

0.3.15-Stable has been released. This was built on 0.3.14-Beta, so there is no urgency/benefit to upgrading to this version as it is just a milestone. 0.3 is now set in stone. There will be no new features and it will be considered to be the version to use if you want the most stable version without the latest features. There will only be updates if any horrible problems are discovered and 0.4 has not yet reach a "stable" state.

0.4 has been undergoing internal testing and if we don't discover any new issues this week, it will become available for download.

What's the best way to update to newer versions? Do you need to remove the current install and remove tuners? Is it basically a redo of the initial setup or is there a more elegant way to go?

Been running stable for a while now and always get gun shy when it comes to updates...

-ubperpixel

[EnterNoEscape]

You might be in the same boat as Telecore. If you can post your log from C:\ProgramData\OpenDCT\logs\opendct.log, I'll verify it. The log file is currently set to DEBUG for output, so it will have more information than you will see in the console.

[EnterNoEscape]

Originally Posted by uberpixel

What's the best way to update to newer versions? Do you need to remove the current install and remove tuners? Is it basically a redo of the initial setup or is there a more elegant way to go?

Been running stable for a while now and always get gun shy when it comes to updates...

-ubperpixel

If you're happy with where you are and don't see anything new of interest I don't blame you for not upgrading. Most new versions you have been seeing are fixing issues people ran into. If you don't have those issues, you won't really see any benefit from upgrading. None of the updates so far were performance related.

The installer will upgrade the current installation if you run it right over top. You do not need to uninstall, then re-install. You do need to stop the service first or the installer will suggest that a file is in use and you will need to reboot your computer if you proceed. It will not overwrite anything in the C:\ProgramData\OpenDCT\config directory, so your settings are preserved. It only creates a "starter" opendct.properties if it was not already there and it will not remove if you uninstall. I will give everyone a heads up when a change could break a configuration.

[KryptoNyte]

Originally Posted by EnterNoEscape

I was thinking someone might ask that ...

Sorry for asking about that.

Thanks for continued consideration to Java 1.7 - that Web Interface is ... well ... important I believe. I've dreamed of the community ditching SageTV Server UI all together, and simply creating a web based server interface with all the core running in the background, and then a client interface for each platform.

That's a pretty tall order I would imagine.

[crawfofd]

EnterNoEscape here is my log file.

[EnterNoEscape]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

Sorry for asking about that.

Thanks for continued consideration to Java 1.7 - that Web Interface is ... well ... important I believe. I've dreamed of the community ditching SageTV Server UI all together, and simply creating a web based server interface with all the core running in the background, and then a client interface for each platform.

That's a pretty tall order I would imagine.

I'm actually with you there. It would be fantastic to be able to configure everything within an updated unified interface. Also, I know you didn't even imply this, but having an HTML5 canvas placeshifter would be neat and the most portable, but maybe not practical. One of the things that turned me off when I first used the web interface is that you can only do searches for local content. Of the available searches, recordings are the best organized. I have grown used to it especially since I can browse with BMT, but I would have really liked to have an integrated feature to just browse using a VFS similar to BMT. I know some of the fragmentation is because it simply didn't fit into the current design cleanly or it was possible, but a lot easier to just build from scratch. That being said, I do like how the current interface can be extended. For example SJQ can be added to the web interface. I fear that even if we do finally unify this thing, someone will find a situation where what they want to do doesn't fit, then it becomes very popular and it will be fragmented all over again.

The web interface I am building into OpenDCT is being designed in such a way that it could with little effort be repackaged to run with all of the other web apps. This is in anticipation of the day we can add network encoders the same way we add any other plugins.

Honestly if I wasn't already the lead on this project, it would be a strong consideration, but like I said I'm not the best at UI design. I know what I'm doing, but other people usually end up with something a lot slicker. The more I talk about it the more I just want to do something about it. I think this will be an ask me again in 6 months kind of thing. For now, OpenDCT is a deceptively massive undertaking and I can't see myself being free for anything else for several months at least.

[EnterNoEscape]

Originally Posted by crawfofd

EnterNoEscape here is my log file.

Yep, you've got the same issue. I see it took 16 seconds for FFmpeg to actually get anywhere on one attempt. There are tons of stream errors. I appreciate that you also have a Prime that doesn't have any of these issues. I'm starting to think the InfiniTV devices below a particular firmware version do RTSP a little differently. Our RTSP implementation doesn't open the UDP port for feedback and as such does not provide it because none of the devices we tested with required it.

I'll send you a PM with a link to an internal alpha that you can try out to see if it makes it any better.

- Joe

[crawfofd]

Thanks I will look for you PM.

[crawfofd]

Got your PM and tried the update. It still fails but differently. I have attached a new log and a pic of my ceton info page. Hope this helps.

Thanks again for your help.

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by EnterNoEscape

I'm actually with you there. It would be fantastic to be able to configure everything within an updated unified interface. Also, I know you didn't even imply this, but having an HTML5 canvas placeshifter would be neat and the most portable, but maybe not practical. One of the things that turned me off when I first used the web interface is that you can only do searches for local content. Of the available searches, recordings are the best organized. I have grown used to it especially since I can browse with BMT, but I would have really liked to have an integrated feature to just browse using a VFS similar to BMT. I know some of the fragmentation is because it simply didn't fit into the current design cleanly or it was possible, but a lot easier to just build from scratch. That being said, I do like how the current interface can be extended. For example SJQ can be added to the web interface. I fear that even if we do finally unify this thing, someone will find a situation where what they want to do doesn't fit, then it becomes very popular and it will be fragmented all over again.

OFF TOPIC, but, we should probably talk to some extent. I'm working on upgrading Jetty at the moment, and, eventually I'll be starting a new web project. The goal being to unify the 3 web projects that exist today, ie, Mobile, Sage Web, and BMT. I want to make it extensible, since many features of BMT are not in core, and as such, need to be added an extensions. I'm looking at using Polymer for the UI technology, mainly because it has a decent set of widgets and can adapt to smaller screens. My second contender is Bootstrap. I haven't started anything yet, but, I think we are all on the same page, in that we think that having an updated UI that can be used to fully configure/manage SageTV is a good thing.

I am curious of one thing... You say you didn't like the search in the web ui, because it could only search local content... I'm not sure how you'd expect the search to work. What would your expectations be, regarding search?

[EnterNoEscape]

Originally Posted by stuckless

I am curious of one thing... You say you didn't like the search in the web ui, because it could only search local content... I'm not sure how you'd expect the search to work. What would your expectations be, regarding search?

I think I was a little unclear about what I was really trying to say. I don't have any issues with how the search feature works and the results it returns are precisely what I would expect. The search features and flexibility are very good. My issue was with how the content can be browsed if you don't actually want to search for it. It's exclusively pages of search results. It think it would be nice to be able to browse the non-recording content similar to how you can in the GUI. I know you can customize the results, but just having a link that takes you straight to an appropriate VFS like view would have made my first experience with the web interface a little more pleasant.

For example, there would be in the menu bar a tab named Media, then under that tab would be things like Search, Music, Videos, Pictures or we can just put those right on the menu bar. From there, you could either click on Music to take you to the last/default view or you can select from a few different views in a sub-menu. Since a lot of people would probably split up Videos for example, it should be flexible enough that people can insert their own preferred names/views like we currently do with VFS in some of the STVs. I apologize if this kind of feature already exists in the default web interface.

For the record I have no argument about the detailed views or the current way search results are displayed. They are to the point, have lots of useful features and easy to use.

Comment on frameworks:
I chose Bootstrap because it's what I'm using at my work place a little. The way I have things right now is far from set in stone, so I'm going to give Polymer a look. I'll probably be overhauling a little anyway. My initial problem when looking at frameworks is you can't just try them all out without wasting a lot of time. So I decided to just work with Bootstrap and see how it works out for me. I do fear the cookie cutter design problem Bootstrap is known to encourage, so I'm willing to go another route.

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by EnterNoEscape

I chose Bootstrap because it's what I'm using at my work place a little. The way I have things right now is far from set in stone, so I'm going to give Polymer a look. I'll probably be overhauling a little anyway. My initial problem when looking at frameworks is you can't just try them all out without wasting a lot of time. So I decided to just work with Bootstrap and see how it works out for me. I do fear the cookie cutter design problem Bootstrap is known to encourage, so I'm willing to go another route.

I'm ok with bootstrap as well... Polymer is similar cookie cutter model as well, which is good and bad... but I think the polymer is a little more involved, with a bigger learning curve, since it is a framework with it's own challenges. Maybe bootstrap would be a better, lighter, choice.

[Telecore]

Also failed for me - I have the exact same versions of Ceton hardware, firmware and software as Crawfofd. Log files are attached in the .zip archive. Hope they help and thanks again!

[EnterNoEscape]

Ok, it looks like based on the fact that there are no issues with the Prime on with the exact same provider, it must be a firmware issue and based on the fact that SageDCT works without issue on the same hardware, the only difference that I can think of is that SageDCT likely properly supports RTCP. I started some work on supporting it earlier today, but so far to do it right is turning out to be quite an undertaking. I'll get you both a new alpha version that exposes in the logs what's coming in if in fact RTCP is the problem.

[crawfofd]

Thanks again for your quick reply.
Just another note for you I also have tested the ceton using jriver media center and it works with it.

[EnterNoEscape]

I would actually expect software like JRiver to properly implement RTSP since it is a proper media player. When I say firmware issue in this case I don't mean the firmware is broken in any way, just that it causes communication to happen in a manner different from the latest beta firmware.

I will not ask for you both to upgrade to the latest beta firmware mostly because it's labeled beta and there isn't a non-beta that succeeds it, but I have a strong feeling it would resolve the issues you're seeing with OpenDCT which is why I keep referring to this as a firmware issue. Also getting the support right will possibly allow us to work with another video source we haven't considered in the future. I'm sure for example there are some webcams that require proper RTCP feedback.

[crawfofd]

I would have no problem updating to the beta, but according to the ceton web site the version I have is the latest beta...

[EnterNoEscape]

That's weird. I'm not sure how I got 1.2.2.6. Thank you both for your patience, BTW. I'm sure you two can tell you're definitely the exception here.

Update: Never mind. I forgot you're using the InfiniTV 6. My firmware actually matches your firmware. 14.10.3.163. Maybe I'm missing something important. Are you using the built in Windows firewall?

Maybe the UDP receive buffer is too big? Try changing producer.nio.udp_receive_buffer to 132800.

[crawfofd]

I am using the built in firewall and I also use virus protection software.
I will try changing the UDP receive buffer.

[EnterNoEscape]

Originally Posted by crawfofd

I am using the built in firewall and I also use virus protection software.
I will try changing the UDP receive buffer.

I hope we all are using anti-virus. That shouldn't be a factor because the large packet loss happens before anything even hits the hard drive. Also take a look at java.exe to see if it's using a lot of processing resources.

Update: Also try setting upnp.dct.http_tuning to false. It will slow down tuning, but it will make it use the proper UPnP tuning that SageDCT would use.