STB Firewire (IEEE-1394) Support

[DFA]

Guys, also bring up Task Manager and check CPU usage.

DFA

[jvheitz]

Wasn't there someone already controlling the moto thru firewire in MythTV? I cant remember if I saw that here or in AVS.

[DFA]

If only i could get my hands on the spec (AV/C 1394 TA document 1999039). That is the spec for AV/C Panel subunit and deals with the commands that can be issued.

.

That kind of talk gets me hot and bothered!

D

[DFA]

jvheitz:

Yes, there is Linux source code available in Myth for cotrolling Moto 6200. bdraw has been working with it and been in touch with the author. bdraw has posted here on that issue but spends most his time in AVSForum thread about 1394 FW. That thread is linked in the first post of this thread.

See Page #5, Post #81 (first post) and attachment from bdraw.

DFA

[spaceghost]

45-58%CPU...mostly around 50% using overlay (vmr9 tears on mine)
XP3000, 512Mb DDR, ATI 9200

I tried a channel without DD5.1 (espn) and it had audio! yipee. Tomorrow I'll start tackling my girder problem so I can change channels.

Now what to do with all the files I already have stored as .ts? They won't play thru sage unless they're 5.1 and there's audio dropouts like crazy (2.0 gets me audio render errors). I'm not against using a util like H2 to convert to mpg if needed.

night john boy!

PS. learned I had to shut down sage and Sgraphrecorder so I could use capdvhs again...wish I could leave it running.

[DFA]

Thanks spaceghost. Are you using DXVA? My XP2600+ and 9600XT runs about 35% CPU with DXVA but I am maxed out w/o DXVA. I HAVE to use DXVA but even then I think the GPU might be reaching its limit instead.

I can do WMV 720p and 1080i w/o problems but that is much better compression technology. MPEG2 HD is taxing and sucks up resources but oh! the picture! The decoding resources needed are more than even most ffdshow over sizing schemes.

DFA

[spaceghost]

yea, DXVA here too. gotta run it with the lowly 9200 I'm running. You would think that if the GPU is taxed, it would fork over something to the CPU...which may be why i'm running hotter.

Speaking of wmv, heard of Island Fever 3?

divxhd looks good too, can't remember how taxing it was though...there's a trailer for shark tales that's good.

[DFA]

Makes sense. I get some break up on HD for fast motion scenes. I need to resolve that and figure I am going to have to open the wallet to do so. (CPU and/or Graphic card).

Now it's time to test those Moonlight filter candidates!

DFA

[spaceghost]

Let me know how it goes...I'm using the one you sent me.

talk tomorrow. thanks man.

[DFA]

Heres some Girder Info:

For reference, I have put up the Girder section of my "SGraphRecorder.ini" since it reflects the way the events are configured in the Girder GML export:

..........
[Girder]
UseGirder=1
GirderHost=127.0.0.1
GirderPort=1024
GirderPassword=HTPC
GirderPrefix=Number
GirderIndividualNumbers=1
GirderInterNumberTimeSpacing=0
.........

More comments to add later.

DFA

[spaceghost]

Can you see girder do anything when you change channels? Nothing is happening yet. The only sage entries I have in girder is what you posted. Should I have the sagetv gml loaded in girder? I'm not using girder for sage right now. I have the sgraphrecorder.ini set up as suggested. Perhaps this doesn't work with the 6412...

[DFA]

spaceghost:

Sorry, I did not have time to put up more info and details. First, you need to put the "SGR_Girder.gml" file somewhere and then import it into Girder. You need to have a "General" Girder GML file ("save as" and say call it "Girder"). You can then import other "groups" and build on your main Girder GML that Girder starts with each and every time. You configure this in Setup (I am not near my machine right now so speaking in general) that Girder looks for and starts with all the time.

The GML export I posted is for USB-UIRT. BUT the IR codes learned for the USB-UIRT commands in the GML supplied are for Scientific Atlanta. You will have to re-learn the IR codes for each number and the "Enter" for your Moto. Go to each "Command" for each number and the "Enter" and then click on and open the USB-UIRT plugin (you do have to have the USB-UIRT plugin for GIrder!) that you should see somewhere around the lower right area. You should see something about "Learn" for the USB-UIRT plugin (not to be confused with the "Learn" event in the upper right area of window). Click the learn button and put your STB remote very close to the USB-UIRT (about 3 or 4 inches) and push the correct number key for the IR code to learn. Repeat the process for all numbers and the "Enter". Save your file and close.

Nothing else is needed for Girder control as far as the SGR is concerned.

If not clear, I will try later to put up some more JPEGS that should help.

DFA

[spaceghost]

ahh, I thought this was to change the channel thru the firewire! I'm not using girder to control sage, I'm using the hauppauge remote with sage directly. I'm only using girder to control windvd, resolution changes, etc. Oh well. Hope someone can figure out how to change channels thru the FW directly.

Thanks DFA, Anders, and all! This still rocks.

PS. Guess I'm looking at converting all my .ts recordings to a ps mpeg so sage can play them. I'm tired of using windvd and it is horrible at trying to skip to the end to finish a movie. it doesn't have a timestamp either (prolly cause it's still a .ts). Too bad sage's mux can't play .ts files correctly. It won't play DD2.0 files at all (gives you that sound render error). it will play .ts DD5.1 files but the audio is choppy. If anyone has heard that sage is updating the mux to play .ts, I will wait and not convert my files yet. Sage's mux has the same problems with .ts files whether they're a direct capture, or using mpeg2repair or H2 to remap the PID's and remove any extra channel information.

[DFA]

spaceghost:

It's right and proper that you are sending the channel change commands directly to Sage; I am too. Sage then passes the channel change info to the SGR and the SGR then has the ability to send these channel change events to Girder so that some sort of "Blaster" (IR emitter) can change the channels on the STB. Do you have an IR emitter such as USB-UIRT? If so, you are set and what you have will work!

The difference is that when using a neteork encoder, Sage will not pass the channel change commands directly to USB-UIRT as it does for say the PVR-250. So, for the network encoder we have to go the long way around.

If you have USB-UIRT or other Girder compatable emitter, you are in luck and have thrown in the towel too soon.

DFA

[spaceghost]

Unfortunately I don't have a blaster

recommendations?

[DFA]

Oops. The USB-UIRT is great, well supported and very versatile. Lot of information and internet documentation for it.

How are you actually contolling the STB now? I did not think the Moto took a hardwire serial link so thought you had a blaster of some kind (actysis for example).

Travisbell is one of the few who is using the UNE as his only encoder. Most others will be adding this to an existing system where there is an HW encoder like PVR-250 and some method of IR emitter channel change already in place except for some sat. STB's that will accept a hardwire serial link.

Assuming you are a current Sage user with a PVR-250 or equivalent, I made the assumption you had some sort of IR emitter operating the STB otherwise scheduling recordings would be awkward at best. So, I'm a bit confused.

DFA

[spaceghost]

Sorry about the confusion, I have 2xPVR-250's handling the analog channels. Have been connected via the FW to the Moto box for a few months now. Dumping HD only recordings with capdvhs. I figured this would be a difficult experiment.... I will have to definately try to follow thru and get a blaster. I hope you don't feel like you've wasted time on me...I would like to get this going. My current process is such a waste of time. I basically have to record every show twice..once onto the Moto HD, then play it back and record realtime via capdvhs....all while carefully monitoring the space left on the Moto HD. I'm tired of using windvd and want to use sage, but like I said before, I'll have to convert everything to a PS. Would definately be nice to skip some of those steps and get down to "record-watch"....like a real PVR.

Are you using the USB-UIRT as is (just the box)? Or are you using an external IR emitter with it? Concerned I can set it on my htpc case and still be able to blast to the Moto on a different shelf..

Silly question: Can you hook up another FW cable and set that as your second network tuner? Having dual tuner support would be sweet. I only have the 1 cable so I can't try it...

[turak]

DFA,

Are you the same DFA that is on the avsforum samsung discrete thread? If so, what firmware do you have on your samsung? I've been searching everywhere for a 1033 code for InputVideo2.


P.S.

Sorry about the threadjack.

[DFA]

spaceghost:

OK, now I get it. You are not using any s-video link from the STB's and are using only the tuners in the PVR-250's. I have heard that some Moto digital boxes do not have s-video. How utterly lame. Like a car with only 3 wheels; an incomplete and unacceptable product in my opinion.

You might be able to have two FW inputs and might not. The SGR is no problem. You can have multiple instances of it running as long as they are each assigned a different port number. You would create a second folder for the other SGR so that it has its own "SGraphRecorder.ini" with different port assignment. Sage will accept the multiple network encoders with the different port assignmets, so no problem there. The PC will recognize the STB's as different and unique devices; no problem. The first problem / question is if the driver will work for more than one STB. Just have to try. I am curious myself. You might inquire in the AVSForum thread on that one. If getting past that, the bigger challenge will be the graph. I could be wrong on this, but I don't think the same filters can be running in different graphs simultaneously. If correct on this, you would have to come up with a second and independent filter set for the second graph but should be doable. Took some leg work to come up with what we have so far. Could take some serious time investment to find them but I should think they are out there somewhere. The current version of USB-UIRT supports "zones" and can have up to two remote IR emitters that can be independently controlled along with the main blaster built in to the USB-UIRT. Very nice for controlling multiple STB's so that part is not a problem either.

My IR receiver and emitter scheme is not run of the mill. I still use an IRMan which is internal in my HTPC for most receiving but do use the USB-UIRT for receiving as well but use the USB-UIRT mostly for blasting. I have one remote emitter that is connected to the USB-UIRT and attached to the face of the STB dedicated to Sage. This is necessary or the geometry that I have to place the USB-UIRT for blasting the STB then makes it difficult to successfully receive. So I would recommend the purchase of a remote emitter to make things complete. I got mine from "Home Automation" I think. The Sage STB is "blinded" with black electrical tape so that it does not see the IR commands meant for the other STB which goes direct to DLP display.

Hope that helps.

DFA

[DFA]

turak:

I'm registered in AVSForum as DFA so must be me.

I have HLM-507W. It has had an MB upgrade and I now do not recall the firmware rev. but think it 3.xy level. I do have discrete codes.

I have IRMan and USB-UIRT. If there is a particular Samsung IR code you need, I can create a Temp folder in Girder, learn the IR code(s) you need to either of those receivers and export it. I will then attach it here in a post so you can upload and import into Girder. If its a problem of learning the code to a remote, I can 'learn" the USB-UIRT a "blast" IR code you need and again you can import it and use the Girder "Test Command" feature to blast that code and learn it to a remote. A bit awkward but should work.

Would that work for you?

Not sure what "Input Video 2" is though; mine are just labeled "Video 1 -3" and are composite.

My inputs are designated as follows:

Antenna
Video 1
Video 2
Video 3
S-Video 1
S-Video 2
S-Video 3
Component 1
Component 2
Component 3
DVI
PC (VGA)

I will be gone for a couple days so won't be able to help you right away but let me know.

DFA