Zprocess: basic Question about PVR-350 playback

[yofive]

Thank you for the reply.

1. I used the default cmd line. A .mpg file called "pvr350.mpg" gets created. It is the correct video and is recreated for each .avi I choose.

2. I ran it through Gspot. Gspot shows it is a MPEG-1 system stream with VBR 220279 kb/s. It uses the MPEG-1 Layer 2 codec (48000Hx 64 kb/x tot,stereo for audio; MPEG2 codec for video. Both codecs are installed according to Gspot.

3. I can play the video using the VLC player and it works great.

I am so close I can taste it...but what do I have to do to get it to play on the TV?

[zehd]

This is a command line generated with ZProcess and FFmpeg

"C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\Third Party\FFmpeg\ffmpeg.exe" -y -i "C:\TV\Recorded\Movies\SHREK_2.avi" -target ntsc-dvd -deinterlace -b 4000k -vcodec mpeg2video -ab 224 -ar 48000 -acodec mp2 -ac 2 -r 29.97002997003 -s 616x336 -padtop 64 -padbottom 80 -padleft 4 -padright 20 -aspect 4:3 "C:\TV\Override\SHREK_2.mpg"

If I were to pull out bits and pieces, I would create a line like:

Old:

Code:

<PVR350TranscodeCmdLine>-y -b 2200k -vcodec mpeg2video -i {SOURCE_FILE} {DEST_FILE}</PVR350TranscodeCmdLine>

New:
Command line that adjusts Aspect ratio , 16:9 video letterboxed into 4:3

Code:

<PVR350TranscodeCmdLine>-y -i {SOURCE_FILE} -target ntsc-dvd -deinterlace  -b 4000k -vcodec mpeg2video -ab 224 -ar 48000 -acodec mp2 -ac 2 -r 29.97 -s 640x352 -padtop 64 -padbottom 64 -aspect 4:3  {DEST_FILE}</PVR350TranscodeCmdLine>

Command line that does not adjust Aspect ratio

Code:

<PVR350TranscodeCmdLine>-y -i {SOURCE_FILE} -target ntsc-dvd -deinterlace  -b 4000k -vcodec mpeg2video -ab 224 -ar 48000 -acodec mp2 -ac 2 -r 29.97 -s 640x480 -aspect 4:3  {DEST_FILE}</PVR350TranscodeCmdLine>

[zehd]

If you are still interested in using ZProcess to do this for you...you can always setup ZProcess to work the way it used, that is pretend to be 'ffmpeg'

One reason I stopped talking about it is its confusing. But if you follow these steps, it should make things work for you, even on the 350

First, find the Real ffmpeg.exe file. Rename it to 'fmpeg.exe' one 'f'. It's usually located in C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\Third Party\FFmpeg

Then copy ZProcess into the ffmpeg folder, and then rename ZProcess.exe into ffmpeg.exe. You should now have an ffmpeg.exe and an fmepg.exe in the C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\Third Party\FFmpeg folder

Next start ZProcess. Remember the file name is now called ffmpeg.exe
It will ask you if you want to remove references to ZProcess out of the config.xml. Click Yes, and restart the server as directed.

Again inside ZProcess, click the directories tab and browse for the fmpeg.exe file. Note: It will say you are looking for ffmpeg but you are really looking for fmpeg...

Now, You will be able to open a video and have ZProcess transcode on the fly, while it pretends to be ffmpeg...

If you choose to do this, even after my last post suggesting you to change the config.xml, you will not have to change the config.xml again.

[yofive]

Frank. I change the name of zprocess to ffmpeg and "ffmpeg" to fmpeg. Now the zprocess programs come up in the task manager and the "pvr350.mpg" video is created in the recordings folder (thank you for the detailed instructions). This is exactly what ffmpeg did as well. After, pvr350.mpg is created, I can manually browse and play the video on the TV.

The only problem is that it does not play automatically or on-the-fly. Any suggestions on how to make this last step?

[zehd]

Frank. I change the name of zprocess to ffmpeg and "ffmpeg" to fmpeg. Now the zprocess programs come up in the task manager and the "pvr350.mpg" video is created in the recordings folder (thank you for the detailed instructions). This is exactly what ffmpeg did as well. After, pvr350.mpg is created, I can manually browse and play the video on the TV.

The only problem is that it does not play automatically or on-the-fly. Any suggestions on how to make this last step?

(Again I don't have a 350, so I don't really know.)

That was it. Really. You're in the Video Panel. You select an AVI . Click it. A few seconds later the video plays. Just how were you transcoding before? You shouldn't have to press any button named Transcode...IN GB-PVR...

It's possible that the GB-PVR code disallows on the fly transcoding. If that is the case you're out of luck

[yofive]

Well I may be stuck then.

In GBPVR, I browse for the .avi and then try to play it like anyother video. It attempts to play it, but all I get is about 12s of black screen w/o sound. Then it returns to the browse window. During this time zprocess runs and makes a the "pvr350.mpg" file for what ever .avi I selected in the recordings dir.

I can of course use the "transcode" button on the menu when I am browsing, but it does not let me transcode back to .mpeg and it is not on the fly.

Thank you for all of your assistance. I appreciate it. Unless anybody has any other suggestions I am just going to have to get some bigger harddrives.

[zehd]

Well I may be stuck then.

In GBPVR, I browse for the .avi and then try to play it like anyother video. It attempts to play it, but all I get is about 12s of black screen w/o sound. Then it returns to the browse window. During this time zprocess runs and makes a the "pvr350.mpg" file for what ever .avi I selected in the recordings dir.

I can of course use the "transcode" button on the menu when I am browsing, but it does not let me transcode back to .mpeg and it is not on the fly.

Thank you for all of your assistance. I appreciate it. Unless anybody has any other suggestions I am just going to have to get some bigger harddrives.

Sorry

[yofive]

Frank.

So, I am when to play my .avi's on the fly, I press play in GBPVR (the video does not load), browse to fine the "pvr350.mpg" file created in the recordings dir and it plays fine (ie. it is being actively transcoded from an AVI to mpeg with sound and good video...using renamed zprocess I might add...very nice). Is there a way to link the pvr350.mpg file to the remote or in the zprocess code, so that when I press play on an .avi I can immediately call up the pvr350.mpg file to start it w/o having to browse?

[zehd]

Frank.

So, I am when to play my .avi's on the fly, I press play in GBPVR (the video does not load), browse to fine the "pvr350.mpg" file created in the recordings dir and it plays fine (ie. it is being actively transcoded from an AVI to mpeg with sound and good video...using renamed zprocess I might add...very nice). Is there a way to link the pvr350.mpg file to the remote or in the zprocess code, so that when I press play on an .avi I can immediately call up the pvr350.mpg file to start it w/o having to browse?

The short answer is no. That has been the last problem that I was not able to help with. It should already be happening. There is nothing more I (or sub) can think of. I'm sorry