How I connect client PCs to my "sleepy" GB-PVR server

[Mucaro]

Last December, I was able to resolve the hibernation (s4) and stand-by (s3) issues my GB-PVR HTPC/server had. Currently, my server wakes up every day to update the EPG and/or record TV and then puts itself back into stand-by mode after done. I can also turn the HTPC on with my MS MCE remote when I want to watch TV in the living room.

I was living a dream . But the dream became a nightmare when my GBPVR client-addicted teenage daughters realized they could not watch live TV or their recordings from their PCs if the server went into stand-by mode.

I was not willing to let go the stand-by mode. So I did a little research (thanks God for Google ). To make a long story short, I replaced the GB-PVR shortcuts on their clients' Desktops with a shortcut to a custom batch file that does the following:

1. It checks if the server is awake.
   
2. If the server is awake, it starts the GB-PVR application right away.
   
3. If the server is sleeping, it sends a Wake-on-LAN (WoL) magic packet to the server to wake it up.
   
4. It gives the server 5 seconds to wake up. (The server wakes up in less than 3 seconds).
   
5. Starts the GB-PVR application.
   

The batch file relies on the Depicus' "WolCmd.exe" utility to send WoL magic packets. "WolCmd.exe" is a clean freeware command-line utility and can be downloaded from here.

The attached HTTP.txt is the batch file that the clients should call instead of GB-PVR. (Rename it to HTTP.bat after downloading it) You must edit the file (with notepad) and add the IP and MAC numbers of your server. The MAC number can be obtained by running Windows' command prompt (Windows-R keys, type in "cmd", then press enter) and entering "ipconfig /all". The MAC number is listed as "Physical Address". Don't include the dashes (-) in the batch file.

If your GB-PVR is not installed in the folder "C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr", then you must also update that path in the HTPC.bat batch file.

Once you get HTPC.bat and WolCmd.exe, store them in the same folder. I stored mine in "C:\Program Files\WoL". You could put the files in different folders; just remember to change the batch file accordingly.

Then, create a Desktop shortcut to the HTPC.bat file. Optionally, you could assign the GB-PVR icon (red TV set) to the HTPC shortcut.

Note that for WoL to work, you must make sure that WoL is allowed in your server's BIOS and the server's Ethernet adapter driver is configured to accept magic packets. I decided not to discuss how to do this because I know it has been discussed ad nauseam in this forum.

Enjoy it.

[haripj]

Thanks for the batch file.
Did you have to do anything special like this to be able to wake up the HTPC with the remote, or does it just work upon sending any signal to the HTPC with the remote? Does it also work the same way with the RF keyboard?

[Mucaro]

Once the computer could enter stand-by and wake up by itself, I had to change the BIOS to allow USB devices to wake up the computer. Also, I think I had to configure the IR receiver device to wake up the PC. (I use the "replacement" MCE IR receiver driver included with HIP)

The computer turns on only if the "PC power" button on the MS MCE remote or the Harmony remote is pressed. That allows me to do other activities without waking up the HTPC. For example, I can use the Harmony remote to control my miniHT system and browse through radio stations, play back a DVD movie, or play Wii, and the HTPC does not wake up.

Yes, the HTPC wakes up if I press any key on the RF keyboard. For that to work, I had to change the BIOS accordingly.

Please, note that BIOS functions change from mobo to mobo. I cannot wake up the HTPC from hibernation using the remotes. But I've read that some people can.

[DaRacerz]

Mucaro, I would like to say thanks for the post. It was usefull.

On a side note. Waking up from the Remote depends on your setup. The iMon remotes by Soundgraph support wakeup from Standby (I presume this includes Hibernate as well). Most remotes do not. There may be others.

[Dave_M]

I'd like to try this as well. Could some one copy-paste their batch file in this forum? The attachment seems to have been deleted from the first post.

[fuzzweed]

this is my version. Programatically (if that's a word) there are some flaws with it (mainly 'error' handling doesn't work right - feel free to improve and repost ) but it works fine otherwise. This uses wol.exe from here http://www.depicus.com/wake-on-lan/ , not wolcmd.exe used by the OP but same thing.
macaddress will need to be changed to suit, as will servername

Code:

echo off
echo Waking Server
set start=0
set end=3
wol macaddress

:ping
echo Looking For Server
ping servername | find "Reply" > NULL
if errorlevel=1 goto loop else
echo Server Found
echo Starting GBPVR
C:\Progra~1\devnz\GBPVR\PVRX2.exe
exit

:loop
if %start%==%end% goto stop
set /a start=%start%+1
goto ping

echo ok

:stop
echo Server Not Found
pause

[fuzzweed]

PS I also kill pvrx2 on the client when it goes into sleep and call this batch on resume .If the client sleeps with pvrx2 running, but resumes when the server is asleep you'll run into problems again.

[pBS]

if you run HIP on the client it also has 'scheduler' that can fire events on suspend and resume...[eliminating extra running processes]
and i think you could even run it just for that function...[without remote] tho that may be overkill..

[jonnybignote]

fuzzweed - can you explain how you kill pvrx2 when going into standby? Thanks