BDA Multiplexer questions

[DaveL]

I got a couple general questions regarding different options in BDA Multiplexer. I'm using QAM from cable in US.

1. I can see closed caption with either "ATI mpeg" or "Microsoft DVR-MS", but not "TS MUX". Is this expected or I did something wrong.

2. Reason I want to use "TS MUX" is multirecord checkbox grayed out if I pick any other choices, so I assume if I want multirecord, I have to use "TS MUX". Am I correct here?

3. I believe the "full ts" option means I can record all subchannels on a certain frequency. Question is how do I view them, do I have to manually use something like ffmpeg to extract separate channels or GB-PVR can do it automatically somehow?

Thanks for you help.

[sub]

I got a couple general questions regarding different options in BDA Multiplexer. I'm using QAM from cable in US.

1. I can see closed caption with either "ATI mpeg" or "Microsoft DVR-MS", but not "TS MUX". Is this expected or I did something wrong.

CC are part of the pre-encoded digital video stream, so is present in all digital recordings, including TS Mux. The utility you're using to extractt them may not be compatible with .ts files though.

2. Reason I want to use "TS MUX" is multirecord checkbox grayed out if I pick any other choices, so I assume if I want multirecord, I have to use "TS MUX". Am I correct here?

Correct.

3. I believe the "full ts" option means I can record all subchannels on a certain frequency. Question is how do I view them, do I have to manually use something like ffmpeg to extract separate channels or GB-PVR can do it automatically somehow?

You shouldnt use the 'full ts' option. Its only intended for my debugging purposes. I sometimes have to ask people to make a 'full ts' recording, and send me the file, so that I can try to replicate scanning issues etc.

[DaveL]

Thanks for the quick reply, sub. That cleared most of my confusions.

The only question left: I'm using gbpvr to view my recordings, CC works with the option set to mpeg or dvr-ms, but not ts mux. In another word, if the output file format is dvr-ms or mpg, it works, but not *.ts. Is this by design, or there is a setting I can tweak?

I haven't tried to enable post processing (under processing tab) to convert ts to mpg and see if that makes CC work or not. But as you said, CC data stream is present in all format, I guess that should work. Then that leaves it seems to be related to video rendering of *.ts format.


Dave

[DaveL]

Update: I manually converted a *.ts recording to .mpg and CC works on the mpg file. I'm using gbpvr 1.3.11.

Also, I noticed a big improvement on sound level when using mpg file. I thought the sound was due to TV signal or tuner card until I did this. Another thing I found is that fast-forward/backward no longer crash gbpvr when using mpg format.

Isn't ts and mpg using the same encoding format? Guess that rule out decoder as a cause. Anyway, with so many issue playing ts file, I have to how to automatically convert ts to mpg now or give up multirecording and save directly to mpg.

[johnsonx42]

there is an auto-convert setting on the Processing tab in config.

alternately though you may wish to try other decoders, and also apply the patches from the last post in the 1.3.11 survival guide sticky (I don't know whether those patches could have anything to do with this particular problem, but sub doesn't put them in the survival guide just to run up his post count). skipping in .ts files does not cause trouble for me or most people.

[DaveL]

Thanks for the suggestions. However, I have applied all patches in the survival guide when I first install. Tried different decoder too, no difference. This is no surprise since both ts and mpg using the same decoder anyway. And I only have problem with ts, not mpg.

As for auto conversion, it's been discussed in great detail here. I tried everything and came to the same conclusion as the thread. So I'm out of luck there.

So I have two choices right now, either giving up multirecord and use mpg as output in BDA multiplexer settings, or do a manual convert. Apparently, neither is very desirable.

Right now, what I'm really doing is using mpg output. This means no multirecord for me. I guess if I have to use it, I will have to manually change the multiplexer setting back to "ts mux" and manually convert files after recording.

[sub]

The attached patch should hopefully allow you see CC captions with .ts files in the same way as you can with .mpg files.

[DaveL]

Bravo! The patch did the trick. Sub came up with the patch much quicker than I could test it. Impressive!!