ZProcess: Hunter not starting up.

[goobie]

I downloaded ver1007 and replaced ver1001 with it. I made all the changes to the Transcoder window to look exactly like yours. Called up the movie from the MVP, but it still only played a very short segment...I think it was now down to 23 seconds from 12 seconds previously.

I'm attaching the logs (I'm not sure which logs would be of interest to you so I attaching all that I think you could need).

When you run out of ideas I can always do a format and fresh XP install this weekend.

[zehd]

I downloaded ver1007 and replaced ver1001 with it. I made all the changes to the Transcoder window to look exactly like yours. Called up the movie from the MVP, but it still only played a very short segment...I think it was now down to 23 seconds from 12 seconds previously.

I'm attaching the logs (I'm not sure which logs would be of interest to you so I attaching all that I think you could need).

When you run out of ideas I can always do a format and fresh XP install this weekend.

Have you been tweaking you computer so there are no competing processes?
That's still a huge consideration. I was able to get a P4 1.5 512 mb ram working only by turning everything else off.

You should also try turning uo the pre play delay.

Gotta say, I'm at the end. GB-PVR isn't satisfied with what ZProcess is doing. An increase of pre play is really the only thing that would eliminate the 'slight' extra time ZProcess requires compared to using ffmpeg direct...

I hope this works for you, but otherwise, you may be out of luck

[goobie]

Success! (...at least for now!)

1. I formatted the hdd and reinstalled XP, SP2 and then just the critical and recommended updates from Autopatcher (Aug 06) which included .NET.
2. Installed the Hauppauge software,
3. Set aspect ratio to 16:9
4. Disabled the Hau services by setting them to Manual.
5. Installed GBPVR and checked that it played the movie.
6. Installed ZProcess...and got a couple of errors. In the first error the program was looking for TABCTL32.OCX. I opened ZProcess-readme.txt and found reference to some other files which I couldn't locate on my PC. I downloaded them from the web and registered them. Rebooted and for now all seems fine.

Questions:
A. Were these files: TABCTL32.OCX, comdlg32.ocx,MSCOMCTL.OCX,MSCOMCT2.OCX supposed to be on my PC or how should I have gotten them? I think 2 of these were there the other I had to add manually.

B. Is that readme up to date? because this seems odd and I didn't do any of this:

these files should be placed in C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\Third Party\FFMPEG - overwrite as necessary
ffmpeg.exe - the ZProcess Program, pretending to be FFMPEG
hunter.exe - watch window program necessary for ZProcess to spawn and watch other windows...

TABCTL32.OCX - a common control that should reside in Windows\System32 and be registered with regsrv32
comdlg32.ocx
MSCOMCTL.OCX
MSCOMCT2.OCX

C. Will it help to install more codecs from K-Lite? If so, which ones? I don't want to install more than need be and in the process destroy my current success!

[zehd]

Success! (...at least for now!)

6. Installed ZProcess...and got a couple of errors. In the first error the program was looking for TABCTL32.OCX.

Go here. Get the Extra Runtime support files... Install. THis step just makes sure you have the versions I use...
http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Utility/ZTools

B. Is that readme up to date?

One mistake in the readme. Folder should be either
C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\Third Party\ZProcess
or
C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\Third Party\ZTools

Very soon I will be making the default directory for all my software ZTools. But you won't have to use all the software just to use one or two...

C. Will it help to install more codecs from K-Lite? If so, which ones? I don't want to install more than need be and in the process destroy my current success!

I use the Klite Mega codec pack, but really none of the codecs are used at all with ZProcess. VLC is an optional install, and very soon, MEncoder will be a required install. Please check out this page...

http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Utility/ZTools


*** Remember to over write with version 1007. And then use the settings described earlier. Then when you know it's working, try the default PAL-VCD and default PAL-DVD (with dimensions of 640x576) and see if it works now...

[zehd]

You've made me think I might revise my install notes.

[goobie]

I spent my entire Saturday troubleshooting this problem. This morning I continued to set my computer up the way I want it...the way it use to be before I formatted it. Went over to the TV to check if everything still work the way they should, only to discover that the problem is back. Obviously a setting I made since last night.

So the rest of the day was spent formatting and installing XP followed by the needed updates. I think I now know what causes my playback problem, I'm posting it here incase it may be of help to somebody else.

You will remember I play my movies from a shared networked computer acting as a mediaserver, initially we thought that might be the cause. Well, it turns out that my playback problem could be due to 2 things, both relating to the existance of a network shared folder for the movies:

1) it is either due to creating and having a network share under the video directories, OR
2) having a "THIS ACCOUNT" "LOG ON" name and password under the GBPVR SERVICE. This is required in order for me to access the files on my server from the MVP. Once these entries have been made I can always bring playback to a halt. The funny thing is, once these settings have been made, it cannot be reversed by just undoing them. (I guess there is a place somewhere where it can be reversed, but I had to format, reformat, curse and reformat to figure that out.)

The only other oddities I noticed:
1. When installing ZProcess (1008), right after I had to select the folders for "Override", I got a "Runtime error '53' - File not found" error. All seems fine despite that.
2. I downloaded ZProcess 1008 and installed it, but soon after I went ahead and swopped the file ZProcess.exe out for ver 1001. Using the exact same setting, movies is just a TAD vertically streched compared to 1001 which looks much more natural.

Thanks

[zehd]

I spent my entire Saturday troubleshooting this problem. This morning I continued to set my computer up the way I want it...the way it use to be before I formatted it. Went over to the TV to check if everything still work the way they should, only to discover that the problem is back. Obviously a setting I made since last night.

So the rest of the day was spent formatting and installing XP followed by the needed updates. I think I now know what causes my playback problem, I'm posting it here incase it may be of help to somebody else.

You will remember I play my movies from a shared networked computer acting as a mediaserver, initially we thought that might be the cause. Well, it turns out that my playback problem could be due to 2 things, both relating to the existance of a network shared folder for the movies:

1) it is either due to creating and having a network share under the video directories, OR
2) having a "THIS ACCOUNT" "LOG ON" name and password under the GBPVR SERVICE. This is required in order for me to access the files on my server from the MVP. Once these entries have been made I can always bring playback to a halt. The funny thing is, once these settings have been made, it cannot be reversed by just undoing them. (I guess there is a place somewhere where it can be reversed, but I had to format, reformat, curse and reformat to figure that out.)

The only other oddities I noticed:
1. When installing ZProcess (1008), right after I had to select the folders for "Override", I got a "Runtime error '53' - File not found" error. All seems fine despite that.
2. I downloaded ZProcess 1008 and installed it, but soon after I went ahead and swopped the file ZProcess.exe out for ver 1001. Using the exact same setting, movies is just a TAD vertically streched compared to 1001 which looks much more natural.

Thanks

You can't go back. There quite a few differences between 1008 and 1001.

If you like the picture to be more vertically stretched, that's what the sliders are for. Be sure to save.

On network shares, I can see why we didn't catch that. I will try and get it working the way you've been trying. It was easy, while I troubleshooting. Maybe I can write down my steps for you...

[zehd]

You can't go back. There quite a few differences between 1008 and 1001.

If you like the picture to be more vertically stretched, that's what the sliders are for. Be sure to save.

On network shares, I can see why we didn't catch that. I will try and get it working the way you've been trying. It was easy, while I troubleshooting. Maybe I can write down my steps for you...

Oops. I never actually tried transcoding on-the-fly using the MVP.

ZProcess, Hunter, and FFmpeg/MEncoder all start hidden and in the same session as the MediaMVP. They become untouchable.

I always just leave my server in 'interact with desktop' modem, but then I can't use net shares...

What you could do is have MVP servers running on the File server AND the GB-PVR Recording server. Then to switch servers, you unplug and plug in the MVP and catch it in the first few seconds to select your preferred server...

It's not as cool as I'd like to see, but it would work that way...

[goobie]

You're right, that's not cool. And coolness is very important you know when having friends over and have them drool over your toys.

My cure for the problem was to add another drive to my computer and move all the movies over there. It now works. Guess it is about time to upgrade that old server anyway.

Thanks for your help.

PS: what would be the symptoms to look now that I have 1001 running in a folder where everything else is 1008?

[zehd]

You're right, that's not cool. And coolness is very important you know when having friends over and have them drool over your toys.

My cure for the problem was to add another drive to my computer and move all the movies over there. It now works. Guess it is about time to upgrade that old server anyway.

Thanks for your help.

PS: what would be the symptoms to look now that I have 1001 running in a folder where everything else is 1008?

1001 checks dimensions and frame per sec differently. 1008 is faster.

Who knows what could happen. I never intend releasing something that is backward compatible with something else I write. They're all upgraded at the same time.

But if it's working for you, stay with it...