Where is GBPVR putting the current file?

[blaster556]

Where is GBPVR writing the file it is currently recording? It does not seem to be putting it in the directory where it eventually ends up, nor anywhere else I can see. Kinda like magic

I'm hoping I can use my PCH to start viewing a file before it has finished recording.

[stustunz]

it puts it in the folder you chose under the directories tab >recordings directory
unless using time shift then its in the buffer folder

[blaster556]

OK...I see that the problem is, it's the network share. This works fine on a local Vista disk, but not on Samba.

I can't even see my shows anymore on the Samba disk. If I try and record on the Samba share, it fails. There's nothing in the log files to indicate any problem. There are no permissions problems, I can use Explorer to create/delete/etc on the Samba share just fine.

So...Is there any trick to getting GBPVR to work with a network share? Searching here would seem to indicate that it works just fine.

I'm guess I also need to rebuild my database, how can I get GBPVR to scan a directory of recordings and rebuild the database? Or is that not possible?

[fuzzweed]

how can I get GBPVR to scan a directory of recordings and rebuild the database? Or is that not possible?

There's export / import buttons on the plugins tab of config. There's also a utility called vidimport on the wiki that can help import 'lost' recordings etc. if the export part of the process is ever missing or fails.

[sub]

So...Is there any trick to getting GBPVR to work with a network share? Searching here would seem to indicate that it works just fine.

Remember, the recording service runs as a different user accounts, so you cant use a mapped drive. You should be able to record to a network share, but you'll probably need to use a UNC path (\\server\share) instead of a mapped drive. You may possibly need to switch the user account used to run the GB-PVR Recording Service.

In general, I dont advise recording to a network share. Too many things that can go wrong...

[mmatheny]

Set up an iSCSI connection instead of a shared drive. There are free iSCSI servers (for both Windows and *nix) out there, and MS has an iSCSI client for free.

FYI, and iSCSI connection looks just like a local hard drive to the OS. It is basically a hard drive connected via a network cable, rather than an IDE or SATA cable.

[blaster556]

Remember, the recording service runs as a different user accounts, so you cant use a mapped drive. You should be able to record to a network share, but you'll probably need to use a UNC path (\\server\share) instead of a mapped drive. You may possibly need to switch the user account used to run the GB-PVR Recording Service.

Duh! I forgot that the recording service doesn't run as the logged in user! I was using the UNC path, but the service didn't have permissions! Setting the force user option on the Samba share fixed that though, and is probably want I want anyways.

In general, I dont advise recording to a network share. Too many things that can go wrong...

Understood...But I typically have 200+ days of uptime on my Samba server, and gigabit networks, so I'm not too concerned. I do have 2 HD HR Units (4 tuners) so I suppose if I was recording 4 streams at once I could overrun the IO of the Vista GBPVR server.
I'm mostly using GBPVR as a backend and viewing all the media with either VLC (as I could never get the GBPVR clients working) or PCHs.
If I continue on with this configuration, I may install Vista under Xen and run GBPVR that way, right on the Samba server, which would eliminate the IO issues. Especially now that paravirtualized device drives are available for Windows on Xen.

Thanks for the help.

[blaster556]

There's export / import buttons on the plugins tab of config. There's also a utility called vidimport on the wiki that can help import 'lost' recordings etc. if the export part of the process is ever missing or fails.

Thanks for the vidimport tip. Have you gotten it to run under Vista? I get:

C:\bin>vidImport.exe \\gremlin\media\tv
vidImport.exe version 1.01
Recursing directory/file: \\gremlin\media\tv
Default Xmlin = C:\Program Files\Devnz\GBPVR\recording-dump.xml
Settings used:
----> Gbprv Dir = C:\Program Files\Devnz\GBPVR\
----> Gbpvr Recording File = C:\Program Files\Devnz\GBPVR\recording-dump.xml
----> Show File = C:\Program Files\Devnz\GBPVR\showDetail.txt
----> Autoimport = True
----> XmlOut = videos.xml
----> ImdbLookup = True
----> Autoimport = True
----> Season Prefix = .s
----> Epsiode Prefix = e
----> Episode Suffix = .
----> Include Season in Episode = False
----> Starting dir/file = \\gremlin\media\tv
Checking for gbpvr export file:C:\Program Files\Devnz\GBPVR\recording-dump.xml
Error: C:\Program Files\Devnz\GBPVR\recording-dump.xmldoes not exist. Skipping f
ile
Recursing: \\gremlin\media\tv

Unhandled Exception: System.IO.FileNotFoundException: Could not load file or ass
embly 'System.Core, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c56193
4e089' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified.
File name: 'System.Core, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c
561934e089'
at NTFS.FileSystem.ListAlternateDataStreams(FileSystemInfo file)
at NTFS.FileSystem.ListAlternateDataStreams(String filePath)
at viUtilities.metadata.getMetaData(String filename)
at videoImport.Program.addRecordings(DirectoryInfo di, ArrayList recList, Has
htable oldRecList)
at videoImport.Program.addRecordings(DirectoryInfo di, ArrayList recList, Has
htable oldRecList)
at videoImport.Program.Main(String[] args)

WRN: Assembly binding logging is turned OFF.
To enable assembly bind failure logging, set the registry value [HKLM\Software\M
icrosoft\Fusion!EnableLog] (DWORD) to 1.
Note: There is some performance penalty associated with assembly bind failure lo
gging.
To turn this feature off, remove the registry value [HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Fus
ion!EnableLog].

[blaster556]

Set up an iSCSI connection instead of a shared drive. There are free iSCSI servers (for both Windows and *nix) out there, and MS has an iSCSI client for free.

FYI, and iSCSI connection looks just like a local hard drive to the OS. It is basically a hard drive connected via a network cable, rather than an IDE or SATA cable.

I've thought about that, but the problem is, that eliminates the ability to make the share available via Samba, and I'd have to share if from Vista.

[mmatheny]

Set up an iSCSI connection instead of a shared drive. There are free iSCSI servers (for both Windows and *nix) out there, and MS has an iSCSI client for free.

FYI, and iSCSI connection looks just like a local hard drive to the OS. It is basically a hard drive connected via a network cable, rather than an IDE or SATA cable.

Let me add, that you cannot boot off an iSCSI drive!