Problems with ExternalRecorder plugin

[normanr]

Can you just run vlc directly, and then use the vlc menus etc, to make the recording work?

[frazer]

Well, yes and no. I found the "wizard" in the VLC menu, which I had never tried before, and followed the process for recording to file, but it only gives the option of creating a ts file, and this, for some reason then only recorded the audio. If I asked it to transcode to mpeg2 as well (though the original stream is mpeg2 ts), and then chose ps as the file format, it took up all the processor power, and thus created a very choppy, but nevertheless complete video and audio file.

But I have now managed to get a good ps file recorded from the stream, with low cpu usage, by running my own command line (without transcoding) outside of GBPVR. So far, though, what has been created from within GBPVR using the plugin has always been choppy, even though the CPU usage is just as low (I've taken the duplicate bit out of the string; I really should have looked on the VLC site earlier, but I didn't understand that all the bits of the parameters string were instructions specific to VLC- now I know what they all mean!).

I'll have to experiment further tonight (when the TV is free) to see exactly whats going on though, and whether I can recreate the same results again.
The command line that worked outside GBPVR was (I think this is right, but I can confirm later- note that the syntax is a little different from my earlier attempts, and those posted elsewhere on this forum);

....\vlc.exe --sout="#std{access=file,mux=ps,url=c:\newfile.mpg}"

Thanks,

Frazer

[frazer]

just realised that command line I wrote was rubbish! of course the --sout commands come after the udp address;

..\vlc.exe udp:1234 --sout="#std{access=file,mux=ps,url=c:\newfile.mpg}"

the spacing seems very important; one space between the vlc.exe and udp, another between 1234 and --sout. also not having the file name (c:\newfile.mpg) in quotations made a difference, but rather having quotations around the whole string after sout=.

I'll check back to confirm all this when I've tested more.

Frazer

[frazer]

OK tested some more, and nearly have it running properly. The recording parameters working for me in GBPVR are;

udp:1234 --sout="#std{access=file,mux=ps,url={filename}}"

This gives a perfect mpg file in the right place to watch back in GBPVR, and uses very little CPU (removing the duplicate part was presumably responsible for this). As I mentioned before, not having the quotation marks around {filename} seems important; if I have them, I just get an empty file there. Actually, when the file is a specific address, as I was experimenting from the command line with above, it makes no difference if the quotation marks are in or not.

Anyway, two problems remain though; one is confirmation that I can't just watch the stream in timeshift mode through my XCard. Can anyone think of a good reason for this? I can though play back the file if I set the stream to record, but the problem here is that the keys on my keyboard are locked for some reason once it has started recording. I can still use the mouse with the OSD on the monitor output to start playing the file, but eventually I'll need to do everything through the remote control (which I don't have set up yet) and the TV output, so I assume this would be locked as well. This only happens with a channel using the external recorder, so is this a known issue with the plugin?

Thanks again for your help and patience,

Frazer

[normanr]

Good to hear it's all running 100% now. The VLC command line syntax looks like it's changed since I last downloaded it.

Not sure about the keyboard freezing up, is it possible that GB-PVR has just lost focus. If you click someone on the gb-pvr screen, and then try the keyboard does it then work? Does it make a difference if you run GB-PVR in full-screen vs in a window?

Are you saying that timeshifting doesn't work, but if you start a recording, and then try and watch it, that it works okay? You might try changing the VMR9/VMR7/etc setting, I always find that the different options give slightly different results. Not sure if that even does anything when the XCard is in use.

[frazer]

That's right; starting to record and then watching the recording file works OK, apart from the keyboard problem that is. But trying to simply watch when in timeshift mode (and for the XCard it always has to be in timeshift mode) doesn't work with the XCard- I just get a "error reading file" message- but does work if I switch to a software decoder.

I'll try setting the monitor GBPVR display to fullscreen next time I get a chance. I know though that there was nothing else on the screen when the problem occurs; myTheatre (from which I'm streaming) is minimized, but that was on all the time when the keyboard was working fine anyway. I did wonder if VLC might be causing the problem, as that is the only new program being opened when recording starts; but it isn't showing up on the monitor display though.

Thanks

Frazer

[normanr]

Yea, the VLC process is hidden when it's launched. Otherwise it sits in front of GB-PVR which is just silly.

I'm not sure if there's anything more that can be done from the recorder side. The problem might relate to how gb-pvr is playing back the files.

[frazer]

Yes, I wondered if it's just some strange issue with the way the XCard works, though I don't know why it should be any different using the plugin to timeshift from using the normal capture card, which works just fine.

Anyway, it certainly throws up some wierd error messages when I try it, and, if I remember rightly (I don't have access to the logs at the minute) there was also an unusual apperance of the "VMRhelper" at the relevant moment I try to timeshift, as well as the "XCardhelper", which is what is there the rest of the time. I know my configuration is set to "overlay" (the Xcard doesn't work with the others I think), so I wonder what this means; it wouldn't be related to the plugin would it?

Frazer

[frazer]

Tried having GBPVR fullscreen; makes no difference to the keyboard being locked though- and it is only locked when the external recorder is running. Did discover one strange thing, that I was able to repeat numerous times, and makes no sense to me; if I call up the task manager, then minimize it, the keyboard immediately becomes active again with the external recording plugin is still running. If the task manger is already minimized when the external recording starts though, the keyboard will be locked, until I maximize and then minimize it again.

Any thoughts on that one? Sorry for being a pain about this, but both this and the problem with timeshifting with the XCard are basically stopping me being able to use a very useful plugin, that would allow me to use the XCard/GBPVR combo as my sole front end, and avoid ever really having to view Windows on the TV.

Thanks again,

Frazer

[normanr]

can you get the keyboard to work by using something like notepad or calc instead of task manager? It sounds like just swapping away from GB-PVR and back is fixing the issue.

I would say try the other VMR settings, I've found with my set up that they seem to change slightly each version. There's not much that can be done from the External Recorder side about the timeshifting. sub will have to take a look at it when he finds time.