ExternalRecorder problems

[pz1]

I am wrestling since three weeks with UBUstream, to get it to work on MVP. I do get UBUstream only to work in list mode via the PC console sofar.
I have configured it for using VLC, because that is needed to get it to run ultimately through MVP. I have followed the instructions from UBU, I have read the different threads on UBUstream and external recorder. I came to the conclusion that ExternalRecorder is probably the problem.
For a non-techies like myself the documentation is not very helpfull. On the wiki it says "Launch GB-PVR config, and add the ‘External Recorder Plugin’". I do not see how I can install this under plugins.
I did copy the DLL to the plugin subdirectory, assuming the author meant to say that. Next I added a new Capture source (was this what the author meant with adding plugin?) with 'External Recorder Plugin (IRecordingSourceConfig..)' EPGSource 'none', and 'no channelChanger required'. In the settings I filled in the example configuration from the WIKI documentation. Unfortunately the documentation says nothing further about how to use this plugin. So I guessed that I had to add one Channel which I called VLC.
As the documentation says that you can use this plugin for recording videastreams. I started GBPVR where I selected manual recording of channel VLC. Nothing happens except for an empty .mpg file being created.
Is there anybody out there who could update the ExternalRecorder wiki, to prevent others loosing a lot of time on this, and help me possibly out of this problem.
Peter

[pBS]

i played with that notion a while back when he first started ubustream...i'm pretty sure the issue with recording the stream/MVP use is the external recorder didn't wait long enough for the file to be created and exited before vlc would start producing..[just missed by a few secs.] so gbpvr would exit thinking there was a problem and go back to menu...it just needs an added delay in external recorder..maybe an extra 5 secs...if anyone would like to increase the delay the source is available and quite an easy mod...
[i have quite a few projects going at the moment and am not a programmer reallly] just built my own ir reciever/blaster...and then my MCE remote came in the mail...lol [homebrew one costs $6, but weasled a deal for the MCE for 25$ ]

anyways,i'm sure it worked but gbpvr wouldn't wait long enough...mine produced working mpeg files...[some versions of vlc have problems with transcoding-out-mpegs]
make sure vlc line will produce from command-line then move onto config.
check out xdvd plugin for examples of vlc -> mpeg

[pBS]

silly me, in the new version it's fixed...they added a selectable delay..
add some time to the delay and see if that doesn't fix your prob..
off to play with it myself now...lol

[pz1]

Thanks for the responses. I am curious about your settings. I use the standard setting from UBU in the 'StartRecordingParameters: {channel} out=#transcode{vcodec=mp2v,vb=1024,scale=1,acodec=mp2a,ab=192,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=ps,url=^"{fullname}"^}}
Next the 'Wait up to' parameter is 5.000 ms, 'than wait parameter is 100 ms.
Further down I have only filled in 'Start preview executable' with UbuStreamCMD.exe with parameters only {channel}.
Next I try to open the NASA channel from the TVGUIDE listing. If I leave the 'Start preview executable' empty, I do get an error message that the file cannot be found (Extend the 'Wait up to' parameter to 100.000ms does not change that). If I have the 'Start preview executable' pointing to UbuStreamCMD.exe, opening the NASA channel from the TVGUIDE listing results in the stream being played in list mode directly in VLC instead of via GBPVR.
This problem looks very similar to this post:http://forums.gbpvr.com/showpost.php?p=1...ostcount=9
I am not sure if that situation has come to a solution. I am not yet ready to migrate to 97.7, because from the discussions I gather that it is still full of problems.
P.

[pz1]

I just got one little step further. In the GBPVR configurator under TAB Miscellaneous I did UNcheck 'Use Live preview mode if possible'. In hindsight this is obvious, because UBUstream otherwise is always forced in 'List mode'!

Unfortunately it did not solve my problem. I now get the infamous warning from the OS that 'VLC media player has encountered a problem and needs to close' (I did not bother to send that message to Bill for help). Next GBPVR comes back with Error: Failure playing back file.
The problem seems to concentrate on VLC, or the interface to VLC.
Peter

[ubu]

Firstly, just so you know, I have just converted External Recorder to .Net 2.0 so it will work with 97.7 (since its author is a bit busy with other plugins). I needed a working version in order to be able to release a fully 97.7 compliant version of UbuStream. New versions of both the External Recorder and UbuStream plugins are now available on the wiki (the old pre-97.7 versions are still there too). While I was in there, I made some attempt to make the External Recorder install.txt doc a little clearer for the new release. If I get time, I'll try to put a little more info on the wiki page too.

That having been said, I'm aware that the documentation for External Recorder has historically been a bit sketchy, so when I wrote the Ubu Stream documentation, I tried to walk the user step by step through the External Recorder config part (since I, too, found it a bit confusing when I first used it). Since then, I've fielded a number of forum questions on the subject (including the thread that pz1 mentions) and answered a number of PMs. I've even put a small sample config doc on my web site (downloadable from the UbuStream wiki page - updated version available in the zip for the new release) that has "working" examples that you should be able to cut and paste into your config.

It's best to separate the two plugins if you're having problems. Start by making sure the url will play in your installation of VLC. Then try to get it working via External Recorder. Then getting UbuStream to do the same thing should be smooth. The samples file has parms for both UbuStream and External Recorder usage.

Also, the logs have useful information for problem diagnosis. UbuStreamCmd.log for UbuStream and gbpvr.exe.log for ExternalRecorder.

Next I try to open the NASA channel from the TVGUIDE listing. If I leave the 'Start preview executable' empty, I do get an error message that the file cannot be found (Extend the 'Wait up to' parameter to 100.000ms does not change that). If I have the 'Start preview executable' pointing to UbuStreamCMD.exe, opening the NASA channel from the TVGUIDE listing results in the stream being played in list mode directly in VLC instead of via GBPVR.

Sounds like you are trying to watch TV in Live Preview mode. In this mode, if you leave the preview executable field blank, the file will, indeed, not be found. If you have UbuStreamCmd as your executable, it will fire off your station in VLC. That's what happens in Live Preview mode since nothing is being recorded. The difference from UbuStream's list mode is that in preview mode you are actually running from within the GBPVR live tv framework (via ExternalRecorder) so, for instance, if you close VLC using your remote you can then use the number buttons or the channnel up/down or prev channel buttons to change to another channel.

If you switch off Live Preview mode (uncheck it on the Misc tab in config), when you next select the channel you will be using Timeshift mode, so VLC will record the stream to an mpeg file that GBPVR will then play just as if it was an mpeg it was creating from your capture card. The "{fullname}" part of the parm (or ^"{fullname}"^ for UbuStreamCmd) tells VLC where to put the mpeg so GBPVR can find it. Check the logs to make sure that the file is being created in the same directory that you defined as your Live TV Buffer Directory in config. (BTW - Timeshift mode is the only mode that is likely to work with an MVP).

The easiest way to test your External Recorder and/or UbuStreamCmd setup is to start a manual recording of that channel. Go to the Pending view under Recordings and, once it's status changes from "Pending" to "Recording" , select the recording and hit "Play". GBPVR should start to play the recording from the beginning. This is equivalent to using Timeshift mode but without having to worry about the "timing" issues that pBS mentioned. If that works, start worrying about timing settings. If it doesn't work, go look at the logs.

You'll get there eventually. Believe me.

[pz1]

UBU,
Thanks for the long response. As a matter of fact I did follow all the instructions you described both on the WIKI, as well as in a number of threads. (You can see that from previous posts)
Your suggestion to do a 'Manual Recording' also resulted in a failure. I did copy from the UbuStreamCMD.log the command line:

C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe http://www.nasa.gov/55644main_NASATV_Windows.asx out=#transcode{vcodec=mp2v,vb=1024,scale=1,acodec=mp2a,ab=192,channels=2}:duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=ps,url="F:\Video\Manual Recordings\NASA TV_20060526132000.mpg"}}

and ran that command fro a DOS box (with "" around the <path>\vlc.exe). This resulted in the same error ('VLC media player has encountered a problem and needs to close' ) as in my previous post. So it seems that (this version 0.85 of) VLC.exe causes this problem.

Before downgrading to a previous version of VLC I would like to know if others have similar problems with this latest release of VLC?

Peter

[pz1]

I did downgrade to VLC version 0.82. Withing the GBPVR environment the behaviour was the same. when run in the DOS box the error has disappeared, but no recording actually took place....
P

[ubu]

This resulted in the same error ('VLC media player has encountered a problem and needs to close' ) as in my previous post. So it seems that (this version 0.85 of) VLC.exe causes this problem.

I'm using 0.8.4a but I get the same error you do with this particular url. Wierd - it plays fine in VLC but, when you try to record it, there's something VLC doesn't like about the stream. I even tried it with the actual mms: url embedded in the .asx - same problem.

So, to validate your External Recorder and UbuStream installations, I suggest you use the Reseach TV url used in the examples. This is a reliable, high-quality stream that works well for me (in all modes).

The NASA url will work in Preview mode using VLC, but not in Timeshift (recording) mode (as you've noticed ). Since this is a VLC problem, you could try checking the VLC forums for help. Or you could try using Mplayer instead. Mplayer is a bit harder to set up than VLC but is more flexible and offers more options (it'll play streams that VLC won't touch, for instance) so you might have better luck recording this stream.

Before downgrading to a previous version of VLC I would like to know if others have similar problems with this latest release of VLC?

I wouldn't bother since I get the same error. I didn't know there was a new release. I should probably upgrade.

[pz1]

UBU,
Thanks for double checking. I did try down to VLC 0.72. In general the same effect. It has been a long day, so I will test further tomorrow with the research channel. I'll probably try the Mplayer route as you suggested. I have seen positive reports on that software in other threads. I have to go through yet another learning curve however .

Peter