NPVR 2.2.6 - Current Patches and Getting Started info

[johnsonx42]

Current Patches for NPVR 2.2.6

Cumulative Update - November 17, 2011 - NPVR 2.2.6 Patches Final: http://forums.gbpvr.com/attachment.php?a...1321552184 (includes patches 1-50a)

ALL NPVR USERS SHOULD INSTALL THE CUMULATIVE PATCH UPDATE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU ARE EXPERIENCING THE IDENTIFIED ISSUES. These updated files represent the latest version of NPVR code, and may include other changes not documented. Other later patches or program updates you may find posted by sub may fail if all your NPVR program files are not up to date. In particular, before posting any support request please install the current cumulative patch update and reproduce your problem.

===Patches included in NPVR 2.2.6 Patches R1=== (still available here: http://forums.gbpvr.com/attachment.php?a...1319049637)
1. fix NextPVR crash during .ts playback or livetv on server or client - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post418022
2. Fix for deleting recording using single button/key - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post418121
3. allow disabling of DCR-2650/Prime devices - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post418132
4. fix for high cpu use w/o directx - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post418472
5. in NPVRTray, show DCR-2650/Prime recordings - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post418561
6. fix failure to delete recording from pc client - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post418406
7. force VMR9FSE renderer to use desktop refresh rate - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post418508
8. support directx on GPU's without hardware vertex rendering - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post418573
9. work-around issue producing spurious double-skips - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post419068
10. playback .wtv recordings using windows media center - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post419299
11. add numbers to search function - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post419284
12. remove .ts file when deleting failed recording - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post419381
13. .iso playback using wrong drive - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post419437
13a. final .iso playback fix - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post419519
14. revert client playback buffer size to 2.1.x setting - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post419286
15. improve automatic channel/epg matching - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post419168
16. add ability to log ATSC EIT data for diagnostics - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post419150
17. fix for ampersand (&) in channel name - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post419083
===In addition to the R1 updates, the following patches are included in NPVR 2.2.6 Patches R2.zip===
18. make DVB subtitles disappear properly - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post419750
19. update to work better with non-english filter pin names - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post419825
20. fix issue with Bulk Map function - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post419865
21. add configurable DVB subtitle delay - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post419798
22. additional attempt to fix subtitle issues - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post420006
23. fix crash with VolumeOSD plugin - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post420180
24. correctly release hdhomerun prime tuners - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post420299
25. fix issue with resuming recordings/videos on pch - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post420318
26. fix long delay after skipping while paused - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post420326
27. add support for 520x400 special resolution in .ts reader - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post420393
28. fix crash on exiting livetv with Freeview HD channels - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post420494
29. fix npvrtsmon crash on invalid EIT data (my infamous 1:30am crash) - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post420535
30. add QAM for PCTV HD (may not actually work) - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post420987
31. delete livetv files after client livetv session ends - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post421084
32. mark recordings completed before stopping graph - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post421158
33. misc fixes for saving settings on bulk mapping screen - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post421417
34. correct epg update problem with recurring recordings and tuner plugin - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post421449
35. add <TuneTwiceOnDigital> setting to help with SkyStar S2 - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post421460
36. attempt to add QAM support for Dvico Fusion (did not work) - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post421553
37. disable colleciton of EIT data (set option in config.xml) - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post421874
38. enable OSD timeline in radio recordings - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post421927
39. various pch/mvp related skipping fixes (includes several previous versions) - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post421934
40. fix error in epg update if a recording references a non-existent channel - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post422003
===The following patches were added to the above for NPVR 2.2.6 Patches Final.zip===
41. restore async graph stop logging - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post422065
42. updated nscripthelper.exe (see post for usage) - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post422060
43. add support for <ForcedLiveTVClock>AC3 Audio Renderer</ForcedLiveTVClock> - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post422122
44. code correction for multiple (4?) colossus cards - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post422290
45. fix All Channels recordings - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post422487
46. add full screen random photo screensaver - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post422618
47. fix run-on Analog recordings - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post422590
48. support BlockEncrypted=1 registry setting - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post422636
49. fix for DVB epg truncating first letter - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post423119
50. fix music playback issue on MVP - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post423158
50a. further fix for music track playback on MVP/NMT - http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post423521

It should be noted that patches are listed generally in chronological order, but not perfectly so. The thread a given patch is posted in may contain additional information on exactly what a given patch was intended to do, and may also contain information on additional settings required if you wish to use the functionality provided (example: patch 37). Finally, not all patches actually fix what they are supposed to, but the changes usually remain in the file going forward, so they are listed as part of the update history.

Installation Notes These "patches" are simply replacement files for the existing NPVR program files. You should extract them and copy them over the existing files; the default directory is C:\Program Files\NPVR. If you are running Vista or 7 and have UAC enabled, you will likely need to do this from an elevated command prompt or explorer window. To get an elevated explorer window, go to All Programs->Accessories, right-click on Windows Explorer and select "Run as Administrator". Now, within that explorer window only, you are the Administrator.

Before installing patches, you must exit NextPVR.exe, shutdown the NPVR Recording Service and close the NPVR Tray Icon (using the "Stop NPVR Service" icon accomplishes both).

I recommend that you restart your system after installing patches. I've seen numerous cases where the Recording Service is not able to restart properly due to a socket error. You can check your NRecord.log to see whether it did or not, or just reboot to be safe.

[johnsonx42]

NPVR Getting Started information

The primary documentation is the Wiki: http://www.gbpvr.com/nwiki. This post is meant to provide some basic information to get you pointed in the right direction.

The current NPVR 2.2.6 Installer: http://www.gbpvr.com/NPVRSetup_2_2_6.exe
- v2.2.6 released August 28th. Release notes: http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?50536

Installation Pre-Requisites: http://www.nextpvr.com/nwiki/pmwiki.php?...requisites
Full DirectX Runtime: http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/det...px?id=8109

What is NPVR aka NextPVR?
NPVR is a completely new PVR application. With it you can watch and record TV programs from a variety of sources, play music and watch movies, and extend the functionality with various plugins. It can be thought of as the next generation of GB-PVR, but does not contain any GB-PVR code. GB-PVR skins and plugins are NOT compatible with NPVR. The initial release version number of NPVR was 1.5.19 (all versions 1.4.7 and prior are the older GB-PVR program). Much can be learned by reading sub's release notes in all of the 1.5.x release threads here: http://forums.gbpvr.com//forumdisplay.ph...order=desc (particularly the 1.5.19 notes are relevant if you are familiar with GB-PVR)

What about GB-PVR?
GB-PVR is no longer being developed. 1.4.7 was the final release, there will be no further changes, patches or bug fixes. Most plugin developers have also ended developement of their GB-PVR plugins. Support is still provided in the GB-PVR Support (Legacy) forum.

Getting Started & Accessing Settings:
The first time you run NextPVR.exe, it *should* load the Settings screen. If it doesn't, or when you need to get into it again, simply Right-Click anywhere in the NextPVR window; then you can select "Settings" from the menu.

Analog Capture Devices:
For ALL analog capture devices, you will need some of the Hauppauge SoftPVR components. If your Analog capture source does not show up in Devices, then the needed components are missing. If you first install WinTV7 (not 6, 7!) you will have the needed components installed. You can download WinTV7 from Hauppauge if you have an earlier WinTV CD available AND have a supported Hauppauge device installed: http://hauppauge.lightpath.net/software/...d_2.2d.exe. See the wiki for additional installation options: http://www.nextpvr.com/nwiki/pmwiki.php?...ugeSoftPVR

Some Analog devices will also need an appropriate entry added to the AnalogDevices.xml file; if your analog device won't show up after successfully installing the SoftPVR components, run FilterCheck (http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post386360), and post a support request thread with your FilterCheck.log attached as a .zip file. Post from Sub that reminds me how to construct an AnalogDevices.xml entry: http://forums.gbpvr.com//showthread.php?...post386495

North America Digital Cable (QAM) Support
Many ATSC/QAM digital tuner drivers do not properly identify QAM support for the device, and thus the device will appear only in the ATSC form; you will not be able to tune digital cable with this device entry. If the QAM entry for your device does not show up, view the devices screen then post a new support thread with your NPVR.LOG attached, along with a "please sir". sub can use data in the log to add QAM support for your device via a patch.

SiliconDust HDHomeRun
In the SiliconDust driver configuration, there is an option to set the Application you'll be using with it. Do not set it to GB-PVR; you will not be able to scan for channels. Instead, set the application to "Other".

NPVR Directories
NPVR has a program directory and a data directory. By default:
[PROGRAM] = "C:\Program Files\NPVR" (32-bit versions of Windows)
[PROGRAM] = "C:\Program Files(x86)\NPVR" (64-bit versions of Windows)

[DATA] = "C:\Users\Public\NPVR" on Windows 6 variants (Vista, 7, 2008)
[DATA] = "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\NPVR" on Windows 5.x variants (XP, 2003).

NPVR LOGS
NPVR logs pretty much everything it does in several log files. You should zip and attach your logs to any support post. The default log location is in the logs directory under the npvr data directory:
Windows Vista & Windows 7: C:\users\public\npvr\logs
Windows XP: C:\documents and settings\all users\application data\npvr\logs
--(my personal pet peeve: posted logs must be in .zip format or I probably won't look at them. someone else probably will, but not me... I may even gripe about it, yet still not look at the logs, because I'm just THAT WAY about it)--
To attach the logs, use the 'Go Advanced' button when posting, then click the paperclip and follow the onscreen instructions.

EPG (Electronic Program Guide)
NPVR will read any available EPG data you receive from your broadcasters (the DVB-T/ATSC Broadcast EPG option). However this information is sometimes very limited and not really of much use for more than the most basic TV watching functions (particularly North American digital cable and broadcast). It is recommended instead that you provide an XMLTV file with your desired EPG data. You will need an XMLTV grabber to download your EPG data into a file, and then point NPVR to that file. NPVR can also link directly to an XMLTV file on a web server. Once you setup your XMLTV grabber, you can put the commands to run the grabber in to the UpdateEPG.bat file in the npvr\scripts directory. NPVR runs this file first before updating the EPG each time. Here are a few XMLTV grabbers:

XMLTV: http://sourceforge.net/projects/xmltv/
XMLTVGUI: http://www.birtles.org.uk/xmltv/ - of particular interest to UK users
MC2XML: http://mc2xml.dyndns.org - can grab free Windows Media Center EPG data
DVBGuide: http://forums.gbpvr.com//showthread.php?...post387262 - load DVB broadcast EPG into XMLTV
EPGCollector: http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?for...icid=61903 - load NZ Freeview-T EPG into XMLTV

In addition, for US and Canadian users, NPVR now has built-in support for the Schedules Direct EPG service. Create an account at http://www.schedulesdirect.org; quality, legal EPG data is only $20.00 per year.

Some quick instructions on the XMLTV setup and channel mapping process here: http://forums.gbpvr.com//showthread.php?...post387096.

Batch files executed by NPVR:
[DATA]\Scripts\ParallelProcessing.bat <filename> <channelnumber> <oid>: called when a recording begins - often used for comskip
[DATA]\Scripts\PostProcessing.bat <filename> <channelnumber> <oid>: called when a recording completes (not canceled) - often used for comskip or transcoding
[DATA]\Scripts\UpdateEPG.bat : called when the EPG update begins at the time specified in Settings; commands herein should update the XMLTV file
[DATA]\Scripts\PostUpdateEPG.bat : called during the EPG update procedure; can be used for additional EPG-related processing (i.e. xmltvextras)
[DATA]\Scripts\Wakeup.bat : called after PC resumes from sleep.
[DATA]\Scripts\ScreenSaverStart.bat & ScreenSaverStop.bat: called when screen saver starts or exits

Parameters used in the Parallel/PostProcessing.bat: %1=the full path and file name of the recording file, %2=channel number, %3=recording OID for scripts that will modify the database.

The UpdateEPG.bat is only needed when using the XMLTV option.

Sample PostProcessing.bat: http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post387833

NScriptHelper docs: http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post414127

PLEASE NOTE: the scripts run as 'Local System', not your normal desktop user. Among other things, mapped network drives will NOT be there. Use \\server\sharename or \\ip\sharename instead.

Video and Audio Decoders
You must provide and select decoders for the video and audio streams that you will be playing. Analog video in any country requires only an MPEG-2 Video decoder and an MPEG-1 Layer 2 Audio decoder. The decoders provided with Windows XP/Vista/7 are usually sufficient for this. Digital video in the USA requires an HD-Capable MPEG-2 Video decoder and an AC3 Audio decoder. The Microsoft DTV-DVD Video decoder works well for many users, however the Microsoft DTV-DVD Audio Decoder will not work for AC3 Audio. Use AC3Filter (http://ac3filter.net) instead. In other countries H.264 Video and various other forms of Audio are in use; you should familiarize yourself with the format(s) used in your country.

Our good friend Hoborg has developed a codec pack for NPVR: http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?50227

Moving from GB-PVR
GB-PVR and NPVR can run at the same time, but be careful not to have both programs attempt to use the same tuner(s) at the same time.
NPVR can import your existing Ready recordings; click Import on the Recording screen in Settings, and point to GB-PVR's recording-dump.xml.
There is a utility for importing season recordings, see: http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?47438

NEWA - NPVR Enhanced Web Access
Thanks to UncleJohnsBand, NPVR sports a spiffy web interface. Just point your web browser to [url]http://machine_name_or_ip:8866[/url], and enjoy (or http://localhost:8866 if you're on the same box). You can set an admin password for the configuration functions on the 'MVP & Web' screen in Settings.

[johnsonx42]

everyone please note a critical patch has been released; please install Patch #1.

if you downloaded NPVRSetup_2_2_6.exe after the date/time on this post, then this patch is already included.

(edit: this update, along with newer changes, are of course included in the cumulative patch update)

[BTJustice]

Here is another patch sub has graciously made that allows numbers to be search for in NPVR's Search feature...

http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post419284

Just extract to the NextPVR.exe file to either...

C:\Program Files\NPVR
C:\Program Files (x86)\NPVR

[jefs99]

A couple of observations as a new user:
Live in San Diego and have Cox Cable HD delivery of Local Broadcast only (QAM). Two issues handled in other areas of this Forum nearly sunk my efforts to use NPVR. Thought they could be repeated here:

1) Initial scans for channels came up empty. Needed to follow Whurlston's suggestion: "Make sure you add firewall exceptions for NextPVR.exe and NRecord.exe." Channels then scanned in. Unfortunately, no Program guide info.
2) Cox Cable renames the channels by adding a DT to each station's call letters. The channels needed to be remapped to Cox's new name via the drop-down remapping menu within channel setup>details.

[BrettB]

1) Initial scans for channels came up empty. Needed to follow Whurlston's suggestion: "Make sure you add firewall exceptions for NextPVR.exe and NRecord.exe." Channels then scanned in. Unfortunately, no Program guide info.
2) Cox Cable renames the channels by adding a DT to each station's call letters. The channels needed to be remapped to Cox's new name via the drop-down remapping menu within channel setup>details.

A couple of questions that will help us to incorporate these into setup guides:

1. What tuner(s) are you using?
   
2. What EPG source are you using?
   

[a_edwall]

A couple of observations as a new user:
Live in San Diego and have Cox Cable HD delivery of Local Broadcast only (QAM). Two issues handled in other areas of this Forum nearly sunk my efforts to use NPVR. Thought they could be repeated here:

1) Initial scans for channels came up empty. Needed to follow Whurlston's suggestion: "Make sure you add firewall exceptions for NextPVR.exe and NRecord.exe." Channels then scanned in. Unfortunately, no Program guide info.
2) Cox Cable renames the channels by adding a DT to each station's call letters. The channels needed to be remapped to Cox's new name via the drop-down remapping menu within channel setup>details.

Interesting. I live in North San Diego County and I don't believe I experienced this or had to do anything special. Perhaps Cox North is different than your Cox (which may be South).

[johnsonx42]

2.2.6 Cumulative patch R1 has been added to the top post. Patches 1-17 included.

[johnsonx42]

sorry for the lack of updates for the past couple of weeks, been busy with other things...

patches 28-39 added to list. patches 30 and 36 add QAM support to a couple of devices, but neither device actually detects any QAM channels so they probably just won't do QAM with NPVR; those patches are only in the list because they reflect the latest versions of NShared.dll.

I'm installing all the post-R1 patches (18-39) this afternoon, and assuming my system doesn't die a horrible death, an R2 cumulative patch will be forthcoming.

[johnsonx42]

NPVR 2.2.6 Patches R2.zip now available.

Included files:

Code:

09/19/2011  07:48 AM           240,640 NPVRTSReader.ax
10/01/2011  06:48 AM           146,944 NUtility.dll
10/08/2011  05:23 AM           218,112 NPVRTSMon.ax
10/08/2011  05:26 AM           766,976 Unmanaged.dll
10/09/2011  06:01 AM           558,592 NextPVR.exe
10/10/2011  08:50 AM           320,512 NShared.dll

note: the first version of R2 posted did not include patch 40 which was initially listed separately. however no one appeared to have downloaded it by that time, so I re-posted R2 with patches 1-40 included.