Channel 18 (OTA) missing. (1 Viewer)

[omasse]

For what it's worth, I've tried MediaPortal for the first time yesterday and I've been cutting my teeth with CJNT in Montreal. CJNT happens to have the same owner as CHCH (thus, I guess, the same technical team) and the problem is identical to the one you guys are having with CHCH. I tried the patched tswriter.ax made available by mm in the other thread, and it works for me!

If there is any way to put this patch in the main tree, that would be great.

Thanks

 

[GuruSR]

Well, looks like my TVO issue could be a splitter, getting one from a collegue who actually has a spectrum tester (for all of the channels and their signals), though I didn't have any problems before in this room, but now have them, so chances are, those splitters are it, since the other rooms (direct access to the digital distribution amp) get the channels (minus CHCH without the patched tswriter.ax).

On a side note, when I maximize the view (non-full screen) on the client, on multiple machines, the TV itself stops playing, on some systems, it stops playing totally! Have to close it and run it again. Tried playing with the video settings in the configuration of the client and got nowhere, did the same for all the settings.

Is there any way to put in a setting into the configuration for the client (Strict ATSC channel requirements) that can be toggled? Or call it "Lose" not "Strict" and give us the chance to turn it on/off.

Also, I can't manually add the channels in as described, that error (invalid frequency), did something happen in versions to cause this? Also the scan button is being partially cut off by the scan progress bar in the server configuration.

GuruSR.

 

[mm1352000]

Hi GuruSR

On a side note, when I maximize the view (non-full screen) on the client, on multiple machines, the TV itself stops playing, on some systems, it stops playing totally! Have to close it and run it again. Tried playing with the video settings in the configuration of the client and got nowhere, did the same for all the settings.

Sorry but I don't quite follow. When you say maximise, do you mean that you're running in windowed mode (ie. you can see the desktop?

Is there any way to put in a setting into the configuration for the client (Strict ATSC channel requirements) that can be toggled? Or call it "Lose" not "Strict" and give us the chance to turn it on/off.

No. The issue is only with scanning in the first instance. Once you have the channel in the channel list there is no problem. Adding too many settings is something we want to avoid as it contributes to the "MP is hard to setup" theme.

Also, I can't manually add the channels in as described, that error (invalid frequency), did something happen in versions to cause this?

Yes - it will be fixed.

Also the scan button is being partially cut off by the scan progress bar in the server configuration.

We're aware of that too. It will also be fixed.

mm

 

[GuruSR]

A Lose/Strict, can live without it, but how will you plan on getting around with that issue of some channels not working due to their bad configuration.

Yes, to the maximize. Windowed mode, setting it "Maximized" on the shortcut, it shows up fine, but if not, it shows up small (and not full screen sized, most of which it's off-screen when opened). The reason it's being windowed is the machine isn't a dedicated media player. If the software is setup on the shortcut to go maximized on start, it's fine (so long as the software isn't on a laptop running XP, seems to cause issues with playing, tried multiple methods to fix it, no change, throws the image all over the screen while windowed). If run in normal window size and not maximized or anything, the display in the small square box works fine, maximizing it causes it to fail and stay failed until you quit (happens on desktop too).

So let me say it this way so that you can understand:

Laptop -> Run Client *normal window*, plays fine in the small box (or if you click it goes full to that window).
Desktop -> Same as above.

Laptop -> Maximize Client, playing fails, stays failed.
Desktop -> Same as above.

Desktop -> Run Client *Maximized*, plays file in small box and full window when done, but don't restore window or fails.
Laptop -> Run Client *Maximized*, plays by "splattering" the display all over the screen, the box shows the tv image mostly green.

This is all done with Dx9, since it's XP and the other driver just crashes on the Laptop and nothing shows up on the Desktop but doesn't crash.

Also, going from windowed mode to full screen, the mouse is completely off, happens on both multiple desktops and laptops. The hot tracking is nowhere near where the mouse is.

GuruSR.

 

[mm1352000]

Hi again

A Lose/Strict, can live without it, but how will you plan on getting around with that issue of some channels not working due to their bad configuration.

It is not that they don't or won't work - they just aren't picked up in the scan. If there wasn't a bug in the add-ATSC/QAM-tuning detail logic then that would be the workaround.

Yes, to the maximize. Windowed mode, setting it "Maximized" on the shortcut, it shows up fine, but if not, it shows up small (and not full screen sized, most of which it's off-screen when opened). The reason it's being windowed is the machine isn't a dedicated media player. If the software is setup on the shortcut to go maximized on start, it's fine (so long as the software isn't on a laptop running XP, seems to cause issues with playing, tried multiple methods to fix it, no change, throws the image all over the screen while windowed). If run in normal window size and not maximized or anything, the display in the small square box works fine, maximizing it causes it to fail and stay failed until you quit (happens on desktop too).

So let me say it this way so that you can understand:

Laptop -> Run Client *normal window*, plays fine in the small box (or if you click it goes full to that window).
Desktop -> Same as above.

Laptop -> Maximize Client, playing fails, stays failed.
Desktop -> Same as above.

Desktop -> Run Client *Maximized*, plays file in small box and full window when done, but don't restore window or fails.
Laptop -> Run Client *Maximized*, plays by "splattering" the display all over the screen, the box shows the tv image mostly green.

I *think* I've understood you...
My understanding is that MP is not designed to be maximised and restored - I think that would upset the skin engine and texture mixing (I will check when I get home). Anyhow, the idea is that you either run in full screen (no start menu, no file menu etc.) or windowed mode, and use alt+enter to switch between them. You also have the "start MediaPortal in full screen mode" setting in MP config (start/resume section -->here<--) to control whether MP starts in full screen or windowed mode by default. I used windowed mode myself as my computer is also not a dedicated media PC. It is sometimes a little frustrating since the window is not like a regular window in that you can't (or shouldn't) maximise and restore, and resizing stops playback, and also the window doesn't remember its size and position. My understanding is that the resizing limitations are due to the way the user interface texture and video mixing is implemented; I've hacked myself a "fix" for the position and size issue so that MP always starts in the top left of my screen and takes exactly 1/4 of the screen size (I use my 24" monitor in four sections, so MP is in the top left section).

This is all done with Dx9, since it's XP and the other driver just crashes on the Laptop and nothing shows up on the Desktop but doesn't crash.

From your description it sounds like the laptop GPU is not powerful enough to handle full screen playback. Either that or the drivers are buggy... or maybe both.

Also, going from windowed mode to full screen, the mouse is completely off, happens on both multiple desktops and laptops. The hot tracking is nowhere near where the mouse is.

I'm sorry I don't understand what you mean again with this comment. What is "hot tracking" - do you mean the focussed button or section in the user interface?

mm

 

[GuruSR]

It is not that they don't or won't work - they just aren't picked up in the scan. If there wasn't a bug in the add-ATSC/QAM-tuning detail logic then that would be the workaround.

As I said, I can live without it.

I *think* I've understood you...
My understanding is that MP is not designed to be maximised and restored - I think that would upset the skin engine and texture mixing (I will check when I get home). Anyhow, the idea is that you either run in full screen (no start menu, no file menu etc.) or windowed mode, and use alt+enter to switch between them. You also have the "start MediaPortal in full screen mode" setting in MP config (start/resume section -->here<--) to control whether MP starts in full screen or windowed mode by default. I used windowed mode myself as my computer is also not a dedicated media PC. It is sometimes a little frustrating since the window is not like a regular window in that you can't (or shouldn't) maximise and restore, and resizing stops playback, and also the window doesn't remember its size and position. My understanding is that the resizing limitations are due to the way the user interface texture and video mixing is implemented; I've hacked myself a "fix" for the position and size issue so that MP always starts in the top left of my screen and takes exactly 1/4 of the screen size (I use my 24" monitor in four sections, so MP is in the top left section).

Well, the thing is, when using window mode, you'd expect to minimize, maximize or restore a window (or resize it in use), since thats what windows are known for, unless you lock the size to the size of the skin and disable the maximize button on the client and filter out the window messages for it (since there's still that context menu offering window placement on the task bar). You've even fixed it to take 1/4 of your screen size up, but for others they may want to size it while in use so they can do other things while keeping up with their favorite show. Right now, the client won't do that without failing.

From your description it sounds like the laptop GPU is not powerful enough to handle full screen playback. Either that or the drivers are buggy... or maybe both.

Actually, the laptop also has Media Player Classic, on that machine MPC won't play everything in Dx9 (though I've had that happen on a lot of the machines), though with EVR, it plays everything, sanely, tried a 5 minute clip (1080p 30fps) on it, trying full screen then window a few times while it was playing (with statistics on), it only dropped 1 frame while I was going to/from full screen, but played fine with small jitter around 18ms (which isn't bad for a 1080p). The EVR with the client on the laptop just plain crashes, I never see any image. Its on a laptop I won't get access to until next Wednesday.

I'm sorry I don't understand what you mean again with this comment. What is "hot tracking" - do you mean the focussed button or section in the user interface?

Hot tracking is when the software (or OS) is "actively participating in the mouse's presence over a control", but it's not just that, the mouse location is inaccurate after going from window to full screen, roughly about the height of the title and menu bars combined and on some systems (my Vista desktop), the offset seemed to worsen as you went farther down the screen.

If I want to click on something, I have to wait for it to highlight before I click or the control I'm over doesn't work, I can't hit some of the controls while in the full screen tv mode, I just can't highlight them, I run out of screen to move the mouse down. This doesn't happen while in Windowed mode.

GuruSR.

 

[mm1352000]

Hi again

Well, the thing is, when using window mode, you'd expect to minimize, maximize or restore a window (or resize it in use), since thats what windows are known for, unless you lock the size to the size of the skin and disable the maximize button on the client and filter out the window messages for it (since there's still that context menu offering window placement on the task bar). You've even fixed it to take 1/4 of your screen size up, but for others they may want to size it while in use so they can do other things while keeping up with their favorite show. Right now, the client won't do that without failing.

Well I tested when I got home and I was able to maximise and restore while playing TV without any problems so that throws my explanation out the window. Note that timeshifting did stop both when maximising and restoring. I wonder if it is GPU related - I use an ATI HD-4670.

Actually, the laptop also has Media Player Classic, on that machine MPC won't play everything in Dx9 (though I've had that happen on a lot of the machines), though with EVR, it plays everything, sanely, tried a 5 minute clip (1080p 30fps) on it, trying full screen then window a few times while it was playing (with statistics on), it only dropped 1 frame while I was going to/from full screen, but played fine with small jitter around 18ms (which isn't bad for a 1080p). The EVR with the client on the laptop just plain crashes, I never see any image. Its on a laptop I won't get access to until next Wednesday.

Is this the same laptop with XP on it? I ask because EVR is a software renderer in XP - we really strongly advise using VMR9 in XP. You can check the statistics on MP too by pressing shift+1. Some info about that and some screenshots might be helpful here I think.

Hot tracking is when the software (or OS) is "actively participating in the mouse's presence over a control", but it's not just that, the mouse location is inaccurate after going from window to full screen, roughly about the height of the title and menu bars combined and on some systems (my Vista desktop), the offset seemed to worsen as you went farther down the screen.

When you say "full screen" here are you referring to a maximised window or real full screen mode? I have not observed this at all but again I will triple check when I get home.

If I want to click on something, I have to wait for it to highlight before I click or the control I'm over doesn't work, I can't hit some of the controls while in the full screen tv mode, I just can't highlight them, I run out of screen to move the mouse down. This doesn't happen while in Windowed mode.

That is strange. Again I think screenshots (or even better: a video showing a screen recording) would be really helpful in showing the problem.

mm

 

[mm1352000]

Hi again

I checked behaviour on my XP system in maximised and restored windowed mode after maximising, minimising, restoring and resizing several times. I'm sorry but I can't reproduce any of the behaviour you described. TV playback works without issue and the mouse seems to be accurately tracked even at the top and bottom of the user interface. It is possible that the renderer (EVR vs. VMR), skin (I use default wide) or video card (I am using an ATI HD 4670 with Catalyst 10.4). Videos of your desktop that show how you're reproducing the problems would be really the only way that I can see the issues being progressed...

mm

 

[GuruSR]

Hi again

I checked behaviour on my XP system in maximised and restored windowed mode after maximising, minimising, restoring and resizing several times. I'm sorry but I can't reproduce any of the behaviour you described. TV playback works without issue and the mouse seems to be accurately tracked even at the top and bottom of the user interface. It is possible that the renderer (EVR vs. VMR), skin (I use default wide) or video card (I am using an ATI HD 4670 with Catalyst 10.4). Videos of your desktop that show how you're reproducing the problems would be really the only way that I can see the issues being progressed...

mm

After testing on two machines, it seems to be a quirk with upgrading to 1.2.1 from previous versions, after a restart, the offset behavior vanishes.

I however did get a video of the DX9 causing grief while playing back on a laptop, this is the times it happens:

SD stream (Maximized)
HD Stream (always)

All other times, it plays fine.

HDTV.zip has a flash of the issue. It plays, just all over the place. As I said, this is Dx9 and under Dx9 every other program plays full screen HD video just fine.

GuruSR.