Channel Preview in TV-Server Configuration doesn't work anymore (1 Viewer)

rogerleifert

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  • April 22, 2009
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    After upgrading from WinXP-32bit to Win7-64bit I noticed that the Preview-Channels function in the TV-Server configuration doesn't work anymore.
    I don't know if this has something to do with Win7-64 or the current version of MP, because I didn't use that function for a very, very long time.

    When I hit the preview-button I get the error message shown in the first attached pic ("SetupTV doesn'w work anymore...").
    No preview-window appears.

    When I look at the manual control (second attached pic), I see that obviously SetupTv has started timeshifting the channel as can be seen in the second entry.
    (That this channel was recording at the same time is by pure chance. Recording was perfect)

    When I now look at the timeshift folder (third attached pic) there is apparently a timeshift ts.file created.

    Now I tried to manually stop the timeshifting, but that doesn't work.
    I have to manually stop the TV-service and restart it again!
    So the timeshifting of the preview-channel seems to be in an endless loop.

    I first thought, that this had to do something with my (125% enlarged DPI-setting in Windows) as reported in this thread: https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/threads/cannot-preview-channels-in-tv-server.76513/

    Vut when changing the DPI-setting to normal, logging off and logging on again I get the same behaviour.

    Any ideas, what could cause this problem?
     

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    rogerleifert

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  • April 22, 2009
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    I still get this problem with MP 1.7.0. Pre-Release and it is there since at least MP1.6.0.
    The timeshift-file that is created by the preview-function is OK when I play it with VLC media player.
    So obviously it has to do with the program that the TV-Server configuration uses to play the timeshift-file.
    It think this is ffmpeg (?)
    I even tried tried to set the ffmpeg.exe attributes to WinXP-compatibility mode.
    But the error still is there.

    Any ideas?
     

    mm1352000

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  • September 1, 2008
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    Hello Roger

    This is almost certainly a codec problem. Preview uses the codecs with the highest merit in the system. If those are bad or incorrectly registered codecs that would explain the crash. Everything else is explained by the crash.

    You can use filmerit or similar to manage the merit (preference, priority) of the codecs on your system:
    http://paul.glagla.free.fr/filmerit_en.htm

    Assign the highest merit to the codecs you want to use; assign low merit to codecs you do not want to use.

    mm
     

    rogerleifert

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  • April 22, 2009
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    Hi MM,

    Strangely "Filmerit" (version: filmerit_30en) doesn't work on my system.
    I tried to start is as administrator and even in XP-SP3 or Vista compatibility-mode.
    But it simply doesn't react to anything after it's started.
    There is only an entry in the taskbar and nothing more and I can only close it with the task manager.

    I know that it did work (Filmerit and the preview function in TV server configuration) as long as I had Win XP/32bit.

    But since then I upgraded to Win7/64 Bit and I think that I noticed the problem with the preview function only after that,

    Any other idea how to tackle the problem?

    Kind regards

    Roger
     

    mm1352000

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    Hmmm, that is odd. I've never heard of a system being so broken that Filmerit won't even start. :confused:

    You could try GraphStudio or GraphStudioNext. They can also be used to modify merits... but each codec has to be examined one at a time:
    http://jvance.com/media/2008/12/16/Image15.media

    Last resort could be modifying the registry directly... but that would be tough because you don't know where the problem is.
    At the end of the day might have to do a fresh Windows install if you really want this to work. Like I say to most people: preview is not the best way to test if TV is working. I recommend use manual control for testing timeshifting and recording, or MediaPortal (where you can actually control which codecs are used) if you want to test video/audio aspects.
     

    rogerleifert

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    Hi MM,

    THX for the hints. My Win7 basically was a clean installation before and everything else I work with on the dedicated HTPC basically works fine.

    I have found the program "DirectShow Filter Manager" as a temporary alternative to Filmerit with which I hope to get a step further.
    Attached is a screenshot of the DirectShow filters sorted in ascending order of merit.
    There are a few suspicious entries like the ffdshow-filters from the SAF-package?

    When I display the BDA filters, all entries have the merit "unknown" and the sub-section "BDA Rendering Filters" is empty.

    Does this give you a hint to the core of the problem?

    I use the preview function after a new channel scan to quickly sort out and delete encrypted or unresponsive channels, that are not flagged as such.
    It's much easier for me than to try out all new found channels in MP and constantly switching between MP and TV-server donfiguration.

    @breese: CTRL-L doesn't work, because Filmerit doesn't show me it's home screen. As I said, there is only the (non-responsive) entry in the task-bar which cannot be brought up.
     

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    rogerleifert

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    I've tried GraphStudioNext64 for a normal TS-file and a timeshift-file (see the attached screenshots)

    Strangely the Microsoft-decoder is automatically selected for the video stream although I set LAV-decoders in MP-configuration as decoder for all video and audio-files.
     

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    mm1352000

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    When I display the BDA filters, all entries have the merit "unknown" and the sub-section "BDA Rendering Filters" is empty.
    You only need to worry about the "DirectShow filters" category. Ignore BDA and WDM etc. etc. etc.

    There are a few suspicious entries like the ffdshow-filters from the SAF-package?
    It is not suspicious that the merit is high. Merit is a preference. If you prefer LAV then reduce the merit of the ffdshow entries to be lower than the LAV entries. Simple. :)

    I use the preview function after a new channel scan to quickly sort out and delete encrypted or unresponsive channels, that are not flagged as such.
    It's much easier for me than to try out all new found channels in MP and constantly switching between MP and TV-server donfiguration.
    Can't you have MP open beside TV Server config in Windowed mode (use alt+enter to switch)? Surely the inconvenience is not that high?

    I've tried GraphStudioNext64 for a normal TS-file and a timeshift-file (see the attached screenshots)

    Strangely the Microsoft-decoder is automatically selected for the video stream although I set LAV-decoders in MP-configuration as decoder for all video and audio-files.
    GraphStudio won't care about your MP configuration. ;)
    It is a bit strange that the MS decoder is selected. Could you try uninstalling and reinstalling LAV? Maybe that would help...
     

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