DVS and MediaPortal - questions (1 Viewer)

[tlhackque]

I currently use Media Center under Windows 7 Ultimate, but as Microsoft has recently announced that Windows 10 will not support it (and will forcibly remove it if you upgrade), I'm considering MediaPortal as a replacement.

I record TV programs over-the-air that include DVS, which is a second audio channel (often mislabeled "spanish") that provides description for the blind & visually impaired. I then use a 3rd-party utility to convert the WTV file to AVI with the audio from the secondary channel. The AVI file goes to my blind friends, who don't have WMC. They listen to the program with description, sometimes on a PC, but usually on a stand-alone DVD player. (The video is included for watching with sighted friends.) Why don't they record the shows themselves? Because their local PBS TV stations don't broadcast the DVS channel, but mine does.

The recordings are mostly US PBS, and are scheduled by series name via the EPG. Media Center does a good job of not recording re-runs/already-recorded episodes. I assume I can do the same with Media Portal.

Basic questions (I've not installed MediaPortal, but I have tried to find answers in the doc):

1) Does/will MediaPortal work under Windows 10?

2) There are references to Media Portal 1 and 2. MP 2 doesn't seem to have any recent activity. Should I ignore it?

3) What formats can I save TV programs in? Are all audio streams saved? If not, can I select which one?

4) Is there a way to save a program with both the normal and DVS channels?

5) Given that my friends use a screen reader, what do you recommend for playback software on a PC? Media Portal? Has anyone used it with a screen reader? Of course if I stay with AVI (video + DVS only), they can continue to use their stand-alone DVD player.

6) I have a library of saved WTV files. Will MediaPortal play them?

7) I have three tuners (one dual-tuner card and a single tuner card). Does MediaPortal support viewing more than one at a time (on a single-seat machine)? Picture-in-Picture, separate windows, or otherwise?

8) Finally, do I need any extensions/plug-ins/3rd-party software to support this work under Media Portal? If so, which ones?

I only have one W7-capable PC, and don't want to disrupt the working configuration to experiment with MediaPortal. So answers/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks.

 

[aspik]

Welcome tlhackque
Seems to be like more and more users are switching from WMC to MP, which is very good
I'll answer some of your questions, hope that the one I didn't answer someone else will reply.

1) Does/will MediaPortal work under Windows 10?

Yes, it should work already:
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...on-windows-10-technical-preview.127876/page-4
If there are some issues after Windows 10 is finally released, I'm sure MP will get "adjusted"

2) There are references to Media Portal 1 and 2. MP 2 doesn't seem to have any recent activity. Should I ignore it?

MP2 is in development (currently Alpha stage) but it is very stable and some users use it on a daily basis. The only problem is that comparing to MP1 it lacks some features and plugins. Searching the forum you will see.

3) What formats can I save TV programs in? Are all audio streams saved? If not, can I select which one?

The TV Engine from MP saves the TV stream in .TS files which contains all broadcasted steams

7) I have three tuners (one dual-tuner card and a single tuner card). Does MediaPortal support viewing more than one at a time (on a single-seat machine)? Picture-in-Picture, separate windows, or otherwise?

This feature (picture in picture) is available only in MP2

8) Finally, do I need any extensions/plug-ins/3rd-party software to support this work under Media Portal? If so, which ones?

Here is a list of available plugins for MP:
https://www.team-mediaportal.com/extensions/plugins
I guess the most popular are TV Series and Moving Pictures

 

[Lehmden]

Hi.

6) I have a library of saved WTV files. Will MediaPortal play them?

Yes, as long as they are without copy protection (DRM) Normally this should be the case for your own TV recordings, but you never know...

4) Is there a way to save a program with both the normal and DVS channels?

I never have seen any DVS containing videos. But as MP records all and everything that is broadcasted inside the .ts file it produces the DVS should also be recorded.

By the way, I'm one of those people who are using the new MediaPortal2 on a daily base. I even did not have a copy of MP1 installed at all...

 

[tlhackque]

Thanks for the answers.

I'd be happy to provide a DVS sample - I'll have to find a time to record a short segment, as programs tend to be multi-GB.

Here is a short youtube video that demonstrates the service:

Some description starts at about 0:14.

In a real TV broadcast, DVS is just an alternate "language" audio stream.

I'm not familiar with .TS format. Can I select an audio stream and convert to, say, AVI? What are the recommended tools for working with .TS - selecting segments, converting to other formats, etc??

Given 3 tuners, can I record 3 programs at once with MP? Watch 1, record 2? (Etc)

 

[aspik]

In a real TV broadcast, DVS is just an alternate "language" audio stream.

If DVS is just an additionally audio stream then the TV Server will record that stream in the .TS file.

I'm not familiar with .TS format. Can I select an audio stream and convert to, say, AVI? What are the recommended tools for working with .TS - selecting segments, converting to other formats, etc??

Google is your friend Here is an example thread where users exchange what app they use:
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/threads/editing-recorded-tv.119127/
I can recommend TS Doctor.

Given 3 tuners, can I record 3 programs at once with MP? Watch 1, record 2? (Etc)

Of course you can record multiple programs and watch a different one. The only limitation is your hardware Here is a wiki entry about active recordings:
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_...ediaPortal/3_TV/3_Record_TV/Active_Recordings

 

[Lehmden]

Hi.

I'm not familiar with .TS format. Can I select an audio stream and convert to, say, AVI?

.TS is a container like AVI, MKV, MPEG, MOV,...In fact TS nearly is identical to MPEG with optimization for broadcasting as TS stays for MPEG Transport Stream.. And nearly all DVB signals are send in an .ts container via Satellite or Cable. That's why .ts is the default container on most of the PVR software out there. You easily can change the container by simply remuxxing the video without touching (recoding) the video or audio streams. This did not take long (comparable to do a copy of the video) and leaves picture and sound quality untouched...
But I can not suggest using AVI as a resulting container. AVI is a very old and very limited Container. The most flexible and modern Container is MKV today. So if you start remuxing your recordings I only can suggest to use MKV as the target container.

By the way, if you're not able to remux properly but needs a .ts file played by a software which did not support .ts, a simple renaming to .mpg makes it playable in about 99,99999% of all software. But this only is a "bad hack" and should only be kept for emergencies...