Improved MediaPortal Thumbnailer (1 Viewer)

[HomeY]

Hello everyone,

The team has been working on improving the thumbnail process. We've replaced our current movie thumbnailer (mtn.exe) with ffmpeg and we need your help to test this.
We'd like to start with a big TNX to @Jay_UK for his work on the 'Replacement MTN (Thumbnailer) for H264 content', which helped us a lot!

Binaries for users with a 1.3Alpha install are attached.
Users that want to compile the branch themselves (which is based on 1.3Beta release) can find it here:
https://github.com/MediaPortal/Medi..._does_not_generate_thumbs_for_all_video_files


How to install:

1. Backup your current core.dll (MediaPortal installation diretory) and backup your Thumbs folder.
2. Extract the attached cabinet (1.3Alpha only!) and (re)place the files in your MediaPortal installation directory (1.3Alpha users can leave the current files in the MovieThumbnailer folder)

What to test?

• Does the new ffmpeg thumbnailer work better or worse for you?
• Does it fail on certain files?
• Is it faster or slower then the current mtn.exe?
• How much CPU load do you get? (Are you still able to watch LiveTV or a video when the process is running?)

How to test?

1. Clear your thumbnails Blacklist. Check the Thumbnails wiki for the Blacklisting section on the bottom of the page. (1.3Beta will have a button for this in Configuration)
2. Clear thumbs (MediaPortal Configuration -> GUI -> Thumbnails) of the section you want to test (for example TV/Videos thumbs)
3. Start MediaPortal and enter the section you want the thumbnailer to work on (for example TV Recordings)

Thumbs folder can be found through Start -> Team MediaPortal -> MediaPortal -> User Files
Picture thumbs: Thumbs\Pictures
Recorded TV thumbs: Thumbs\tv\Recorded
Video thumbs: Thumbs\Videos

Limitations:
Single seat users won't have any problems, since they use UNC paths by default. Multi seat users use RTSP streaming by default, which will NOT work. In order to get thumbnails working on a Multi seat setup, you have to either:

• Enable UNC paths (See TV Debug Options Wiki) or
• Add your recordings folder to the Video Folders in MediaPortal Configuration -> Videos -> Video Folders

If you run into any issues, please attach logs to your post!

Happy testing!

** EDIT **
v2 added to 2nd post (TV Recordings thumbnails when using RTSP).

 

[HomeY]

OK, there has been some development

As some of you might have noticed, TV recordings thumbnails never worked when you were using the RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol), due to technical limitations of this protocol. This has now been fixed in v2, which you'll find attached to this post. This means you don't have to use UNC paths to get working thumbnails for your TV Recordings!

See the first post on how to install/test this feature. v2 also includes the 1.3Alpha TvPlugin.dll so backup that .dll before you replace it. After replacing the files you'll have to open MediaPortal Configuration and go to TV -> TV Client section. If you've enabled UNC paths on your client, please disable those and test with RTSP. On the bottom you'll find a box where you can enter the UNC path to your recordings share (Make sure your share has both Read & Write priviliges).



Happy testing!

 

[azzuro]

hi Homey, what is difference with Jay uk works ? it's a suite ?

 

[HomeY]

We've directly implemented the ffmpeg code and dropped mtn entirely.

 

[azzuro]

Ok, i test it. now !

 

[azzuro]

YOuhouuu .
This work now, without big problem !
Files leave in storage :
Aspect ratio is better but is strech to output format (set to : 640x720) without marge, for skip aspect ratio
not possible to leave same format as large thumb ?

Thumb :
Height of thumb is set correctly with MPconfig : 140 + 600 for me (with v55 : height -> widht )

After all, work correctly
Movie with duration <60s, no problem !

Enhancement : Make fanart ! with choice : number thumb / output final size / marge
i use thumbnail me, for that !

 

[HomeY]

The aspect ratio in the commandline was set to 640x360 so we have a thumb which is at least the size of the biggest setting of the slider. When you set the slider in GUI -> Thumbnails to Quality, it should create a big thumb that is 600x337 and a smaller 1 that would be 140x78

 

[azzuro]

Yeah , it's true ! but in cmdline you don't only define wight properties ( not both), for leave aspect ratio ?

and i would speak for thumb leaved in storage network,

 

[HomeY]

Yeah , it's true ! but in cmdline you don't only define wight properties ( not both), for leave aspect ratio ?

and i would speak for thumb leaved in storage network,

Aah, now i understand your question

We just did some minor updates to the code and the thumbs size is set @ 600x337 (since that's the largest thumb setting you can get if you put the slider to 'Quality'). When i check 'leave thumb in recording folder', the thumbs that are created there are twice the size, so 1200x674.

Not sure why your thumbs in recordings folder are different in aspect ratio. The current ffmpeg (+ fallback) code is:

      string ffmpegArgs = string.Format("select=isnan(prev_selected_t)+gte(t-prev_selected_t" + "\\" + ",5),yadif=0:-1:0,scale=600:337,setsar=1:1,tile={0}x{1}", PreviewColumns, PreviewRows);
      string ExtractorArgs = string.Format("-loglevel quiet -ss {0} -i \"{1}\" -vf {2} -vframes 1 -vsync 0 -an \"{3}_s.jpg\"", preGapSec, aVideoPath, ffmpegArgs, strFilenamewithoutExtension);
      string ExtractorFallbackArgs = string.Format("-loglevel quiet -ss {0} -i \"{1}\" -vf {2} -vframes 1 -vsync 0 -an \"{3}_s.jpg\"", 5, aVideoPath, ffmpegArgs, strFilenamewithoutExtension);

 

[azzuro]

ffmpeg use " -s 640x360 " to possible to delete this ? for leave original size ?