- General
Had a request to be able to pass the "StreamType" parameter to post-process.
Easy enough - 251b04
- Generic
Started to add in support for "generic" command-line interface.
Basically - looking at all of the currently supported command line driven applications and trying to see if I can make a generic one that could have handled any of them. Ultimately it should mean that users can add their won support for new tools more easily. Would handle basic things like stop/start tasks, send keys, use built-in timer both for waiting to start things and closing down at the end.
- Forum
First genuine query into the Forum - I guess found by following link from this Blog.
Shows up a couple of issues with the Forum message counter - but basically was fine.
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Sunday, July 18, 2004
Monday, July 12, 2004
- ATi MMC
Had a request to be able to control ATi MMC from a remote PC (because recent DigiGuide seems to be using more CPU and making recordings stutter).
This sort of thing is more achievable with devices that support simply writing to a schedule file. In this case .. teh ATi schedule is held in the registry plus it might be necessary to stop/start tasks.
Remote control of the PC might be possible - but a relatively easy addition would be to make DABDig take a command line from a file (this is safer then pushing batch files over with the full command-line because someone could deliberately sabotage the system that way).
Including code to remain active and poll for a file is not great though because of the possibility of global variables not supporting being used twice (2nd run in loop).
Having an additional support task that listened on a port would be even better ... but would probably have to use a different programming language.
(251b02 includes ability to run using @filename)
Had a request to be able to control ATi MMC from a remote PC (because recent DigiGuide seems to be using more CPU and making recordings stutter).
This sort of thing is more achievable with devices that support simply writing to a schedule file. In this case .. teh ATi schedule is held in the registry plus it might be necessary to stop/start tasks.
Remote control of the PC might be possible - but a relatively easy addition would be to make DABDig take a command line from a file (this is safer then pushing batch files over with the full command-line because someone could deliberately sabotage the system that way).
Including code to remain active and poll for a file is not great though because of the possibility of global variables not supporting being used twice (2nd run in loop).
Having an additional support task that listened on a port would be even better ... but would probably have to use a different programming language.
(251b02 includes ability to run using @filename)
Wednesday, July 07, 2004
- Multi-Device
Added code to allow dabdig.map to have mutiple device channel details within the [Default] section. Makes the map file smaller for users with something like video-capture card plus InfraRed control to set-top-box. Feedback from user - it works.
(251b01)
- General
Add link to new support forum in dabdig.ini
(251b01)
Added code to allow dabdig.map to have mutiple device channel details within the [Default] section. Makes the map file smaller for users with something like video-capture card plus InfraRed control to set-top-box. Feedback from user - it works.
(251b01)
- General
Add link to new support forum in dabdig.ini
(251b01)
Sunday, July 04, 2004
Saturday, July 03, 2004
- TwinHan VisionDTV
Timing issue when closing tasks - if the task exits (for some other reason) between getting list of tasks and closing it down then it resulted in an uncaught exception.
Modified code to handle it.
In theory it could have happened where that I stop tasks but very small window and I think influenced by the fact that there are multiple tasks in VisionDTV and perhaps stopping one made another exit by itself later. Only reported once by one user. (250b11)
- DVICO FusionHDTV
Started working on examining and implementing - but I think that it will not be very successful because they have a background task that is checking a Microsoft format database for scheduled entries.
Might be possible to write to it (perhaps using MDAC) but quite a bit of extra work.
However, the registry is used a bit so might be able to fool the main recording task into doing things.
Has support for TVPI/TVVI files - but cannot get it to read them in. I suspect that it only takes the encrypted ones that TitanTV generates nowadays.
Live viewing/channel switching will probably have to be via keystrokes unless I can get the TVVI working.
- TVPI/TVVI
For HDTV users, need to add support for "Stream" that TitanTV can generate. Means extending the parameter set that already include PSIP-Major and PSIP-Minor.
Timing issue when closing tasks - if the task exits (for some other reason) between getting list of tasks and closing it down then it resulted in an uncaught exception.
Modified code to handle it.
In theory it could have happened where that I stop tasks but very small window and I think influenced by the fact that there are multiple tasks in VisionDTV and perhaps stopping one made another exit by itself later. Only reported once by one user. (250b11)
- DVICO FusionHDTV
Started working on examining and implementing - but I think that it will not be very successful because they have a background task that is checking a Microsoft format database for scheduled entries.
Might be possible to write to it (perhaps using MDAC) but quite a bit of extra work.
However, the registry is used a bit so might be able to fool the main recording task into doing things.
Has support for TVPI/TVVI files - but cannot get it to read them in. I suspect that it only takes the encrypted ones that TitanTV generates nowadays.
Live viewing/channel switching will probably have to be via keystrokes unless I can get the TVVI working.
- TVPI/TVVI
For HDTV users, need to add support for "Stream" that TitanTV can generate. Means extending the parameter set that already include PSIP-Major and PSIP-Minor.
Sunday, June 27, 2004
- ProgDVB
myHTPC user request to support a Cancel function with ProgDVB.
Issue is that you cannot change channel while a recording is in progress. User without keyboard access has to do a few operations to stop the recording and then switch channels - would prefer to be able to do it all from within myHTPC (using remote control).
Putting support for Cancel in general has ramifications across all of the supported systems. However, an interim hack is to issue a /StopRecord if ProgDVB is running when trying to switch to a channel. This is not a great solution because there are side-effects .. e.g.
Also - if recording Muted and then later you try to watch something then the Mute is still in place. Requested a specific NoMute command from ProgDVB developers.
Might be able to do soemthing though - by issuing another Mute at the end of the recording ... which should toggle it back but becuase it is a toggle command then does not handle situation where end-user chose to un-mute during the recording.
myHTPC user request to support a Cancel function with ProgDVB.
Issue is that you cannot change channel while a recording is in progress. User without keyboard access has to do a few operations to stop the recording and then switch channels - would prefer to be able to do it all from within myHTPC (using remote control).
Putting support for Cancel in general has ramifications across all of the supported systems. However, an interim hack is to issue a /StopRecord if ProgDVB is running when trying to switch to a channel. This is not a great solution because there are side-effects .. e.g.
- if you use myHTPC (DABDig) to try to view the same channel that is being recorded then ... the recording will be stopped.
- at the scheduled end of the previous recording ... a background DABDig will kick in and issue a /StopRecord which would be a problem if the user has subsequently startsed to record something else.
Also - if recording Muted and then later you try to watch something then the Mute is still in place. Requested a specific NoMute command from ProgDVB developers.
Might be able to do soemthing though - by issuing another Mute at the end of the recording ... which should toggle it back but becuase it is a toggle command then does not handle situation where end-user chose to un-mute during the recording.
Saturday, June 26, 2004
- Nebula DigiTV
One user having problems with View. Seems to select the wrong channel regardless of setting of the appropriate field in dabdig.ini
All very strange - I cannot yet work out what DigiTV is using as its key for this. It does not appear to be the LCN nor is it the LCN sort order (the number it is using is higher than the LCN) and it is not the Alpabetic sort order (BBC One is still 1).
While looking at the user's registry dump, I could see that there are many channels that are using the 2nd number in the LCN (i.e. bigger than 255). Adapted code to handle this
(2.50b05)
Also spotted that recent Nebula DigiTV software seem to not remove old timer entries from the registry - but simply clears the channel number. This could mean that DABDig would report that there is no space left but the DigiTV GUI would show that there is plenty. So - added new default (configurable) behaviour to treat timer entries with 0 for a channel number as free for re-use.
(2.50b06)
One user having problems with View. Seems to select the wrong channel regardless of setting of the appropriate field in dabdig.ini
All very strange - I cannot yet work out what DigiTV is using as its key for this. It does not appear to be the LCN nor is it the LCN sort order (the number it is using is higher than the LCN) and it is not the Alpabetic sort order (BBC One is still 1).
While looking at the user's registry dump, I could see that there are many channels that are using the 2nd number in the LCN (i.e. bigger than 255). Adapted code to handle this
(2.50b05)
Also spotted that recent Nebula DigiTV software seem to not remove old timer entries from the registry - but simply clears the channel number. This could mean that DABDig would report that there is no space left but the DigiTV GUI would show that there is plenty. So - added new default (configurable) behaviour to treat timer entries with 0 for a channel number as free for re-use.
(2.50b06)
Monday, May 31, 2004
Thursday, May 27, 2004
- General
Did some work on supporting a slightly different command line syntax for users with 3 devices but only wanting 2 to run ...
in this case - WinTVCap and InfraRed together or Nebula DigiTV.
Makes is slightly awkward but works.
At least - it works for me. Not working for the person that wants it but I think it will once syntax is sorted out on his installation. Build 250b01
- Forum
Basis for a support forum now established.
Open for use to see how it goes here.
Did some work on supporting a slightly different command line syntax for users with 3 devices but only wanting 2 to run ...
in this case - WinTVCap and InfraRed together or Nebula DigiTV.
Makes is slightly awkward but works.
At least - it works for me. Not working for the person that wants it but I think it will once syntax is sorted out on his installation. Build 250b01
- Forum
Basis for a support forum now established.
Open for use to see how it goes here.
Sunday, May 16, 2004
- ProgDVB
By default - DABDig takes the given channel name and tries to launch ProgDVB with it. This mode can be overridden by setting ProgDVBTakeNum=1. However, the interface wiht myHTPC seems to never provide a channel name ... so the default way of operating did not work very well. To make life easier - I have changed the software (build 249b11) to act as if ProgDVBTakeNum=1 if the given channel name is empty. Should make defalt installations easier.
By default - DABDig takes the given channel name and tries to launch ProgDVB with it. This mode can be overridden by setting ProgDVBTakeNum=1. However, the interface wiht myHTPC seems to never provide a channel name ... so the default way of operating did not work very well. To make life easier - I have changed the software (build 249b11) to act as if ProgDVBTakeNum=1 if the given channel name is empty. Should make defalt installations easier.
Monday, May 10, 2004
- General
Added a few more substitutions for PostProcessRecord and extended the facility to whereever SendKeys is called (optional in case someone was already using $ in one of their existing sequences). Build 249b09
- TwinHan VisionDTV
Had feedback that (as half expected) the 2.41 build of their system that throws up a dialogue box at the end of the scheduled recording .. does not like being aborted while the box is open.
Might be able to code around it ... but since it is difficult to get feedback about which window has really been selected then this is not really the basis of a good solution.
Since their 2.42 removes the dialogue box then makes sense to ask people to upgrade their software but apparently has introduced a problem with aspect ratio handling.
I have suggested some feedback for TwinHan that gives control over the recorded file name via the scheduled recording entry - which would be even better.
Added a few more substitutions for PostProcessRecord and extended the facility to whereever SendKeys is called (optional in case someone was already using $ in one of their existing sequences). Build 249b09
- TwinHan VisionDTV
Had feedback that (as half expected) the 2.41 build of their system that throws up a dialogue box at the end of the scheduled recording .. does not like being aborted while the box is open.
Might be able to code around it ... but since it is difficult to get feedback about which window has really been selected then this is not really the basis of a good solution.
Since their 2.42 removes the dialogue box then makes sense to ask people to upgrade their software but apparently has introduced a problem with aspect ratio handling.
I have suggested some feedback for TwinHan that gives control over the recorded file name via the scheduled recording entry - which would be even better.
Sunday, May 09, 2004
- General
Added initial support for command line substitution in PostProcessRecord command line.
VisionDTV user is starting ot use it to re-encode the recordings.
Just added 4 substitutions for now - 1 is PartialFileName for backwards compatibility (although I do not think that many are using it ... no-one has told me anyway) another is simply a way to put the escape character back in ($). The other 2 are the ChannelName and ChannelAssignment.
Later will probably add things like date/time of start of recording, title, series/episode and description so that people can write their own library files or populate the ID3 (or similar) tags in the re-encoded files.
Added initial support for command line substitution in PostProcessRecord command line.
VisionDTV user is starting ot use it to re-encode the recordings.
Just added 4 substitutions for now - 1 is PartialFileName for backwards compatibility (although I do not think that many are using it ... no-one has told me anyway) another is simply a way to put the escape character back in ($). The other 2 are the ChannelName and ChannelAssignment.
Later will probably add things like date/time of start of recording, title, series/episode and description so that people can write their own library files or populate the ID3 (or similar) tags in the re-encoded files.
Saturday, May 08, 2004
- TwinHan VisionDTV
Been exchanging email and builds with a user of VisionDTV. This has lead to a few changes and me deciding to document the dabdig.map facility that has been in the software since 2.45 (about 1 year ago). I have explained it to a few people over the last year when it helped them simplify a lumti-device set-up but I thought that I might change it in the future. However, two aspects of the TwinHan VisionDTV implementation have lead me to making this official now. The first is because the VisionDTV software does not store anything that resembles a recognisable broadcast channel number. It is all based on internal sort order. So, matching a request to a channel is hard. This leads to the second reason ... I chose to default to trying to match the channel name. However, the channel name provided by the EPG is not always the same as the name that is broadcast over the air that is used by VisionDTV. For example ... "BBC 1" and "BBC One".
This means that for many (UK at least) users - things would not work first time wihtout making configuration changes somewhere.
So - a solution would be to release a dabdig.map with DABDig that is pre-populated with known channel names. Even if it is not complete, it should be easy enough for an end-user to work out what is missing and add in the extra parts.
This could mean that dabdig.map is always used in future releases and also that existing users of dabdig.map would get their map over-written when they installed a new build. I do not want that to happen. So what I think I will do is stick the sample dabdig.map into a new directory and then suggest that VisionDTV users copy it over or even copy it over myself when DABDig runs and there is no .map already present.
Been exchanging email and builds with a user of VisionDTV. This has lead to a few changes and me deciding to document the dabdig.map facility that has been in the software since 2.45 (about 1 year ago). I have explained it to a few people over the last year when it helped them simplify a lumti-device set-up but I thought that I might change it in the future. However, two aspects of the TwinHan VisionDTV implementation have lead me to making this official now. The first is because the VisionDTV software does not store anything that resembles a recognisable broadcast channel number. It is all based on internal sort order. So, matching a request to a channel is hard. This leads to the second reason ... I chose to default to trying to match the channel name. However, the channel name provided by the EPG is not always the same as the name that is broadcast over the air that is used by VisionDTV. For example ... "BBC 1" and "BBC One".
This means that for many (UK at least) users - things would not work first time wihtout making configuration changes somewhere.
So - a solution would be to release a dabdig.map with DABDig that is pre-populated with known channel names. Even if it is not complete, it should be easy enough for an end-user to work out what is missing and add in the extra parts.
This could mean that dabdig.map is always used in future releases and also that existing users of dabdig.map would get their map over-written when they installed a new build. I do not want that to happen. So what I think I will do is stick the sample dabdig.map into a new directory and then suggest that VisionDTV users copy it over or even copy it over myself when DABDig runs and there is no .map already present.
Wednesday, May 05, 2004
- Leadtek WinFast
Change in 249b01 worked
- ProgDVB
One user trying to use ProgDVB with TwinHan VisionPlus.
Usually it works - but looks like an issue within ProgDVB/TwinHan-drivers which results in occasional crashes.
Took opportunity to change the way that I handle ProgDVB so that it now asks it to exit at the end of a recording and if it is already running at the start of a new recording then it waits until ProgDVB exits. Means that back-to-back (or overlapped) shows are handled better ... but means that the programme should not be left running idle. This new facility can be turned off (249b02 and 249b03).
Change in 249b01 worked
- ProgDVB
One user trying to use ProgDVB with TwinHan VisionPlus.
Usually it works - but looks like an issue within ProgDVB/TwinHan-drivers which results in occasional crashes.
Took opportunity to change the way that I handle ProgDVB so that it now asks it to exit at the end of a recording and if it is already running at the start of a new recording then it waits until ProgDVB exits. Means that back-to-back (or overlapped) shows are handled better ... but means that the programme should not be left running idle. This new facility can be turned off (249b02 and 249b03).
Monday, May 03, 2004
- Leadtek WinFast
Selecting CVBS not working. Never had someone to try it before. Looks like it needs to have an extra field set in the schedule file. (I guessed that it would have a value of 0 but trying now with 2) - made 249b01
- TwinHan VisionDTV
Another user is giving it a try. I think it is the lowest cost DVB-T card at the moment so will probably be a few more users on the way.
ProgDVB can also support it - so more than one way to drive it.
Selecting CVBS not working. Never had someone to try it before. Looks like it needs to have an extra field set in the schedule file. (I guessed that it would have a value of 0 but trying now with 2) - made 249b01
- TwinHan VisionDTV
Another user is giving it a try. I think it is the lowest cost DVB-T card at the moment so will probably be a few more users on the way.
ProgDVB can also support it - so more than one way to drive it.
Saturday, May 01, 2004
Sunday, April 18, 2004
- TwinHan VisionPlus
Had some more feedback about how they use the registry to save the last viewed channel information. Means that my speculative attempt will not work for live viewing .. it will be a bit more complicated to implement because they are using an offset from the start but numbered by type (TV/Radio). This will require additional processing of the favourites file and will need to be a new routine.
Had some more feedback about how they use the registry to save the last viewed channel information. Means that my speculative attempt will not work for live viewing .. it will be a bit more complicated to implement because they are using an offset from the start but numbered by type (TV/Radio). This will require additional processing of the favourites file and will need to be a new routine.
Friday, April 09, 2004
- Kworld
The problem field is the date/time - they store it as a floating point number in raw format. No built-in function to handle this ... and coding it from scratch is probably around 1000 lines of code. However, as pointed out by one of the DigiGuide forum users ... some of the bit sequence will be the same for years to come so I could write something smaller that relies on that. However, the challenge of doing a generic floating point handling routine probably means that I will try to go that route.
- TwinHan VisionPlus
A relatively new (to the UK) card at a low price. Looks like it has been available in Australia for a while and some 3rd-party software has been written for it using hte API that TwinHan make available.
The supplied software package (VisionDTV) looks pretty basic. Only 5 recording slots and a poor mechanism for storing the channel number for recordings (if the end-user changes his sort order then then entries are wrong and not fixed up automatically) ... anyway ... have included some initial support for this in build 2.48b11
The problem field is the date/time - they store it as a floating point number in raw format. No built-in function to handle this ... and coding it from scratch is probably around 1000 lines of code. However, as pointed out by one of the DigiGuide forum users ... some of the bit sequence will be the same for years to come so I could write something smaller that relies on that. However, the challenge of doing a generic floating point handling routine probably means that I will try to go that route.
- TwinHan VisionPlus
A relatively new (to the UK) card at a low price. Looks like it has been available in Australia for a while and some 3rd-party software has been written for it using hte API that TwinHan make available.
The supplied software package (VisionDTV) looks pretty basic. Only 5 recording slots and a poor mechanism for storing the channel number for recordings (if the end-user changes his sort order then then entries are wrong and not fixed up automatically) ... anyway ... have included some initial support for this in build 2.48b11
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
