3.2.6.80 bugs & missing features.

[gibman]

Hi!

 

Here is my collection of bugs and missing features - annoying me the most.

 

First the bugs I found.

 

************************************************

1) Timer Recordings

The "standard deactivate AV" option only works when the channel is tuned in before the timer starts.

If DVBViewer has to tune in to another channel before the recording can start then it doesn't work.

 

More specifically described here...

 

1a) If I am on ch. 1 and I have a timer on ch. 2 then disableAV doesnt work - video and audio is rendered when ch2 is tuned in.

1b) If I am on ch. 1 and I have a timer on ch. 1 then disableAV DOES work - video and audio is NOT rendered.

1c) When using taskscheduler 1.8.99.14 and a job starts then disableAV doesn't work - video and audio is rendered when the channel is tuned in.

 

Is "standard deactivate AV" only supposed to work with timed recordings ? It doesn't seem to have any effect with manual forced recordings.

 

All I want is to have OSD/pvr windowed assigned timer jobs run without rendering video/audio, thus saving CPU juice on my server

- at the same time simplicity would be nice, just ask my GF hehe.

 

I tried several plugins to fix my problem.

Graphselector. Nice. But it seems that I have to manually set the graph to "disableAV". Make a timer. Exit the APP. Now when scheduler starts

DVBViewer up then it works ofcourse. But this is not wife friendly. I guess there aren't any command line params. that will change Graphselector to "disableAV" ?

Then maybe I could use the command line params. field offered in the scheduler app.

 

Since this didn't work as intended I then tried the video recorder plugin 3.3. It has the option to disable AV during timed recordings. But all the timers I

create are recorded by the internal recorder instead. I even tried the EPG-send to PVR. Still no dice. I can only record with this plugin when I manually press its

record button.

 

2) Subtitles.

 

2a) .srt subtitles are not recorded if the recording is started before the subtitles are transmitted. Ex. If I start recording 5 mins. before the

movie starts. This is usually the case with timed recordings.

 

2b) Timeshift and subtitles dont mix well. If I pause the video then the subtitles starts to get out of synchs, seems like they are not paused.

 

2c) The .srt contains illegal chars. Like the "".

ex. from test file.

 

1

00:00:12,062 --> 00:00:46,296

2

00:00:46,296 --> 00:00:48,234

Er dette ...?

3

00:00:48,234 --> 00:00:48,437

4

 

3) SmartBuffer

The SmartBuffer setting is not persisted in the setup.xml file, I have to manually edit it.

 

4) Commandline options.

I tried the commandline options DVBViewer.exe -m -c, but they have no effect at all. Are they obsolete with the current version of DVBViewer ?

Also the scheduler app starts DVBViewer up in fullscreen even though scheduler is setup to start minimized.

 

*******************************************

 

Missing features are;

 

5) COM

5a) Why is it not possible to move picture up and down with COM server object ?

I am thinking about the zoom context menu. It has "Vertical Position" and "Horiz. Posisiton" but neither can be found in action.ini.

I want to be able to move my display up and down with my remote using COM commands.

The stretch commands are fully supported and I currently use those.

 

5b) Subtitles on/off cycle.

When I tune into a channel that has ex. teletext subs, then I have to activate the "show subtitles menu" - then choose a number.

This can't even be done with my remote ctrl. I know the sub settings are persisted to subpages.xml.

But what we ideally need is a possibility through COM to toggle subs on/off and to cycle through the current available languages (teletext pages).

Something must be available for DVB subs as well.

 

5c) Subtitles size +/- position up/down. I am spoiled with bsplayer hehe.

 

5d) OSD/subs in overlay mode?

When using powerDVD I get subtitles rendered along with the video to my overlay. When using something like Theatre Mode with ATI cards with the current version

of DVBViewer I get no subs og OSD, only the video - making theathre mode unusable. Many apps has the problem I know, so it might be a limitation with overlay some would say.

I used to agree with this until I stumbled across bsplayer. It can render osd and subs to overlay mode, making it perfect for theatre mode.

(In bsplayer you have to select "internal renderer overlay" as video renderer to this in effect.)

 

/Elo

support.zip

[Guest Lars_MQ]

did a clean install with a freshly download dvbviewerr.

 

1. works without problems. Programmed a recording for zdf while ard was tuned. it switched for 1 sec. sound then disableAV.

And yes standard disableav only works for timed recordings. This is on purpose.

 

2a) .srt subtitles are not recorded if the recording is started before the subtitles are transmitted.

Please explain? You mean DVBSubtitles?

 

2b) Timeshift and subtitles dont mix well.

That's correct, it's a limitation of the Timeshift implementation.

 

3) SmartBuffer

The SmartBuffer setting is not persisted in the setup.xml file, I have to manually edit it.

Confirmed, there is a bug. As a workaround, please click Use Smartbuffer twice then the settings will be saved.

 

tried the commandline options DVBViewer.exe -m -c, but they have no effect at all.

Just tested it works like a charme. You do remember to put the whole stuff in quotes if you have a path with spaces?

 

5d) As the name says internal overlay means the bs uses a special internal renderer.

Windows limitation is only one Overlay systemwide, so there is nothing to do about it, except doing our own renderer, maybe we will maybe not.

[Guest Lars_MQ]

5a) Why is it not possible to move picture up and down with COM server object ?

You could use OSD->htpc->Settings->zoom and program your settings there. It's not exactly what you want but at least it is possible to change it with a remote

[gibman]

did a clean install with a freshly download dvbviewerr.

Ok I did this also now. I still have my "troublesome" install dir backed up.

 

1. works without problems. Programmed a recording for zdf while ard was tuned. it switched for 1 sec. sound then disableAV.

Yes I have done the same on my fresh install. It works as it should.

Although i want to get to the bottom of this. It seems if I take the setup.xml from the

troubled install DIR then it doesn't work again. I will try and find the XML key that is making the trouble.

 

EDIT!!!: I found the setting that was bothering the deactiveAV functionality.

I think this must be a bug.

Try and toggle this on/off

Options-recoder-timeshift-automatic timeshift.

when it is ON deactiveAV doesn't work

when it is OFF deactiveAV does work

 

And yes standard disableav only works for timed recordings. This is on purpose.

Ok I thought so. It makes good sense.

 

2a) .srt subtitles are not recorded if the recording is started before the subtitles are transmitted.

Please explain? You mean DVBSubtitles?

No I mean teletext subs. Maybe it's a problem with DVB subs also.

Try and timer record a movie that you know for sure is broadcasting subs.

If you set the timer 2-3 mins before the movie start then you end up with no SRT file.

 

2b) Timeshift and subtitles dont mix well.

That's correct, it's a limitation of the Timeshift implementation.

Is this fixable and on your todolist ? It's a bit of a showstopper for me regarding the usage of timeshift.

 

3) SmartBuffer

The SmartBuffer setting is not persisted in the setup.xml file, I have to manually edit it.

Confirmed, there is a bug. As a workaround, please click Use Smartbuffer twice then the settings will be saved.

Ok noted.

 

Just tested it works like a charme. You do remember to put the whole stuff in quotes if you have a path with spaces?

My path is c:\programmer\DVBViewer - so I need no quotes

The -C and -B are working fine. But the -M is a not working. Atleast not if you have start in fullscreen set in setup.xml. I think the commandline should override the XML file. Normally when I fire up DVBViewer for casual viewing I want it in fullscreen. But again when scheduler is starting DVBViewer I want it minimized. Try and use fullscreen in setup.xml along with the -m param.

 

 

 

5d) As the name says internal overlay means the bs uses a special internal renderer.

Windows limitation is only one Overlay systemwide, so there is nothing to do about it, except doing our own renderer, maybe we will maybe not.

 

Yeah. One limitation with BS' own internal renderer is that mpeg2 hardware accel. is not working. Atleast when using nvidia coced. But perhaps this is a small price to pay to bee able to have OSD & subs rendered to the overlay layer

 

What about the illegal chars in the srt sub files ?

What about the COM subtitle features, like being able to cycle through available languages on teletext and dvb subs. It can't be done easily with a remote control as it is now.

Also here I'm thinking about the builtin mediaplayer when using it as a HTPC. When I start an AVI file with .srt subs then I have to enable subs in the view menu each time. View --> show subtitles. bsplayer is more powerful with many things.

I still use bsplayer, still waiting to use DVBViewer as a complete HTPC software suite.

As it is now, the mediaplayer within dvbV is a bit lacking.

 

Here is the stuff I use the most in bsplayer.

* move picture up/down

* osd/subs to overlay

* subs on/off - move up/down - auto load subs if they exist.

 

I guess something like XP MCE is just as limited for me hehe.

 

/Elo

Edited January 15, 2006 by gibman

[gibman]

5a) Why is it not possible to move picture up and down with COM server object ?

You could use OSD->htpc->Settings->zoom and program your settings there. It's not exactly what you want but at least it is possible to change it with a remote

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yeah thanks for the info. You are right it's not exactly the way I wanted it. It seems like it wouldn't be too hard making them available through COM. Guess I have to wait

 

/Elo

[Griga]

It's a bit of a showstopper for me regarding the usage of timeshift.

 

You can record as TS with teletext and play the file while it is recorded. It will let DVBViewer display the "timeshifted" subtitles from the file.

 

Including teletext in the timeshift file would yield an increased file size for all users (or yet another option... ).

[Guest Lars_MQ]

I think this must be a bug.

Try and toggle this on/off

Options-recoder-timeshift-automatic timeshift.

when it is ON deactiveAV doesn't work

when it is OFF deactiveAV does work

Nope no bug. That's the way it is. it means timshift is activated as soon as the timer switches the channel. And if Timeshift is active, disableAV wont work from a timer.