Preview Plugin

[Griga]

I've just uploaded a new Preview Plugin to the Service Center, for all those who can't get enough...

 

The Preview Plugin allows to open an additional Video Window and to watch two TV channels at the same time. However, both channels must be broadcasted on the same transponder (with the same frequency, in the same DVB data stream). So after having selected a channel in the DVBViewer, the selection of channels in the Plugin is limited accordingly.

 

The Plugin is supposed to replace the according function in the DVBViewer (which only works with Marfi's source filter). It provides additional features, like switching to full screen mode and toggling audio between the Preview and the DVBViewer. Furthermore it is much more flexible, since it works with all source filters, and can be adapted to different circumstances, e.g. by selecting a suitable video decoder or video renderer in the Settings Window.

 

Programming it was quite an interesting task, since running two DirectShow filtergraphs in one application causes several problems. They where finally solved by streaming audio/video from the plugin to a separate program (with an own memory space), by using the Shared Memory feature ('Memory Mapped Files') of Windows.

 

Everything else can be read in the ReadMe file (English and German provided).

 

So, download and enjoy!

 

Griga

Edited August 7, 2005 by Griga

[AlterZausel]

Hi Griga,

 

das isses

 

thx

 

Rudi

[ginacman]

Hello,

 

 

very nice plugin.

 

I've just noted that, when previewing audio, if the Audio Decoder is set to <Auto>, preview switch just works once: audio toggling is apparently stopped then.

 

Setting the Audio Decoder to whatever not <Auto> (i.e Moonligh Odio Dekoda) suffices to "fix" this behaviour. I've tried also to mess up with the filter merits, artificially increasing one filter or another, but no change then.

Thank you for any explanation.

-

[Guest Oliver]

Works for me with "auto" setting.

 

Bye, Oliver

[Gioxy]

Thanks Griga, another great plugin!

 

For what I have seen, is fully functional on my system, in auto and manual codec selection (XP Sp1, Athlon 2400+, NVidia 440MX, DX 9.0b, obviously auto with NVidia A/V codec)...

 

...but... I have tested with your TSPlayer that with NVidia codec I can open more of two visualization windows (I can open contemporarily at least 4 windows, with fluid video and all the audios togheter): so, it is possible to have a PiP P.P. that open more than one preview window (or perhaps a PiP P.P. that can run in multiple instance...)?

 

Thanks again for your passionate programming!

 

Gioxy

[Griga]

if the Audio Decoder is set to <Auto>, preview switch just works once: audio toggling is apparently stopped then.

 

You can try to find out what is going on by right-clicking the Settings Window - a Context menu appears that lists all filters in the graph (can be used to open the property page of a filter, if it provides one). Or even better: Use GraphEdit (Connect To Remote Graph). The graph with the Video/Audiodump filters is the DVBViewer's, the other one belongs to the Preview.

 

so, it is possible to have a PiP P.P. that open more than one preview window

 

Technically yes. Programming a kind of stream manager that handles multiple channels and sends them to different EXE's would be quite laborious, however. To be true: I don't think that it makes much sense - the number of channels that are worth watching on a specific transponder is quite limited anyway. IMO not worth the effort.

[Klausing]

I have the same problem with the Auto settings. Maybe we have the same problem

I have no chance to find out wich decoder the programm use if i set to Auto.

Conecct to remote graph don't work. I see only the graph of the DVBViewer.

Then i must kill the DVBViewer by Taskmanager and the preview is still open and must killed separately. (remember my mail)

If i set the right decoder i have no problem.

 

Steffen

[Gioxy]

Programming a kind of stream manager that handles multiple channels and sends them to different EXE's would be quite laborious

 

I agree, without doubt... but I was thinking at a quite different way to realize this, surely in a unique graph: what do you think about "splitting" the flow right out of the source filter (or maybe after the demultiplexer) with somethink like "Infinite Tee Filter"?

 

 

Gioxy

[ginacman]

I have the same problem with the Auto settings. Maybe we have the same problem

I have no chance to find out wich decoder the programm use if i set to Auto.

Conecct to remote graph don't work. I see only the graph of the DVBViewer.

Then i must kill the DVBViewer by Taskmanager and the preview is still open and must killed separately. (remember my mail)

If i set the right decoder i have no problem.

 

Steffen

Hello.

After using GraphEdit, I was about to report just the same feedback.

GraphEdit, when freshly started, shows two graphs to choose. Soon after, or possibly when doing the first audio switch, one of the two graphs becomes unavailable. Also, most of the times, GraphEdit dies or becomes unresponsive.

 

Rebuilding the graphs temporarily recovers the audio function, until it becomes lost again at the next action.

 

Also, if set to a named filter as opposed to <auto>, the GraphEdit shows the same problems, instability and graph not shown, but in that case audio prewiewing is preserved across switching.

 

My ignorance is great, but it looks like the dynamic ability to build the second graph is hindered somehow. Choosing a specific filter sticks the plugin to use it altogether, beyond further unexptected behaviours. Sorry for my rude explanation.

Thank you.

Edited May 4, 2004 by ginacman

[Gioxy]

@ginacman & Klausing:

 

I had similar problem with the Elecard demultiplexer; maybe is better for something (I don't know witch); I resolved with original DX9.0b's one...

 

If you dare ( ) you can unregister and backup your original MPG2SPLT.AX, and reinstall DirectX; if you don't like the result simply restore & reregister Elecard's filter...

 

Cheers

 

Gioxy

[Griga]

what do you think about "splitting" the flow right out of the source filter (or maybe after the demultiplexer) with somethink like "Infinite Tee Filter"?

 

It wouldn't work with the Infinite Tee Filter, since it is not able to distinguish video from audio, or one stream from another... it just can 'clone' a data stream. But it can probably be done by creating a MS demuxer output pin for each PID of the transmitted transport stream, since the MS demuxer is running in a mode where it is completely configured by the app (see here). I didn't try this up to now with more than two PIDs... the only thing I know is that I *don't* want to handle two video rendering graphs in one application again (see my first posting) that's why I programmed the workaround with the EXE.

 

but it looks like the dynamic ability to build the second graph is hindered somehow.

 

If I select <auto>, the Moonlight Odio is chosen, and it runs flawlessly... so I just don't know what might happen. In case of <auto> the Preview lets the DirectShow Graphbuilder render the MS Demuxer's audio output pin without presetting an audio decoder. The Graphbuilder just should select a suitable one and connect everything. No clue why it fails... well, I'll try to unregister the Odio and then see what happens...

 

Griga

Edited May 4, 2004 by Griga

[Klausing]

@ Griga is there a way to render the graph directly in graphedit? I tryed to connect to the remote graph. After that I removed the AudioDecoder and would render the AudioPin of the Demuxer, but i couldn't do this. It was not possible in Graphedit..

So i can't say which decoder here is the problem...

 

steffen

[ginacman]

In fact it wouldn't seem to be a severe problem at all.

If one sticks to a given audio filter, and Moonlight Odio looks a very good one, the plugin is absolutely ok as is.

On the other hand, if somebody else does not experience the problem, it would probably means to me that something has got peacefully unscrewed anywhere inside the operating subsystem, although I must say I've never tinkered with it, just kept it up to date with patches and no significant gltches.

Thank you

Edited May 4, 2004 by ginacman

[Griga]

is there a way to render the graph directly in graphedit?

 

No, because you can't create and configure demuxer output pins in GraphEdit.

[Gioxy]

@Griga

 

the MS demuxer is running in a mode where it is completely configured by the app

I *don't* want to handle two video rendering graphs in one application again

 

after a fast read of the very interesting MSDN's pages it seems to me that this is a better direction to investigate on... I don't know if "IMpeg2Demultiplexer::CreateOutputPin" command is really effective/reliable enough for DVB flow's (I have the certainty that you are really deeply skilled on that...), but I firmly hope this...

 

On the other hand there is the problem to have multiple visualization windows: I experienced (as I reported in a my previous post here up) that (at least) with WinXP+DX9 and NVidia codecs we can obtain how many we want; I haven't analized yet what PC resources where stressed (nor noticed if every windows create it's own graph... ): ok, these is in a my today evening to do list...

 

 

Gioxy

[Griga]

I don't know if "IMpeg2Demultiplexer::CreateOutputPin" command is really effective/reliable enough for DVB flow's

 

It is! The DVBViewer Filter totally relies on it.... in fact, the DVBViewer Filter is only designed for feeding the filter graph with the raw transport stream data from the SS2 driver. It does nothing else. It's up to the MS Demuxer to do all the hard work, especially extracting the video/audio elementary streams, processing the DVB PCR (Program Clock Reference), that keeps everything in sync, and stuff...

Edited May 4, 2004 by Griga

[Gioxy]

Yesterday evening I tried to open DVBViewer + PIP P.P. + 4 instances of TS Reader (on the same TS file), with codec setted to <auto>, <NVidia>, <Cyberlink>: they work, always and flawless...

 

So, I understand that PIP P.I. have to be intimate interfaced with DVBViewer (at least for swap & preview audio) and then is impossible to have more instance contemporarily, but considering the feature and flexibility of MS Demuxer (as you stated) and your programmer's skill, I hope to see soon a "Multi-PIP Prewiew Plugin" download link...

 

Many thanks in advance!

 

 

Gioxy

 

PS: I hope you don't consider this post only a joke...

[Griga]

Yesterday evening I tried to open DVBViewer + PIP P.P. + 4 instances of TS Reader they work, always and flawless...

 

That are six separate processes, each with a separate memory space...

 

but considering the feature and flexibility of MS Demuxer (as you stated) and your programmer's skill, I hope to see soon a "Multi-PIP Prewiew Plugin" download link

 

...and that would be more than one video decoder/renderer in one process, sharing one memory space. Do you get the point? That's exactly what I avoided by streaming the preview data to an EXE... see my announcement above. Sorry - I don't want to mess around with this again.

[Gioxy]

Oooops!

I'm very sorry, now I get the point...

 

Really I didn't want to bore you, but I'm very interested in a "Multi-PiP Prewiew", and I was impressed by viewing multiple instance of TS Reader working together...

 

Perhaps I will be more fortunate with Multicast plugin and multiple VLC...

 

Cheers

 

Gioxy

[doublehuihui]

wow....works very great.....

 

my settings are :

 

Windows XP with AMD Duron 1,3 Ghz/ 256 MB Ram

Video Decoder: Cyberlink Video/SP Decoder

Audio Decoder: Cyberlink Audio Decoder

Video Renderer : VMR 7

Aspect Ratio : Auto

Edited May 7, 2004 by doublehuihui

[Griga]

I've provided a Preview Plugin update in the Service Center (version 1.2) - nothing world-shaking, just a couple of minor fixes, in order to enhance the overall usability and stability:

 

- prevented the Preview.exe from appearing in the task bar (shouldn't be terminated there anyway).

 

- prevented double entries in the DVBViewer's channellist from appearing twice in the Preview Menu.

 

- made the Preview work with the M$ MPEG Audio Decoder (may be useful for people who have no other audio decoder or experienced trouble with the <Auto> setting).

 

- fixed interferences between the DVBViewer and the Preview, which sometimes caused the mouse cursor to be switched on and off periodically.

 

and other stuff like that. So if the old version is running well on your PC, you can stay with it... or try the new one, as you like.

 

Griga

[Griga]

Preview Plugin updated to version 1.3.1:

 

- Fix: Due to timing issues channel switching could fail in DVBViewer Pro 2.3 Beta, if the plugin displays TV.

 

Furthermore the new version is prepared for the intended release of the experimental DVBViewer GE version, that will provide the possibility to play back a media file and at the same time watch TV with the plugin.

[Griga]

Updated again to version 1.3.2

 

A deeper analysis with the b2status tool (following Christian's recommendation) revealed that the Preview Plugin doesn't reset its PIDs when switching channels.

 

Though this bug doesn't show up on normal usage, it keeps the DVBViewer and the driver busy with unnecessary data traffic.

 

So I recommend to download again - sorry.

[ghi]

hello why icant see nothing for downloading?

thanks

[Griga]

You must purchase DVBViewer Pro.

 

BTW: People who write unwanted PMs to mods and administrators violate the forum rules. Their forum account may be cancelled.

[Pseudex]

it works very fine. also very fine with the twinhan 1020a!

[ghi]

is it work on payed channels also? or only free channels

[alexio]

how i can get pip plugin?

thank you

[Guest Oliver]

PiP has been integrated in the latest release.

[alexio]

i have version 3 and i have not pip

how i can download from customer area?

t y

[Griga]

I have version 3 and i have not pip

how i can download from customer area?

 

In the same way you've downloaded DVBViewer Pro 3.0 from the Service Center after purchasing it, of course.

 

If you are not able to, because you got DVBV 3.0 without paying for it, you should immediately buy it. Otherwise you'll probably get banned here.

[Griga]

Please note:

 

The Preview Plugin will not be developed further, since DVBViewer Pro 3.2 and DVBViewer GE 1.5 provide an integrated preview.

 

You may try to use it for displaying three TV channels at the same time, if you like. It works quite well with DVBViewer GE 1.5; with DVBViewer Pro 3.2 I didn't test it.

 

However, there is no guarantee that it will work flawlessly, since the plug-in has not been adapted to the latest changes. Especially switching audio playback between three video windows has not been coordinated.

 

So please don't post "bugs" - the plug-in is obsolescent and will be removed from the Service Center not later than end of this year.

[KH123]

Thanks Griga

[m4tze]

I just got the Pro Version of DVBViewer and I have to say, the Preview is what I have been looking for! No more channel switching when there are TV-Ads!