Problems recording in MPEG2-PS

Hi Bonch',

Thanks for trying and reading all that stuff before posting. I think that 0.5.30 is a good choice but the PS option has been removed. As you know, there were a few issues with it. Most media players know how to read TS now so PS is not really needed.

If you're watching a HD channel it might be that there's not enough buffering. Have a look at the ~/.me-tv/xine.config file, play with the numbers in there and let me know how you go.

Thanks,

Michael

Wow, that's some fast reaction time, thank you! (from which side of the world are you writing?)

So, to take things point by point:
1. Changing "recording_type" value from "ts" to "ps" in me-tv.config was no use, since PS recording type is no longer active: correct?
2. Then, for my personal understanding, what has been fixed in 0.5.20 as regards MPEG PS since the option is disabled?
3. If I really want to attempt the PS type to check whether it can be read by my home-theater, would you advise me to have a try with 0.5.9 (which must have this option, as it was removed in 0.5.10), or is it hopeless? If it's worth trying, where can I find old versions?
3. I don't think we have HD channels in France (at least the free ones), but I'll try playing with the numbers in xine.config as soon as I can (probably not before a few days...), and then I'll report.

Thank you again,
Bonch'

Hi Bonch,

Which side? I'm in Australia (the under-side).

1. Correct.

2. There have been many changes, too many to list here. I suggest that you have a look at the ChangeLog file in the source.

3. You can get older versions from the source repository, see https://code.edge.launchpad.net/me-tv. I recommend that you don't use the old versions, instead use a tool like ffmpeg to translate them for you.

3 (the sequel). The default values should work then. You might need to remove the ~/.me-tv/xine.conf to have it regenerated with better defaults from later versions.

Thanks,

Michael

Hi Michael,

Finally I couldn't wait longer before trying your suggestions, and here are some good news:
1. Removing the ~/.me-tv/xine.config file to have it regenerated didn't help. However before playing with the settings, I had another idea:
- I had set the folder for recordings directly onto my NAS (through its mounting point) ;
- setting it back to a local folder completely solved my "freezing" problem when recording ;
- hence it seems that it was just a matter of network speed (although it's running at 100 Mbit/s, which I thought would be sufficient...) ;
- OK, no big deal anyway: I will have to record locally, and then to copy onto the NAS.
2. I translated a MPEG-TS file (generated by Me-TV) into MPEG-PS using VLC, and there was the miracle: it was perfectly read by my home-theater!!! So my initial guess was good.
3. I would really prefer recording directly in MPEG-PS format, to avoid this type of "translation" systematically after every recording. So I removed my current version of Me-TV, and then followed your link to look for an older Me-TV version featuring the PS option. But I couldn't get further than the "Bazaar branches of Me TV" page:
- in the "Download files available for Me TV", it doesn't go earlier than 0.5.23;
- I'm really not familiar with "branches" and source code to be compiled, so I didn't dare going any further this way...
4. (this time I watched out not to have a second "3" ;-) I was about to give up for today, but I still wanted to have (any version of) Me-TV installed back before switching-off, and by chance I downloaded (from the french Ubuntu site) what turned out to be 0.5.17. When looking in the "Preferences" menu, I was very surprised to see the "MPEG-TS" or "MPEG-PS" option proposed: so I selected "MPEG-PS" and tried to record a few seconds of TV, and (2nd miracle!) it worked until play-back by my home-theater!!!
5. So now I do have a Me-TV version doing what I expected, i.e. recording directly in PS format.

But before clicking on "Problem solved", I must admit the following: this 0.5.17 is of course not perfect, and includes some bugs which have been fixed later (in particular in the 0.5.30 I had previously installed), e.g. I think with the EPG function (the epg.xml file is created when not existing and Me-TV can be launched OK, but then after quitting and launching again it complains that the epg.xml is empty...). So there would be my latest question: is there a chance that you could consider re-implementing the PS option in a future version of Me-TV? Doing this you would make me your greatest fan!!!

Cheers,
Bonch'

Hi Bonch',

Here's the thing, I stole/borrowed the PS code from kaffeine after talking with hftom (the kaffeine guy). The issues are,

1. I have no idea how the code works
2. I think that it has some bugs
3. hftom has told me that he will be removing PS from kaffeine in the future

Putting the PS code back in is a very simple process but I'm not prepared to support it because there are too many issues that I can't resolve. So, there is only one way that you are going to get what you want ... put it in yourself. This way, if people ask me about it I can play "hot potato" with it and pass it on to you. I have no issue with people contributing to the project. If you get it working then I'll include it in the main branch.

Don't give me a "but I'm not a developer" response, I had no idea about Linux development before I started Me TV. I would prefer that you said that you just said that you are too lazy. That I can understand ;)

The ball is in your court.

Thanks,

Michael

Hi Michael,

You're being a bit harsh, aren't you? I would definitely consider a "but I'm not a developer" response as fully acceptable: maybe not in the sense "I could never do it" (anyone - including me then - could probably learn on the job after struggling for a while...), but rather in the sense "it would take me hundred of hours to get into it before eventually being able to improve the code satisfactorily"... You may call that "being too lazy" if you want, I would rather say "highly inefficient" (or maybe "each to his own"): I don't consider lazy all the people who have their house built by a mason, instead of doing it all with their own 2 hands (even if anyone could probably learn how to do it in the end...).

So... I guess all I can say then is probably "too bad!" (especially when I read "Putting the PS code back in is a very simple process"...). For sure I wouldn't mind if the PS code has still some bugs, or if it's not supported in the future... It is present in older versions, so if you put it back e.g. in a 0.5.34, and then remove it again in a 0.5.35 and all future versions, I guess it would make no big difference from the present situation as regards your "support commitment"...

Well, sorry for not returning the ball, but I'm not ready today for such time-consuming involvement. Maybe I don't have enough of "Linux spirit", maybe I'm too lazy, sorry about that...

Cheers,
Bonch'

Harsh, sure, I'm concerned at the number of people that think that I have nothing better to do than spend days away from my friends and family implementing a feature for them with nothing in return.

If you get someone to build your house, you usually pay them, a lot. It's not lazy, you worked hard to get the money for someone to build your house for you. It's a poor example that works to back my argument. "highly inefficient", well that depends on how you look at it, you could then use your knowledge make and fix other stuff. Teach a man to fish ... and all that.

Mate, I'm not a software shop, I'm just one guy (like you) trying to get my wife to use Linux on my Media Centre.

Putting the PS code back in is a simple process with complicated outcomes as I stated earlier. The code is not stable and until that is resolved the application will never be stable, I would like it to be stable one day. Plus it introduces a major flaw in the application in that the PS code can only store one audio stream. This gets very ugly quickly because there are no subtitles and if you do a scheduled recording it probably won't get the language that you want if the program was transmitted in several languages.

0.5.33 is the end-of-the-line for the 0.5 series, I'm on to 0.6 which has more of a focus on good design and stability. There was a lot of experimentation in 0.5.

Cheers,

Michael

No problem Michael, I was not blaming you or complaining, just saying "too bad" (for me...).

One thing I've understood about Linux, is that it's based on a community of "good-will" people, sharing their knowledge and progress with others, and that of course nobody in the world is in a position to demand anything from anyone, and that was absolutely not my point (besides, I had clicked on "Problem solved"...).

About the "house building" image, you're correct: people get paid for the time & effort they spend (and you don't), so I completely understand your position. All I tried to do is explain (and possibly justify) why I would not answer your proposal and get deeper into the coding / try to improve the stuff by myself. Maybe one day, if I consider I can spend the time that's required in it...

Thanks anyway for sharing your tool with others, and good luck for the next 0.6 series...
Bonch'

No worries mate ;)