Problem streaming 'series link' recordings to smart TV...

Caffreys

New Member
Hi there,

I recently bought a second-hand Humax HDR Fox T2 box and have been browsing these forums ever since!

I've got the latest version of the custom firmware installed (HDR_FOX_T2_1.03.06_mod_2.20.zip) and everything's working exactly as I'd hoped - thanks to all involved in the creation of this software!

I selected this particular box, as I wanted to be able to easily stream any recordings that I've made up to my smart TV upstairs (a Sony Bravia KDL-24EX320).

Although initially the Sony TV seemed quite picky about what and how it would stream, following advice in various forum threads, the magic formula seems to be as follows:
  • Auto-decrypt
  • Auto-shrink
  • Streaming via the MediaTomb DNLA server as opposed to the built-in DLNA server
This works absolutely fine for stand-alone, single recordings - exactly what I was after. The only issue I'm experiencing is when the recording is one of a series. Streaming these files just leaves me with a black screen on the smart TV, even though on the face of it they are exactly the same as the stand-alone recordings (correctly shrunk and decrypted).

My hypotheses is that Humax is storing 'series-link' related data within the *.ts file which hampering the ability of the Sony TV to stream the file.

Does anyone here (I'm looking to Black Hole or af123!) have any idea whether it's possible to strip such information out of the ts files (automatically or otherwise) or what software I could use to analyse the ts file to locate such information, remove it, and test if it resolves the streaming problem?

Thanks in advance for any help/guidance you can give me!
 
You don't want me! That'll be af123, xyz321, or Raydon.

On the face of it, I don't see what difference series linking makes.
 
What happens if you move a series recording to the same "folder" level as single recordings? And vice versa.
I.e. Could the problem relate to the fact that series recordings are lower down the file structure?

Just an idea ...
 
This works absolutely fine for stand-alone, single recordings - exactly what I was after. The only issue I'm experiencing is when the recording is one of a series. Streaming these files just leaves me with a black screen on the smart TV, even though on the face of it they are exactly the same as the stand-alone recordings (correctly shrunk and decrypted).

Not quite the same arrangement, but I just pointed my Sony BluRay player at the MediaTomb server on my T2, which has loads of series linked stuff, and it had no trouble playing back any of it. Hours and hours of Escape to the Country recorded for Mrs Mike!

So I would guess the fault is with the TV?
 
Thanks for all your responses!

Harvey B - a great suggestion, I tried moving one of the series recordings to the root '/media/My Video/' folder, however, unfortunately my TV still refuses to play the file :(

Ezra - I have tried using Stripts on one of the 'problem' files. I wasn't sure which switches to use when running it, so I ended up trying all three listed (Fix file, remove redundant EIT packets, Verbose). Some of these didn't really seem to do anything positive though. I'm wondering whether 'Auto-shrink' is already performing some of these functions? If anyone has more info on this it would be helpful.

The file still didn't play after running Stripts on it sadly.

Since last week, I have also come to realise that it is not just series linked recordings that fail to stream on my TV - last week I recorded a single, stand-alone programme which also fails to stream correctly.

The only difference I can see between the files that stream ok and those that don't is that the one that doesn't play was recorded from Channel 4 (HD) and the others were from BBC 2 (HD). I think the channel difference may just be a red-herring though and that it's something else about the recording that is causing the failure to stream. File sizes were roughly the same, filename lengths were equal, if not longer on the files that stream ok. Time will tell as I record more programmes and can see if there is any obvious pattern to it.

It's so frustrating though, when some other programmes stream so perfectly!! *scratches head*

If anyone has any other thoughts on this I'd appreciate the input!

Thanks in advance :frantic:
 
I'll second this issue. Although I've not really had time to investigate fully, I would go so far as saying that recordings from BBC channels stream okay via the method described above, whereas recordings from channel 4 (as an example) seen a little more problematic.
To fix up the problematic recordings I've just resorted to using stripts -F <input file> <output file>.

Would be interesting to know the difference between using auto-decrypt and auto-shrink vs using the command above.
 
It's so frustrating though, when some other programmes stream so perfectly!! *scratches head*

If anyone has any other thoughts on this I'd appreciate the input!

So you haven't conclusively isolated it to series recordings? i.e. one-off programmes always play, series programmes never do? Or is it an occasional series recording?
i.e. is the 'series' part or channel actually a red herring, and its really just an occasional recording that seems to randomly refuse to play?

Once in a blue moon, I get a file that refuses to play using VLC. It appears to be just like its fellow files, its been decrypted, shrunk and plays fine on the HDR ... but nothing on VLC.
I fix these by putting them back on the HDR, putting a bookmark about 2 seconds in, and then running the file through 'Crop'. About 99.8% of the time this treatment means they will then play happily on VLC.

However I am none the wiser what was wrong with the file, and why this fix works ...
(If anyone with the knowledge to explore this, ever wants to ... I have a nice example of an episode of Click, with the 'before' file that won't play and the fixed 'after' version. It would be interesting to know what the difference is ...)
 
This means the format of the video or audio stream changed and the player was unable to cope with it. Clipping a section off the start removes the mid-stream change. Format changes typically happen between inter-programme announcements or adverts and the programme itself.
 
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