[mythtv-users] MediaMVP Questions

David Frascone dave at frascone.com
Thu Apr 26 17:03:18 UTC 2007



Tom Metro wrote:
> David Frascone wrote:
>   
>> I understand that there are a few downsides to mediamvp...
>>     
>
> It has far fewer features compared to Myth-frontend (no scheduling, 
> editing, and as you noted, commercial skip, but I think the latter is in 
> beta testing), but I find the simpler UI easier to use for the basic 
> operation of watching TV.
>
> The client software is also less solid than Myth-frontend. It's quite 
> usable, but it isn't unusual for it to hang and require a warm reboot 
> (which can be done via the remote).
>
>
>   
>> ...but is there any better solution for a simple SD viewer?
>>     
>
> I'd be surprised if there was a smaller/cheaper/lower power alternative 
> that worked as well.
>
>
>   
>> Questions:  Can it view a HD stream?  I mean, if I have a recording in 
>> HD, how can I watch it in SD on a media MVP?  Is it possible?
>>     
>
> This may be possible via VLC, which provides real time transcoding. I 
> haven't set up VLC yet, but my understanding is that it is the mechanism 
> used to deal with video formats that the MediaMVP can't handle natively 
> with its hardware. Usually that involves transcoding from MPEG4 to 
> MPEG2. Perhaps a shift in resolution is possible as well. I think there 
> is actually a thread on this topic happening on the mvpmc-users list 
> right now.
>
> The down-side to the VLC approach, as I understand it, is that it isn't 
> integrated into mvpmc's MythTV client. So you use one UI for playing 
> back MythTV shows that are SD MPEG2, and then you have to switch to a 
> different UI (browsing a file system via NFS) to access the other content.
>
> As someone mentioned on this list recently, an ideal solution would be 
> having MythTV clients indicate their capabilities to the back-end, and 
> have the back-end incorporate real-time transcoding to supply an 
> appropriate stream to the client.
>
>
>   
>> Can it fast-forward? 
>>     
>
> Yes, though only for about 5 to 10 seconds before the buffers empty.
>
>
>   
>> I know I can't commercial skip -- but if the fast 
>> forward is good enough . . .
>>     
>
> Actually skip forward is the answer to the commercial skip problem. It 
> works fine.
>
>
>   
>> Can it change channels?  On all tuners?
>>     
>
> I believe it does support switching between multiple tuners, however 
> some users find the live TV functionality to be rather buggy, resulting 
> in mvpmc crashes or back-end crashes. That was my experience on many of 
> the few times I tried it, but I haven't had much need/interest in that 
> capability.
>   
Thanks!  I'm up to speed now!

-Dave

-- 

David Frascone

                Postmen never die, they just loose their zip...



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