[mythtv] Using an external program for scheduled recordings

Erik Arendse mythtv-dev@snowman.net
Mon Jan 13 09:21:43 EST 2003


At 11-1-03 13:20, Joe Venzon wrote:
>Unfortunately, though, the modified NuppelVideo capture format isn't 
>really living up to my expectations -- not only is it nearly impossible to 
>find programs to read it (only the patched MPlayer) it also has very slow 
>seeking within the file for some reason, and the fact that there are no 
>windows players leave my roommates out in the cold, since they also like 
>to watch the files it generates.  I don't use MythTV's live tv pausing 
>features at all (although they are pretty neat) and I don't use MythTV to 
>watch normal TV or to playback any of the videos it records (I play them 
>back on my computer).  I'm guessing that the reason the NUV format was 
>modified was to allow for the ringbuffer playing which is key to viewing 
>and pausing live TV, and since I don't really care about these, I really 
>would like to modify MythTV to be able to use an external command-line 
>capture program such as nvrec (http://nvrec.sourceforge.net) to do all of 
>the capturing, so I can generate nice run-of-the-mill DivX-encoded AVI 
>files with mp3 audio. Using nvrec seems to also have the benefit of 
>slightly reduced CPU usage (compared to mpeg4 nuv).
>
>So, now that my longwinded explanations are over, I'll get to my 
>question:  can anyone give me an idea of how difficult this would be to do?

Rather.

MythTV is _designed_ as PVR, timeshifting is the core if it's 
functionality. The recording is just timeshifting without reading & cycling 
the buffer, the playing is just timeshifting without filling & cycling the 
buffer.
The nuppelvideo codec is used, but the stored fileformat is _not_ 
nupperlvideo but a dedicated format for mythtv.

Anything is possible with open source, but I personally think you should 
take another program as your starting point for hacking.

No, that's not the truth, I think you should use mythtv, wait until the 
seeking is solved (already in CVS), don't use another player (why should 
you: give your friends a copy of linux and mythtv, it's free!)

BTW: everybody uses mythtv to play back files on their computer. It's just 
that some of us have their video-out linked to their TV and turned off 
their computer monitors. (This was not fully a joke, why would you not use 
mythtv to play back the files on your computer, it's the only thing it can do?)

Erik





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