[mythtv-users] Editing HD-PVR H.264 files (redux); new HD-PVR weirdness

[Bob Sully]

Hi again, all -

I posted a while back about issues I was having editing files produced by
command-line recording of videos from the HD-PVR.  Avidemux, which was
what I was using to do the edits, was crashing or hanging, not saving the
files, etc.

I was tipped off that this might work:

1.  Open the file as avidemux's settings are on copy, copy, avi,
2.  Do the editing
3.  Now for the output set
       Video to: MPEG-4 AVC(x264)
       Audio to: AAC(Faac)
       Format to: MP4
4.  Save video

This did actually save the video.  However, the video edits (cuts) were
made, but the corresponding audio edits were not, so after the first edit
the video and audio were 4 minutes out of sync.

I was beginning to think that having these files recorded with 2-channel
AAC audio was at least part of the problem, so last night I installed the
latest HD-PVR firmware with a Windoze machine and configured it to use the
optical audio input rather than the RCA jacks on the back.  Tried
recording with the Windows box and it worked fine.

Back to Linux...got the latest v4l2-ctl, compiled and installed it, loaded
the module and configured the device as follows in /etc/rc.local:

# HD-PVR
modprobe hdpvr video_nr=1 default_audio_input=2
v4l2-ctl --device=/dev/video1 --set-ctrl=video_bitrate=10000000
v4l2-ctl --device=/dev/video1 --set-ctrl=video_peak_bitrate=12000000
v4l2-ctl --device=/dev/video1 --set-ctrl=audio_encoding=4

which does load the module and sets it up on /dev/video1, as it should:

crw-rw----+ 1 root video 81, 1 2009-08-24 23:40 /dev/video0
crw-rw----+ 1 root video 81, 0 2009-08-24 23:50 /dev/video1

(/dev/video0 is my pcHDTV-5500).

However, it doesn't configure it with default_audio_input=2, as it should.
 I had to rmmod, then then reload the module with the same modprobe
command as above at the CLI for that to be done correctly (figured that
out by making a recording - which had no sound - mplayer said it had AAC
format audio).  After reloading it manually, the recording worked, with
5.1 sound (note the difference if the file creation times above).

Also, it doesn't seem to pick up the changes to the default bit rate amd
max_bitrate unless I issue the commands again manually from the CLI.

Any reason why the changes wouldn't get made by the lines in
/etc/rc.local?  Should I have it sleep for a couple of seconds after
issuing the modprobe command?  I don't think I should have to do it again
manually, should I??

Also, the blue LEDs on top and the red "record" LED in front don't come on
anymore while recording (they did previously, and even after the new
firmware was loaded, they came on while recording in Windows).  In the
Windows config utility, there is a check box to "Disable Bling LEDs" -
which I left UNchecked (and as I said, they do come on while recording
with the Windows utility).  Is there a switch in the new driver that
enables/disables this?

I haven't tried editing the new recordings with AC3 audio yet...it was
pretty late last night when I finally gave up messing with this.

Thanks again - Bob
-- 
________________________________________
Bob Sully - Simi Valley, California, USA
http://www.malibyte.net
http://www.malibyte.com