[mythtv-users] How to properly set up transcode for Android frontend streaming?

[steve]

On 3/9/2014 1:42 PM, Bill Meek wrote:
> On 03/09/2014 03:02 PM, steve wrote:
>> this?  I was looking at the docs for transcoding.  The automatic 
>> transcode replaces the original file, and I don't want to do that (at 
>> least I
>> don't think I do--want to preserve the HD recordings for viewing off 
>> the primary frontend).  Instead I want a copy at lower resolution for
>> streaming, and I assume I need the command-line version of 
>> transcoding for this.  However, there are a lot of options and I'm 
>> not sure which
>> ones to pick for this purpose, and I'm not sure how to make command 
>> line transcoding run after commercial flagging.  I also would prefer 
>> to have
>> one cop deleted when the other one is deleted, and I'm not sure how 
>> to make that happen.  Any advice appreciated.
>
> Short answer: you can't do what you want at this time.
>
> MythTV Android Frontend (MAF) initiates the transcoding and keeps 
> track of it.
> The backend responds to its requests and stores the (hundreds of) files
> created. Currently, MAF doesn't have any code to display the list of 
> existing
> completed transcodes. Given the significant effort going into 0.28-pre 
> for
> the new WebFrontend, it's possible that a new/better way to playback
> recordings may surface. So, in my opinion, developing what you want 
> using the
> exiting Services API wouldn't be a good way to spend development time 
> on MAF.
>
> To be honest, what you want is *possible*. See mythtranscode --help 
> and note the
> --hls option set. That's what gets used when the client asks for the 
> HLS transcode.
> So, a User Job could be setup to do it (not the Automatic Transcoding 
> feature as
> you already noticed.)
>
> <yourBackend>:6544/Content/GetLiveStreamList provides the list of 
> transcoded files.
>
> I don't know if any of the other Android apps do what you want

I see.  Well count that as a feature request for somwhere, MAF or 0.28.  
Right now, it takes as long to hls-transcode the file as to watch it, 
maybe longer.  Playing direct doesn't give good results with h.234 files 
generated with my HD-PVR (audio and video get way out of sync).  Maybe 
there is some lossless transcoding I should apply to those files even 
for viewing on my HD device that would improve the direct stream 
performance without degrading the HD quality?

If I tried the manual transcode route you suggest, and I put them in a 
separate folder or something, how can I tell MAF know where to find them?

Also can I initiate stream transcoding of more than one file at a time 
from MAF?  Currently the only way I know to do it is to select an epsode 
then hit that "eye" icon.