DVArchive Plugin for Meedio Prerequisites ============= 1) Meedio 2) One or more ReplayTVs 3) DVarchive V3.1 running on a computer 4) The VideoLAN VLC program installed. I suggest you use the one available at http://replayguide.sourceforge.net/vlc (choose the latest directory). As a windows user, there is a prebuilt, ready to download verion (the .zip). Just unzip it unto C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC Installation ============ 1) Install the DVArchive Plugin the normal way (which should be just double click on it -- the icon for it should look like an electrical outlet) 2) Start the Meedio configuration program, insure you are on the Main tab 3) Select the First "node" with the plus/minus expander gadget 4) From the "Add" drop down, you should see a "DVArchive Module". Select it. 5) DVArchive is now listed. if you want to move it to a different spot on your menus, this is as good a time as any (you can always move it later too) 6) Click on the DVArchive item. If you want to edit anything on the General tab, go ahead, though this isn't necessary and you can always change the titles later if you want. 7) Click on the Modules Properties tab. 8) The only two things you have to fill in is the IP address of your DVArchive server (i.e. the IP address of the computer DVArchive is running on) and the path to the vlc.exe program (usually something like C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe). I'd suggest leaving the all other settings as default. 9) You are done! Usage ===== Start Meedio and there should be a DVArchive menu option. Select it and you'll see a list of ReplayTVs and DVArchives you have on your network. If you have only one ReplayTV, then this list is skipped and you go directly to the list of shows. If you have >1 unit, you can select the unit you want to watch shows on (or select All units which will "smerge" all shows into a single unified list). Select a DVR and you'll next see the list of shows on that unit. As you move around the list of shows, the info at the top of the display will change to reflect the details of that show. Selecting a show will launch VideoLAN to start playback. When the show finishes playing (or you end it), you'll return to the list. Configuration Options ====================== * IP Address of DVArchive This MUST be set to the IP address of a computer running DVArchive. This does not need to be on the same computer as Meedio, but the computer should be running DVArchive 24/7 (or, at a minimum, anytime you are running Meedio). * Server Port This is almost always 8042, the default port # of DVArchives video streamer. If you have changed this port # (as viewed in the DVArchive properties (File-> DVArchive Properties->Server Tab, bottom section, streaming server port), then you'll need to update this, but in general almost no one should ever need to change this value. * Omit Empty DVRs from list If you have ReplayTVs with no programs or DVArchives with no shows downloaded, you probably do not need or want to see them listed in Meedio. By default, with this box checked, the plugin will check each DVR and if it has no recorded shows, it will drop it from the list of DVRs. You normaly want to leave this checked. * Hide Private Shows Shows that are downloaded and stored on a DVArchive server can be marked as public or private. If the show is not public, it usually will not appear in a listing of shows viewed from your ReplayTV (when the ReplayTV is viewing a list of shows available for playback from DVArchive). With this option checked, such non-public shows will also be omitted from being listed in Meedio. If you want to see all shows, regardless of their private/public status, uncheck this. Note: Shows on ReplayTVs do not have a public/private setting and are unaffected by this option. * Use Meedio Video Player If checked, the plugin will ask the Meedio Video player to play the shows back. The problem with this is you need to have a compatible codec on your system to do this. Further, not all codecs support streaming and some will attempt to download the entire show before starting to play. One more advanced use of this option is to allow the PlayMee plugin to take control of launching a player (like VideoLAN) and redict control keys to it. For most folks, you will have the least number of problems if you leave this unchecked, download and install VideoLAN and configure the plugin to use it. Fair Warning. * Path to VideoLAN Client This is the complete path to the VideoLAN Client executable (usually vlc.exe). The plugin will launch the player using whatever program you put in here. If you do not check the "Use Meedio Video Player" option, you must fill this in (and it is recommended you do not use the "Meedio Video Player" option). * Parameters for VLC This is there parameter template to be passed to the program started in the previous setting (VideoLAN client, usually). The default value here is --fullscreen {URL} vlc:quit which will start VideoLAN in full screen mode and when done playing the show, will cause VideoLAN to quit and return to Meedio. The {URL} is a token that will be replaced with the URL of the show to steram/playback. Troubleshooting =============== * Nothing happens when you select the DVArchive option Likely either the IP address you typed in for the DVArchive server is wrong, the DVArchive server is not running or you have no recorded or downloaded shows on your network. Make sure you have video streaming enabled in DVArchive (File->DVArchive Properties->Server tab, near the bottom, labeled "Enable Streaming Server" -- confirm the port # next to it as well). * I can see the show listings, but not play the shows Make sure the path to the VideoLAN client you entered is valid and works. Make sure you have not changed the parameters for VideoLAN in the DVArchive configuration. * I cannot see some shows I have downloaded on DVArchive in my listings Make sure the shows are marked as public (or the channel or category they are in is marked as public). If you want Meedio to always see all shows, regardless of their public/private status, then uncheck the "Hide non-public shows" option for the DVArchive module in the Meedio Configuration program. * One or more of my ReplayTVs or DVArchives are not listed Insure that DVArchive is seeing the device you are missing from Meedio. If not, you need to fix that first. Also, by default, if there are no recorded shows on a DVR, the device won't be listed. You can disable this behavior in the Meedio Configuration programs DVArchive section by unchecking the "Omit empty DVRs from list" option. *I cannot control VideoLAN using my remote VideoLAN will not likely respond to the same codes you have setup for Meedio. You will probably need to look into something like Girder to have it interpret your Remote control codes into shortcuts the VideoLAN client will understand. * When I play the show, nothing seems to happen * When I play a show, it seems to download the entire show before playing If you are using the "Use Meedeo Video Player" option, you should e aware that if can be very difficult to get working. The ReplayTVs use a slightly odd format for their MPEG2 files that many MPEG2 codecs cannot handle or do not handle correctly (wrong aspect ratio). Worse, most codecs that can handle it do not handle streaming very well and will try to download the entire show before starting playback (which can take a long, long time). In general, it is best to use the VideoLAN client player to playback ReplayTV shows -- it's known to support all their formats and handle streaming very well.