HDPVR Support on the Mac (HDPVRCapture) - Page 2

Nope, but I have a copy if you'd like one.

try this before you patch...

http://wiki.awkwardtv.org/wiki/How_t...ts_to_Apple_TV

My understanding is that the EyeTV250 outputs in MPEG-2; is that correct?

Yes it does. My current workflow is to Edit the recording using EyeTV's built-in editor, then convert using the Turbo264. The Turbo264 isn't the greatest, but it serves the purpose of doing the conversion without tying up my computer. For TV shows, the quality is adequate.

If I'm going for the absolute best quality, I'll actually not use the Turbo264 (it's a little soft, for some strange reason), but use VisualHub - which always comes out better. But that means converting overnight - not because it takes too long but because it ties up the uP of my 24" iMac - which is in use virtually 100% of daylight hours by someone in the family.

I'm looking forward to having recordings in MPEG4 to start with, which in theory should mean no transcoding step for my AppleTV. However, that's going to depend on the file coming off the HDPVR being compatible with AppleTV - which may not be the case.

My experience is that the output of the HD-PVR, even when converted to MP4 will not play adequately on the AppleTV directly; either because of its use of CABAC or being 59.94fps or both.

However both VisualHub and HandBrake 0.9.3 will transcode to an AppleTV compliant H.264, which also can be edited with MPEG Streamclip.

Thanks for the update, Steve. Are you planning to keep going after 5.1 audio support?

steve,

this is very cool...

so to recap you want us to put the folder "bin" in our Applications folder then run the ./HDPVRCapture from terminal.

can you post the command you are using with your setup..

example: ./HDPVRCapture -o /Users/jeff/Desktop -t 1:00:00 -a AAC -b 13000 -m

...

Also please post where we can donate to the app!

Jeff

cheers!!

I will try it after work and report back..

I just tried it and seems to be working but the playback was very very choppy.

ran it on a macbookpro 2.53 15"

mobiledesk:bin jlloyd$ ./HDPVRCapture -o ./HDPVRCapture -t 1:00:00 -a AAC -b 13000000 -m

HDPVRCapture v0.9.7 (Nov 10 2008 @ 00:17:26)
Copyright 2008, Steven Toth (http://www.steventoth.net/hdpvrcapture)

Output filename: 2008.11.10-134422.ts
Duration: 1:00:00 (3600 seconds)
Monitor via VLC: Yes
Bitrate: 13000000 bps
Peak Bitrate: 20000000 bps
Device: 0 (default)
Audio Boost: Disabled (default)
Audio Encode: AAC
Audio Input Mux: RCA
Video Input Mux: COMPONENT
Bitrate Mode: AVG (default)
GOP Mode: SIMPLE (default)
Lights: OFF (default)
Ir Blaster:
Region:
Device:
Vendor:
Codeset:
Channel#: 707
Min digits to send: 4
Needs Enter: No (default)
Searching for HDPVR devices, vendor ID=0x2040 product ID=0x4900

Found HDPVR, serial number = 00A2602F
[00000001] main libvlc debug: VLC media player - version 0.9.5 Grishenko - (c) 1996-2008 the VideoLAN team
[00000001] main libvlc debug: libvlc was configured with ./configure '--enable-release' '--enable-update-check' '--with-macosx-sdk=/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.4u.sdk' 'PKG_CONFIG_PATH=:/opt/local/lib/pkgconfig'
[00000001] main libvlc debug: translation test: code is "C"
[00000001] main libvlc: Running vlc with the default interface. Use 'cvlc' to use vlc without interface.
Captured: 1622016 bytes, bitrate 12.38Mbps, stopping in 119 seconds [00000462] packetizer_mpeg4audio packetizer: AAC channels: 2 samplerate: 48000
Captured: 1671168 bytes, bitrate 12.75Mbps, stopping in 119 seconds libdvbpsi error (PSI decoder): TS discontinuity (received 11, expected 4) for PID 0
libdvbpsi error (PSI decoder): TS discontinuity (received 11, expected 4) for PID 256
Captured: 152633344 bytes, success.


I was using my Canon HV20 to capture 1080i...

I will try 720p when I am @ home.

nevermind... I killed the bitrate I was using and it fixed everything..

I am seeing some too slow to use messages but the video seems to be good.

mobiledesk:bin jlloyd$ ./HDPVRCapture -o ./HDPVRCapture -t 1:00:00 -a AAC -m

HDPVRCapture v0.9.7 (Nov 10 2008 @ 00:17:26)
Copyright 2008, Steven Toth (http://www.steventoth.net/hdpvrcapture)

Output filename: 2008.11.10-135044.ts
Duration: 1:00:00 (3600 seconds)
Monitor via VLC: Yes
Bitrate: 5500000 bps
Peak Bitrate: 20000000 bps
Device: 0 (default)
Audio Boost: Disabled (default)
Audio Encode: AAC
Audio Input Mux: RCA
Video Input Mux: COMPONENT
Bitrate Mode: AVG (default)
GOP Mode: SIMPLE (default)
Lights: OFF (default)
Ir Blaster:
Region:
Device:
Vendor:
Codeset:
Channel#: 707
Min digits to send: 4
Needs Enter: No (default)
Searching for HDPVR devices, vendor ID=0x2040 product ID=0x4900

Found HDPVR, serial number = 00A2602F
[00000001] main libvlc debug: VLC media player - version 0.9.5 Grishenko - (c) 1996-2008 the VideoLAN team
[00000001] main libvlc debug: libvlc was configured with ./configure '--enable-release' '--enable-update-check' '--with-macosx-sdk=/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.4u.sdk' 'PKG_CONFIG_PATH=:/opt/local/lib/pkgconfig'
[00000001] main libvlc debug: translation test: code is "C"
[00000001] main libvlc: Running vlc with the default interface. Use 'cvlc' to use vlc without interface.
libdvbpsi error (PSI decoder): TS discontinuity (received 1, expected 5) for PID 0
libdvbpsi error (PSI decoder): TS discontinuity (received 1, expected 5) for PID 256
[00000422] avcodec decoder error: more than 5 seconds of late video -> dropping frame (computer too slow ?)
Captured: 65536 bytes, bitrate 0.50Mbps, stopping in 120 seconds [00000462] packetizer_mpeg4audio packetizer: AAC channels: 2 samplerate: 48000
Captured: 5652480 bytes, bitrate 4.79Mbps, stopping in 111 seconds [00000422] avcodec decoder error: more than 5 seconds of late video -> dropping frame (computer too slow ?)
Captured: 11763712 bytes, bitrate 4.99Mbps, stopping in 102 seconds [00000422] avcodec decoder error: more than 5 seconds of late video -> dropping frame (computer too slow ?)
Captured: 15007744 bytes, bitrate 4.77Mbps, stopping in 96 seconds [00000422] avcodec decoder error: more than 5 seconds of late video -> dropping frame (computer too slow ?)
Captured: 18677760 bytes, bitrate 4.91Mbps, stopping in 91 seconds [00000422] avcodec decoder error: more than 5 seconds of late video -> dropping frame (computer too slow ?)
Captured: 22200320 bytes, bitrate 4.84Mbps, stopping in 85 seconds [00000422] avcodec decoder error: more than 5 seconds of late video -> dropping frame (computer too slow ?)
Captured: 23937024 bytes, bitrate 4.94Mbps, stopping in 83 seconds HDPVR1212: Interrupted
Captured: 23953408 bytes, success.

Okay, first test results... took a few tries to get the syntax right. I finally got a working .TS file with full 5.1 on VLC via SPDIF (obviously not a Quicktime-happy file, but everything does work this way). One oddity, the recording from 720p source (DirecTV HR21-700) has black bars around the top and sides in the VLC viewer, but they go away when set to "Full Screen" (which makes sense, as the TV is higher resolution than 720p). I'm still having trouble getting all options to work, for instance, even when I set -t 00:00:15, I still get a two-minute recording (defaulting to the demo limitation). Probably my *NIX deficiencies showing up. Here's the syntax in a test I just ran:

./HDPRVCapture -t 00:00:15 -A SPDIF -b 9000000 -P 3

The post-processed file plays back fine in QT.

Steve, can you put in an option to not delete the intermediate files after post-processing, and another to skip adding content to iTunes?

With no offense to Steve, this is kind of an ugly baby, but it's a WORKING ugly baby, which is a hell of an improvement over booting in XP...

No, no, I want to NOT import the content to iTunes. I'd just as soon skip that step if possible.

The conversion with P -3 does work fine, the .mp4 file is good, but for tinkering I'd like to have access to the demuxed elementary streams you're pulling out during post processing.

Thanks...

Okay, I have a procedure here to get an unmodified recording from HDPVRCapture into a .mov container with 5.1 AC3 audio. This requires QuickTime Pro.

First make a recording with Steve's app, with SPDIF input and the -P 3 post processing step. Open the resulting .mp4 file in Quicktime Player, select Show Movie Properties, click on the H.264 (video) file and then click on the Extract button. The video from your recording will open in a new Quicktime window.

Extract the AC3 audio track from the original .TS file of your original recording. I used the mplayer command line app, syntax is:

./mplayer -dumpaudio -dumpfile [new filename].ac3 [original recording].ts

Open the AC3 file with Quicktime, then Edit > Select All, and Edit > Copy.

Go to the Quicktime window with the extracted video, and Edit > Add To Movie. Check sync (if you're paranoid). File > Save As a self-contained movie with the filename of your choice.

[NOTE: Corrected, last step originally said "extracted audio" by mistake, and added Save As self-contained movie; otherwise the AC3 file remains as a dependency.]

You now have a .mov file that should play in just about anything.

Definitely. This is an ideal final output as far as I'm concerned.

UPDATE: MPEG Streamclip edits the .mov file with no problems. Good sync before and after.

I'd like just to be able to record shows and have them in my iTunes library with metadata ready to play on Apple TV. I use an El Gate Hybrid w/QAM for this, but I can't get all the channels in HD. I'd buy an HDPVR if I could use it this way.

First off, thanks dr01dy for pointing out this thread to the folks on the elgato forum that have been on the edge of their seats for what feels like eternity for that mythical eyeTV beta with Hauppauge HD PVR 1212 support. We were all on the verge of giving up on HD for Mac but this gives us hope.

To answer the original question of this thread "Who wants HDPVR support on the Mac?": For those Mac users who have figured out that their current encoders and software are do not do HD: EVERYONE!!! (and many would pay for it)

It seems like this project has some good momentum and isn't at risk of being abandoned so I'm going to go out on a limb and offer this:

For what it's worth, those with DVR/encoders today have already come to expect very mature and feature-complete software. People w/o computers pay for a Tivo device then a monthly subscription, but get hooked on it like crack. Those with computers have software suites like eyeTV (Mac), BeyondTV (Windows) and mythTV (Linux) which go beyond the capabilities of the Tivo by allowing you to store, export and stream your shows.

I'm afraid in this environment I can't see a lot of people paying for a solution that only captures video and plays it back using third party software, even if it "just works". The AppleTV tie-in is interesting, but without the ability to skip through (or edit out) commercials *easily* it's probably not a final solution. What's more, this solution requires even more hardware than a basic cable box -> DVR/encoder -> Computer -> Display

DVR time shifting via remote control, scheduled recording and the like have revolutionized TV to the point where I can't imagine sitting down to watch it any other way. This experience is so compelling that I deal with my HD programming being converted to NTSC (*gasp*) by my eyeTV 200 because there isn't a proper HD solution available for Mac right now.

It seems like there is *huge* potential here--not as a standalone product but as an essential bit of functionality for a larger software suite in desperate need of it. Maybe some of this code/your time can be sold to elgato to help them finish what they can't. Or maybe this could be turned into an add-on or be modified to be used in the OS X version of mythTV.

Many people have already donated more $ to NeoOffice.org for their free alternative to Office than they've ever given to M$ because it's a complete solution that they want to see succeed. I think that many Mac users would feel the same about a full and proper HD DVR solution.

So all of this ranting to say that this looks like a beautiful, beautiful thing being written here but I wouldn't consider "the moon", per the first page of this thread, an impossible goal -- getting there would just require the right partnerships.

Cheers.

Outstanding. Thanks.

Steve, I don't want anyone to misconstrue this as a lack of support for your efforts.


I think it's important to remember that at this point, very few Mac users--in the Mac-using community at large--do "Mac home theater." Only a handful of these people have bothered to purchase this Hauppauge device because they knew they couldn't stay within OS X to use it. (The vast majority of us aren't going anywhere near MythTV, Linux, Windows, etc.) The few who have bought it are a very very small subset already aware of the limitations of EyeTV devices, who already are pretty comfortable across platforms and probably have already recorded from their STBs over firewire, for instance.

This is not your audience, initially or ultimately. You're pitching to an inherently small clique. Regardless of testing the waters here at AVS, which is a very elite forum in the grand scheme of things, a massive amount of raising awareness also has to happen to 1) get the word out elsewhere and 2) re-condition Mac users who for years now have been told they can't record anything in HD except the national networks. Once word gets out to other online forums that there's now a new and affordable way to record HD over component in OS X you might see more than just geek momentum build, at least I hope you do.

Firewire is dead, essentially. El Gato and EyeTV are limited, inherently, and that's not gonna change. That leaves the Hauppauge and component as the only exciting option for growth. If you release an app with a GUI that works with the Hauppauge you'll have the Macworld editors all over you, which means general Mac users will read about you. That's how you get the $$$.


You may want to revise your expectations and timetable a bit. I'm fairly confident a command line-only capture utility won't inspire the faithful into donating $30. It certainly won't get folks to buy the Hauppauge on a whim. Mac users expect a GUI. I bet 90% of Mac users have never opened Terminal or know what a command line means. So if you're hoping to reach a certain dollar amount initially before you even begin building the GUI, you better set the threshold pretty darn low, revise how you plan to grow this or re-evaluate the "partnership" you're offering, i.e. what you expect from the Mac community, and how you plan to justify your time and expenses. I'd recommend this last option.

My sense: it's unreasonable to expect the masses to buy the device AND spend $30 on your software for a "proof of concept" coupled with a promise of future development IF some vague donation amount is eventually reached. Until there's a GUI for capture and conversion, even a rudimentary one, coupled with reports of satisfied veteran Mac home theater users playing these files back in Front Row, I don't think you'll gain enough traction to make you happy.

Better approach: stop trying to demonstrate anything to the community at this point until you have a GUI version that creates a file a Mac user can play back with Front Row. Spend all your time achieving this, then partner with the community moving forward based on the goodwill you've already achieved. (Remember, Mac users are very loyal and willing to pay.) Basically, stop allowing yourself to get diverted by the technical users who want to begin intergrating this with their custom DVR solutions and specific users who "want to use AppleTV's as a mythtv backend capture solution" unless you NEED them to realize your vision.

If you don't need them, if you have all the talent you need, go for the masses--but keep that thread going to get feedback from the advanced geek-type user, too.

You don't want to aim for "the reasonably technical user," you want to sell your $30 app to the not-that-technical, not-that-patient Mac user, who has a cable box and 1) didn't realize they had any option besides EyeTV and 2) didn't realize that they could record all sorts of HD programming over component with the Hauppauge. That means your first offering has a GUI, and can capture and convert for playback with quicktime/itunes/frontrow. That's it. That gets them hooked and gets you publicity which you can leverage into more $$$. Promise conversion for Apple TV later as a free upgrade if it's too much to incorporate initially.

Anyway, I'd like to see you succeed, and wanted to support you, even though it might not be the support you expected.

Just to amplify a bit, chefklc put his finger on the the matter of why there are only a handful of guys in this market right now--the doggone product has been "No Macs Need Apply" until, er, yesterday. Only a few lunatics were willing to drop a couple hundred bucks on a box that isn't even supposed to work with their computer.

Let the word get out that you CAN record HD on a Mac (with a nice, pretty GUI, right, Steve ), from just about any source, and the user base can't help but grow.