Transferring .rec files from old PVR onto Vu+ Duo2 (Topfield TF5800)

[simplesim73]

I am a new to Vix and Vu+ having recently depreciated the old Topfield TF5800 PVR bought in 2006. I am certainly impressed with the capabilities of it so far. Still finding my way with it

There are some recordings I would like to move onto the Vu+ internal disk so that they would be playable like a normal recording. The files from the Topfield are MPEG transport streams saved as .rec files

I FTP'd a file into the movies folder but it was not visible in the onscreen gui. I altered the suffix to that of other recordings and the file did appear in the listing. It allowed me to try and play the file but no image or sound played through the TV.

Is it possible to place external files onto the box and if so what needs to be done to make them playable?

Many thanks
simplesim73

 

[birdman]

Is it possible to place external files onto the box and if so what needs to be done to make them playable?

It should just work when you rename them.
I transferred all of mine (I also created relevant ts.meta files from the Topfield data, but I'm afraid that the script to do that is long lost).

 

[ccs]

I can't get it to work - renaming test.rec to test.ts, I get a blank screen and no sound. Are there any other files vix is looking for during playback?

 

[adm]

It should just work when you rename them.
I transferred all of mine (I also created relevant ts.meta files from the Topfield data, but I'm afraid that the script to do that is long lost).

Does the Topfield header have to be first removed?
If so...

http://forum.toppy.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=89725#89725

and following posts on that thread

 

[ccs]

Cheers, I ended up eventually with this...

http://forum.toppy.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=194344#194344

a pc based program which (very quickly) sorts out the .rec header, creating a .ts file which can be played on vix.

 

[simplesim73]

Great find guys thank you. Jumanji is saved, my daughter will be made up! :thumbsup:

 

[ccs]

Cheers, I ended up eventually with this...

http://forum.toppy.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=194344#194344

a pc based program which (very quickly) sorts out the .rec header, creating a .ts file which can be played on vix.

I've been using this again today, and some files convert but don't play (blank screen). I'll need to investigate further.
VLC does play them, but there is a long pause before playback actually starts.

 

[ccs]

.... I've tried a different .rec to .ts converter, but still have the same problems.

However, the issue is actually with files stored on a NAS server.

Files recorded on the hd and copied to the NAS work fine.
.rec files converted to .ts files and copied to the hd work fine, but if I copy them to the NAS, some work but most of them don't.

 

[ccs]

Well, the plot thickens.

I tried again using an Ethernet connection from the et10k to the router rather than wifi - all recordings on the NAS worked.

I then tried with wifi - they all worked.

If I remove the ts.meta file associated with a recording it stops working on wifi, but is ok on Ethernet.

The working Ethernet meta file created looks like this in notepad++ ....

1:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:
New Tricks_141020.rec.ts

1483031510

365910124
1545001296

188
0

The failing wifi meta file created looks like this....

1:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:
New Tricks_141020.rec.ts

1483031510

365910124
1545001296
f:0
188
0

An additional f:0 in the file.

 

[ccs]

... getting even thicker.

First, I've tried enigma2-plugin-extensions-reconstructapsc and it creates the ts.ap and ts.sc files, but doesn't help with the problem.

This is all on wifi.......

When I simply highlight a .rec.ts programme on the NAS and it hasn't got a ts.meta file, one is immediately created, and playback then fails.

If I highlight a .rec.ts programme on the NAS and then delete the ts.meta file (using file explorer), playback then works.

The ts.meta file is re-created when playback is stopped. This ts.meta file stops subsequent playbacks from working.

At least this explains why recordings worked on wifi in the previous post, because a valid ts.meta file had been created when first playing back via Ethernet.

Edit: I've just double checked the Ethernet v WiFi issue because I don't really believe it, but it definately does happen.

 

[birdman]

The working Ethernet meta file created looks like this in notepad++ ....
....
An additional f:0 in the file.

Given that the meta file is nothing to do with how you play it back, how is it different between the Ethernet/Wifi access methods?

And I'd expect the f:0 to be there.

 

[ccs]

Given that the meta file is nothing to do with how you play it back, how is it different between the Ethernet/Wifi access methods?

And I'd expect the f:0 to be there.

I'm only reporting what happens. The meta file may not have anything to do with playback, but in some way it sure does at the moment.

Ethernet works and WiFi doesn't - pressing ok to play gives a blank image and the recordings list takes about 30 seconds to clear, leaving a blank screen.
Pressing stop takes about 30 seconds to go back to the recordings list.
Doing nothing and the recordings list appears after quite a few minutes as if the programme had reached the end.

 

[ccs]

I've just renamed the ts.meta file for a recording created by VIX and stored on my NAS.

Playback doesn't work anymore. (WiFi)

Rename it back, and it plays ok.

Works fine if I do the same to a programme on local hd.

Apart from being faster, I can't see any difference between Ethernet and WiFi.

I've been using WiFi for ages to playback local hd recordings to a fire tv without any issues.

 

[birdman]

Ethernet works and WiFi doesn't

Is this Ethernet and Wifi to the same box (with you restarting the network in between) or is this to two different boxes?
EDIT: OK - I now see what you've done.

Did you restart the network when switching from Ethernet to Wifi?
Just configuring Wifi and turning off the Ethernet interface doesn't work.

 

[ccs]

Is this Ethernet and Wifi to the same box (with you restarting the network in between) or is this to two different boxes?
EDIT: OK - I now see what you've done.

Did you restart the network when switching from Ethernet to Wifi?
Just configuring Wifi and turning off the Ethernet interface doesn't work.

I'd only been using wifi for about 9 months when I noticed the problem, so I switched to Ethernet (which is a real pain), and found that it worked first time.

What do you mean by "doesn't work"? It all seems to work ok for me configuring that way - I usually do a network test to confirm.

I'll have another go, although the box always starts from deep standby, so wifi will always get a fresh startup.

 

[birdman]

What do you mean by "doesn't work"? It all seems to work ok for me configuring that way - I usually do a network test to confirm.

I mean "doesn't work" as in "fails to contact remote systems" (is unpingable?). Yes, the network test will pass (IIRC) but it isn't really working.
I found that whenever I switched between my Ethernet and Wifi interfaces I had to do a network restart to make it actually work.

 

[ccs]

So I think I can assume that being able to mount the nas and select a recordings location on the nas indicates that wifi (or Ethernet) is working.

I'm a bit stumped what to try next, other than confirm what I've already said.

ie re-creating a nas ts.meta file using a wifi connection prevents playback from working.

One thing I could try, I suppose, is to record something straight onto the nas, and see if the ts.meta file works.

Something I've never done before.

 

[ccs]

Recording directly to the nas via wifi creates a recording which can be played back.

ts.meta.......

1:0:19:4484:4089:233A:EEEE0000:0:0:0::BBC ONE HD
Sport Relief 2016: The Final Score
Danny Dyer looks back at some of the best moments from Sport Relief 2016, which rais................. fundraisers. [HD] [S]
1483188180
Sport_Relief_2016:_The_Final_Score
37602433
316781504
f:0,c:0019c9,c:0319c9,c:050001,c:1219ca
188
0

If I delete this file, the recording does not play.

This is the ts.meta file that is re-created.

1:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:
Sport Relief 2016_ The Final Score

1483188180

37602433
316781504

188
0

I'll try again now with Ethernet.

 

[ccs]

Well, Ethernet works, the original recording plays, and if I delete the ts.meta file it works, creating this one, which looks the same this time as the wifi one...

1:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:
Sport Relief 2016_ The Final Score

1483188180

37602433
316781504

188
0

The only thing I can see when pressing ok to play is that the recordings list clears much more quickly when using Ethernet.

Maybe wifi doesn't respond in time to a specific request and playback never recovers properly.

 

[ccs]

I need a rest, I can't get it fail on wifi now I've switched back.

Do files/directories get cached? Bearing in mind I'm deleting them from windows ??

Edit: Deleted the ts.meta file and rebooted the box - playback no longer working (again).