[lahatte]

Hi,

I am pretty new to the online TV world, and have just done some configuration of XBMC.

I have added several add ons for online video sources. Two problems I am having:

1) The videos from some add ons will play with video, and from other add ons will play only audio. For example, the DIY Network stuff I have tried plays with video. When trying PBS stuff, I only get audio. Would this be a missing codec problem? If so, how do I determine what codec I need? I suppose this is why Tversity does format conversions for you?

2) I would like to be able to stream these online sources to my television. I have the Dish Network Hopper, and I see the XBMC in the device list. I assume this is connecting via DLNA? I can get to the music files on my PC via XBMC and the Hopper, but I do not see anything that points to the add on sources. Under the XBMC device I only get "Music Library" and "Video Library", and under Video Library I see "Files" and "Playlists". Is there a way to get the add ons to be seen by my Hopper?

Thanks very much.
Clay

[artrafael]

Welcome to the XBMC forums.

1) The videos from some add ons will play with video, and from other add ons will play only audio. For example, the DIY Network stuff I have tried plays with video. When trying PBS stuff, I only get audio. Would this be a missing codec problem? If so, how do I determine what codec I need? I suppose this is why Tversity does format conversions for you?

You need to upload a debug log (wiki) to www.xbmclogs.com that shows you launching each of these two add-ons. Post the assigned URL for your uploaded log here with your reply.

2) I would like to be able to stream these online sources to my television. I have the Dish Network Hopper, and I see the XBMC in the device list. I assume this is connecting via DLNA? I can get to the music files on my PC via XBMC and the Hopper, but I do not see anything that points to the add on sources. Under the XBMC device I only get "Music Library" and "Video Library", and under Video Library I see "Files" and "Playlists". Is there a way to get the add ons to be seen by my Hopper?

Only Music Library and Video Library are available.

[lahatte]

I will see about trying to get a log.

As for the limitation on live streams, perhaps someone will come up with a solution to make that happen?

Thanks.
Clay

[artrafael]

Hookup your XBMC system to your TV and you'll be able to watch anything on your TV that plays on XBMC.

[lahatte]

Ok, I think I got this correct. I have pasted the log of opening the DIY Network (video works) and the PBS Network (audio only)
http://www.xbmclogs.com/show.php?id=1125

Thanks.
Clay

---

Yes, I suppose a direct connection would be best. Right now I am using a laptop, not a dedicated media server. I am trying to see what are the capabilities of these kinds of things. Plus, my TV is an older SD CRT, so no computer input.

---

Ok. It looks like the PBS is using an m3u8 file type. The DIY is using a Shockwave Flash file type, which I must already have the software to decode.

I will try to install something for the m3u file types.

Thanks.
Clay

[lahatte]

Alright. M3U is a playlist type. Not a codec. So, any help getting the video to work for these add on streaming sources, based on the log I posted, would be greatly appreciated. Most all of the streaming sources I have tried do not play the video, only audio.

By the way, I am on a Windows 7 64 bit system.

Thanks.
Clay

[lahatte]

An update on what I have found. Still need a solution, but I have discovered some things. Some videos work in XBMC on the PC, some do not.

1) I have found that, on the videos that do not display on the PC in XBMC, if I click the 'X' at the top right of Full Screen mode (or press ESC twice), exiting Full Screen mode, the video will show up, but the XBMC controls are on the screen as well. It's like the video is a backdrop to the controls. I have had this situation with some mp4 and wmv videos, so that leads me to believe it isn't a codec issue, or if it is, it involves more than one.

2) I have some mp4 videos that I took with my Samsung phone. They actually display when I try to play them in XBMC on the PC. I have an mp4 video that I downloaded from Youtube using XBMC. XBMC does not show the video in Full Screen on the PC.

3) This is likely not XBMC related, but, none of these videos that I have tried have worked on my TV via my Hopper. They are in the list of videos under the Home Media app, but when I try to open them the system changes to the view screen as it should, shows that it is buffering, or doing something (activity indicator runs), then the system just goes back to the previous screen. I see this behavior whether I try to view the videos via XBMC or Windows Media.

I am interested to know of the experiences of others regarding these things.

Thanks very much.
Clay

[artrafael]

1) I have found that, on the videos that do not display on the PC in XBMC, if I click the 'X' at the top right of Full Screen mode (or press ESC twice), exiting Full Screen mode, the video will show up, but the XBMC controls are on the screen as well. It's like the video is a backdrop to the controls. I have had this situation with some mp4 and wmv videos, so that leads me to believe it isn't a codec issue, or if it is, it involves more than one.

Try toggling the setting "Use fullscreen window instead of true fullscreen" and see if it makes any difference (i.e., if disabled, then enable; if enabled, then disable).

[lahatte]

Hi. I don't know where that setting is.

However! I found that turning off the Use Hardware Acceleration DXVA2 in the XBMC video settings seems to have allowed those videos that would not previously display to now play properly.

Now, if I could only figure how to get my Hopper to play these things. Very strange. If anyone has any clues on that, please let me know. It seems to be trying to play the video, decides it can't, and skips to the next one, if there is another one.

Thanks.
Clay