MagicTV 3600.. my quick impression report (updated)

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91 posts

Master Geek

#582466 16-Feb-2012 17:06

bfginger: It is possible to watch recordings across the network directly from a Magic TV with 1lostkiwi's patch.
In VLC, go to Open Network Stream in the Media menu, enter the URL of the recording eg
http://192.168.1.68/1/ts/120312180000_003.ts

I have not managed to do this and as the mod is using webfs it probably isn't possible, happy to hear if anyone has managed. It is however possible to telnet to the box (part of mod too) so that might offer other options

The files themselves are chunked and so unless you have edited the recording and saved to disk (native MTV function) there is no guarantee that the entire episode is in only one file. We don't have a way to interpret the metadata on the MTV - so some prep. is required before any streaming solution provides a seamless solution

My approach is usually to edit the episode /program on the MTV (cutting ads trimming etc) then saving to the MTV - which creates a new (and identifiable file from datestamp) then I download this to my NAS for filing and watching later via my media streaming box (AC Ryan).

bfginger

1100 posts

Uber Geek

#585473 23-Feb-2012 06:43

More than 2TB?! How much free to air content are you wanting to watch in NZ? Wink

HDD platters should reach 4TB next year so if the Magic TV doesn't work with HDDs over 2.2GB then it will stop working with new models at some point.

I have not managed to do this and as the mod is using webfs it probably isn't possible, happy to hear if anyone has managed. It is however possible to telnet to the box (part of mod too) so that might offer other options

It works well but VLC is a very buggy application so give it a go with the new 2.0 release. It should accept dragging and dropping the URL. The server can serve multiple concurrent streams at watchable bitrates.

I'm not able to telnet to my Magic TV. Have you managed to do it?

The files themselves are chunked and so unless you have edited the recording and saved to disk (native MTV function) there is no guarantee that the entire episode is in only one file. We don't have a way to interpret the metadata on the MTV - so some prep. is required before any streaming solution provides a seamless solution

They are only in multiple parts if there are two sequential recordings. Editing should rejoin them though you may have to delete the "old" copy from the Trash too.

The recordings are stored in the naming format YYMMDDhhmmss_channelnumber.filepart_editrevision.ts with a corresponding .tv file on the other partition containing metadata.

There was a tool that parsed the metadata available from a blog I linked to some pages back.

I'm unable to delete some recordings from the old TVNZ6 in the Magic TV interface. Is manually deleting a recording's .ts and .tv from the HDD a safe thing to do or does it risk corrupting the library?

fatjulio

90 posts

Master Geek

#586176 24-Feb-2012 11:58

The elevated black level on the Kordia channels seems to have been fixed.

Last night I watched SGU on Prime that I'd recorded earlier in the evening, the channel is set to dynamic image mode to compensate, and found it was quite dark. I set the image mode to natural (as in TVNZ and Media Works) and the image looked correct. I looked on the other Kordia channels, and they seem to be the same.

I guess something has changed in the transmission, a flag or something, because the Magic box hasn't been updated.

Yay.

evanh

152 posts

Master Geek

#586733 25-Feb-2012 17:57

bfginger:
More than 2TB?! How much free to air content are you wanting to watch in NZ? Wink

HDD platters should reach 4TB next year so if the Magic TV doesn't work with HDDs over 2.2GB then it will stop working with new models at some point.

You didn't actually answer the question. On that note, one thing I've noticed is that I'm now at 400 odd recordings on the MTV and it's getting more sluggish to key presses as a result.

2TB Drives will be around for a long time me thinks. On the question of compatibility, I know GPT, unlike MBR, allows for partitions beyond 2TB. MTV is happy using GPT partitioning.

You know, I haven't seen any MTV's in the shops of late. Only Panasonic recorders. The 3700 hasn't materialised. And no new members in this thread either.

bfginger: I'm unable to delete some recordings from the old TVNZ6 in the Magic TV interface. Is manually deleting a recording's .ts and .tv from the HDD a safe thing to do or does it risk corrupting the library?

The safest way I can think of is to do what you've listed plus also delete the tv1.db file. This way you will remove all three copies of the metadata. The tv1.db file will auto-regenerate.

RingoTB

118 posts

Master Geek

#586764 25-Feb-2012 19:30

evanh:
You know, I haven't seen any MTV's in the shops of late. Only Panasonic recorders. The 3700 hasn't materialised. And no new members in this thread either.

The 3700's are around. I got one for my parents late last year from JB HiFi.

Torpor

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#587040 26-Feb-2012 19:06

When I have conflicting recordings using the Freeview EPG, I can only cancel bookings and not prioritize them like with the Magic TV EPG. Is this a known problem and is there any way around it? I'm using the 4.44AU firmware.

lorenzo

91 posts

Master Geek

#587070 26-Feb-2012 20:43

Torpor: When I have conflicting recordings using the Freeview EPG, I can only cancel bookings and not prioritize them like with the Magic TV EPG. Is this a known problem and is there any way around it? I'm using the 4.44AU firmware.

A few more details would be useful, is this a mtv3700 you are talking about?

Torpor

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#587106 26-Feb-2012 21:46

It's a mtv4000pvr that came with 5.05AU firmware (without Freeview EPG) and I installed 4.44AU firmware to get Freeview EPG for series linking (effectively turning it into mtv3700td). The ability to prioritize conflicted bookings instead of canceling is essential to me, otherwise the series linking feature is worthless and I will go back to the 5.05AU firmware.

aidanh

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

#587263 27-Feb-2012 11:23

Sorry if I haven't been paying attention, but does this mean that Aus sourced units can be used in NZ?

There is support for the NZ channel spacing in the AU firmware?

Are there any downsides?

Jimmy22

375 posts

Ultimate Geek

#587274 27-Feb-2012 11:34

aus units can be used but no usable series record , i wouldnt go there currently. there is an mtv 3700 thread folks , lots of questions already answered there :)

evanh

152 posts

Master Geek

#587284 27-Feb-2012 11:54

Could have provided a link!

aidanh

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

#587291 27-Feb-2012 12:11

I think this is the main 3700 thread

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=83&topicid=89464&page_no=8

Torpor

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#587609 27-Feb-2012 22:03

I'm in AU and my question relates to both 3600 and 3700, all Freeview Magic TV's, in AU and NZ. It's a really simple question guys. Does your box let you schedule more than two overlapping bookings with the Freeview EPG and use prioritization or does it force you to cancel one of the bookings?

I'm wondering if this a limitation enforced by AU Freeview EPG because Magic TV EPG is capable of prioritization and I can't find a single complaint on this NZ forum of being forced to cancel overlapping bookings. I have posted the same question on the AU dtvforum but without response. Does NZ Freeview EPG allow prioritization?

JefWright

85 posts

Master Geek

#587621 27-Feb-2012 22:29

Torpor: I'm in AU and my question relates to both 3600 and 3700, all Freeview Magic TV's, in AU and NZ. It's a really simple question guys. Does your box let you schedule more than two overlapping bookings with the Freeview EPG and use prioritization or does it force you to cancel one of the bookings?

I'm wondering if this a limitation enforced by AU Freeview EPG because Magic TV EPG is capable of prioritization and I can't find a single complaint on this NZ forum of being forced to cancel overlapping bookings. I have posted the same question on the AU dtvforum but without response. Does NZ Freeview EPG allow prioritization?

I have a 3600. If I try to record a program that overlaps with one other program it just happens. If I try to record a program that overlaps with two other programs it tells me that it can't do that and allows me to set it higher or lower priority.

It is evident what will happen if I set it lower - it gives way to the higher programs and records what it can (usually not a very satisfactory result).

It's not so evident (to me anyway) what happens when I set it higher priority. It bumps one or other of the existing programs and I wind up manually reviewing the to-do list to find out what has happened.

What I really want is the ability to gang two 3600s so their four tuners will cooperate with one user interface.

Cheers, Jef.

Jimmy22

375 posts

Ultimate Geek

#587720 28-Feb-2012 10:01

most people set a "start 2 mins before and finish 5 min after " to be sure the program records completely. I dont do that and have no overlap issues as a result. Just one more tuner would probably do it , if the hdd could keep up with 3 recordings and one play back that is.. ;) . p.s. i also dont have live pause setup which may help aswell.

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