UltraPlus 900HD recording format

Forums › Freeview (DVB-T/DVB-S) › UltraPlus 900HD recording format

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#83147 11-May-2011 15:35

Hi,
Just got mine yesterday. My first recording (to mem stick) was pefect on playback, but I couldn't view this on the PC. The folder shows three files .tx, .idx, .rap.

I knew it created a .ts file and checked these would play OK on the PC and into a 'DishTV' unit. But my tests didn't have the extra .idx or .rap files.

In time I hope to find a PC player, but has anyone else resolved this - or can you select a different file type for the 900HD to use? The Manual doesnt say you can, but maybe...

Also, what is the address of the Ultraplus website please ? And can I get the SCART pinouts - or confirm they're the normal spec?

Thanks for any help,

Cheers - Kirk

xarqi

727 posts

Ultimate Geek

#467974 11-May-2011 16:35

I'm assuming you meant .ts, not ,tx. I've no idea what a .tx file would be.

Ignore the .idx and .rap files. Best guess, lacking any documentation anywhere, is that they contain the EPG data and information perhaps, about the current playback position. They are only useful to the player and not to any other software.

Many software products will play .ts files. Try VLC as a starting point. If you want a "media player", most should handle them too, and I know the WD products do, although they have other drawbacks.

There is no Ultraplus website. Ultraplus is not a manufacturer, it is a brand. Ultraplus units are made by various suppliers (Fortis is one; others seem to be "secret") and rebadged.
The nearest thing is www.ultrapower.co.nz. Turn off your sound and put on your sunglasses before visiting.

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#467994 11-May-2011 17:18

Thanks for the info.

My apologies - I meant .ts

I am using VLC. It plays .ts files but not those created by the 900HD.

Cheers - Kirk

xarqi

727 posts

Ultimate Geek

#468013 11-May-2011 18:19

ADKM: Thanks for the info.

My apologies - I meant .ts

I am using VLC. It plays .ts files but not those created by the 900HD.

Why am I not surprised.

Let me think back...

I have a vague, vague recollection of something similar. It's possible that I had to 'wash' the ts files I got from my 980HD through MPEG Streamclip before they would play in VLC. That dark chapter was some time ago, so I could be mistaken, but it could be worth a try. Here's a link for MPEG Streamclip.
http://www.squared5.com/

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#468040 11-May-2011 20:14

Isn't it disappointing the manufacturer would make what's apparently an up-market model but have it output such an incompatible file type?
Thank you very much for the link and suggestion, unfortunately the ReadMe said it needed a couple of programs I'd rather not install. Plus I just found an alternative - 'VideoReDoTVSuite'. This coverts the 900HD .ts to an mpg (and quite quickly). It plays in everything and seems to retain quality and sync.

Thanks again for the replies and help.
Cheers - Kirk

Cheers - Kirk

xarqi

727 posts

Ultimate Geek

#468051 11-May-2011 20:43

Something more than a codec pack? Still - not to worry. I've heard good things about VideoReDo (but haven't tried it myself).

ts really is mpeg by a different name with a few tweaks, so there is no real conversion taking place - it's basically a copy. You could try just changing the file extension/type - it could work.

One point though. .ts files ARE a fairly common and well-defined file type, so that the Ultraplus uses it is not unreasonable. Essentially, it is just a dump of what is being broadcast. Quite what the Ultraplus does to it to make it incompatible, I don't know.

(In contrast, files from my Vu+ Duo, also .ts files, can be played by VLC without difficulty.)

Caveat - I'm no expert, so any of this could be wrong.

dontpanic42

1574 posts

Uber Geek

#468060 11-May-2011 21:12

Give TSDoctor a try.
It has a 30-day free trial, but IMO it is worth the 29 Euro.

It seems to handle most mpeg file formats one throws at it.
It will essentially "clean" an mpeg stream, and then remux it into a clean .ts file.
The resulting .ts file should then play smoothly in VLC, and MPC-HC.

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#468080 11-May-2011 21:54

The squared5 file wanted QuickTime and Realplayer.

Where would be a good Forum for general discussion on this unit? Here? I expected a learning curve but tonight was really odd. I'd somehow made one channel require a pin. From 'Service List manager' I got into even more trouble, with some 'services' being locked (and no apparent unlock) and various blue icons appearing beside the names. Attemping to remove them only made things worse. Book no help. Then all the names went out of sequence. Somehow my wife managed to fix it and get rid of the blue things, but she doesn't know what she did!

The worst part though, and we were recording it's output into a DVDR, and it decided at 2044 to switch to Ch 19 and and display a prompt about which USB port to use. So that was recorded instead of the programme.
There were a couple of thing in Timer settings from yesterday, (seemed like a events log). They didn't correspond to 2044 but until I removed them it would keep repeating the prompt.

Does the timer automatically start recording? If so, can it be made to just switch channels ?

The .ts file - I tried on a PC, a Hyundai Media player, and a 'DishTV' Sat receiver. None would play it although other .ts files have worked in all of them. (The PC could read the folder though)
VLC reports 'Unrecognized format', but for the .idx file. Remove the idx file and it the slider moves quickly to the end and no video screen appears. Renaming it to .avi does the same.

dontpanic42, thanks for tip about TSDoctor.

Cheers - Kirk

Equinox IT

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dontpanic42

1574 posts

Uber Geek

#468086 11-May-2011 22:06

ADKM:Renaming it to .avi does the same.

You could also try renaming the raw .ts file extension from the 900HD to .m2ts. That sometimes makes the file more playable. Sometimes... ;)

But yeah, I would give TSDoctor a whirl.

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#468092 11-May-2011 22:18

No joy either as m2ts. Same thing. I just tried loading it into TMPGEnc and got this !

Cheers - Kirk

xarqi

727 posts

Ultimate Geek

#468095 11-May-2011 22:21

ADKM: The squared5 file wanted QuickTime and Realplayer.

Ok - I consider those fairly innocuous, but of course I respect your decision not to install them.

Where would be a good Forum for general discussion on this unit? Here?

About as good a place as any. There may be some discussion over at austech (http://www.austech.info/decoders/), but there is never going to be a big user base.

I expected a learning curve but tonight was really odd. I'd somehow made one channel require a pin. From 'Service List manager' I got into even more trouble, with some 'services' being locked (and no apparent unlock) and various blue icons appearing beside the names. Attemping to remove them only made things worse. Book no help. Then all the names went out of sequence. Somehow my wife managed to fix it and get rid of the blue things, but she doesn't know what she did!

The worst part though, and we were recording it's output into a DVDR, and it decided at 2044 to switch to Ch 19 and and display a prompt about which USB port to use. So that was recorded instead of the programme.
There were a couple of thing in Timer settings from yesterday, (seemed like a events log). They didn't correspond to 2044 but until I removed them it would keep repeating the prompt.

Welcome to the world of Ultraplus.

Does the timer automatically start recording? If so, can it be made to just switch channels ?

Gee, I'd hope so, but who knows?

The .ts file - I tried on a PC, a Hyundai Media player, and a 'DishTV' Sat receiver. None would play it although other .ts files have worked in all of them. (The PC could read the folder though)
VLC reports 'Unrecognized format', but for the .idx file. Remove the idx file and it the slider moves quickly to the end and no video screen appears. Renaming it to .avi does the same.

Looks like "washing" the files may be your best option if you want to play them on any other device.

Username01

142 posts

Master Geek

#468330 12-May-2011 14:50

JetAudio plays the .ts files created by my UltraPlus 700HDMI, without any washing or renaming of the file.

JimmyH

2886 posts

Uber Geek

#468442 12-May-2011 19:12

I had the same type of issue with .ts files created by a Visione VE4000 Freeview box. Nothing, including VLC, would play the files.

After trying a number of options I found that washing the files through H.264 TS_Cutter, using the Tools "Convert TRP/REC -->TS" option, would produce a file where the video was playable in VLC. The problem was that the recording was silent, and I could never get the audio (which was HE-AAC v2 on TVNZ) to play.

After trying everything I could think of, without luck, I gave up.

ADKM

860 posts

Ultimate Geek

#468464 12-May-2011 20:00

Confirm! JetAudio Basic 8.0.14 will play the 900HD .ts files :-)

Cheers - Kirk