Evesham iplayer - the Freeview PVR you've dreamt about!

[damianw]

I do have shared file access from my XP machines to my Linspire Linux machine but can't access the folder from the iplayer.

Any tips from anyone much appreciated.

How does it work from XP?

My setup is this: I have Linux accounts setup to mirror the accounts in use on XP. So I have a "damian" account on XP, and a "damian" account on Linux. The passwords are both the same (note: you need to set password using smbpasswd for the Samba stuff). A share is setup called "damian" on the linux box which points to /home/damian. And thats about it, I can type "start \\server\damian" from XP command prompt and it'll open up my home directory.

Equally from iplayer, via Export settings, I can set it to point to the "damian" folder on my linux server (specified via ip address), using my "damian" username/password.

And it just works. I should note that I'm using an old Linux (Red Hat 9.0 I think). I can send you my smb config file if it helps, drop me a PM.

[Bob Crabtree]

How does it work from XP?

My setup is this: I have Linux accounts setup to mirror the accounts in use on XP. So I have a "damian" account on XP, and a "damian" account on Linux. The passwords are both the same (note: you need to set password using smbpasswd for the Samba stuff). A share is setup called "damian" on the linux box which points to /home/damian. And thats about it, I can type "start \\server\damian" from XP command prompt and it'll open up my home directory.

Equally from iplayer, via Export settings, I can set it to point to the "damian" folder on my linux server (specified via ip address), using my "damian" username/password.

And it just works. I should note that I'm using an old Linux (Red Hat 9.0 I think). I can send you my smb config file if it helps, drop me a PM.

Many thanks!

I'll try to find time to have a little play with this and report back but that may not be for a day or so.

[MarkR]

Excellent thread.

I have a USB drive which I want to use to play 1080i files >4gb. They are currently on my XP computer. I've read the posts re Ext2 and that is what I want to do. Problem is the process starts with a formatted drive (Bob). Is there a way to format a USB drive outside of linux and without buying specialized software? I have downloaded Ext2fsd and Ext2ifs but I think that is the next step. Any chance of a fool's guide as I am not 100% on what needs to be done?

Would appreciate any help. Thanks

[Bob Crabtree]

Excellent thread.

I have a USB drive which I want to use to play 1080i files >4gb. They are currently on my XP computer. I've read the posts re Ext2 and that is what I want to do. Problem is the process starts with a formatted drive (Bob). Is there a way to format a USB drive outside of linux and without buying specialized software? I have downloaded Ext2fsd and Ext2ifs but I think that is the next step. Any chance of a fool's guide as I am not 100% on what needs to be done?

Would appreciate any help. Thanks

Mark,

As I am sure is clear from this thread, I am no kind of expert on Linux - so it's not that easy for me to help, unless you're using the same tools that I am.

The ext2 drivers for XP (Ext2Fsd) you can get from here and the download contains the management tool that is necessary to give an ext2 drive a drive letter so Windows can see it.

So, please go grab that first.

As for partition, I tried to research this a bit and did discover one free app that lets you partition drives as ext2 - Partition Logic.

Trouble is, this, I discovered, has some shortcomings - primarily that it doesn't see ANY USB devices, not hard disk and not even mice!

That won't be a problem if the USB drive is one you can take out of its case and put within the PC but, if not, then it's of no use to you.

Just in case this is possible, know that the app comes in the form of a zip file containing an ISO image of a self-booting CD.

You need to burn the iso to CD.

Most disc-burning suites will do this (or let you mount the iso as a virtual disc) but if yours doesn't then download Demon Tools and use that to mount the image and then copy it to a CD.

For your benefit - though - and others, can anyone else recommend a Windows-based free partition tool that does work with USB hard disks and allow formatting as ext2?

If not, I'll hunt around some more.

Mark - once you are able to format your USB drive as ext2, I can give you some more help, though, in truth, the Ext2Fsd drivers and management tools are pretty self-explanatory and you are helped by the supplied instructions.

[damianw]

A potentially easier route might be to get Virtual PC from Microsoft (its now free to download and use) and install Linux on that. Then go from there. Obviously if you've not used Linux/Unix before it'll be a learning curve, but thats half the fun of computers. So I'm told.

Edit: of course if Virtual PC doesn't support USB mass storage drives then its no easier at all. Perhaps someone can tell us if thats the case...

[MarkR]

Thanks Bob and Damianw. The usb drive is only 1 day old so I am not too keen to dismantle it quite yet. VirtualPC may be the answer I will wait for more info on USB before I go that route and only if I have to. Maybe I should buy some software instead. I'll wait a few days to see if anyone has the answer.

As far as the player is concerned, it replaced my SD netgem iplayer. It took netgem a while but they did get that iplayer singing and dancing in the end. My comments on the new one are ( i know it repeats some earlier posts):

HDMI HD picture quality to my infocus projector is superb. Picture can stutter slightly at regular intervals but that I think is the poor compression on some files. When it does work it is superb as I say. (tested using files off usb drive not network)
It does not recognise the frame rate / resolution of clips and adjust the ouput accordingly - pain - they should have native mode.
Audio seems OK but no surround
no channel sorting - very annoying
cannot make guide translucent
picture quality not as good in SD as old player - too much noise in picture - I personally think the pq is poor for freeview. I seem to remember the pq was improved with firmware on the old player
Evesham sells mouse as accessory but it doesnt work
No Wifi through usb (old netgem did) - Evesham sales said it would.
Old netgem infrared keyboard does not work - Evesham sales said it would (they have now offered to refund the box). The MS keyboard sold as accessory is a waste of time. You need the remote control as well to do anything.
no digital output from HD movie on cd (I couldnt get it to work) - does not exactly showcase the player
Fat32 / filesize problem!
No 5.1 surround as far as I can see
Digital Rights Management files are unplayable
Its almost a case of "see if a clip works" - some do, some dont.
No improvement in lousy browser
I like the pause / timeshift TV but there need to be some more control over it - eats the HD
I can't see how you can set reminders. Be good to plan viewing and watch in timeshift mode. As it is you need to keep stopping and changing channels. I guess I could record programs instead.
USB drive recognition difficult / slow at times
Box not particularly stable

Conclusion: I like it and it certainly is an intro to HD. If I could get the BBC HD signal I would automatically give it 10/10 (just for being first). As it is I think 7 is fair but expect 9 in future with firmware upgrades.

I take it there is no trick to getting BBC HD. You just need to live near Crystal Palace.

Thanks again Bob and Damianw.

[Bob Crabtree]

A potentially easier route might be to get Virtual PC from Microsoft (its now free to download and use) and install Linux on that. Then go from there. Obviously if you've not used Linux/Unix before it'll be a learning curve, but thats half the fun of computers. So I'm told.

Edit: of course if Virtual PC doesn't support USB mass storage drives then its no easier at all. Perhaps someone can tell us if thats the case...

Care to recommend a Linux distro?

[chrestomanci]

Personaly, I doubt that Virtual PC would be a good solution, because access to to USB devices is likely to be tricky. Linux will need raw access to the USB device, but as soon as you insert a USB key into the port, windows will claim it and mount the file system. Even if you get windows to release the device, there will probably be security reasons why windows won't want to grant the raw access linux needs.

IMHO, a much more straightforward option would be to boot a knoppix disc, and run linux that way. Once the system is booted you get a good choice of GUI and command line partioning tools. I recommend gparted that is also avalable as a dedicated bootable CD

[damianw]

Care to recommend a Linux distro?

As I said in a previous post, I use an old version of Red Hat (9.0 I think), which works fine for me.

I think as chrestomanci points out, though, my suggestion is doomed to failure as I don't think Virtual PC will work at this level with USB devices. The suggestion of using a boot-from-CD linux is worth pursuing.

[Bob Crabtree]

Thanks Bob and Damianw. The usb drive is only 1 day old so I am not too keen to dismantle it quite yet. VirtualPC may be the answer I will wait for more info on USB before I go that route and only if I have to. Maybe I should buy some software instead. I'll wait a few days to see if anyone has the answer.

As far as the player is concerned, it replaced my SD netgem iplayer. It took netgem a while but they did get that iplayer singing and dancing in the end. My comments on the new one are ( i know it repeats some earlier posts):

HDMI HD picture quality to my infocus projector is superb. Picture can stutter slightly at regular intervals but that I think is the poor compression on some files. When it does work it is superb as I say. (tested using files off usb drive not network)
It does not recognise the frame rate / resolution of clips and adjust the ouput accordingly - pain - they should have native mode.
Audio seems OK but no surround
no channel sorting - very annoying
cannot make guide translucent
picture quality not as good in SD as old player - too much noise in picture - I personally think the pq is poor for freeview. I seem to remember the pq was improved with firmware on the old player
Evesham sells mouse as accessory but it doesnt work
No Wifi through usb (old netgem did) - Evesham sales said it would.
Old netgem infrared keyboard does not work - Evesham sales said it would (they have now offered to refund the box). The MS keyboard sold as accessory is a waste of time. You need the remote control as well to do anything.
no digital output from HD movie on cd (I couldnt get it to work) - does not exactly showcase the player
Fat32 / filesize problem!
No 5.1 surround as far as I can see
Digital Rights Management files are unplayable
Its almost a case of "see if a clip works" - some do, some dont.
No improvement in lousy browser
I like the pause / timeshift TV but there need to be some more control over it - eats the HD
I can't see how you can set reminders. Be good to plan viewing and watch in timeshift mode. As it is you need to keep stopping and changing channels. I guess I could record programs instead.
USB drive recognition difficult / slow at times
Box not particularly stable

Conclusion: I like it and it certainly is an intro to HD. If I could get the BBC HD signal I would automatically give it 10/10 (just for being first). As it is I think 7 is fair but expect 9 in future with firmware upgrades.

I take it there is no trick to getting BBC HD. You just need to live near Crystal Palace.

Thanks again Bob and Damianw.

Mark,

Some useful observations there - thanks very much - though I'm not sure what you mean when you say, "No improvement in lousy browser".

A couple of comments of my own.

Keyboard - a cheapo USB keyboard works just fine here but a USB mouse not at all. I tried the mouse connect directly to the iplayer and via a powered USB hub but no joy either way. Even with the keyboard, though, as you say, you'll still need to use the iplayer's remote.

WiFi - I tried a Netgear WiFi adaptor and, as expected, that wasn't seen by the iplayer. What you really need is a USB Wireless Access Point, which requires no software to work.

Freeview HD - yes, for reasons best known to Evesham, Netgem (and possibly the BBC), I think that all of the Evesham iplayers (sold or supplied for review) do let you pick up the BBC HD transmissions if you are in the Crystal Palace reception area. Would be helpful, though, if someone who lives in London and has bought an Evesham iplayer could confirm.

Virtual PC - might be worth downloading anyway if you like a good fiddle; it's under 19MByte in size. I'm waiting for someone to recommend a Linux distro for me to use with it, though, before I can test out the formatting-with-Linux strategy.

The one thing I have used Virtual PC for before (the Connectix version that runs on Win2K but not XP) was to install a version of Win98 to give access to drivers that work properly with an Epson dot-matrix label printer. This enabled me to print my labels at my old job on Computer Video mag and also meant the company I worked for - which, bought a copy for its own use - was able still to print the thousands of labels it needed each month when it moved to Win2K.

[MarkR]

Thanks. I have an old pc so I will try linux if I dont find an easier alternative.

Just downloaded 2.2gb HD file and it wont play!!!!. xxx.720p.Xvid.Ac3.avi. I'll convert it in Canopus but what a pain.

Thanks again.

This looks like its going to take a while. Is there an easy way to find out why this file is not playing and just tweak that bit without re-encoding the whole lot? Ta.

[MarkR]

Hi bob. Thanks.

Lousy browser - no mouse usage, back forward buttons, effectively the menu at the top of IE for example.

I have a USB BT wireless access point from my old netgem. It isnt recognised and there is no menu to put in gateway/ wep key etc.

The old netgem keyboard was quite good as it had all the remote butrtons and other shortcuts. Its funny but the old netgem remote works but not the IR keyboard - even for the most simple command.

[Bob Crabtree]

Thanks. I have an old pc so I will try linux if I dont find an easier alternative.

Just downloaded 2.2gb HD file and it wont play!!!!. xxx.720p.Xvid.Ac3.avi. I'll convert it in Canopus but what a pain.

Thanks again.

This looks like its going to take a while. Is there an easy way to find out why this file is not playing and just tweak that bit without re-encoding the whole lot? Ta.

iplayer does play the lone XviD file I have here - King.Kong.2005.Trailer.720P.HDTV.AC3.XviD-FiTTY.avi - over the network and directly from a USB hard disk.

This is despite the fact that Windows Media Player 10 cannot play it.

I've just downloaded and installed the latest XviD Codec from here but that doesn't seem to have made any difference - though I've not yet rebooted, which can sometimes be necessary.

When you install that Codec, you also get a number of little apps but I don't think any of those let you convert a DivX video file to any other format.

However, I've just used DivX Theatre to convert (very slowly) my lone XviD file to DivX and that DviX files plays, too - over the network and directly from a USB hard disk.

However, for playing over the network, it's necessary to rename .divx file tails to .avi otherwise iplayer isn't even shown the files by Windows, so isn't able to play them.

Most people won't have Canopus to do the conversion job (what program are you using by the way?), so it might be good if someone here abouts is able to suggest a suitable (free?) app to use that will keep down the files size without losing too much quality and produce something compatible with the iplayer.

[Bob Crabtree]

Hi bob. Thanks.

Lousy browser - no mouse usage, back forward buttons, effectively the menu at the top of IE for example.

Ah, indeed, this is so.

I have a USB BT wireless access point from my old netgem. It isnt recognised and there is no menu to put in gateway/ wep key etc.

I've had little experience with these devices but, as I recall, you can set them up directly from a PC and then you just plug it into the device that needs a connection - but this was a long time ago (three or four years) and it is possible I have totally misremembered this.

The old netgem keyboard was quite good as it had all the remote butrtons and other shortcuts. Its funny but the old netgem remote works but not the IR keyboard - even for the most simple command.

Very silly situation indeed - unless, that is, there is another and compatible Netgem keyboard available to use with the Evesham iplayer.

[Bob Crabtree]

Personaly, I doubt that Virtual PC would be a good solution, because access to to USB devices is likely to be tricky. Linux will need raw access to the USB device, but as soon as you insert a USB key into the port, windows will claim it and mount the file system. Even if you get windows to release the device, there will probably be security reasons why windows won't want to grant the raw access linux needs.

IMHO, a much more straightforward option would be to boot a knoppix disc, and run linux that way. Once the system is booted you get a good choice of GUI and command line partioning tools. I recommend gparted that is also avalable as a dedicated bootable CD

I think you are almost certainly right about Virtual PC.

As for the gparted app - are you saying that you can run this without running knoppix Linux disc? If so, that would be very useful.

[chrestomanci]

As for the gparted app - are you saying that you can run this without running knoppix Linux disc? If so, that would be very useful.

Most GUI linux programs have a lot of dependencies. In order to run something like kcalc (a calculator widget) you would need to install something like 150 mb of supporting programs and libraries. (Windows programs have a similar list of dependencies, but you don't notice because they are part of the OS, and unlike linux, you cannot install windows without the GUI environment).

gparted is different. It is specifically designed to run from linux install discs, so the dependencies have been pared down to the absolute minimum. The bootable disc image I pointed to is a bootable linux disc, but because gparted has so few dependencies it is fairly small. Also because it has few other functions it will be less confusing that a full blown knoppix disc that attempts to cram as much as possible onto a 650Mb image. I thing gparted is able to format ext2 partions as well,