Issues with IPTV (multicast switching, audio, subtitles)

[frukt]

Recently my ISP started offering IP-TV at no additional cost, and I was even happier when I discovered that I could watch TV on my computer with VLC. I'm having some minor issues though, perhaps someone can help me out.

- Each channel has its own multicast IP address (the .m3u playlist can be seen here) so as I understand switching the channel means de-registering from one multicast group and registering to another via IGMP. The thing is that switching takes about 6-10 seconds, whereas the set-top box (AmiNET 110) hooked up to my regular TV set does it in about a second. Is there any way to speed up that process? It's probably the most irritating aspect of watching IPTV on the computer.

- A few channels don't have audio, although stream info says that it's regular MPEG audio just like all other channels. Any ideas?

- Some channels have subtitle streams (only telx codec, I believe) - but I have never actually seen any subtitles when I try to switch them on (subtitles can be seen on regular TV with the set-top box)

- This really isn't too important, but is there any way to use other features that the set-top box has? I'm especially interested in 'live' TV guides, but I don't know how that works and if any standardized protocols are used for that. It would be nice though.

Any help would be appreciated.

[cowfoodbagman]

I was wondering if you could tell me how you were able to recieve the signal like how you set everything up and what vlc command you used. I also have the Amino 110 and I know that Myrio is used to send the signal to the boxes. Any help would be appreciated.

[The DJ]

1: possible delays might be in larger system buffers. Also, the vlc proces introduces a considerable delay trough its "playlist" structure, which probably accounts for at least a second. However, it sounds like the amino is constently "TUNED" into several channels at once, making sure the multicast path can be setup faster. (on my iptv VLC setup it takes about a 1,5 to switch).

2: Sorry, you will have to provide more detailed debug (messages window) information for that.

3: VLC does not yet Teletext Systems yet.

4: VLC can and DOES receive SDT EPG information, it just doesn't present it in any way. Note however that many ISPs use "proprietary" unstanderdized protocols.

[Guest]

2: Sorry, you will have to provide more detailed debug (messages window) information for that.

Well, i have same ISP as frukt .I have uploaded 1 minute raw sample of stream that has no audio in VLC.Maybe it helps?
When i play that sample in MediaPlayer Classic it has audio.Strange....
http://toru.msn.ee/VIVA_28.05.2006_14-05-00.ts

[frukt]

I have two NICs, one for IPTV and one for internet. The weird thing is that the channel switching delay issue disappears when I delete the default gateway received via DHCP (for the IPTV NIC) from the local routing table and use my statically configured default gateway.

Here's the debug output when I switch to a channel with no audio:

Code: Select all

ts debug: eof ? main debug: EOF reached main debug: control type=0 main debug: control: stopping input main debug: closing input ts debug: pid list: ts debug: - pid[0] seen ts debug: - pid[33] seen main debug: removing module "libmpeg2" main debug: thread times: real 0m51.453125s, kernel 0m0.062500s, user 0m5.531250s main debug: thread 4468 joined (input/decoder.c:191) main debug: killing decoder fourcc `mpgv', 3 PES in FIFO ts debug: - pid[1100] seen main debug: removing module "mpeg_audio" main debug: thread times: real 0m51.437500s, kernel 0m0.062500s, user 0m1.046875s main debug: thread 4492 joined (input/decoder.c:191) main debug: killing decoder fourcc `mpga', 0 PES in FIFO main debug: removing module "mpgatofixed32" main debug: removing module "bandlimited_resampler" aout_directx debug: closing audio device aout_directx debug: DirectSoundThread exiting main debug: thread times: real 0m51.296875s, kernel 0m0.000000s, user 0m0.000000s main debug: thread 4968 joined (directx.c:598) main debug: removing module "aout_directx" main debug: removing module "float32tos16" main debug: removing module "float32_mixer" ts debug: - pid[1101] seen main debug: Program doesn't contain anymore ES ts debug: - pid[1102] seen ts debug: - pid[8191] seen main debug: removing module "ts" main debug: removing module "access_udp" main debug: thread times: real 0m51.828125s, kernel 0m1.578125s, user 0m1.703125s main debug: thread 3820 joined (input/input.c:399) main debug: creating new input thread main debug: waiting for thread completion main debug: thread 3820 (input) created at priority 1 (input/input.c:261) main debug: `udp://@239.3.2.5' gives access `udp' demux `' path `@239.3.2.5' main debug: creating demux: access='udp' demux='' path='@239.3.2.5' main debug: looking for access_demux module: 0 candidates main warning: no access_demux module matched "udp" main debug: creating access 'udp' path='@239.3.2.5' main debug: looking for access2 module: 6 candidates access_udp debug: opening server=:0 local=239.3.2.5:1234 main debug: net: connecting to '[]:0@[239.3.2.5]:1234' main debug: looking for network module: 1 candidate ipv6 debug: 239.3.2.5: Host or service not found main debug: using network module "ipv6" main debug: removing module "ipv6" main debug: looking for network module: 1 candidate ipv4 debug: resolving :1234... ipv4 debug: resolving 239.3.2.5:1234... ipv4 debug: Winsock best interface is 393220 ipv4 debug: using interface 0xd419180a ipv4 debug: IP_ADD_MEMBERSHIP multicast request main debug: using network module "ipv4" main debug: removing module "ipv4" main debug: using access2 module "access_udp" main debug: pre buffering access_udp debug: detected TS over raw UDP main debug: creating demux: access='udp' demux='' path='@239.3.2.5' main debug: looking for demux2 module: 44 candidates main debug: using demux2 module "ts" main debug: looking for a subtitle file in C:\Programs\AudioVideo\VLC\ ts debug: DEMUX_SET_GROUP 0 00000000 access_udp warning: unimplemented query in control main debug: `udp://@239.3.2.5' successfully opened ts debug: pid[1241] unknown ts debug: pid[1240] unknown ts debug: pid[1242] unknown ts debug: pid[37] unknown ts debug: PATCallBack called ts debug: new PAT ts_id=126 version=1 current_next=1 ts debug: * number=1012 pid=37 main warning: late picture skipped (77978) ts debug: PMTCallBack called main warning: late picture skipped (170978) ts debug: new PMT program number=1012 version=1 pid_pcr=1243 ts debug: * es pid=1240 type=2 fcc=mpgv main debug: selecting program id=1012 main debug: looking for decoder module: 27 candidates main debug: using decoder module "libmpeg2" main debug: thread 4972 (decoder) created at priority 0 (input/decoder.c:159) ts debug: * es pid=1241 type=3 fcc=mpga main debug: looking for decoder module: 27 candidates main debug: using decoder module "mpeg_audio" main debug: thread 4652 (decoder) created at priority 2 (input/decoder.c:159) ts debug: * es pid=1242 type=6 dr->i_tag=0x56 ts debug: * EBU Teletext descriptor ts debug: * es pid=1242 type=6 fcc=telx ts warning: first packet for pid=1240 cc=0x4 ts warning: first packet for pid=1241 cc=0xc ts warning: first packet for pid=1242 cc=0xa main warning: late picture skipped (248978) main warning: late picture skipped (311978) main warning: late picture skipped (389978) main warning: late picture skipped (467978) main warning: late picture skipped (561978) main warning: late picture skipped (639978) main warning: late picture skipped (717978) main warning: late picture skipped (795978) libmpeg2 debug: 544x576 (display 544,576), aspect 576000, sar 24:17, 25.000 fps vout_directx debug: DirectXCloseSurface vout_directx debug: DirectXCloseDisplay vout_directx debug: DirectXCloseDisplay clipper vout_directx debug: DirectXCloseDisplay display vout_directx debug: DirectXCloseDDraw vout_directx debug: CloseVideo vout_directx debug: DirectXEventThread terminating vout_directx debug: DirectXCloseWindow vout_directx debug: WinProc WM_DESTROY main debug: thread times: real 0m52.265625s, kernel 0m0.218750s, user 0m0.000000s main debug: thread 5108 joined (directx.c:494) main debug: removing module "vout_directx" main debug: thread times: real 0m52.125000s, kernel 0m0.078125s, user 0m0.703125s main debug: thread 5136 joined (video_output/video_output.c:461) main debug: removing module "deinterlace" main debug: thread times: real 0m52.281250s, kernel 0m0.031250s, user 0m0.125000s main debug: thread 5048 joined (video_output/video_output.c:461) main debug: no usable vout present, spawning one main debug: Registering subpicture channel, ID: 2 main debug: Registering subpicture channel, ID: 3 main debug: Registering subpicture channel, ID: 4 main debug: Registering subpicture channel, ID: 5 main debug: window size: 768x576 main debug: looking for video filter module: 1 candidate deinterlace debug: using blend deinterlace mode deinterlace debug: using blend deinterlace method main debug: using video filter module "deinterlace" main debug: waiting for thread completion deinterlace debug: spawning the real video output main debug: window size: 768x576 main debug: looking for video output module: 5 candidates vout_directx debug: creating DirectXEventThread main debug: waiting for thread completion vout_directx debug: DirectXCreateWindow vout_directx debug: created video sub-window main debug: thread 5128 (DirectX Events Thread) created at priority 0 (directx.c:263) vout_directx debug: DirectXEventThread running vout_directx debug: DirectXInitDDraw vout_directx debug: directx-device: vout_directx debug: DirectXEnumCallback: Primary Display Driver, display vout_directx debug: DirectXEnumCallback: SAPPHIRE RADEON 9600 PRO ATLANTIS, \\.\DISPLAY1 vout_directx debug: selecting SAPPHIRE RADEON 9600 PRO ATLANTIS, \\.\DISPLAY1 vout_directx debug: screen dimensions (0x0,1024x768) vout_directx debug: DirectDraw Capabilities: overlay=1 yuvoverlay=1 can_deinterlace_overlay=1 colorkey=1 stretch=1 bltfourcc=1 vout_directx debug: End DirectXInitDDraw vout_directx debug: DirectXCreateDisplay vout_directx debug: DirectXCreateClipper vout_directx debug: disabling screen saver main debug: using video output module "vout_directx" main debug: waiting for thread completion vout_directx debug: NewPictureVec overlay:yes chroma:YV12 vout_directx debug: YUV overlay created successfully vout_directx debug: End NewPictureVec (succeeded) main debug: got 1 direct buffer(s) main debug: picture in 544x576 (0,0,544x576), chroma I420, ar 4:3, sar 24:17 main debug: picture user 544x576 (0,0,544x576), chroma I420, ar 4:3, sar 24:17 main debug: picture out 544x576 (0,0,544x576), chroma I420, ar 4:3, sar 24:17 main debug: direct render, mapping render pictures 0-6 to system pictures 1-7 main debug: thread 5040 (video output) created at priority 1 (video_output/video_output.c:421) main debug: got 8 direct buffer(s) main debug: picture in 544x576 (0,0,544x576), chroma I420, ar 4:3, sar 24:17 main debug: picture user 544x576 (0,0,544x576), chroma I420, ar 4:3, sar 24:17 main debug: picture out 544x576 (0,0,544x576), chroma I420, ar 4:3, sar 24:17 main debug: direct render, mapping render pictures 0-6 to system pictures 1-7 main debug: thread 5060 (video output) created at priority 1 (video_output/video_output.c:421) main debug: decoded 106/108 pictures

[The DJ]

ah, then the iptvbox uses the same gateway address as your statically configured one. Setting up the multicast stream requires gateway communication and this is considerably slower if the gateway still needs to figure out where to get the stream from.

[The DJ]

And the stream in question is not a properly muxed MPEG-TS stream. The audio timestamps are simply incorrect and VLC therefor does not play the stream. You should take it up with the person who creates this stream.