Amino - Aminet 110 MPEG2 choppy playback

[DrDumbo]

Hi,

I've been trying to get an Aminet 110 STB working from a PC. But it seems i get choppy playback on it when VLC remuxes a TS.

test 1:

I try to send out a recorded multicast stream MPEG2 TS as a file from VLC (muxed by a tandberg encoder). It plays just fine using the 'fast udp streaming(MPEG-TS muxer)' setting in the VLC settings panel. It then bypasses the demux/mux process.

test 2:

I try to send out the same file but then using the normal --sout way of doing things and i get choppy video playback (sound is ok).

Now the thing i want to be able to do is using a PC as an encoder for some channels. Instead of having to use a hardware encoder for this job.

I work at an ISP which utilizes IPTV for it's broadcasts. the thing is though we have to do everything with Optibase, VBrick or even Tandberg encoders and cannot use VLC which would be so much cheaper for the simple tasks.

Weird thing is though we also use the Aminet 120 which totally doesn't have the problem. So this is a problem with the STB.

I was hoping someone has experience with this problem and perhaps has a solution that would be simply awesome .

The Aminet 130 is on it's way which probably (hopefully) does not have the problem but we'd still have a large userbase using the Aminet 110).

P.s. (I tried analysing streams offcourse it says the audio is late when remuxed by VLC. Seems the 110 Aminet is a bit picky about this as the 120 works fine, Oh and I tried just about every DTS/PTS/PCR setting known to man kind . Also put the STB in 'Video first mode' using telnet with no effect)

[Chrisd]

Hi I am just starting out on this. I have an Amino 120 STB and I'm trying to get a stream from my PC to play on it. Is there a simple how-to anywhere for this combination?

[DrDumbo]

Well i'm not sure if there is but here's how to do it in 0.8.5:

1. you need a source i.e. a dvd or since the 120 Amino is HDTV capable some kind of HD .ts file (MPEG2).

2. Choose anything to open up a source from the menu i.e. 'open file' then also click 'Stream/save' and press 'settings'.

3. In the settings panel click 'udp' and set an IP adress. where it is easiest to use an local multicast adress. 239.255.0.1 and port 1234 will do fine if you don't really know how multicast works but just want the stream to work.

3. Now one little thing left. Set the 'TTL' value to 64. I dont' know if theres any hardware between your Aminet 120 and the PC but it won't hurt anything to set it to 64 just in case it's needed.

4. press 'OK' the settings panel then closes and press 'OK' on the 'open file' panel again to start the stream.

5. Now the Aminet has to be configured to receive the stream. Theres a few ways to do this: 1. Use a keyboard and press 'goto...' on it and just type the adress of the stream like this: igmp://239.255.0.1:1234 . And it should work like a charm.

But theres a fair chance you don't have a keyboard. If so i'm not sure how much access the middleware you use has to the Aminet 120 settings.
normally u press [Alt] + [M] on the keyboard to get into the management console which u can't do without a keyboard. But theres also the option using telnet to get into the Aminet. Since u can set any setting with it you should make the 'homepage' setting point to a html page with links pointing to your streams. Theres a standard user/pass but if you got the Aminet from your ISP it's more then likely to have a different user/pass.

As a last thing u can set up your own Linux DHCP daemon and use settings to make it point to your homepage which has your streams. but i guess thats only possible if you have access to firmwares and other types of inside info. (which probably falls within the NDA anyway). You'd create your own 'software upgrade' process. Which might be a bit too much I dunno

Hope this helps a bit ...

P.s. Keyboard is easiest i'd get one from your local retailer who sold you the Aminet

[Chrisd]

I got on the Amino support with NDA.
I do have a keyboard. You're right, important to have that.

Also successfully played a transport stream from VLC that I have, using igmp://

DHCP no problem.

Now trying to get something in HD to work with.

There is an app on the amino support site I should be able to work with that supports sending error messages I think. maybe that will help too.

Thanks for your help.

[DrDumbo]

If you want the best debug control over the Amino it's best to get a debug cable it's great. You can see linux booting and every message the browser spits out. Quite a handy cable to have. You plug it into the mainboard (litterally) on them few little pins. You'd have to open up the Aminet to do it though...