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[stottle]

I'm wondering if there is a way to make a plex channel that would get results from jriver, letting jriver do the transcoding.

According to the plex docs (https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/203824396-What-media-formats-are-supported-):

MP4 container
Video Encoding: H.264, H.265 (HEVC), mpeg4, VC-1
Audio Encoding: AAC, AC3, EAC3, MP3

Is there a way to get help with the GetFile arguments that would work (available docs are fine).

TIA

[stottle]

So I have a plex channel plugin partially working.

I can do a MCWS Search for video files, parse the returned MPL playlist and generate the selections in plex.  I then create Plex's VideoClipObject for each movie (title, cover, description), which has a callback to start playing when it is selected.  Plex has players for tons of devices (including my smart tv), and it looks like the most appropriate format is this (in Plex terms):

Code: [Select]

                protocol                = 'hls', # protocol = 'HTTPLiveStreaming'
                container               = 'mpegts',
                video_codec             = VideoCodec.H264,
                video_resolution        = HEIGHT,
                audio_codec             = AudioCodec.AAC,
They have a convenience type "HTTPLiveStreamURL" for with this type of media.

If I give this a url like the following:

Code: [Select]

MCWS/v1/File/GetFile.m3u8?File=<id>&Conversion=Android&Quality=High&Playback=2&Resolution=1920x1080&AndroidVersion=6.0&HLS=1&Start=0.0&Token=<token>my channel will start playback on my Android phone.  However, this doesn't work on the Smart TV or in Chrome browser (via Plex web app) on PC or Mac.

I can change the url based on the client, but I'd really appreciate some hints/suggestions for things to try.

Thanks again

[stottle]

@matt, @hendrik?  Maybe @glynor?

Any suggestions?  I have an easy way to test if any suggestion works, I'm just not sure what the available options are for GetFile.  Is there some reason you don't want to support this kind of interface?

[stottle]

bump

[JimH]

I don't know the answer, but everything should be documented in the DevZone.  It sounds like you've been there if you're using MCWS.

If it isn't there and you need it, we might add it if you can describe it well.

[stottle]

Hi Jim,

I'm trying to use MCWS to feed a Plex channel plugin I'm creating.  Two clear sides of the problem, with MCWS being the interface between them.  I guess I'm mentioning Plex too much, that isn't where I'm having trouble.

I want JRiver to convert my video files to a format Plex can stream directly.  Plex can stream from a provided url if it resolves to a video format/description Plex recognizes*.  That requires the GetFile MCWS command, but the documentation on DevZone is pretty sparse.  I can't find any information about HLS for instance.  Appending ".ts", ".flv" or ".m3u8" to GetFile changes the result of the command, but I can't find any documentation on those extensions at all.

I think .m3u8 is closest to what I need (it partially works on Android).  Plex can directly play a stream that matches

Code: [Select]

                protocol                = 'hls', # protocol = 'HTTPLiveStreaming'
                container               = 'mpegts',
                video_codec             = VideoCodec.H264,
                video_resolution        = HEIGHT**,
                audio_codec             = AudioCodec.AAC
*In Plex terms, you need to provide information about the video format as well as the video itself.  So I should be able to fill in the same description (height/width for instance) for that description and the MCWS command.
**HEIGHT in this case can be set by my plugin to match whatever the pointed to stream is.

If this still isn't clear, just let me know what I need to provide or explain more.

Thanks!

[stottle]

Bump

Jim - is there more information I can provide?

[Hendrik]

The extension after GetFile is only for cosmetic purposes as some devices don't like playing files without an extension - it does not actually influence what format is used, I don't think.

If you want HLS, you can mimick the Gizmo call from Android:
../MCWS/v1/File/GetFile.m3u8?File=xxx&Conversion=Android&Quality=Medium&HLS=1

This has been tested to work on many Android phones, and even on iOS video players (since HLS is really Apples format).
I do not have any experience with Plex what it may need.

Conversion=Android is always mpegts with h264/aac. Adding HLS=1 wraps it into a HLS playlist, without it you get the direct mpegts stream.
Its really the only properly streamable format we currently have (either with or without HLS), as for example MP4 or the likes are not well suited for streaming (without format extensions like fMP4)

Gizmo currently uses HLS, and JRemote for Android uses plain MPEG-TS streams.