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[pwantzel]

You've previously told me that MC can wake from sleep to record a TV show.  I selected a show to record, left MC on, then put the computer into sleep mode.  It did not record the show.

Win Vista Business x64, MC 14.0.130.

What do I have to set for this to work?

[JimH]

Set MC to start Media Server on startup.  Tools/Options/Startup/Windows Startup.

[pwantzel]

OK, it did wake up to record the show.  However, it did not go back to sleep when it was done.  How do I make it do this?

Also, I saw that the recording was a large number of small files with weird names.  How do I edit this?  Or convert it to something I can edit?

Also, I imported this into my main library and tried to play it on another PC.  Only the audio played; the video was blank.  How do I make the video play?  On further investigation, it looks like it plays in standard view but not in theatre view.  Both on the PC it was recorded on and the second PC.

[JimH]

OK, it did wake up to record the show.  However, it did not go back to sleep when it was done.  How do I make it do this?

That's a Windows setting in Power Options.

There isn't a way to convert files.

Video blank problem -- try F11 once or twice.

TV shows recorded are automatically available in MC.  Don't reimport them.  In Theater View, go to TV and you'll see the option at the top.

[pwantzel]

TV shows recorded are automatically available in MC.  Don't reimport them.

On the PC and in the library they were recorded on, yes.  My main library is on a Windows Home Server, and I don't really want to have to leave it running all the time, using power.  So I have to import them into the main library, right?  Unless I'm missing something??

That's a Windows setting in Power Options.

The only thing I can find there is to go to sleep after a period of inactivity.  Which normally (during the day) I don't want.  Is there something else?  What I really want is like it works when I schedule something in the Windows scheduler.  It turns on, does the task I define, and goes right back to sleep.

Video blank problem -- try F11 once or twice.

That seems to work on the Vista PC on which the show was recorded, and where the file exists in that PC's library.  On my HTPC computer (Windows XP Pro) it plays only the audio.  If I Press F11 (when it's playing this way in theatre view) MC crashes.  Also, it doesn't play the video (only the audio) on this PC even when in standard view. 

To get the show off the first PC and into the library, I copied the whole directory with its many files onto the Server, and then imported it into MC's main library, which is located on the server.  Is this wrong?  Is there another way?

[JimH]

On the PC and in the library they were recorded on, yes.  My main library is on a Windows Home Server, and I don't really want to have to leave it running all the time, using power.  So I have to import them into the main library, right? 

You could have the recorded show saved to the server automatically by changing the setting in TV Options/Recording and Time Shifting/Location.

The crash probably means that Microsoft's DirectX doesn't work.  Try updating it.  It could also be the video driver.

[pwantzel]

You could have the recorded show saved to the server automatically by changing the setting in TV Options/Recording and Time Shifting/Location.

How could I do this if the server isn't on?  

[JimH]

If it's a server, it probably should be on.

[pwantzel]

This is a Windows Home Media Server, where I store all my media.  I only use it when I'm listening to music or watching files on TV.  Just a few hours a day.  So I can't see paying for the electricity it would use the rest of the day.  Everything else I create, rip or download I handle the same way.  That is, do it on my main PC and then copy it to the server and let MC auto-import it.

Is there anything wrong with the way I did it, in which I copied the entire directory of files for the TV recording manually, then imported into the main library (either manually or via auto import)?  That is, is this likely to have anything to do with my problems?

I'm downloading the latest DirectX from Microsoft to install on the HTPC.  I'll let you know if it changes anything.

I'd still like to know just what you were referencing about the Windows Power Options settings to get the PC to go back to sleep as soon as it finished a recording.

[pwantzel]

I installed the latest version of DirectX.  I also updated the video driver.  This made no difference.  I still get no picture when I play a TV recording.  Pressing F11 (while it's trying to play a TV recording) still crashes MC.   Note that other video files play fine, although if I press F11 while they're playing MC crashes. 

This is on my HTPC running Win XP Pro.  My main Vista computer (where the recording was made) sometimes does not show the picture, but pressing F11 brings me back to the list of recordings, and the next time I try to watch one it works.  Is this your expected behavior of the F11 key?

[Yaobing]

Is there anything wrong with the way I did it, in which I copied the entire directory of files for the TV recording manually, then imported into the main library (either manually or via auto import)?  That is, is this likely to have anything to do with my problems?

This is correct.  As long as you copy the entire folder, you should be able to import and play on a second PC.

If you do not get video, it is likely due to your computer lacking an MPEG-2 video decoder.  Do you have CCCP installed on your computer?  If not, you should install it.  Part of the installation are FFDShow video decoder, and "MPC - MPEG-2 Video Decoder", both can handle MPEG-2 video decoding.  With FFDShow, you may have to configure it so it will decode MPEG-2 video.  In other words, it might come with that capability disabled by default (I am not sure on that).  Another free alternative is DScaler 5.

[pwantzel]

If you do not get video, it is likely due to your computer lacking an MPEG-2 video decoder.

Yes. I have CCCP installed.  I can play .mpg files OK, and I can play DVDs.  I'd have to be able to decode MPEG2 to do this, right?

[pwantzel]

I'm still having problems with sleep.  I set Windows Power Management to "Go to sleep after 20 minutes".  With the JR Media Server not running, it does this.  When I start the Media Server (which I have to do to record TV, right?), it does not. 

Also, with the Media Server running, the job I have scheduled in Windows Scheduler to run in the middle of the night (wake up, run the task, go back to sleep) does not go back to sleep like it does when Media Server is not running (it does wake up and run the task, but does not sleep afterwords).  It's as if the Media Server is keeping the PC awake. 

Is it supposed to do this?  If not, any idea why it does? 

Win Vista Business x64 SP2.

[JimH]

I'm still having problems with sleep.

Possibly related thread.

[pwantzel]

That does seem to relate.  I've never tried to let it sleep with MC open (without JR Media Server), so I don't know if it would do that for me.  I can try it.

I don't see any solution in that thread.  Are you working on it?