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[rammingspeed]

I have just started evaluating J River Media Center as a replacement DVR.  SageTV has been my preferred system for a long time.  I've found the flexibility of MC to be great and I've been able to get it to about 80% of the level of functionality I use in SageTV, as well as a look and feel with which I'm very comfortable.  MC has a lot of flexibility surrounding the media library and how to display it, most of which I haven't yet dug into, but the area that I'm having trouble with is TV.  There are a few features that I just can't duplicate that are essentials, at least for me.

TV Issues (Theater View)
- Is there a way to create a short cut key that takes you directly to the Television EPG grid view?
- Can I switch between Live TV and the EPG grid view?  Most of my attempts to do this have resulted in a blank display somewhere along the way.  CTRL-ALT-DEL and then ESC gets the Theater View functional again.
- Is it possible to show live TV in an inset while browsing the EPG and easily switch back to live TV?  (alternatively as the background to the guide) I've seen the inset show up, but I don't know what I did to make it happen and I couldn't switch back to live TV without re-selecting the program.
- Is there a way to automatically include the season and episode numbers in the file tags of recorded shows? (not by manual editing)  All recordings are showing up as "unclassified".
- Is there a way to automatically include the season and episode numbers in the file name? (not just manual editing)

Navigation (Theater View)
- Is there a shortcut key to jump to the Theater View main menu?  (home just seems to go to the home for what ever sub-menu you are in)
- Likewise shortcut keys to jump the the default screen for each one of the main menu items; TV, Music, Movies, etc...

Library Display
- I have a couple PCs acting as clients using the library from my server PC.  I can update cover art on the server and it doesn't get pushed to the clients, even if I manually synchronize the library.

Documentation
- There needs to be better documentation on setting up an HDHR Prime tuner.  It was not showing up as an available tuner and all of a sudden two days later it did; I'm just not sure what I did (if anything) that made it happen...
- Use of and configuration of "Items to Show" (Tools, Options, Theater View, Items to Show).  This one is simple, I created a nested menu for Television, Upcoming Movies, with specific Genres (Action, Comedy, etc.) as the last level. I'm still confused as to what I should choose for the "Upcoming Movies" menu item.   I added it as a "Library Item" and just didn't specify any Details or Rules.  (What I have works, I just couldn't find anything on the WIKI or Interact to fill in this detail.)

Server PC - Windows 7 64 bit, 8 GB Ram, AMD Phenom 2 X2, NVIDIA GTX 560 SE.  JRiver MC - 20.0.41 (Still trial)
Client PC - Identical to server.

[Yaobing]

Hi, welcome to JRiver Interact.

TV Issues (Theater View)
- Is there a way to create a short cut key that takes you directly to the Television EPG grid view?

There are a number of ways to going directly to the Guide.

1. Ctrl+4 toggles Theater View.  If you left Theater view in the Guide position previously, you would be returned to the guide position.

2. MCE remote control has a "GUIDE" button.  Pressing it brings MC to the Guide.

3. You can use MCC code,  MCC_THEATER_VIEW (22001) , with parameter SHOW_THEATER_VIEW_MODE_TELEVISION_GUIDE (9).

- Can I switch between Live TV and the EPG grid view?  Most of my attempts to do this have resulted in a blank display somewhere along the way.  CTRL-ALT-DEL and then ESC gets the Theater View functional again.

While live TV is playing (MC in Display View) Ctrl+4 toggles between Display View and Theater View.

- Is it possible to show live TV in an inset while browsing the EPG and easily switch back to live TV?  (alternatively as the background to the guide) I've seen the inset show up, but I don't know what I did to make it happen and I couldn't switch back to live TV without re-selecting the program.

The little window does show up when you switch to the Guide view.

- Is there a way to automatically include the season and episode numbers in the file tags of recorded shows? (not by manual editing)  All recordings are showing up as "unclassified".

This depends on the quality of the EPG data.  If the EPG data contains season and or episode numbers, they will be tagged.  

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=81654.msg635181#msg635181

- Is there a way to automatically include the season and episode numbers in the file name? (not just manual editing)

Yes.  It is automatically done.  You do not need to do anything.  Of course your EPG has to have relevant data (see my answer to previous question).

- There needs to be better documentation on setting up an HDHR Prime tuner.  It was not showing up as an available tuner and all of a sudden two days later it did; I'm just not sure what I did (if anything) that made it happen...

It shows up a few seconds after MC is started.  MC searches for available devices in the background when it is started, and it takes a few seconds.

[muzicman0]

For guide info, I am using zap2xml.  It has season and episode info...I am in the US though, and not sure where you are located.

[astromo]

For guide info, I am using zap2xml.  It has season and episode info...I am in the US though, and not sure where you are located.

This is the biggest PITA for those with non standard OTA EPG. I'm in Oz and it's a case of pot luck. No real issue for MC. A case of garbage in, garbage out. RoderickGI has done a lot of sleuthing here. Search for his entries on the forum.

[rudyrednose]

I am in the US though, and not sure where you are located.

rammingspeed mentioned using the HDHR Prime, which is CableCard compatible, so chances are good (s)he is in the US.  Although our comm systems are generally identical, CableCard has never been supported in Canada (and anywhere else AFAIK).

[rammingspeed]

Thanks to all for your answers

I have implemented Zap2XML, but still don't see the season and episode numbers.  I'll keep working on it.  I am in the US. 

Thanks for the tip on how to jump directly to the guide, that will be most helpful. 

Yaobing - I had read about the HDHR Prime taking "a few seconds" to be recognized, but the point is it took a few days and multiple reboots.  My assumption is that I changed something in the meantime, which finally got it to work, but I have no idea what it was and there was probably some step I missed.  Detailed instructions would be helpful.

[rammingspeed]

So I added the following to the Resource.xml file:

Code: [Select]

<Entry Key="Ctrl;Shift;g" Command="22001" Param="9" Global="1" />
<Entry Key="Ctrl;Shift;w" Command="22001" Param="10" Global="1" />
Now when I press CTRL+SHIFT+g the Theater view takes me to the main menu with focus on "Television".  It does not jump directly to the guide.  Likewise CTRL+SHIFT+w also takes me to the main menu with focus on "Television".  Neither appear to get past the main menu.  Without the Resource.xml file, the Theater view simply displays g or w.

Any further hints?

[Yaobing]

Did you customize Guide position?  If so, that might explain why MCC code did not work.  I think 22001 with parameter 9 sends you to Root\Video\Guide.

[rammingspeed]

Yep...   Customizing the menus is one of he first things I did....   

Main Menu - Television - TV Shows - Movies - Video - Audio -  Images - DVD - Playlists - Gadgets - Exit
Television Menu - Guide - To be Recorded - Upcoming Movies - Search - Series - Favorite - Time - Genre
Video Menu - DVD - YouTube - Home Videos - Other - Disk

I assume this changes / blows up the Command & Param settings.  Is there any way to decode the correct settings or do I need to revert the menus?

[Yaobing]

Yeah.  There are things that were implemented with certain assumptions (justified or not).  I do not know if it is possible for us to change the behavior (I will have to think about it).  At the moment, those commands would not work if you made customization.

[rammingspeed]

I added a guide option under the video path and kept the one I had created under the "Television" menu option for consistency in my navigation design.  The shortcut keys now work.  This will confuse the menu and navigation format I laid out a bit, but it does at least give me a keystroke / remote button to get to the guide.   

I understand that design decisions are not always easy to change, but I was wondering if by creating new menus and options there are corresponding command and param values created used in identifying those new menu items.  If so, could you reveal the codes being created?  Just a thought and I'm obviously making suggestions when I know nothing about the underlying architecture...

[Yaobing]

Currently not possible, but I am thinking about it.

[rammingspeed]

Thanks for all the response and assistance.  I ended my trial period yesterday and purchased MC.  So far, I really like it and look forward to a few additional features being added, but I'll save that until I get some more "real use" time with the system!