mReplay - a Mac OS X ReplayTV Client
mReplay is a native Mac OS X client for ReplayTV DVRs
(Digital Video Recorders).
Website
Support
Release Notes
System requirements:
- Mac OS X 10.2 (Jaguar) or 10.3 (Panther)
- ReplayTV 4000 or 5000 series DVR
Usage, Tips and Troubleshooting
- Can I hide the "Downloads" window? Yes. Just click the close button. To bring it back, choose "Download Viewer" from the "Window" menu. You can close all of the windows without closing the application.
- Can I see what's going on "behind the scenes?" Yes. Choose "Log Viewer" from the "Window" menu.
- How do I download show? Double-click a show in the listings, or select a show and press Command-S, or select a show and choose file/Save Show from the menus.
- Can I download more than two things at once?. Yes. "Get Info" for your replay, and increase the number of allowed downloads.
- How do I record one or more shows to DVD? You have to process the MPEG file with RTVEdit and then RTVConvert. I've included copies of rtvedit and rtvconvert in the application bundle (mReplay.app/Contents/Resources), although mReplay doesn't do anything with them (yet). You need enough free disk space to hold up to 2 extra copies of the MPEG file. Kathy at motogrrl dot com has written some instructions.
- Can I abort a download? Yes. Select an item in the "activity" window, and press the delete key, or the "Abort" button.
- I can't download shows. ReplayTVs respond to encrypted HTTP requests. The encryption is time-based and requires your computers' clock to be no more than about 40 seconds off from the Replay's clock. mReplay tries to compensate a little, but if your clock is too far off, it can't. Sync your computer's clock to an internet time server and force a network connection on the replay.
- How big is the download queue? Two simultaneous downloads. It can't curently be increased, or decreased.
- It didn't find my replay. If the program doesn't list a replay on your local network automatically, try entering its IP address using File/Open (Apple-O)
- How do I save the guide data? To save the guide data, use file/save guide (Apple-G). This will produce two files for every replay listed. One is an XML file of the guide information. The other is the raw guide data in binary form. When you enter a filename, you're really entering only the prefix of the filename, and choosing a folder in which to save the files.
- My guide data looks corrupted. Sometimes guide snapshots are corrupted during transfer. If this happens to you ("funny characters" in the display, missing shows, etc.), select the replay in the source list and press the delete key. Then, wait for UPnP to re-discover the unit, or enter its IP address manually again. This will cause mReplay to re-load the guide. If the problem persists, mail me your guide data inside a Stuffit archive.
- Can I rename a replay? Yes. To rename a replay in the source list, double-click its name. Type in the new name. Hit enter or click somewhere else. This saves an "alias name" for the Replay in your preferences. It does not actually change the name of the replay. This is useful when you have several replays all named "Living Room," for example.
- How do I create a new photo folder/album? Select a Replay in the source list. Click the "Photos" button. press Apple-shift-N or choose File/New Photo Folder and a dialog box appears. Enter the folder name.
- How do I delete a photo folder? Photo folders cannot be deleted unless empty. Delete all of the photo files first.
- How do I delete a photo? Select the photo from the right-hand listing of file names. Press delete. Confirm in the dialog box that results.
- How do I upload a photo? Select a photo folder. Drag and drop a photo onto the photo display area (below the folder and file listings). It will upload.
- Where are the downloaded photos? All downloaded photos are stored in folders under a folder named .rtvmanager, which is in your home directory. You can access this folder with this name: ~/.rtvmanager
- How do I clear the local photo cache? Close mReplay. Delete the folder ~/.rtvmanager and re-open mReplay. Clunky, I know.
Features
- Discovers Replays on the local network using Universal Plug and Play (UPnP)
- Allows the user to open replays on remote networks (be sure port 80 is open and/or mapped through your firewall, or use a VPN).
- Displays all shows available on all Replays it can see, as well as shows on particular units.
- Allows sorting of guide information.
- Displays information about each Replay.
- Manages photos on each replay.
- Cocoa application!
- Displays previews (thumbnails) of video as it downloads.
Limitations
- This is pre-release software. Try it anyway, and let me know how the guide parser and GUI work for you.
- It does not yet save MPEGs of shows to disk.
- It does not yet play streaming video.
- There may be bugs in the guide parser.
- It does not display guide snapshots from DVArchive.
Reporting bugs
- If you are reporting problems with the guide parser (e.g., the show list is incomplete or "funny looking"),
save a copy of your guide file(s) by choosing "Save Guide" from the "File" menu.
This will produce several files.
Zip these up and email them to me, with a description
of the problem and (if possible), a correct listing.
- Send email to replaytv@flyingbuttmonkeys.com
with "mReplay version 0.69-G" (or whatever version you're using) in the subject line.
