Recorded TV on a Networked Drive

Smoggy

Has any tried to change the lcoation of the recorded TV save location via a registry change?

I tried the following :

Map a network location to a drive Z:\

Change the location in the registry using mce tweak and manually to Z:\

but every time the local path gets written back over the top of the reg change.

Anyone had any luck with this ?

8T8

I havent tried it myself but just in case did you remember to set the shared folder permissions to allow files to be written to that folder just in case thats whats causing the problem (tick box for allow network users to change my files).

Smoggy

8T8 - Just checked - its fully shared, so that doesnt seem to be it.

In theory I cant see why it wont work , unless its been coded that it checks that the drive is local and if its not reset its path back to the default.

SouperComputer

It wont work, ive spend days on it using every hack known to man and woman!

Smoggy wrote:

In theory I cant see why it wont work , unless its been coded that it checks that the drive is local and if its not reset its path back to the default.

Thats it in a nutshell.

IIRC is because shares are mounted at a user level, and MCE runs on a system level and thus cannot use the share for recorded TV.

This is what I hate about MCE. The networking is so half-assed. I even tried sneakily mounting a nework share as a folder, it reverted back to a local folder.

ATM with MCE, all you can do is use crunchie to compress the video and bang it on the server, that would be your "my videos" folder. Crunchie will automatically create directories for series and can be run as a scheduled task.

As part of the DVRMS toolkit (needed for crunchie) you can remove the ads too Not sure if you can remove ads and then compress though.

Smoggy

real shame. cheers

air

Possible solution here on the greenbutton website
Apparently if you enter the path as //servername/share it may work

SouperComputer

air wrote:

Possible solution here on the greenbutton website
Apparently if you enter the path as //servername/share it may work

Interesting, I tried this before with windows and samba servers to no avail. That said it was pre rollup 2.

Must muck about with samba at home and see if they will play nice.

air

Might be worth a try I guess, was it with subst you tried sneakily mounting the folder?
Maybe its dependent on the file system in use on C: ? That might explain why it works for some and not others?

SouperComputer

air wrote:

Might be worth a try I guess, was it with subst you tried sneakily mounting the folder?
Maybe its dependent on the file system in use on C: ? That might explain why it works for some and not others?

I have no idea why its so inconsistant. I just tried it there again and it didnt work, even enabling null shares on the client side for MCE.

I may share a folder on a windows machine later on and see if I have more success, then Ill try to configure SAMBA if it goes well. ATM, my SAMBA setup doesnt publish the shares or allow access without a valid USername\passsword. Looks like the only way to do this is to make it pretty insecure!

I think I may need to build a windows-based server (YUK!) which stores the recorded TV and enable null sessions. On the other hand I could also use it to compress the video and remove the ads etc etc so it may not be such a bad thing.

What I want to do is run the HTPC's with silent, and small 2.5" drives and have all Media centrally located.

MythTV is excellent for this, but I think MCE may be more appropiate for joe public - if I can get it to do what I want!

air

I have you, you want to run MCE on the thin clients.
Out of interest, what kind of hardware are you going to use? Mini ITX's or something similar?
Why would you be against using linksys extenders?

I'm a big fan of the centralised approach aswell tbh, I think I may go for myth in my own house though. Am thinking a server in the attic with a few satellite tuners and 3 or 4 thin clients around the house.

SouperComputer

extenders are very limited\crippled IMO. Limited file format support, and you cant play\rip a disk "on the spot". That said, they are cheap as chips. I like to be able to fully customise things, so really the extender wont do what I want, but im ordering one anyway so that I am fully familiar with them.

What I "envisage" is a system where you can do everything from each client, including RIP CD's and DVDs. Watch TV, videos. RAT DVD support would be great too.

Maybe miniITX, but that stuffs HDTV unless I use dedicated hardware in each system.


speaking if mini-ITX

So many options.................

air

Cool, I see where you're coming from.
At the moment I'm setting up a consumer oriented system for a friend but its uses probably wont go beyond whats possible from an extender anyway.
Choices indeed, half the fun I think! Thats a sweet little case..

shanemort

i've a fedora 5 box upstairs

but i have to give it a username when connectiing shared drives or what not

if i type \\fedora5\share

how can i disable this and just have her wide open.

ive a nice 500gig sitting in it.

air

If you could post your smb.conf file it would make it easier for someone to help.
Have you enabled guest ok = Yes and writeable = Yes for your share?

shanemort

i will when i get home tomorrow night im in the Uk at the mo.

Think i tried the whole guest thing but it didnt work.

Ill post soon

thanks 4 quick responce

SouperComputer

shanemort wrote:

i've a fedora 5 box upstairs

but i have to give it a username when connectiing shared drives or what not

if i type \\fedora5\share

how can i disable this and just have her wide open.

ive a nice 500gig sitting in it.

Same as myself, running CC 3.2 (FC2) and SAMBA V3. Head is wrecked with this. It seems to be hit and miss with MCE. Not long before I move MythTV downstairs and bin MCE.

The fact that you have to make things so insecure for it to work really pi$$e$ me off.

shanemort

air wrote:

If you could post your smb.conf file it would make it easier for someone to help.
Have you enabled guest ok = Yes and writeable = Yes for your share?

Contents of smb.conf


# workgroup = NT-Domain-Name or Workgroup-Name
workgroup = mshome

# server string is the equivalent of the NT Description field
server string = mad bollox


; hosts allow = 192.168.1. 192.168.2. 127.

# This option tells cups that the data has already been rasterized
cups options = raw

# Uncomment this if you want a guest account, you must add this to /etc/passwd
# otherwise the user "nobody" is used
; guest account = pcguest

# this tells Samba to use a separate log file for each machine
# that connects
log file = /var/log/samba/%m.log
# all log information in one file
# log file = /var/log/samba/log.smbd

# Put a capping on the size of the log files (in Kb).
max log size = 50

# Security mode. Most people will want user level security. See
# security_level.txt for details.
; security = user
# Use password server option only with security = server
; password server = <NT-Server-Name>

# Password Level allows matching of _n_ characters of the password for
# all combinations of upper and lower case.
; password level = 8
; username level = 8

; encrypt passwords = yes
; smb passwd file = /etc/samba/smbpasswd

; unix password sync = Yes
; passwd program = /usr/bin/passwd %u
; passwd chat = *New*UNIX*password* %n\n *ReType*new*UNIX*password* %n\n *passwd:*all*authentication*tokens*updated*successfully*

# Unix users can map to different SMB User names
; username map = /etc/samba/smbusers

# Using the following line enables you to customise your configuration
# on a per machine basis. The %m gets replaced with the netbios name
# of the machine that is connecting
; include = /etc/samba/smb.conf.%m

# Most people will find that this option gives better performance.
# See speed.txt and the manual pages for details
socket options = TCP_NODELAY SO_RCVBUF=8192 SO_SNDBUF=8192

# Configure Samba to use multiple interfaces
# If you have multiple network interfaces then you must list them
# here. See the man page for details.
; interfaces = 192.168.12.2/24 192.168.13.2/24

# Configure remote browse list synchronisation here
# request announcement to, or browse list sync from:
# a specific host or from / to a whole subnet (see below)
; remote browse sync = 192.168.3.25 192.168.5.255
# Cause this host to announce itself to local subnets here
; remote announce = 192.168.1.255 192.168.2.44

# Browser Control Options:
# set local master to no if you don't want Samba to become a master
# browser on your network. Otherwise the normal election rules apply
; local master = no

# OS Level determines the precedence of this server in master browser
# elections. The default value should be reasonable
; os level = 33

# Domain Master specifies Samba to be the Domain Master Browser. This
# allows Samba to collate browse lists between subnets. Don't use this
# if you already have a Windows NT domain controller doing this job
; domain master = yes

# Preferred Master causes Samba to force a local browser election on startup
# and gives it a slightly higher chance of winning the election
; preferred master = yes

# Enable this if you want Samba to be a domain logon server for
# Windows95 workstations.
; domain logons = yes

# if you enable domain logons then you may want a per-machine or
# per user logon script
# run a specific logon batch file per workstation (machine)
; logon script = %m.bat
# run a specific logon batch file per username
; logon script = %U.bat

# Where to store roving profiles (only for Win95 and WinNT)
# %L substitutes for this servers netbios name, %U is username
# You must uncomment the [Profiles] share below
; logon path = \\%L\Profiles\%U

# All NetBIOS names must be resolved to IP Addresses
# 'Name Resolve Order' allows the named resolution mechanism to be specified
# the default order is "host lmhosts wins bcast". "host" means use the unix
# system gethostbyname() function call that will use either /etc/hosts OR
# DNS or NIS depending on the settings of /etc/host.config, /etc/nsswitch.conf
# and the /etc/resolv.conf file. "host" therefore is system configuration
# dependant. This parameter is most often of use to prevent DNS lookups
# in order to resolve NetBIOS names to IP Addresses. Use with care!
# The example below excludes use of name resolution for machines that are NOT
# on the local network segment
# - OR - are not deliberately to be known via lmhosts or via WINS.
; name resolve order = wins lmhosts bcast

# Windows Internet Name Serving Support Section:
# WINS Support - Tells the NMBD component of Samba to enable it's WINS Server
; wins support = yes

# WINS Server - Tells the NMBD components of Samba to be a WINS Client
# Note: Samba can be either a WINS Server, or a WINS Client, but NOT both
; wins server = w.x.y.z

# WINS Proxy - Tells Samba to answer name resolution queries on
# behalf of a non WINS capable client, for this to work there must be
# at least one WINS Server on the network. The default is NO.
; wins proxy = yes

# DNS Proxy - tells Samba whether or not to try to resolve NetBIOS names
# via DNS nslookups. The built-in default for versions 1.9.17 is yes,
# this has been changed in version 1.9.18 to no.
dns proxy = no
username map = /etc/samba/smbusers
; encrypt passwords = yes
; guest ok = no
; guest account = nobody

# Case Preservation can be handy - system default is _no_
# NOTE: These can be set on a per share basis
; preserve case = no
; short preserve case = no
# Default case is normally upper case for all DOS files
; default case = lower
# Be very careful with case sensitivity - it can break things!
; case sensitive = no

#============================ Share Definitions ==============================
[homes]
comment = Home Directories
browseable = no
writeable = yes

# Un-comment the following and create the netlogon directory for Domain Logons
; [netlogon]
; comment = Network Logon Service
; path = /home/netlogon
; guest ok = yes
; writable = no
; share modes = no


# Un-comment the following to provide a specific roving profile share
# the default is to use the user's home directory
;[Profiles]
; path = /home/profiles
; browseable = no
; guest ok = yes


# NOTE: If you have a BSD-style print system there is no need to
# specifically define each individual printer
[printers]
comment = All Printers
path = /var/spool/samba
browseable = no
# Set public = yes to allow user 'guest account' to print
; guest ok = no
; writeable = no
printable = yes

# This one is useful for people to share files
;[tmp]
; comment = Temporary file space
; path = /tmp
; read only = no
; public = yes

# A publicly accessible directory, but read only, except for people in
# the "staff" group
;[public]
; comment = Public Stuff
; path = /home/samba
; public = yes
; read only = yes
; write list = @staff

# Other examples.
#
# A private printer, usable only by fred. Spool data will be placed in fred's
# home directory. Note that fred must have write access to the spool directory,
# wherever it is.
;[fredsprn]
; comment = Fred's Printer
; valid users = fred
; path = /homes/fred
; printer = freds_printer
; public = no
; writable = no
; printable = yes

# A private directory, usable only by fred. Note that fred requires write
# access to the directory.
;[fredsdir]
; comment = Fred's Service
; path = /usr/somewhere/private
; valid users = fred
; public = no
; writable = yes
; printable = no

# a service which has a different directory for each machine that connects
# this allows you to tailor configurations to incoming machines. You could
# also use the %u option to tailor it by user name.
# The %m gets replaced with the machine name that is connecting.
;[pchome]
; comment = PC Directories
; path = /usr/pc/%m
; public = no
; writable = yes

# A publicly accessible directory, read/write to all users. Note that all files
# created in the directory by users will be owned by the default user, so
# any user with access can delete any other user's files. Obviously this
# directory must be writable by the default user. Another user could of course
# be specified, in which case all files would be owned by that user instead.
;[public]
; path = /usr/somewhere/else/public
; public = yes
; only guest = yes
; writable = yes
; printable = no

# The following two entries demonstrate how to share a directory so that two
# users can place files there that will be owned by the specific users. In this
# setup, the directory should be writable by both users and should have the
# sticky bit set on it to prevent abuse. Obviously this could be extended to
# as many users as required.
;[myshare]
; comment = Mary's and Fred's stuff
; path = /usr/somewhere/shared
; valid users = mary fred
; public = no
; writable = yes
; printable = no
; create mask = 0765


[shane]
path = /shane
writeable = yes
browseable = yes
guest ok = yes

[server]
path = /ut2004/server
writeable = yes
browseable = yes
valid users = adm

shanemort

anyone??

shanemort

HELP someone please