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[bjs...@gmail.com]

I just installed the app on my iPad and seems to be trying to work.  I can see recorded programs and they start to play but only go about 20 seconds and then stop.  It looks as though the backend is trying to transcode on-the-fly.  Is that correct?  My mythbuntu system doesn't seem to be able to keep up.  If I leave the iPad with the app running and come back later the connection to my backend is lost.

If it is a transcoding issue, is there some way to preemptively run a transcode job so that it is completed before I try to watch the recording?  If so, can someone point me to some appropriate guides?

Thanks.

[Robert McNamara]

Hi,

You're exactly right-- the backend transcodes on the fly.  This means you need a rather hefty system (or, if you have a middling system, you need to opt for low bitrates and/or resolutions) to accomplish the transcodes.  There are some tweaks/undocumented multithreading features that may help, but they won't be a night and day difference.  At best, they will provide a marginal improvement.  Fundamentally your backend needs to be able to transcode to your resolution and bitrate of choice at real time or better (that is, the playback framerate or faster).

Here's a thread that can help you insert the setting to increase the number of transcode threads:

http://readlist.com/lists/mythtv.org/mythtv-users/43/216657.html

Hope this helps,

Robert

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[bjs...@gmail.com]

Thanks for the quick reply.  I haven't had much time to test the app or configure settings.  Where do I set the resolution and bitrates?  Is that on the mythtv backend or within the ipad app?

Bill S.

[Robert McNamara]

You can pick the transcoding profile in the iOS app, in the settings screen.  They are preconfigured profiles matching Apple's specifications for resolution and bitrate (and usually a low and high bitrate version of each to give you a low bitrate option to use via 3G/4G if you so choose).  As I recall, the default resolution on iPad is the low bitrate 540p.

Robert

[bjs...@gmail.com]

Thanks.  Found the setting.  I set it to 360p high bit rate and it seems to run.  Need to bump the thread count up and see if that helps.  Looks like a really good application.

[Robert McNamara]

Great, thanks for letting me know how it went.  Have fun!

Robert