Change conf file

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AnnieBody
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Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2020 3:12 am

Change conf file

Post by AnnieBody »

Forgive me if this has cropped up before, but the search doesn't provide any results for common questions!
Completely new to USM having been a Serviio user up till now. As they no longer support modern Panasonic TV playback, I have had to change.
My TV is a Panasonic TX-55GZ950. The default conf file is Panasonic-Viera. Possibly because the model name default is 'Panasonic VIErA', which covers a wide range of TV specifications.
This plays on my TV, but the 4k movie quality is dire!
I think it is transcoding 10 and 12 bit h265 movies to 8 bit, possibly h264. I only want to transcode DTS and TrueHD souinf=d onl=y, which appears to be covered in the audio transcoding settings.
I believe the Panasonic-VieraGX800B is a similar performance with regards to playback ability.
So how do I change my default selected conf file from 'Panasonic VIErA' to 'Panasonic-VieraGX800B'?
Regards
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mik_s
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Re: Change conf file

Post by mik_s »

There probably isn't a config for that model so UMS uses a closest match to give some basic compatibility for most TV's made by Panasonic, but will mean that it will end up transcoding files that can be played natively.

A new config will need to be written but unfortunately you will have to do this yourself, but we can give a few pointers.

If you think the Panasonic-VieraGX800B config is close to yours, make a copy and use that as your starting point.
Follow this guide on how to get the User-Agent so UMS can correctly use that config instead.

You will need to find out what formats are supported to add to the config, best place to look is the specs in the manual or online.

If your TV supports h265 then the Panasonic-VieraCX680.conf is probably a closer match though. you may also need to add

Code: Select all

SupportedVideoBitDepths = 8,10,12
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AnnieBody
Posts: 56
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2020 3:12 am

Re: Change conf file

Post by AnnieBody »

Thanks for the response, most helpful. One or two issues with out of date info, but quite doable.
I have managed to create my own conf file and get USM to load it.
When I play video on my TV I get 'Audio Format Not Supported' of 'Cannot Read File' which is unexpected.

Rather than backing up all files and copying them as suggested, as I only have two devices, as well as the full backup I only have two conf files in the renderers folder: the new one for my TV and the one for WDTV Live.

In my new conf file under supported video formats I have a line, lets say:
Supported = f:mkv v:h264|h265 a:ac3|eac3 m:video/x-matroska
From this I surmise that when playing mkv files with h264 or h265 video codecs and Dolby Digital or Dolby Digital audio, no transcoding takes place.
Q1. Is this a correct assumption?

Now, if I attempt to play an mkv file with h265 DTS this would then transcode the DTS audio only into DD or DD+.
Q2. Is this a correct assumption?

Q3.What would the transcoding priority be: DD or DD+?

Q4. How does the 'Transcoding Settings | Audio Settings' tab setting 'Use LPCM for audio' (for instance) affect the conf configuration settings.

Q5. Does it override all the conf file settings regardless or only take effect if the audio file is not pre-registered ?

Q6. As I only intend to play movies - no audio or images - and the video/audio options are set in the 'Supported video formats:' options, do I also need to complete the 'Supported audio formats:' in the conf file?
Regards and thanks
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mik_s
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Re: Change conf file

Post by mik_s »

Yeah that guide is a bit out of date but the general steps will get you started. There might be a newer guide on the forum somewhere but I can't remember where.

A good way of seeing if a file will play on your TV is to go to the #-TRANSCODE-# folder and select "no transcoding", if it plays then it is supported and you can edit the config accordingly. If you get an error then the file will have to be transcoded first.
AnnieBody wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 6:26 am In my new conf file under supported video formats I have a line, lets say:
Supported = f:mkv v:h264|h265 a:ac3|eac3 m:video/x-matroska
From this I surmise that when playing mkv files with h264 or h265 video codecs and Dolby Digital or Dolby Digital audio, no transcoding takes place.
Q1. Is this a correct assumption?
Yes that is correct
AnnieBody wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 6:26 am Now, if I attempt to play an mkv file with h265 DTS this would then transcode the DTS audio only into DD or DD+.
Q2. Is this a correct assumption?

Q3.What would the transcoding priority be: DD or DD+?
If DTS is not matched in the supported line then the whole file will be transcoded to whatever is set in the TranscodeVideo line, see the DefaultRenderer.conf for the options.
AnnieBody wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 6:26 am Q4. How does the 'Transcoding Settings | Audio Settings' tab setting 'Use LPCM for audio' (for instance) affect the conf configuration settings.

Q5. Does it override all the conf file settings regardless or only take effect if the audio file is not pre-registered ?
Not quite sure, I don't know much about the actual transcoding options. I only know that they will have an effect when a file is not supported and has to be transcoded and lets you tweak some additional settings. The default settings will probably do. They are more global options than a per renderer one.
AnnieBody wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 6:26 am Q6. As I only intend to play movies - no audio or images - and the video/audio options are set in the 'Supported video formats:' options, do I also need to complete the 'Supported audio formats:' in the conf file?
I suppose you don't have to but is good to have that set up incase that changes in the future. Just keep whatever was there in the donor file, it will probably be good enough.
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AnnieBody
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Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2020 3:12 am

Re: Change conf file

Post by AnnieBody »

A good way of seeing if a file will play on your TV is to go to the #-TRANSCODE-# folder and select "no transcoding", if it plays then it is supported and you can edit the config accordingly. If you get an error then the file will have to be transcoded first.

I have checked the 'Show the #--Transcode folder--#' in the 'Navigation Settings' tab: now what?
My TV only shows my shared content (plus Web as I can't delete these now, and NO NO NO I only have one instance open grrrr!!!!!!).
Every time I install I get different problems! It would appear UMS is in need of a working update!
So how do I view the transcode folder?
How would I change the settings on the transcode folder? Where are the options for doing this?
AnnieBody
Posts: 56
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2020 3:12 am

Re: Change conf file

Post by AnnieBody »

Hi
I checked the transcode folder option, but didn't know what happens or what to do with it.
I did find the Transcode folder appears in the folder list with the list of files.
You can then select 'Transcode' and the different options are listed.
I assume the options are relevant to the conf file options. Would someone like to clarify this?

What I cannot understand is why a file stutters when played normally, but plays perfectly when the 'No Transcode' option is selected.
If the file will play with no transcoding then why is the file being transcoded?
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mik_s
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Re: Change conf file

Post by mik_s »

AnnieBody wrote: Fri May 15, 2020 6:37 am What I cannot understand is why a file stutters when played normally, but plays perfectly when the 'No Transcode' option is selected.
If the file will play with no transcoding then why is the file being transcoded?
It means the config for your renderer is not correct and thinks the file you are playing is not compatible so it gets transcoded. Ideally this is best to be avoided this can take a lot of CPU and network bandwidth, especially for 4K, and causes the stuttering and on some devices FF and RWD won't work.

If the file plays with no transcoding then you will need to tweak the config file for your device to add it to the supported formats.
AnnieBody wrote: Fri May 08, 2020 4:31 am plus Web as I can't delete these now
If you don't want to see the Web folder, disable the "Enable external network" in the general settings tab
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AnnieBody
Posts: 56
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2020 3:12 am

Re: Change conf file

Post by AnnieBody »

But as reported elsewhere it is not possible to get a new device to register!
I have created a new conf file for my TV, but whatever I name it, I can't get UMS to use it. It always defaults to the standard 'Viera' conf file it thinks I should be using, instead of the conf file I want to use.

To further complicate matters I renamed the new conf file to 'UMS TV' and the default one to 'UMS Viera'.
My TV finds the UMS server and lists it as 'UMS Viera' but when I try and view the files it lists them as 'UMS TV' so nothing gets displayed as this conf file/UMS configuration is not being used!

It should be quite easy to switch conf files, but if there is easy way I have not managed to find it. I have to uninstall and then reinstall with only the new TV file available. If there is a problem then whatever changes I make are not implemented until I have uninstalled and reinstalled again. You cannot reassign a conf file once it has be assigned.
It would appear the initial settings are stored somewhere and thereafter cannot be changed no matter what.
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