4OD (UK only) - Web Resource

[Illico]

It appears http://ps3.channel4.com/ doesnt use the new stream format, possible workaround for fix

I've the same problem with Pluzz plugin that use more and more hds manifest format.
But I found that the same channel are implemented for mobile in m3u8 format that ffmpeg support.
I don't know if hds manifest format could be convert to a m3u8 format in plugin source ?


EDIT: Do you think is it possible with groovy plugin to create an BufferedInputStream, download/buffered the f4m manifest segments and copy to on BufferedOutputStream with a local address "http://localhost/localstream.flv" that ffmpeg could transcode to the devices ?

[Xmantium]

Its a complete different site, so i think 4oD provides the standard stream for ps3 for its huge userbase, and HDS for the official website edition.
Looking at the rtmp urls its two different servers too even on the legacy videos on the 4oD site

Looks like its a matter of waiting for ffmpeg devs to provide a solution.

[Xmantium]

@zip, seems like the xbmc 4oD pluging is using the xbox360/ps3 json to get the feeds, source code found here
Example
http://ps3.channel4.com/pmlsd/the-inbet ... atform=ps3
http://ps3.channel4.com/pmlsd/fresh-mea ... tform=xbox

I can easily update the links in serviidb with these json links
Would be great to have this plugin fully working again

[zip]

do you know if they have the same content on the ps3 player as on the web player?

[Xmantium]

do you know if they have the same content on the ps3 player as on the web player?

Forum states that

plugin uses Channel4's 4oD on PS3 which has a subset of the programmes available through the main 4oD site, e.g. there are 136 documentary and 55 drama programmes on 4oD on PS3 compared with 290 documentary and 115 drama programmes on 4oD

The Xbox 360/PS3 console apps are being used more and more so hoping there will be more content
This could be a separate 4oD plugin as this uses feeds rather than web resource

hi guys!
i have tried everything to get 4od channels to work on my lg smart tv,but all i get is "empty folders" .. the itv players channels work great,but no 4od ones,,can anyone help me out?
thanks

[Xmantium]

This plugin is mostly broken as 4oD uses new codecs to stream it's video content

I have just watched Dates on Bravia via Serviio on 4od. I used XBMC to find the play path then entered it as a live stream. This was the stream link. and it is indeed using ps3...

rtmpe://ak.ps3-securestream.channel4.co ... 01_001.mp4 app=ondemand/?ovpfv=1.1&auth=da_a2bfdYbWarawbNcFbRdDc1cfaqb1ckb.-brT3Lf-4q-22h-j7sQqaldsakdnYtXm7pVp6mfjamRoUocjfraqamRtXlSmfs7mco5p7m8jclboRofjcscrVl9tYlUnXth&aifp=v002&slist=PS3/CH4_25_02_25_53967001001001_001.mp4 playpath=mp4:PS3/CH4_25_02_25_53967001001001_001.mp4?auth=da_a2bfdYbWarawbNcFbRdDc1cfaqb1ckb.-brT3Lf-4q-22h-j7sQqaldsakdnYtXm7pVp6mfjamRoUocjfraqamRtXlSmfs7mco5p7m8jclboRofjcscrVl9tYlUnXth&aifp=v002&slist=PS3/CH4_25_02_25_53967001001001_001.mp4 swfurl=http://ps3.channel4.com/swf/ps3player-9.0.124-1.27.2.swf swfvfy=true pageurl=http://www.channel4.com

I have created a work around plugin that I will upload tomorrow that uses the standard feeds but then looks at the ps3 feeds.

One issue I have though is that it timesout at 30 seconds - I know this is set in WebResourceUrlExtractor but can this be set anywhere else? If not can I have a new compiled version to test with say 500 seconds. Can this not be configured in the config xmls. The erro I get:

java.io.IOException: Unexpected error while invoking plugin (4OD (UK only)): The operation took more than 30000 ms and has been cancelled.
at org.serviio.library.online.WebResourceParser.parse(WebResourceParser.java:58)
at org.serviio.library.online.OnlineLibraryManager.findResource(OnlineLibraryManager.java:171)
at org.serviio.library.online.OnlineLibraryManager.findResourceInCacheOrParse(OnlineLibraryManager.java:186)
at org.serviio.library.online.metadata.FeedUpdaterThread.getOnlineItems(FeedUpdaterThread.java:159)
at org.serviio.library.online.metadata.FeedUpdaterThread.run(FeedUpdaterThread.java:96)
Caused by: java.lang.RuntimeException: The operation took more than 30000 ms and has been cancelled.
at org.serviio.library.online.PluginExecutionProcessor.execute(PluginExecutionProcessor.java:64)
at org.serviio.library.online.WebResourceUrlExtractor.parseWebResource(WebResourceUrlExtractor.java:29)
at org.serviio.library.online.WebResourceParser.parse(WebResourceParser.java:56)

[zip]

No, it's not configurable. Are you limiting number of items coming back from the feed as per the user's preference?

[Xmantium]

I have created a work around plugin that I will upload tomorrow that uses the standard feeds but then looks at the ps3 feeds.

Great news!! Are you using the XBMC (source here) through 4oD JSON workaround?

No- was trying not to limit.

First of all I am not a developer and had never heard of groovy before this, though I have played with java and know pl/sql.

Here is the file. Am sure that a lot of what I have done could be done more elegantly by a proper developer who knows Json.

What I found was as follows:
1. Current 4od site not only does not use mp4 files any more but also the encoding is not base64.
2. As mentioned the ps3 site does,but has less content- eg no big bang theory.
3. All changes ( apart from some debug addition are in WebResourceContainer.
4. have added version and timeout control info.
5 So this is how it works
a. use the standard 4od web resource as source data, but then change it to look at the PS3 website that hold JSON data
b. using the data from the original 4od feed and then it checks the json to find the new asset id
c. Checks for invalid data - ie in 4od but nor ps3 ( I even found a bug in 4od file where episodes did not match episode id data!!!) and skips this data
d. If the data is valid it changes the assetID to the new Asset ID
e. Added some error management rather than handling


The actual extract uses the same code in ContentURLContainer

As said this can probably done more elegantly but it is working for me with standard feeds so I am happy

Cheers Ian

[zip]

If someone can confirm this works I'll update the original post with this version.

[Xmantium]

Few tests using Serviio 1.3 beta, excellent progress to get this popular plugin on its feet!

Inbetweeners - Working
Come Dine With Me - Working
Big Fat Gypsy Wedding - Not Working -It is available http://ps3.channel4.com/pmlsd/big-fat-g ... atform=ps3
Grand Design - Working
Skint - Working

- Thankyou so much! Gonna put this on my QNAP so wife can enjoy this update!

Will debug Big Fat Gypsy Wedding and see what the issue is. One assumption I have made that may be wrong is that the ps3 content is a subset of the full 4oD site, but will check this out.

Ian

Found the issue - it is related to another bug in the 4oD source file- the episode and series number are not present.

I will try and build a work around to handle this.

Cheers

New fixed version under testing . Will upload once I get some positive results.

[Xmantium]

Confirmed all working!

Here is the latest version. Hope it works but post if you have any issues. Remember this uses feed on main 4OD site but the ps3 site does not contain all episodes. The web resource format should be like

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-inbetweeners/4od



I have also created an alternative groovy file that can be used directly with feeds from the PS3 four od site - The format for these web resources should be:
http://ps3.channel4.com/pmlsd/the-inbet ... atform=ps3

These can be present together as they are independent of each other - it is your choice on what feed to use. The groovy is attached called PS3Channel4od.groovy

Neither of these get round the issue of programmes like big bang theory that only appear on the main 4od site. Not sure how to solve that one....

Cheers and enjoy

Ian

Superb, thanks Ian.