Serviio

Hi,
I would like to provide some updates to the distributed Roku profiles.
1. It looks like the profiles are all lumped together into a single file. It seems to me that this makes updating profiles for certain products more diffifcult. Plex used to do this, but they went to one file per profile and updating a single profile is easier. Has the Serviio developers thought about going to a profile system like that?
2. Since firmware upgrades pushed out last year, all Roku's have much better support for natively playing mkv files. I removed the line that causes matroska files to be transcoded for Roku's in my serviio test environment and it stopped transcoding as I expected. How do I get this change in the official version of serviio for the next release?
3. The 1st generation Roku's support wmv directly however all the later Roku's running 5.1 do not, I'd like to enable directplay of wmv on the first gen Rokus but keep transcoding for 5.x versions and later. Looks like I need to create a second profile to differentiate them. How would I get a new profile added to the distribution?
and finally is there a serviio developer that I could work with directly to get other improvements to the profiles, and/or support of the Roku client platform?
Thanks
dale luck

There is only one serviio developer (Zip) and many serviio users, but a lot of advanced users could help you to create profiles.
So it's up to you and other Roku's users to start a topic for profile discussion and if many user are ok with these profiles, Zip could implement them to the next official release.

There is only one topic dealing with Roku profiles right now: http://forum.serviio.org/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=15402

I think we've been concentrating on the newer Roku players (I have the 2 XS), but it is certainly possible to make separate profiles. We have one right now that works fairly well, with both local and online video playing. The one issue I am having is with HD video, which the Roku won't load regardless of format. I'm working directly with Roku on that, as I believe it's a Roku firmware issue, and had nothing to do with their Media Player or Serviio.

You are absolutely right, I'll move my additional discussion to the topic you reference.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=15402
thanks
dale

If I use Plex the HD videos are better supported than in Serviio. (MP4)

Ok, a transcoding question from both myself and Roku. Is it possible to trigger transcoding based on the average bitrate of the video? we are trying to determine the best way to handle HD video, for one. Also, using the latest profile I cannot see subtitles. Am I correct that any file transcoded will not allow selectable subtitles? I have many MKV videos with subtitles. They can be toggled on/off in my Sony players no problem. With the Roku, no subtitles are showing, even if I have an SRT file. I know the SRT file works, because again it works with the Sony. Of course, the Sony doesn't transcode any of my MKV files unless they use VP8 (which I don't think I have).

Perhaps a better question is, other than the container type, what methods can be used to decide if a file requires transcoding?

By the way, other than the subtitle issue, I am playing 100% of my videos with the Roku, including HD and WTV files. Everything (except MP4) is being transcoded into mpegts, but it all works. I can even play my online sources with no issues (Crackle is all I have set up).

See http://www.serviio.org/index.php?option ... icle&id=24. Serviio will use the "Matches" element (about half way down in the article) to define what file to transcode - as described it is based on the container type and optionally a combination the video codec, audio codec, h264 profile, mp4 major brands (ftyp), FourCC video codec codes and/or whether squarePixels are used in the source (SAR of 1:1).

Note - at this stage, it cannot be matched on average bitrate.

For the subtitle issue - not sure, it should be possible but I don't think this is currently available. Does the Roku support selectable subtitles for the transcoded format (m2ts).

Thanks for the link about using "Matches". I figured there was a posting somewhere. I'll look into it.

Roku says it supports selectable subtitles, but I don't know if it is only for the MP4 container. It is supposed to support MKV containers as well, but unfortunately it is also limited to specific vcodecs. For example, none of my DVD rips will play, since they are all MPEG2. I was able to play an MKV with AVC (BD rip), but then I run into too high of a bitrate for the Roku hardware. I end up with a lot of buffering.

My Roku has a USB port, and I plugged in a portable hard drive with a few videos to test. I think they now support the same containers and codecs with both the USB port and network streaming. As far as what codecs are supported, I'm still trying to find that out. I know that I had to change my Serviio transcoding from applehttp to mpegts and audio from AAC to AC3 before my HD videos would play. I can currently play everything I have, with only a few titles buffering, even some previously difficult to play BD rips. Online streaming even plays perfectly. I was hoping to get the subtitles working as well, but I can live without them.