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Windows XP Media Center Edition

Increasing the pause buffer

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Posted by

jakeabby

on Thu, Jan 12 2006 11:45 AM

Joined on Fri, Dec 30 2005 | 8 Posts

Awesome, thanks.

What I did was make the new entry as a DWORD, and use a decimal value of 3600.

That should make my pause buffer 6 hours or so, right?

Posted by

skybert

on Thu, Jan 12 2006 1:23 PM

Joined on Thu, Nov 24 2005 | 11 Posts

Yes, decimal value of 3600 should make it 6 hours. Never tried more than one hour myself, for me that is enough.

Please let us know if it works well using a 6 hours buffer.

My setup:
MCE 2005, rollup 2, norwegian version

Posted by

jakeabby

on Fri, Jan 13 2006 9:35 AM

Joined on Fri, Dec 30 2005 | 8 Posts

Ok, the 6 hours didn't work.

Do I need the other registry entries in there or just the one BackingFileDuration?

I have to get this fixed today, my wife is going to kill me. (I just moved her off of ReplayTV with "unlimited" pause time)

Thanks,

JAKE

Posted by

skybert

on Sat, Jan 14 2006 11:02 AM

Joined on Thu, Nov 24 2005 | 11 Posts

You don't have to change anything else, it may be that 6 hours is too much, dunno.

I assume that you rebooted the PC after you made the registry change, if not this may be the problem.

I you make changes to the BackingFileDuration value, then reboot, and then you can verify that the change is accepted by checking the BackingStoreEachFileDurationSeconds value below the DVR key.

This value should be automatically be set to the same value as the BackingFileDuration if everything works. If it isn't, then there's trouble.

My setup:
MCE 2005, rollup 2, norwegian version

Posted by

jakeabby

on Sat, Jan 14 2006 11:20 AM

Joined on Fri, Dec 30 2005 | 8 Posts

Ok, so it seems to top out at 2 hours.

I tried the 6 hours, it left the BackingFileDuration at 3600, but the BackingStoreEachFileDurationSeconds stayed at 300.

So I made it 900 (1.5 hours) rebooted and it retained the value both places.

Decided to try 1800 (3 hours) rebooted and BackingStoreEachFileDurationSeconds was back to 300.

So Tried 1200 (2 hours) rebooted and it retained the value both places.

Decided to try one more time at 1500 and BackingStoreEachFileDurationSeconds went back to 300.

So from what I can tell, 2 hours is the maximum pause buffer you can have. It's not quite enough for us, but much better than 30 minutes. If anyone knows a way to increase it more, I would love to hear it!

Thanks for all the help

Posted by

isomies

on Sat, Jan 14 2006 2:57 PM

Joined on Wed, Jan 4 2006 | 8 Posts

jakeabby, good to know. I'm nearly done with the GUI for making these changes for registry novices. I'll limit the options to 2 hours or less.

Thanks for the testing! The GUI should be ready on Tuesday. If it works correctly, anyone know how to get things posted into the downloads section of this forum?

MCE 2005 rollup 2
P4 3.2GHz - 512MB
ATI Theatre 550 Pro

Posted by

Schmecky

on Tue, Jan 17 2006 12:51 PM

Joined on Tue, Jan 17 2006 | 3 Posts

I did a quick/ugly updater in vbscript/hta...

Simply paste this code into a text file and save as .hta It lets you choose # of files and total size:

<html><head>
<HTA:APPLICATION
ID="Group Lister"
APPLICATION="YES"
APPLICATIONNAME="Windows MCE Pause Buffer Settings"
SCROLL="no"
maximizeButton="no"
version="1.0"
SINGLEINSTANCE="yes"
WINDOWSTATE="normal">
<title>Windows MCE Pause Buffer Settings</title>
<style>
BODY{background-color: buttonface;font-family: Helvetica;font-size: 8pt;margin-top: 10px;margin-left: 10px;
margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;}
.button{ font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 8pt;}
.button_strings{ font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 8pt; width: 75px;}
select{font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt; width: 150px; margin-left: 0px;}
TABLE { xfont-family:"Arial"; xfont-size:8pt; font:menu; padding:0pt; border:0pt; }
IFrame { height:expression(document.body.clientHeight-MenuTable.clientHeight); width:100%; }
</style>
<script language="vbscript"></script>
</head>
<body>
<form id="inputform" name="inputform">
</table><Table border="0" Width="100%">
 <input id=quit button class="button" type="button" value="Quit" name="quit_button"
onClick="Window_Onclose()" title="Quit program">
<HR><div ID=Choosegroup></div>
<div ID=pausetime></div>
</td>
</form>
</body>
</html>
<script language="vbscript">
'==========================================================================
'
' VBScript Source File -- Windows MCE Pause Buffer Settings
'
'
' Copyright© 2006. TeleData Consulting, Inc. All rights reserved
' You are welcome to distribute this freely - use at your own risk!
'
' AUTHOR: Paul Drangeid, http://www.tdonline.com
' DATE : 1/16/06
'
'==========================================================================
' *********** Declare Variables, and Set default values

dim objRegistry,strvalue
Const HKEY_CURRENT_USER = &H80000001
Const HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE = &H80000002
StrComputer = "."
Set objRegistry = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & _
strComputer & "\root\default:StdRegProv")

Sub Window_OnClose()
Self.close()
End Sub

Sub Window_Onload
targetWidth = 300
targetHeight = 230
'self.ResizeTo 1,1
'self.MoveTo window.screen.availWidth - targetWidth, 0
'self.ResizeTo window.screen.availWidth - targetWidth, 0
self.ResizeTo targetWidth,targetHeight
self.Focus()
End Sub

strhtm=strhtm+" &nbspBackingFileDuration:&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp<select id="&qc&"chduration"&qc&" name="&qc&"chduration"&qc&" Onchange="&qc&"Updatetime"&qc&">" '
strhtm=strhtm+"<option value=300>"& "300k (default)"
strhtm=strhtm+"<option value=600>"& "600k"
strhtm=strhtm+"<option value=900>"& "900k"
strhtm=strhtm+"<option value=1200>"& "1200k"
strhtm=strhtm+"</select> <BR>"

strhtm=strhtm+" &nbspBackingFileCountHigh:&nbsp&nbsp<select id="&qc&"chcount"&qc&" name="&qc&"chcount"&qc&" Onchange="&qc&"Updatetime"&qc&">" '
strhtm=strhtm+"<option value=6>"& "6 (default)"
strhtm=strhtm+"<option value=8>"& "8"
strhtm=strhtm+"<option value=10>"& "10"
strhtm=strhtm+"<option value=12>"& "12"
strhtm=strhtm+"<option value=14>"& "14"
strhtm=strhtm+"<option value=16>"& "16"
strhtm=strhtm+"</select> <BR>"
strhtm=strhtm+"<input value='Save' type="&qc&"button"&qc&" id='GO' onclick="&qc&"setpause"&qc&">"
choosegroup.innerhtml=strhtm

if not isKey("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE","Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center") then
msgbox "This utility is only for Windows XP: Media Center Edition",0,"Media Center Edition not found."
self.close
end if

if isvalue("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE","Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Service\Video\Tuners","BackingFileDuration") then
set objtmp=document.all("chduration")
objtmp.value=strvalue
'msgbox strvalue,0,"BackingFileDuration"
end if

if isvalue("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE","Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Service\Video\Tuners","BackingFileCountHigh") then
set objtmp=document.all("chcount")
objtmp.value=strvalue
'msgbox strvalue,0,"BackingFileCountHigh"
end if

call updatetime

Sub Updatetime()
strsize=document.all("chduration").value
strcount=document.all("chcount").value
strtotal=strsize*strcount
strhtm="Pause Buffer Time: "&strtotal/60&"min ("&int((strtotal/60)/60)&"hrs "

strhtm=strhtm& ((strtotal/60) - (int((strtotal/60)/60))*60) &" mins)"
pausetime.innerhtml=strhtm
End Sub

Function Iskey(strhive,strkeypath)
strhive=ucase(strhive)
if strhive<>"HKEY_CURRENT_USER" and strhive <> "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" then IsKey="False":exit function
IsKey="False"
intx=InstrRev(strkeypath,"\")
if intx=0 then exit function
strkey=mid(strkeypath,intx+1,len(strkeypath)-intx)
strrootkey=left(strkeypath,intx-1)
if strhive="HKEY_CURRENT_USER" then objRegistry.EnumKey HKEY_CURRENT_USER, strrootKey, arrSubKeys
if strhive="HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" then objRegistry.EnumKey HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, strrootKey, arrSubKeys
if isarray(arrSubkeys) then
for x =lbound(arrSubkeys) to ubound(arrSubkeys)
if ucase(arrSubKeys(x))=ucase(strkey) then IsKey="True"
next 'x
else
if instr(ucase(arrSubkeys),ucase(strkey))<>0 then IsKey="True"
end if
end function

Function IsValue(strhive,key,valname)
strvalue=""
strhive=ucase(strhive)
if strhive<>"HKEY_CURRENT_USER" and strhive <> "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" then Isvalue="False":exit function
if strhive="HKEY_CURRENT_USER" then objRegistry.GetdwordValue HKEY_CURRENT_USER,Key,ValName,strValue
if strhive="HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" then objRegistry.GetdwordValue HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,Key,ValName,strValue
'msgbox "Get HKLM "&","&key&","&valname&","&strvalue
If IsNull(strValue) Then IsValue=False Else IsValue=True
End Function

Sub CreateRegKeys(strKeyPath,strvaluename,strvalue)
objRegistry.CreateKey HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,strKeyPath
if err.number <> 0 then
msgbox "Error Write: " & cstr(err.number) & "(" & err.Description & ")"
end if

if strvaluename<>"" and strvalue<>"" then
if instr(strValue,"dword:")=0 then
objRegistry.SetStringValue HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, strKeyPath, strValueName, strValue
else
strvalue=right(strvalue,len(strvalue)-6)
'msgbox strvaluename&"="&strvalue
objRegistry.SetdwordValue HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, strKeyPath, strValueName, strValue
end if
end if
End Sub

sub SetPause
strsize=document.all("chduration").value
strcount=document.all("chcount").value
call CreateRegKeys("Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Service\Video\Tuners","BackingFileDuration","dword:"&strsize)
call CreateRegKeys("Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Service\Video\Tuners","BackingFileCountHigh","dword:"&strcount)
msgbox "Pause Buffer Updated"&vbcrlf& "You must reboot for Changes to take affect.",0,"Success!"
end sub

</script>

Posted by

isomies

on Thu, Jan 26 2006 9:37 AM

Joined on Wed, Jan 4 2006 | 8 Posts

OK, folks. Got a little GUI right here to make the changes easily.

I've tested it and it seems to be fine, but as with any free app... use at your own risk.

Comments welcomed!

MCE 2005 rollup 2
P4 3.2GHz - 512MB
ATI Theatre 550 Pro

Posted by

Aint Skierd

on Sun, Jan 29 2006 1:14 PM

Joined on Thu, Sep 8 2005 | 39 Posts

Thanks man!

This is needed for those of us uneasy with regediting.

Anxious to try it... Good work!

Will let you know of any issues, without holding you responsible for problems.

Thanks again!!

ASUS A8N SLI Deluxe, AMD64 3200, Zalman 7700Cu, 2x 512 DDR, ATI: X800XL, TV Wonder Elite, HD Wonder, Antec Neopower 480, DVD+/-RW x16, X-Mystique 7.1 Gold, Ahanix MCE 601 w/VFD, MCE 2005, Gyration KB/MCR remote

Posted by

jorgeprado.xpmce

on Mon, Jan 30 2006 11:35 AM

Joined on Tue, Oct 25 2005 | 14 Posts

Thanks man!!!

this is one of the best utilities than they have been made in the last time for MCE.
but still it is something that maybe can be solved,when changing of channel, stop empty the buffer?
this can be solved?
maybe some registry keys exists that forces the buffer to empty ?

Thx

Posted by

Banjo

on Sun, Feb 5 2006 9:39 PM

Joined on Sun, Feb 5 2006 | 1 Posts

. Thanks very much. That worked very well.

Cheers, Banjo

Posted by

jamima69

on Mon, Feb 20 2006 2:01 PM

Joined on Thu, Mar 24 2005 | 14 Posts

excellent job on the app - thanks for taking the time to put it together!!!

Posted by

bhjones0217

on Mon, Apr 17 2006 10:54 AM

Joined on Mon, Mar 20 2006 | 33 Posts

Downloaded the GUI and it worked like a champ. Highly recommended tool.

Thank you!

MCE2005 w/UR2\\LC10M-B\\S12-500 PS\\ABIT IS7\\P4-2.4Ghz\\1GB DDR\\PVR-500 Ver 20_43_24103\\FusionHDTV5 RT Gold Ver 3.41\\Gigabyte 6600-HSI AGP8x 256MB Ver 84.21\\SB Audigy-2 ZS\\Wireless USB\\40GB IDE/2x 250GB SATA1/DVD-R\\Nvidia PureVideo Ver 1.02-196

Posted by

on Thu, May 4 2006 2:11 AM

Joined on Mon, Nov 8 2004 | 36 Posts

Is it just me or is the GUI no longer available? Can someone tell me where to get it?

Posted by

donnnm

on Thu, May 11 2006 11:51 PM

Joined on Sun, Jan 1 2006 | 3 Posts

It still works. Read Schmecky's post eight above this one (http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/permalink/85967/90784/ShowThread.aspx#90784)...

You have to copy the script into a txt file using notepad and then save the file with a .hta extension.

It worked like a champ for me.

Great work Schmecky - thanks.

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Increasing the pause buffer