Hi,

A new release (3.1.5.7) of SinCast 3 is available for download at sinderon.com. :)

This release includes a new Slide Show + audio streaming feature, support for x64 Windows 7 OS, and improvements to the HDHomeRun channel list dialog including sort by guide number.

Slide show streaming allows a collection of jpg image files contained in a folder or playlist to be simulcast to destination PC's. Each image is displayed for 10 seconds. A separate audio track or collection of tracks can be simulcast to the same destination PC's using the new SinCast VLC SA (Slide show Audio) Listener. Having separate slide show and audio streams provides flexibility in that either can be changed on the fly without disrupting the other.

Details about setting up and using the new Slide Show feature are posted in the FAQ at sinderon.com.

Refer to the release notes below for other changes and improvements.

Regards,

Tim

SinCast 3 Release Notes

3.1.5.7 Released 2009-11-24

- NEW: Slide Show streaming of jpg images plus seperate audio track. See FAQ.
- NEW: SinCast VLC SA Listener shortcut. SA stands for Slide show Audio.
- NEW: Support for x64 Windows 7 OS.
- NEW: SinCast RC version 1.0.3.2 support for x64 Windows 7 OS.
- NEW: Media path is now stored per Simulcast group.
- UPD: SinCast VLC Listener shortcut that disables deinterlacing. This prevents
       stutter on playback of dvr-ms files and does not noticeably degrade PQ on other media types.
- UPD: SinCast VLC Client that includes http-reconnect capability to enable
       play back of slide show streams.
- UPD: Improvements in media path analysis and automatic UI settings.
- UPD: Automatic audio desync for dvr-ms files is now partially working. See FAQ.
- UPD: HDHomeRun channel list dialog improvements including sort by guide number.
- UPD: Documentation including datasheet, readme and FAQ.

First, I'd like to thank Tim for posting here. Secondly, I just want to say that Sincast 3 is pretty dang awesome.

Bear with me here, this isn't a proper review but it's a review none-the-less.

I had been looking for a software solution to sync music to all my computers for quite some time now. I wasn't looking for anything fancy, I'm just a geek who loves his music and values fidelity. I currently live in a small 2 bedroom flat (I say flat because 'condo' makes it sound nicer than it is, heheh). I have a computer in practically every room and I always wanted to be able to sync music between them. I gave up the search a year or so ago after trying some winamp plugins that failed and then tried the built in streaming of VLC (the winamp addins were old and don't work anymore, both were/are a complete pain to get the audio sync'd right). I even strung cables around the place with splitters for a while until I just couldn't take the ugly. I found Sincast 3 through this thread in August but all of my PC's were running Windows 7 x64 and it just wouldn't work. Seeing how the Author is so proactive, I guess I really should have just shot him a note asking about it.. oh well. ...This last Thursday, I was trying to get mentally psyched for a home cleaning session for this weekend and the idea of searching for this again came to me.. good thing too, because this latest update works peachily on Win7 x64!

For my current application, Sincast 3 is working perfectly and it makes me happy. So much that after using it for just one day, it's prompted my first post since becoming a member of TGB ages ago. It allows me to keeps music levels down -no need to blast volume to hear something from one room to the next; I'm sure my neighbors thank me for that. It lets me use my hardware; the speakers connected to my PCs don't suck, being able to use them like this is pretty sweet. It's making my winter cleaning much more tolerable, going from music filled room to music filled room today. I'll also add that it compliments the overall geekdom experience of my flat very well. :)

It's super simple to set up if you're a geek and pretty simple even if you're just somewhat computer savvy. Normals prolly wouldn't be searching for a program like this anyway...

1. I created some Playlists through VLC -I just find it easier to work with playlists than media files. Fyi, VLC doesn't like .m3u's. To play all your media, just make a playlist of it all (Random is my friend).
   
2. From the Media tab > file browse > Playlist file.
   
3. Add the computer names for the clients (I just use their names, no need for an IP addy).
4. Save the config so that you don't have to worry about setting anything when it's run.
5. Start the VLC listeners on the all the machines -including the server (make sure you've installed Sincast 3 on the listening machines, of course).
   
6. Tick the 'Enable server' box and hit 'Start Simulcast'.
   
7. Voila!  All the comps start playing the stream and they're sync'd spot on. I can't get over how awesome this is since I've been searching for so long! (I know, that's twice I said 'spot on'.. it's fun to say, OK?)

Totally worth it for me. I can think of even more reasons to use Sincast 3 once I score a house. I'm sure it can be used for a plethora of other things when thinking about event or business type activities.

Anyway, hopefully this will help someone better integrate their hardware and home with their media like it's helped me so far. I've only used it for music, I am sure there will be more awesome to share about Sincast 3 as I use more of it's features (i.e. streaming TV from my HDHomeruns).

Ok, I've delayed enough; time to get back to my Winter cleaning. Seriously though, if you have a need or want for something like this, give the fully functional trial a shot. Then support the author and buy it. It's totally worth the 10 bucks.

 Sincast 3 is full of Awesomeness. No, seriously. It is.

:edit: I took out the transcoding steps after discovering they weren't needed for audio. :)

Hi,

A new release (3.1.6.2) of SinCast 3 is available for download at sinderon.com :)

This release includes some shovel and broom work on the code, a new control on the Network Tab that allows the file cache buffer to be adjusted, hover-help for the UI, and a major fix to a bug that caused new items added to the active playlist to play back locally instead of playing back at streaming destinations.

Refer to the release notes below for other changes and improvements.

Regards,
Tim

SinCast 3 Release Notes

3.1.6.2 Released 2009-12-16

- NEW: Adjustable file cache size for improved buffering of audio files.
- NEW: Hover-help for UI controls.
- UPD: Audio-over-video desync control now only enabled for video file types.
- UPD: Minor tweeks to wording and control alignment on UI.
- UPD: Documentation including datasheet, readme and FAQ.
- FIX: Bug in routine that derives IP address from hostname.
- FIX: Regression bug that caused new items added to the active playlist to
       play back locally instead of playing back at streaming destinations.

This app looks so amazing...is there /any/ hope in the future for Media Center Extender support??

 

-trevor

Hi Trevor,

If it were possible to get VLC media player installed and working on an extender box, it could receive streams sent by SinCast 3.

Otherwise, I'd recommend looking at one of the new mini-pc boxes, for example ASRock ION 330-HT, Dell Zino, Acer Revo, etc.

Tim

 I would like to know this too.

t-c

Otherwise, I'd recommend looking at one of the new mini-pc boxes, for example ASRock ION 330-HT, Dell Zino, Acer Revo, etc.

 

Using a mini PC would make it overtly complicated to share TV.  In my opinion that is the strength of the WMC and Extender model.

The extender boxes are really just fancy remote desktop terminals with the ability to direct stream content.  The VLC Media Player wouldn't run on the extender as such but actually within a session on the Media Center PC.

 The Media Center > Extender solution is the only one which supports distribution of Live TV and centralized recording/time shifting.  I used to use an RF Modulator to distribute sync'd TV with Soundspectrum's G-force visualizations around my house...it was awesome and visitors were blown away.  Now, 5 years later with all the "advances" in technology it's no longer possible to do this.  When I have gatherings I need to get 3-4 people in front of each extender to start a playlist at the same time and hope for some semblance of syncronized playback...and no nice visuals  Sad.

 

-trevor

tmiller9833

The extender boxes are really just fancy remote desktop terminals with the ability to direct stream content.  The VLC Media Player wouldn't run on the extender as such but actually within a session on the Media Center PC.

 

Hi Trevor,

From what I have read, push-streaming to MS extender computer requires that the sending application use a UPnP stack. At this time VLC does not include a UPnP stack but it is something that has been requested by the VLC community.

So I think I have to wait until UPnP stack is included in VLC core before I can look at modifying SinCast 3 to do push-streaming to MS extenders.

Tim

 

If I push media to a PC can the user at the client PC use a MCE remote to stop the playback? I guess the question is.... does the MCE remote work with VLC easily... I know we can use eventghost and such but that gets overly complicated. Scenario: I play music to all PCs in the house. Wife goes into the kitchen, which has a PC running Media Center.. no keyboard or mouse just the MCE remote, can she hit stop on the MCE remote, then hit the "Green Button" and have complete control over the PC again?

Hi,

Currently MCE remote does not work with VLC but there are several efforts to make it do so, including a work effort within the VideoLAN team. No timeframe however... 

If VLC could be controlled with MCE remote your scenario would work exactly as you have described. The audio being played back by SinCast VLC Listener would stop and SinCast VLC Listener would stop listening for incoming UDP streams.

Btw, I sent a query to a chap that wrote a small app that interfaces MCE remote to VLC to see if some modifications could be made to to the app to allow it work straight-out with SinCast VLC Listener. I'll post back if something comes of this.

Regards,

Tim

Hi,

A new version of SinCast is available at sinderon.com. This version fixes a regression bug in command line processing and provides additional command line switches that enable silent mode launching for URL sources. Release notes are below.

And :) the initial version of Sinderon Media Player (SiMP) is available for download.

SiMP is a desktop media player built from the ground up for 4-way simultaneous playback of any mix of HDHomeRun TV, Media file or folder, URL streaming source, or SinCast 3 push-stream.

Regards,

Tim

Sinderon Media Player (SiMP) Release Notes
------------------------------------------
1.0.1.48 Released 2010-03-08

- Initial release

SinCast 3 Release Notes
-----------------------
3.1.7.5 Released 2010-03-08

- NEW: Command line switches -su (silent mode url) -trans (url transcode audio).
- NEW: Option to turn off/on the help text that appears when the mouse hovers over controls on the UI.
- UPD: Only include file-caching and audio-desync params in the sout chain if they are different than VLC default values.
- UPD: SinCast VLC Listener shortcut that reenables linear deinterlacing. This is to improve PQ on HDHomrRun TV, but it may cause stutter on playback of dvr-ms files.
- UPD: Changed command line switch -s (silent) to -sm (silent-mode media-path).
- UPD: Improve Wording in hover-help for various UI controls.
- UPD: Documentation including datasheet, readme and FAQ.
- FIX: Regression bug in command line interface (CLI) and silent mode processing.

 Oh, it can also work with a door phone? That's very good!

Hi,

A new version of SinCast 3 (3.3.1.4) is available for download from http://sinderon.com

SinCast 3 now supports Flowplayer as a client for SinCast HTTP streaming server :). Flowplayer is a flash/mpeg-4 based HTML plugin that is designed to be embedded in Web pages. SinCast 3 can stream HDHomeRun TV, DVD video, and many other source formats to Flowplayer. HTML reference pages are provided for Flowplayer and ActiveX VLC web plugins.

Regards,
Tim

Release notes:

SinCast 3 version 3.3.1.4 Released 2010-11-15

- NEW: Flowplayer flash/mpeg-4 based HTML plugin supported as a client for
       SinCast HTTP streaming server.
- NEW: HTML reference pages for Flowplayer and VLC ActiveX plugins.
- NEW: Support for m2t HDV files
- UPD: Start menu SinCast program group.
- UPD: Documentation.

 

Hi,

A new version of SinCast 3 (3.3.2.2) is available for download from http://sinderon.com

This is a bugfix version and contains no new features.

Regards,
Tim

Release Notes

SinCast 3  version 3.3.2.2 Released 2010-11-22

- FIX: Bug in update check routine.

SinCast 3 version 3.3.2.1 Released 2010-11-17

- FIX: Wrong video codec used when transcoding HDHR TV to HTTP server for VLC
       client player.