WinVDRZap (Freeware)

In 2004 I wanted to be able to play streams from my VDR on Windows systems across the network. I added a wake on lan function and functionality to play recordings.

The package contains a readme file describing installation and configuration (see below).

Meanwhile the project was discontinued. However there are similar projects with extended functionality by now like VDR-Zapper.

Download

Version 0.2.1 • November, 4th 2004 • Download SetupWinVDRZap.exe • 3.15 MB

Readme

Here's the content of the included readme file (Attention: The one in the archive contains outdated links):

WinVDRZap 0.2.1 (Nov 4th 2004)
VDR stream zapper for Windows

1. FEATURES

WinVDRZap's main purpose is to zap through channels served by Streamdev-server VDR plugin and to play recordings which are served by samba. It opens and closes MPlayer automatically and offers some other useful features such as powering on or off the VDR. The former is being done by wake on lan whereas the latter makes use of an svdrp command (svdrp is a VDR communication protocol).
Beyond that you can use WinVDRZap to send svdrp commands directly.

-> Small installation
-> Straightforward usage
-> Few buttons, no confusion
-> Just click and have fun

2. REQUIREMENTS

An MS Windows system

A VDR system
Using a 1.3.x version is recommended
http://www.cadsoft.de/people/kls/vdr/index.htm

An installed Streamdev-server VDR plugin
Using version 0.3.1 is recommended
http://www.magoa.net/linux/index.php?view=streamdev-unstable

There is a newer pre version of Streamdev which already works very well (german):
http://www.vdr-portal.de/board/thread.php?threadid=21214

And last but not least the MPlayer Windows binaries (if you're not using the install package)
http://www.mplayerhq.hu
http://www1.mplayerhq.hu/MPlayer/releases/win32-beta

3. INSTALLATION

If you want to keep your existing host name/MAC address/share paths please take care not to overwrite your WinVDRZap.ini during installation. But both the installation tool and your archiver should ask you when it comes to that.

Edit svdrphosts.conf and add the systems' IPs on which you are planning to use WinVDRZap (this is needed for the power off and channel name display feature).
Make sure your Streamdev-server is installed and working properly. Make sure the right IP appears in streamdevhosts.conf as well (same as above, but this is imperative to watch streams!). Furthermore using option "Always suspended" is recommended or you will be only able to watch channels on the same transponder as the currently tuned channel is on.

Unzip WinVDRZap.zip into your MPlayer folder or just execute SetupWinVDRZap.exe respectively. Open WinVDRZap.ini with a text editor and modify it to your needs. Most options are explained in that file.

4. ZAPPING AND STREAMING

Just start the .exe file. WinVDRZap will then download the channel list from your VDR and display it. Just press the buttons to open an MPlayer window on the desired channel. This can take a few seconds depending on your cache size. Another click on the button closes the MPlayer window. If you experience problems just try again. MPlayer sometimes reacts very strange. Use + and - to zap one channel up or down respectively. The arrow buttons can be used to browse up or down ten channels.

Clicking the button on the upper right switches between channel and recordings display which lists the directories you entered in the .ini file.

You will notice color changings on the buttons. These reflect MPlayer's or VDR's behavior helping you to know if MPlayer crashed for example. Additionally a short text about the current program is displayed in the status bar. If VDR is not available (because it is offline or you have a faulty .ini file) the buttons are disabled.
Power on or off the VDR by clicking the power button.

Task tray menu
You can choose to open either a small MPlayer window next to the WinVDRZap window or a big one in the screen center. Please remember you can make the MPlayer window to become full screen by pressing "F".
"Trigger EPG scan" forces VDR to do an EPG scan (requires VDR 1.3.x).
"Restart MPlayer after crash" does exactly what it says when enabled. To close an open MPlayer you will have to click the channel button once again then.

5. COMMAND LINE USAGE

Available parameters

-ip X
Overrides the ip address stored in the .ini file with X.

-mac X
Overrides the mac address stored in the .ini file with X.
Please use hex code in this format: 001122334455

-send X
Sends the svdrp command X to the VDR and displays the answer
(has to be the last parameter).

-wol
Wakes up the system with the corresponding mac address (defined in the .ini file or with the parameter above)
(has to be the last parameter).

-debug
Writes a debug log file.

Examples

WinVDRZap -send mesg This is a test.
Displays "This is a test." on the TV screen.

WinVDRZap -mac 001122334455 -wol
Wakes up the machine with the mac address 001122334455.

6. SUPPORT

Support is currently available in this thread in the (mainly german writing) VDR portal forum:
http://www.vdrportal.de/board/thread.php?threadid=19628

7. MULTILANGUAGE SUPPORT

If you would like to use WinVDRZap in your own language, no problem. Just look into the file WinVDRZap.lng. The translation process is explained there. Once you finished it, please send your modified WinVDRZap.lng file to winvdrzap@coolhardware.de I will then include the translation in the following release.

8. TROUBLESHOOTING

Problem: WinVDRZap's channel buttons are not clickable (deactivated)
Cause 1: Wrong IP/hostname in WinVDRZap.ini
Cause 2: VDR not pingable (try with "ping vdr" from command line)
Cause 3: VDR offline/network down?

Problem: Only numbers are appearing in channel list/power off feature does not work
Cause: Wrong/missing IP in svdrphosts.conf

Problem: MPlayer is closing right after clicking a channel button
Cause 1: Streamdev-Server was not properly installed (enter the correct IP in streamdevhosts.conf)
Cause 2: Streamdev-Server was not properly configured (try option "Always suspended")

Problem: Recording buttons are not available
Cause 1: Wrong/missing path to recordings in WinVDRZap.ini (it must point to the video-directory, not to the root directory!)
Cause 2: The share is not available (Samba not running, access not allowed, etc.)

Problem: Power on does not work
Cause 1: Wrong MAC address was entered in WinVDRZap.ini
Cause 2: NIC was not configured to do WOL (wake on lan)
Cause 3: Mainboard/NIC is not compatible to WOL

9. VERSION HISTORY

0.0.1 Released on Jul 08th 2004
      * First public release introducing basic features.
0.0.2 Released on Jul 14th 2004
      + Added command line parameters,
      + added README file (this one),
      * minor bug fixes.
0.0.3 Released on Jul 20th 2004
      + Added channel list download and display,
      + added two options to choose MPlayer window size,
      + added restarting MPlayer on crash,
      + added seperate install package also containing current MPlayer,
      * moved "EPG scan" to task tray menu,
      * updated README,
      * fixed several bugs,
      - removed number keyboard.
0.0.4 Released on Jul 23rd 2004
      + Added playing of recordings (enter Samba shared recording directories to the .ini
        file),
      + added multilanguage support (just look into WinVDRZap.lng),
      + added german translation,
      + re-added channel number display in case WinVDRZap cannot access VDR via svdrp,
      * updated README.
0.1.0 Released on Aug 17th 2004
      * Fixed not browsing recording sub-folders,
      * design corrections.
0.1.1 Released on Aug 22nd 2004
      + Added AllowPowerOff to .ini file so you can prevent the VDR from being shut down
        by WinVDRZap,
      * changed "//" comments in .ini files to ";" as the former could cause problems on
        some systems.
0.1.2 Released on Sep 10th 2004
      + Added browsing channels/recordings using mouse wheel,
      * fixed not being able to ping vdr as non-admin user.
0.1.3 Released on Sep 16th 2004
      + Added WinVDRZap window width to be changed,
      + added "what's now" display when starting a stream,
      + added "Allow poweroff" option to context menu,
      + added "Always on top" option for both WinVDRZap and MPlayer to context menu,
      + added "High priority" option to context menu.
0.2.0 Released on Oct 31st 2004
      + Added VLC support (look into .ini file for options),
      + added several options to the context menu,
      * fixed some labels in the context menu.
0.2.1 Released on Nov 4th 2004
      + Completed/corrected README,
      * fixed minor problem when re-clicking a button,
      * fixed minor issue with reading the recordings directory.

Have a whole lot of fun!