VirtualTV plugin

[egadgetkids 1]

1 hour ago, GrimReaper said:

It would also help to clarify the process of setting up the EPG.  I figured it out eventually, but it doesn't mention the need to set it up in the original post.

Are you referring to exporting channels?

I suspect some won't realize that you have to create an EPG for Virtual TV, then locate the XML file it creates.

Edited March 6, 2023 by egadgetkids

[GrimReaper 4739]

Just now, egadgetkids said:

I suspect some won't realize that you have to create an EPG for Virtual TV, then locate the XML file it creates.

I'm still not following, create it for what? To use with external app? Else there's no need if using within Emby only. 

[egadgetkids 1]

1 hour ago, GrimReaper said:

Thought that was covered in the OP:

On 12/27/2019 at 3:33 PM, pünktchen said:

The plugin has two general playback modes: "continous" and "playlist" playback.

Wow thanks!  I must have totally spaced that out...  Not sure how I missed it.

[egadgetkids 1]

For simplicity sake, if I want to include only a few shows in a channel, can I point to my media folder (say, TV...), then add the show titles in the "Always Include" field, and then put an asterisk in the "Always Exclude" field?  Or is there a different/better way?

Speaking of better ways, I'd encourage dev to look at ErsatzTV.  While their setup process is relatively nonsensical, the method of selecting shows and navigating that particular process is really handy...

[egadgetkids 1]

3 minutes ago, GrimReaper said:

I'm still not following, create it for what? To use with external app? Else there's no need if using within Emby only. 

Ah thanks, maybe I'm missing something.  I didn't find my new test channel in the Guide, so I created an XML guide for Virtual TV.  It did appear wayyyy down at the bottom of the list (below my PlutoTV channels, etc), so maybe it was there all along?  I need to go back and test... this is Day 1 with this plugin and I'm still orienting myself.

[GrimReaper 4739]

12 minutes ago, egadgetkids said:

For simplicity sake, if I want to include only a few shows in a channel, can I point to my media folder (say, TV...), then add the show titles in the "Always Include" field, and then put an asterisk in the "Always Exclude" field?  Or is there a different/better way?

There is. "Always..." fields are practically overrides only and you need to set at least one channel rule - in your example would be easiest to add "Release date equal or newer:" 1900 or similar. Or you could tag all those shows and add a Tag rule. 

 

10 minutes ago, egadgetkids said:

I didn't find my new test channel in the Guide, so I created an XML guide for Virtual TV.  It did appear wayyyy down at the bottom of the list (below my PlutoTV channels, etc), so maybe it was there all along?

It likely was. 

Edited March 6, 2023 by GrimReaper
Typo

[matt_ttam123 6]

8 hours ago, pünktchen said:

Do you have some special portmapping for your container where the host port to access the Emby webinterface is not the same as the Emby server port inside your docker container?

Nope the ports are the same for both and the docker container is in host mode too super strange right

[egadgetkids 1]

1 hour ago, GrimReaper said:

There is. "Always..." fields are practically overrides only and you need to set at least one channel rule - in your example would be easiest to add "Release date equal or newer:" 1900 or similar. Or you could tag all those shows and add a Tag rule. 

Quirky, glad you brought this up. I think I'll try "Release Date equal or newer than" 1900.  Good idea

Edited March 6, 2023 by egadgetkids

[pünktchen 1409]

1 hour ago, matt_ttam123 said:

Nope the ports are the same for both and the docker container is in host mode too super strange right

In Continous Playback mode, at the time of starting a channel stream, a text file named virtualtv........txt should be created inside Emby's transcoding folder. If it's there for you, open it and try one of the links of that file in VLC. You probably have to replace the ip with the one of your docker container. If the file is not created, enable debug logging in Emby, reproduce your issue and pm the log file.

[pünktchen 1409]

2 hours ago, egadgetkids said:

Speaking of better ways, I'd encourage dev to look at ErsatzTV. 

I know that app. It has some really cool features that i'd like to do also for VirtualTV. But i'm really not good at html/javascript that is needed for the frontend and unless there's no lock down again because of some virus, i don't have the time to learn it.

[egadgetkids 1]

2 hours ago, GrimReaper said:

2 hours ago, egadgetkids said:

For simplicity sake, if I want to include only a few shows in a channel, can I point to my media folder (say, TV...), then add the show titles in the "Always Include" field, and then put an asterisk in the "Always Exclude" field?  Or is there a different/better way?

There is. "Always..." fields are practically overrides only and you need to set at least one channel rule - in your example would be easiest to add "Release date equal or newer:" 1900 or similar. Or you could tag all those shows and add a Tag rule. 

Not sure what I'm missing. But the channel I created is scheduling a random variety of shows from my TV media folder...

I created a new channel, added 3 show titles in the Always Include field (separated by | - I even tried with and without spaces before and after the pipe), added Release Date Equal or Greater than 1900, and tried with and without "All Channel Rules have to be True", and clicked SAVE, then Refreshed Guide Data each time.

[GrimReaper 4739]

7 minutes ago, egadgetkids said:

Not sure what I'm missing. But the channel I created is scheduling a random variety of shows from my TV media folder...

I created a new channel, added 3 show titles in the Always Include field (separated by | - I even tried with and without spaces before and after the pipe), added Release Date Equal or Greater than 1900, and tried with and without "All Channel Rules have to be True", and clicked SAVE, then Refreshed Guide Data each time.

You need more rules, what you've done is effectively told Virtual TV to include all shows aired after 1900 and to make certain that those 3 are included (and since you have no other rules, they certainly are, together with all the others). You can tag those three shows with the same tag and add Tag rule, hence only those three shows will be included in the channel. 

[pünktchen 1409]

Always include... alone is sufficient if you only want that three shows. No other rules are needed then.

[GrimReaper 4739]

3 minutes ago, pünktchen said:

Always include... alone is sufficient if you only want that three shows. No other rules are needed then.

Did that behavior change at some point? Or my memory is failing me, which might as well be.

[egadgetkids 1]

12 minutes ago, pünktchen said:

Always include... alone is sufficient if you only want that three shows. No other rules are needed then.

That's what I thought was mentioned earlier... so I removed the Release Date field and left the 3 shows... then saved. Now the channel's guide data is completely blank.

These 3 shows for sure exist on my drive, they are populated in the Emby library, and the correct path is checked for this folder in Virtual TV.

I thought about deleting and recreating this channel, but I don't find a way to even delete the channel...

Stumped...

I am naming the show the same exact convention as the folder name on my drive (which happens to just be the show name) - is that proper?  If not, where does the naming convention come from?  Is exact punctuation required?

Edited March 6, 2023 by egadgetkids

[pünktchen 1409]

8 minutes ago, GrimReaper said:

Did that behavior change at some point?

Probably. You can even put an asterisk in the always include rule if you want to populate the whole selected library.

[GrimReaper 4739]

3 minutes ago, pünktchen said:

Probably. You can even put an asterisk in the always include rule if you want to populate the whole selected library.

Thanks. As IIRC it was used as an addendum/override if the channel rule(s) did not cover/include particular item - or one wanted to exclude some that were covered/included, but were not enough per-se. Anyway, all clear now, thanks again.

[pünktchen 1409]

12 minutes ago, egadgetkids said:

That's what I thought was mentioned earlier... so I removed the Release Date field and left the 3 shows... then saved. Now the channel's guide data is completely blank.

Earlier you've said you have put an asterisk in the "Always exclude..." rule. If so, that would be the problem.

[pünktchen 1409]

15 minutes ago, egadgetkids said:

I thought about deleting and recreating this channel, but I don't find a way to even delete the channel...

To delete a channel, you'll have to disable the channel in the plugin and then run the refresh guide task.

[egadgetkids 1]

3 minutes ago, pünktchen said:

Earlier you've said you have put an asterisk in the "Always exclude..." rule. If so, that would be the problem.

Thanks, but I took the asterisk out some time ago.

[egadgetkids 1]

2 minutes ago, pünktchen said:

To delete a channel, you'll have to disable the channel in the plugin and then run the refresh guide task.

Wow

[egadgetkids 1]

15 minutes ago, pünktchen said:

You can even put an asterisk in the always include rule if you want to populate the whole selected library.

I don't want to populate the whole library.  I only want to populate 3 shows.

I'll be honest... it's probably something really simple.  But I can't find it.  And I'm no newbie - I've set Plex and Emby up a million times, with HDHomeRun, DizqueTV, ErsatzTV, and others.

I'm here testing yours because Ersatz and Plex are currently broken, causing jumbled guide data.

But I'm not having fun yet... and getting a bit of mixed info between you and GrimReaper.  I know you are both trying.  But I wish this was a bit more straight-forward.  I'd much rather not have to tag a bunch of shows to get my massive library to cooperate with your plug-in, etc.

This seems like a fairly simple ask.

In general, I suspect users all want to heavily customize these virtual channels.  And I know you have some channel rules and criteria to help in certain instances.  But for those who want to narrow by show title, and not tinker with tagging everything (or rearranging a large media folder structure), it seems to be a challenge to get the plug-in to cooperate.

I didn't really want to give up, but my understanding of the steps needed, with the support I have been give thusfar, has resulted in a dead end.

Edited March 7, 2023 by egadgetkids

[pünktchen 1409]

16 minutes ago, egadgetkids said:

I am naming the show the same exact convention as the folder name on my drive (which happens to just be the show name) - is that proper?  If not, where does the naming convention come from?

Is uses the metadata name, what you see in your library, not the folder name.

19 minutes ago, egadgetkids said:

Is exact punctuation required?

Not really. For example instead of CSI: Vegas you could write *Vegas

[egadgetkids 1]

1 minute ago, pünktchen said:

uses the metadata name, what you see in your library, not the folder name.

So... if I navigate to the show in the Emby library, navigate to 'edit Metadata' and then look at the show title, that's what you're describing as the metadata name?  If so, that is the same show title name I have been using.  Just wanted to make sure...

[pünktchen 1409]

3 minutes ago, egadgetkids said:

I only want to populate 3 shows.

3 minutes ago, egadgetkids said:

This seems like a fairly simple task.

And normally it is.