Hi there,

I used to run two programmes off my DABDig installation - DVBViewer for Satellite, and DigiTV for DTT.

Now I've (finally) abandoned DigiTV, and replaced it with a second instance of DVBViewer. So I'm running two DVBViewers, out of different directorys, one for DSAT and one for DTT.

So, I was wondering. Would it be possible to add a second instance of DVBViewer to the DABDig system? Can I do it myself through the ini file, or is it more complicated than that?

Thanks for the help, as ever - and thanks, as ever, for DABDig - which has been helping me sort out my recordings now for the best part of three years!

You could have a few things together by editing the DABDig marker to have it run a 2nd instance of DABDig - but I think it will be easier for me to hack DABDig a bit to allow for 2 instances of DVBViewer - like I did for TiVo.

Won't take long to have a test version available.

DABDig creator

Thanks Paul, much appreciated!

I've built a test version - and will email you the details of where to get it from because Gmail does not accept zipped up executables.

Note though - if you are using the DVBViewer API (APIPreferred in dabdig.ini) then this won't work for both instances of DVBViewer - would need to find out how to differentiate between them.

DABDig creator

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I've built a test version - and will email you the details of where to get it from because Gmail does not accept zipped up executables.

Note though - if you are using the DVBViewer API (APIPreferred in dabdig.ini) then this won't work for both instances of DVBViewer - would need to find out how to differentiate between them.

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Paul Webster

DABDig creator

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Thanks Paul. I'll see if I can work around that limitation and report back. I had hoped that because they were separate instances, with separate configuration directories, that I would be able to... but we'll see.

The APIPreferred method talks to an instance in memory ... and I don't know how DABDig would know which is which.

However, see my email since it might be that a single instance of DVBViewer can do what you need (search the DVBViewer sites for references to UserMode).

DABDig creator

I sent you this reply a while ago, but it was returned to me for some reason...

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Partially.

I want the ability to be able to record the same programme from DSAT and DTT, on occasion, as a form of redundancy. And also to be able to choose the archive the highest bitrate version.

If I was to do it with one instance of DVBViewer, I don't see how I could schedule two recordings of the same programme, one from DSAT and one from DTT, using DABDig.

The other complication is that I need the files to go into different directories, and I don't think one instance of DVBViewer could do that - I have a directory for DTT and one for DSAT. If they don't, my automatic ipod-encoding system will require major root-and-branch recoding!

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Anyway. I've now tested it, and you were right - the programmes kept being written to the wrong instance of the programme. So... I'm going to see how far I can get working with one instance. I didn't think it would work effectively, but perhaps it won't be too much of a compromise. I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks again for your help

Hi Paul

Having some difficulty getting back to you via email.

After a day's fiddling with the system, I don't think there's anyway to get DABDig to drive two instances of DVBViewer.

I was hopeful that we might be able to do it as you said, ie, via the API for one and via the schedule file for the other. But I came up against two problems.

1 - I couldn't guarantee which version of DVBViewer would pick up the addition via the API.

2 - I'm using DVBViewer 3.9, and it doesn't seem to like having events adding directly to the schedule file - each time, I got an error message from DABDig saying that the setup.ini file was invalid.

So for now I've retreated, and am just recording one instance of each programme. I've set up Digiguide and DABDig to record from Freeview where possible, and from DSAT where not. So that will have to do for now, unless there are any other ideas?

Thanks for your help yesterday.

I wonder if renaming the DVBViewer executable will have an effect on how it declares itself via the COM API ...

Could rename one of them as DVBViewer2.exe (and same in dabdig.ini) and I could make another change so that you can specifiy which COM object to use (i.e. dvbviewer. or dvbviewer2.)

Will have to wait until tonight anyway.

Other route is to find another application that is supported by DABDig and that can drive one of your cards.

DABDig creator

Re email ... try not to send me HTML-formatted email.

DABDig creator

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I wonder if renaming the DVBViewer executable will have an effect on how it declares itself via the COM API ...

Could rename one of them as DVBViewer2.exe (and same in dabdig.ini) and I could make another change so that you can specifiy which COM object to use (i.e. dvbviewer. or dvbviewer2.)

Will have to wait until tonight anyway.

Other route is to find another application that is supported by DABDig and that can drive one of your cards.

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Paul Webster

DABDig creator

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changing the names of the com object is a really interesting idea. i tried renaming the exe files.. but didn't work - obviously. i hadn't realised that you'd have to change the dabdig code as well.

i'm still reluctant to try any other software. i think, on balance, if i can't get it working with two instances of dvbviewer, i'll just reduce my expectation! but it would be great to get it working the way i wanted.

PS: i tried sending you a plain txt email, but that was rejected too. i'm happy to use the forum though, it's ok Hope you can get it sorted.

There might be another way ... I'll send you another test version with some ideas.

DABDig creator