sohu plugin 2.1.6 not work any more

[GoogleCodeExporter]

What steps will reproduce the problem?
1. Update to sohu plugin 2.1.6
2. Watch any video
3. Report "一个或多个项目播放失败！详情请查看日志文件"

What is the expected output? What do you see instead?

What version of the product are you using? On what operating system?

    Windows 7 and appleTV 2

Please provide any additional information below.

    Log attached.

Original issue reported on code.google.com by kenthuan...@gmail.com on 28 Jan 2012 at 6:52

Attachments:

• log.txt

[GoogleCodeExporter]

see that you are trying to play "逆转" in HD resolution. Your error log shows 
that xmbc is trying to play the video clips, but the site is slow in providing 
the video stream, hence xbmc skips to the next track ..... until the end.

you can see the playlist queue by pressing the <space> bar, during playing.

Found the provider IP is changing. Can you try again at time when the network 
is not so busy. Also try a lower resolution for playback, and a couple of times 
on the sam video to see if it ever get to play.

Also be patient to wait, especially when the network is very slow, more so 
during the night.  

Original comment by en...@singnet.com.sg on 29 Jan 2012 at 2:23

[GoogleCodeExporter]

    Tried today, still no luck. I'm using a 20M+ FTTH, should be enough for play HD in domestic sites. Add more info:

    1. I was watching sohu all day during the holiday and this symptom just occurred after recent update;

    2. I cannot play any video of sohu now via XBMC on PC or apple TV , no matter the resolution HD, SD. But on the same time, I can play video from the web page. This may indicate that there's no issue of my internet access.

Original comment by kenthuan...@gmail.com on 29 Jan 2012 at 3:20

[GoogleCodeExporter]

    3. I can play other video (QIYI, youku, etc.) flawlessly, that also shows my internet access is OK.

Original comment by kenthuan...@gmail.com on 29 Jan 2012 at 3:22

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[GoogleCodeExporter]

Taxigps,

I did a check again this morning. It seems to have little to do with the last 
update.
I returned the code to before the update, the problem seems to presist. In both 
cases, I need to try a few times to click the file title before it can playback.

Apparently the video link is fetched correctly by the plugin, but xbmc player 
failed to play the video file for some unknown reason.

Hi Kenthuang72,
The bandwidth I am referring to is not your home subsribed bandwidth nor other 
site providers. It is the bandwidth access to Sohu site provider. The actual 
speed access to Sohu site is depending on the loading on the Sohu video server 
in most cases. Sorry I did not make this clear in my last message. 

If you like to try the previous release to see if it really make the 
difference; you can download the attached file and copy into your sohu plug in 
directory:

   C:\Users\<user_name>\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\addons\plugin.video.sohuvideo

Appreciate if you can let us known your test results.

Original comment by en...@singnet.com.sg on 30 Jan 2012 at 9:53

Attachments:

• default.py

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Hi Taxigps,

I proceed to investigate further and arrive at the following conclusion:
The PlayVideo() does resolve correctly to a valid video link on the provider 
site. However it seems that the linked file is a pure .mp4 video file not mean 
for video streaming; probably is the reason why xbmc player skips it as 
unplayable item.

Following link has some explanation on mp4 file for streaming:
http://www.any-video-converter.com/how-to-enable-mp4-streaming.php

How to Enable MP4 Streaming
===========================
One important thing about playing MP4 video file as progressive download is 
that the moov atom needs to be located at the beginning of the file, or else 
the entire file will have to be downloaded before it begins playing. The moov 
atom is a part of the file that holds index information for the whole file. Any 
Video/DVD Converter new version add Flatten and add Faststart to MP4 file 
option to play back MP4 video in the stream way. With this function, the moov 
atom is located at the beginning of the file which can let the video begin 
playing before the entire video will to be downloaded.

I am not sure if xbmc has built-in function to perform such function to stream 
& play a .mp4 file directly.

Original comment by en...@singnet.com.sg on 30 Jan 2012 at 12:42

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Hi engcm,

    I replaced the default.py and still cannot play any video from sohu, tested on Windows 7.

Original comment by kenthuan...@gmail.com on 30 Jan 2012 at 3:08

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Hi Kenthuang72:

Thanks for the information. From my last message/investigation, it seems that 
the Sohu site is also providing .mp4 as one of the video format for streaming; 
which xbmc is not fully supported, hence treated it as unplayable item.

If the current xbmc default player does not support to playback .mp4 as stream 
video; It may take a while for xbmc to provide such support.

Original comment by en...@singnet.com.sg on 31 Jan 2012 at 12:15

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Please download the K-Lite Codec packs from the following site, and installed 
both the 32-bit and 64-bit version (if your OS is also 64-bit) and see if this 
resolves the video playback on Sohu plugin.

http://www.codecguide.com/

Note: During installation, accept the recommended solution to clean up the 
windows registry if prompted. If works, this can be a good solution for xbmc to 
playback .mp4 video files.

I have tried on my system, and found no problem with Sohu plugin video playback.

Original comment by en...@singnet.com.sg on 1 Feb 2012 at 12:46

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Sorry, tested on a second system, look like is the site whom has fixed their 
problem.
so K-Lite code is not necessary for the Sohu plugin fix.

No harm done if you have installed the K-Lite, as it allows other players the 
ability to play many other video formats not supported earlier.

Original comment by en...@singnet.com.sg on 1 Feb 2012 at 5:32

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Yes, sohu plugin works again on Windows 7, but still not work on apple TV.

Original comment by kenthuan...@gmail.com on 1 Feb 2012 at 6:11

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Guys, first thanks for your great work. Sohu plugin stopped working for me on 
Apple TV2 and iMac. I received an error message - "Error: Script failed! 
plugin.video.sohuvideo". It worked fine before March 2012. Also I couldn't get 
Sina and Tecent plugins working on my Apple TV2 and iMac at all and received a 
similar error message as the one above. 

Original comment by HaiyanH...@gmail.com on 8 Mar 2012 at 3:24

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Original comment by taxi...@sina.com on 21 Mar 2013 at 10:47

• Changed state: Done