ErsatzTV/legacy v25.5.0

on GitHub

Release Notes

Added

• Add experimental graphics engine
  • All watermarks will use new graphics engine
• Add Opacity Expression watermark mode
  • This allows specifying an expression that returns an opacity between 0.0 and 1.0
  • The expression can use:
    • content_seconds - the total number of seconds the frame is into the content
    • content_total_seconds - the total number of seconds in the content
    • channel_seconds - the total number of seconds the frame is from when the channel started/activated
    • time_of_day_seconds - the total number of seconds the frame is since midnight
  • The expression can also use functions:
    • LinearFadeDuration(time, start, fadeSeconds, peakSeconds)
    • LinearFadePoints(time, start, peakStart, peakEnd, end)
• Add Z-Index to watermark editor
  • The graphics engine will order by z-index when overlaying watermarks
• Add experimental Graphics Element template system
  • Graphics elements are defined in YAML files inside ETV config folder / templates / graphics-elements subfolder
  • Add text graphics element type
    • Supported in playback troubleshooting and YAML playouts
    • Displays multi-line text in a specified font, color, location, z-index
    • Supports constant opacity and opacity expression
    • Supports EPG and Media Item variable replacement
      • EPG data is sourced from XMLTV for the current time
        • EPG data can also load a configurable number of subsequent (up next) entries
      • Media Item data is sourced from the currently playing media item
  • Add image graphics element type
    • Supported in playback troubleshooting and YAML playouts
    • Displays an image, similar to a watermark
    • Supports constant opacity and opacity expression
  • Add subtitle graphics element type
    • Supported in playback troubleshooting and YAML playouts
    • Supports SRT and SSA/ASS subtitle formats
    • Supports EPG and Media Item variable replacement
      • EPG data is sourced from XMLTV for the current time
        • EPG data can also load a configurable number of subsequent (up next) entries
      • Media Item data is sourced from the currently playing media item
• YAML playout: add graphics_on and graphics_off instructions to control graphics elements
  • graphics_on requires the name of a graphics element template, e.g. text/cool_element.yml
    • The variables property can be used to dynamically replace text from the template
  • graphics_off will turn off a specific element, or all elements if none are specified
• Add Seek Seconds to playback troubleshooting to support capturing timing-related issues
• Custom stream selector: add content_condition to allow channel and time-of-day based decisions
  • content_condition expression can use
    • channel_number
    • channel_name
    • time_of_day_seconds - the start time for the current item, represented in seconds since midnight
• Add support for external chapter files next to video files
  • Currently supports Matroska Chapter XML format
    • Chapter files have .xml or .chapters extension
• Add targeted (single-show) library scanning
  • Supports quick and deep scans
  • Can be triggered from the Scan button on show pages
  • Can be triggered by API call to /api/libraries/{library-id}/scan-show
• Add XMLTV setting XMLTV Block Behavior to control how block schedules appear in the EPG
  • Split Time Evenly - default (existing) behavior; block time is split among all items that are visible in the EPG
  • Use Actual Times - actual times are used for all items that are visible in the EPG
    • This will introduce EPG gaps when filler is used, or when items are hidden from the EPG
• Add experimental Scripted Schedule playout system
  • This system uses python scripts to support the highest degree of customization
  • The goal is to expose methods equivalent to all sequential schedule (YAML) instructions
• YAML and Scripted schedules: add offline_tail and stop_before_end to pad_to_next instruction
  • Both parameters default to true

Fix

• Fix database operations that were slowing down playout builds
  • YAML playouts in particular should build significantly faster
• Fix channel playout mode On Demand for Block and YAML schedules
• Fix QSV transitions when remote streaming from a media server
• Fix green output when padding with VAAPI accel and i965 driver
• Fix watermark custom image validation
• Fix playback when using any watermarks that were saved with invalid state (no image)
• Fix overlapping block playout items caused by Stop scheduling block items value After Duration End
  • Existing overlapping items will not be removed, but no new overlapping items will be created
  • Until these existing items age out, there will be warnings logged after each playout build/extension
• Fix playback of anamorphic content from Jellyfin
  • This fix requires a manual deep scan of any affected Jellyfin library
• Fix bug where multiple Plex servers would mix their episodes
• Fix incorrect media item counts after removing paths from local libraries
• Fix song playback in playback troubleshooting
• Fix seeking into extracted text subtitles
• Fix error when changing default (lowest priority) alternate schedule
• Fix remote library editing, tv shows, artists with MySql/MariaDB
• Classic schedules: fix alternate schedule transitions (some edge cases would cause days to be skipped completely)
• Classic schedules: always start new alternate schedules with the first schedule item
• Classic Schedules: log offline gaps longer than 1 hour due to strict fixed start times
• Fix HLS Segmenter V2 streaming mode with AMF acceleration
• Fix HLS Segmenter V2 streaming mode with VideoToolbox acceleration
• Fix startup process for database and search index initialization
  • Redirect all pages to home page when initializing to prevent errors
  • Clear stale sqlite migration lock on startup to prevent getting stuck on database initialization
• Fix display of long season placeholder text (when season posters are unavailable)

Changed

• Rename some schedule and playout terms for clarity
  • Schedules are used to build playouts and are what actually differs
  • The playout is the end result, and is the same no matter what schedule kind is used
  • Supported schedule kinds:
    • Classic Schedules
    • Block Schedules
    • Sequential Schedules (formerly YAML Schedules or YAML Playouts)
    • Scripted Schedules
    • JSON (dizqueTV) Schedules (formerly External JSON Playouts)
• Allow multiple watermarks in playback troubleshooting
• Classic schedules: allow selecting multiple watermarks on schedule items
• Block schedules: allow selecting multiple watermarks on decos
• Block schedules: change available watermark modes on decos. For reference, the levels from highest to lowest with block schedules are Global > Channel > Playout Default Deco > Template Deco.
  • Inherit - Use watermarks configured at a higher level
  • Disable - Disable watermarks at this level and above
  • Replace - Replace all watermarks configured at a higher level with those on this deco
    • This was renamed from Override
  • Merge - Merge all watermarks configured at a higher level with those on this deco
• YAML playout: watermark instruction changes:
  • When value is true, will add named watermark to list of active watermarks
  • When value is false and name is specified, will remove named watermark from list of active watermarks
  • When value is false and name is not specified, will clear all active watermarks
• Use consistent UI sorting and validation, and fix renaming errors for
  • Block groups, blocks
  • Template groups, templates
  • Deco groups, decos
  • Deco template groups, deco templates