0.
Requirements:
As this program is written in Visual Basic, quite a lot of runtime
modules are needed. As this modules are the same for this program and
the WinSTB Channeleditor (to be found at http://www.boraxsoft.de ) this
modules are not included. If the program starts with a runtime error
(like: component msflgrd.ocx missing or not correctly registered) you
should install WinSTBCHEdit with the full install
(WinSTBCHEditAllWinVer.zip). One additional DLL is required (PSAPI.DLL)
but I never found a system where it has not been already installed
(usually in windows\system32). If you do not find it on your system it
should be easily found in the internet.
This timer can only be used with WinXP or Win2000. In addition a
"standard installation" of WinSTB is recommended: WinSTB.EXE is named
WinSTB.EXE (and not WinSTB1.EXE or similar). WinSTB.EXE is located in a
subdirectory one level above the WinSTB - Database winstb.mdb and the
database is in a subdirectory named database (example: WinSTB.EXE is in
c:\programs\winstb and the database is in c:\programs\winstb\database).
If you have installed your WinSTB Version with the "official" install
routine from http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/winstb everything
should be fine. The actual location of your WinSTB - Version
(concerning drive and directory is not important.
The first time the program is started you will be asked for the
language and the location of your WinSTB database.
1. You may change the location of your WinSTB database (and the
corresponding WinSTB.EXE) in the "settings" The program should work
with any Version of WinSTB since version -0.071, however some options
like "Shortdesc as filename" will only work in newer WinSTB Versions
(-0.065). The timer program runs with low priority, therefore don't be
astonished if the program has a little longer response time concerning
mouse movements and so on. WinSTB itself, when started from
WinSTBTimer, will run with high priority. If you minimize the
timer-program it will be shown as icon in the systray only. The status
of WinSTB will be shown by the icon color:
WinSTB is not running => dark-green
WinSTB is recording (started from WinSTBTimer) => red
WinSTB is running (started from the user) => yellow
2. Program your recordings as usual from the EPG menu in WinSTB with
F3. You may start WinSTB from within the timer or any way you like to
start it. The Pre- and Postrecordminutes will be used by WinSTBTimer,
but you can change them there if you like.
3. In the WinSTBTimer click on "Get Recordings" (this is automatically
done anytime you start the timer), therefore it is not necessary to do
it again if you have already programmed all your recordings). The
program will sort all recordings according to the starttime, check if
there are "timed out" recordings (these will be marked red), or if you
have programmed overlapping recordings.
4. If you have overlapping recordings you are obliged to correct them!
(WinSTBTimer will not start otherwise) Overlapping means: Endtime of
prior recording + Postrecordminutes of prior recording +
Prerecordminutes of next recording +1 min (internally used by
WinSTBTimer) < Starttime of next recording. This unfortunately
implies that it is not possible to record two subsequent programs on
the same channel. You may use this workaround: Set the
Postrecordminutes of the first program to a value which includes the
next program and delete the next recording. The Pre - and
Postrecordminutes may be set from within WinSTBTimer by doubleclick on
the corresponding entries (WinSTB should not run in this case)
Starttime, Endtime, Shortdesc, Longdesc as well as Channelname and
number can not be changed, because WinSTB will get a problem if you do
it. (If you like to try it nevertheless, you can use WinSTBCHEdit and
change this values in the table "RECORD")
5. If you have scheduled all your recordings, CLOSE WinSTB. If you run
WinSTB (shown with a yellow icon in WinSTBTimer) you will be prompted
by a popup window around one minute before the next recording is
scheduled. If you do not react on this message within two minutes,
WinSTBTimer is closed. In this case you may try to record the program
"by hand". Straight before the recording is started, the corresponding
entry is deleted from the database. WinSTB is started with the
necessary commandline options and the WinSTBTimer icon changes to
red.
6. Settings
Here you will find some options for the controlling of WinSTB,
WinSTBTimer and energy saving.
6.1 Language (may be either German or English
6.2 Path to WinSTB database (you can directly type in the path, or find
it with the "File open" icon)
6.3 WinSTB options: Here you may switch on (or off) some additional
commandline option which are used by the timer to start WinSTB for
recording.
6.3.1 Use Shortdesc as filename (default=on) If this option is active,
WinSTBTimer generates a filename from the shortdescription of the EPG
(spaces will be replaced by underscores, special characters by #) The
timer checks if you have already a .ts file with this name. In this
case WinSTBTimer hangs on a subsequent number to the filename.
6.3.2 Use /streamonly for record: Doesn't work at the moment (is
dependent on WinSTB) but it is there for future use
6.3.3 msec recorddelay: If this option is active (default=on) WinSTB
starts to record after some milliseconds delay (default=500) Sometimes
the .ts files could not be converted with ds.jar because there seems to
be some rubbish at the beginning of the .ts file. Some test users
mentioned that 500 msec work well and they get a "good" .ts file by
using this option.
6.4 Start Options
6.4.1 Autostart: WinSTBTimer is started with windows. (A key is
generated in the windows registry with run=winstbtimer.exe) Manuel
start: I think there is nothing to explain.
6.4.2 Save log file: If you activate this option, a logfile is created
where WinSTBTimer writes some events (with time-stamp). This may be
helpful to have an idea what has happened if you are using the shutdown
options (see below)
6.4.3 Ask for close (if ToDO>1) If there are still recordings
scheduled and you close WinSTBTimer the program asks for confirmation.
You can switch this off if you are bored by that behavior.
6.4.4 Autoclose WinSTB before record: If you activate this option, WinSTB is closed by the timer (without any question) 40 sec before the recording starts. Otherwise you are prompted by a popup window to close WinSTB manually (you may also decide not to close WinSTB, but then the recording is not started).
6.4.5 Start rest of timed out recordings: If you have ONE scheduled recording where the "StartTime" is expired (but not the "Endtime") WinSTBTimer imediately starts this recording for the remaining time.
(Default = yes). This only works if there are no overlapping recordings even if "Ignore overlapping recordings" is enabled!
6.4.6 Ignore overlapping recordings: If you activate this option, the Timer starts even overlapping recordings. At the moment there is no real use for this option, either the following recording will not start because the prior one is not finished, or the prior recording is interrupted and the next started (see 6.4.4)...
6.5 Shutdown options
6.5.1 Never shutdown PC: No explanation needed...
6.5.2 Shutdown after last recording. If active, WinSTBTimer closes all
running programs (therefore take care that you do not have any unsaved
files open...) and powers off the PC. (I'm not sure if this will work
on all systems)
6.5.3 Shutdown PC if there are more than Itime minutes between two
recordings: To make a reasonable use of this option, you must use an
external timer which powers on and off the AC plug of your PC. In
addition you need to set your BIOS to "Always Power on in case of AC
loss" (or similar) and to start your PC with a autologin account. The
minimum time (in minutes) which has to be between two recordings can be
set in the ITime setting.
6.5.4 Wait for program: If you activate this option, the WinSTBTimer will wait for the closing of the program defined in the textbox right next prior to shutdown/standby. The program name has to be entered in the same way as it is mentiond in the task manager (usually xxx.exe without path).
6.5.5 Enable standby option if possible: Because the controlling of the
standby mode by a program is a very sensible procedure, you have to
test it before you can use the "StandBy" button. For this test the PC
will be shutdown to suspend mode for two minutes and activated by the
program afterwards. IMPORTANT: Do NOTHING during these two minutes (no
mouse movement, no keystrokes) otherwise the standby mode will be ended
(at least I hope so...) nevertheless, but it is not sure if it would
have ended by the program itself. If the test is successful the
"StandBy" button in the main program window is activated. If there are
more than 10 minutes until the next recording the Standby mode is
immediately activated if you click on this button. Otherwise the
standby - mode is used in there are more than 10 minutes between two
subsequent recordings. After the last recording Standby is activated
without a resume time (except you have activated "Shutdown after last
recording") and the PC resumes if you move your mouse or press any key.
To enable the button "CMOSTimer" you need the CMOSConfig program.
This command works in a similar way as "StandBy", but the PC is realy powered off (ATX Soft-off) between the recordings. Have a look to the documentation of CMOSTimer for more information on how this works. To use this command, you must enable the "Shutdown PC if there are more than Itime minutes between two recordings" option.
Remark
If you have activated either Shutdown or StandBy and do not want the PC
to shutdown or suspend (because you like to do something else with your
PC) simply close the WinSTBTimer. If WinSTB is recording, that doesn't
disturb anything - WinSTB will do the record and close afterwards by
itself. The same procedure applies if you want to abort a recording:
Close WinSTBTimer first and then WinSTB. If you do it the other way
round, WinSTBTimer thinks WinSTB has finished the current record - and
shuts down the PC.
Have fun!
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