Running BTV as a Service?

[hobiebags]

Is anyone successfully running BTV 3.5 as an NT service? Would you mind sharing how you configured it? TIA.

[Sentry02]

I have been running Beyond TV 3.5 as a Windows Service since it's release to the public. It has been running flawlessly every day since. I never shut it down, unless there is a power failure, and even then it comes back automatically.

I am running it as a service on my Windows 2000 Server. My server acts as a media server hosting all of my TV shows, DVDs, MP3s, photo library, and other miscellaneous media files. It is running Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 and all of the latest patches.

NOTE: After installing Beyond TV as a Windows service, remember to STOP the Beyond TV service if you need to run or re-run the Beyond TV Setup Wizard. In cases where you need to add/remove tuners or change your line-up.

Here are the steps that I used to get Beyond TV 3.5 running as a Windows Service. These steps work with the following operating systems.

• Windows 2000 Professional
• Windows 2000 Server
• Windows Server 2003
• Windows XP Home
• Windows XP Professional

It can work with Windows NT if you use the files from the Windows NT 4.0 Server Resource Kit instead of the files I list below. You will need the InstSrv.exe and SrvAny.exe files from the resource kit.

1. Shutdown Beyond TV if it is currently running
2. Remove Beyond TV from the Startup folder for all user profiles, in case you have placed it into more than 1 user profile. Make sure it is not in the Startup folder for the Default User nor in the All Users Startup folder.
3. Download the Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=9d467a69-57ff-4ae7-96ee-b18c4790cffd&DisplayLang=en
4. Install it on the system that will be running Beyond TV 3.5 as a Windows service. Instructions are at the bottom of the download page linked in step 3 above.
5. This will install all the tools and a help file. The help file does a great job of giving step by step instructions on installing a program as a service. But I'll give a summary of what I did to get mine working.
6. If you installed the resource kit with the default path, and your Windows directory is on the C: drive, the path to the InstSrv.exe and SrvAny.exe files will be C:\Program Files\Windows Resource Kits\Tools. You should confirm that is the same on your system before you proceed. If not, just make a note of the correct location.
7. I also assume that you installed Beyond TV 3.5 to the default directory. If not, make a note of where you installed it as you will need that information later.

1. Open a command prompt window



2. Use InstSrv.exe to install a service for SrvAny.exe, here is the syntax.

instsrv ServiceName C:\Program Files\Windows Resource Kits\Tools\srvany.exe

In my case here is the exact command that I used.

instsrv "Beyond TV" "C:\Program Files\Windows Resource Kits\Tools\srvany.exe"

You should see the following output if it worked successfully.

The service was successfully added!
Make sure that you go into the Control Panel and use the Services applet
to change the Account Name and Password that this newly installed service
will use for its Security Context.

3. Now you will need to use RegEdit to add the necessary parameters to your newly created service. For this, I have just cut and pasted the steps right out the help file, and modified the appropriate settings for my example here.

Caution

• The registry editors bypass standard safeguards, allowing settings that can degrade performance, damage your system, or even require you to reinstall Windows. You can safely alter most registry settings by using the programs in Control Panel or Microsoft Management Console (MMC). If you must edit the registry directly, back it up first. Read the Registry Editor Help for more information.

To configure a service in RegEdit:

1. Click the Start button, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type regedit, and click OK.
3. Add a new subkey named Parameters in the following registry location:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\
4. Right-click the newly created service name, point to New, and then click Key.
5. In the console pane, for the name of the new key, type Parameters.
6. To specify the target application, right-click the Parameters subkey, point to New, and then click String Value.
7. Type the name of the new entry as Application.
8. Right-click Application and then click Modify.
9. In the Edit String window, in Value Data, type the full path to the application, including the application name and extension. For example:
   
   C:\Program Files\SnapStream Media\Beyond TV 3\BTVAgent2.exe
10. I have edited this step (Step 10) to list the only optional parameter that we need to set for Beyond TV 3.5.
    • a working directory
      
      To set a working directory:
      1. Right-click the Parameters subkey, point to New, and then click String Value.
      2. Type the name of the new entry as AppDirectory.
      3. Right-click AppDirectory and then click Modify.
      4. In the Edit String window, in Value Data, type the type the full path to the working directory you want to use. For example:
         
         C:\Program Files\SnapStream Media\Beyond TV 3

Now, if you are using NTFS permissions on your Beyond TV folders, and you have changed the default security permissions on those folders, ensure that the local System has Full Control of your Beyond TV folders and files. Otherwise you will need to use your MMC to have your new BeyondTV service startup using specific logon name and password.

And to complete the process, use your MMC to set your new BeyondTV service to startup Automatically and then start the service. You can use the BeyondTV Web Admin interface to view the log file and see how things are going.

Now you can logoff and Beyond TV 3.5 will continue to run. And when your system loses power and comes back on, Beyond TV 3.5 will already be running.

Enjoy!

[gveresa4]

For those of you looking for the tools mentioned above for windows 2000, you can find them at this website.

http://www.techeez.com/windows_tips/...e_under_nt.htm

I could not find them anywhere on the MS site.

Greg

[neo75903]

Another workaround is to have your windows pc setup to logon automatcally when it boots.
Then put a little batch script into your startup folder to lock your the pc.
Put this is a batch file:
"Rundll32 user32.dll,LockWorkStation"
Then put this batch file into your startup folder.

[sneak]

I read a method listed in the KB about setting up a windows task to start BTV, but they said that it would cause the tray icon to no longer show up/work, and you would need shortcuts to command line parameters to do a lot of things once logged in.

Does anyone know if the method listed in this thread has the same negative effect?

[Veraxis]

It does... However, you can still set up recordings and do all the admin type stuff through the Web Admin. Only thing you won't be able to do with this setup is watch TV or recorded shows directly through Beyond TV. If you want to do that, you have to stop the service first.

-V-

[markboulder]

Another workaround is to use a hidden control to set an automatic login (windows xp):

1. Click the Start button --> choose "Run"
2. Type "control userpasswords2" (without the quotes), then hit ENTER.
3. Uncheck the check box, then hit the APPLY button
4. Put in the username and password of the user you wish to have the system log in as.
5. Click OK.
Then, every time Windows starts , it will automatically log in and BTV will start as usual. Beware, this leaves your computer open to anyone who wants to use it...

Cheers, Mark

[PHL]

I followed the instructions for setting up BTV as a service in my WinXP Pro system. The service is running fine, and I see the various components in the task list. But I can't actually run the application to view TV or schedule recordings. The web admin service works and the log shows the app has loaded successfully.

[Rob Norton]

Setup a desktop shortcut with the following in the target box

"C:\Program Files\SnapStream Media\Beyond TV 3\BTVD3DShell.exe" /networkclient:localhost

You can do this by copying a shortcut to the executable in program files/snapstream media/beyond tv to your desktop and then editing its properties to add the /networkclient:localhost text. Make sure you add that flag after the ".

This will startup with a BTVLink splashscreen, but doesn't need a different license since you are on the same computer as the server.

[PHL]

Well, that got it to start up but now with the message there are no beyond TV servers available on the local network. The folloowing bTV servics are running in my tasklist:

BTVAgent2.exe
BTV3DShell.exe
BTVRecordingEngine.exe
BTVTaskListProcessorServiec.exe
BTVWebServer.exe

The I dug a little deeper and found that my Norton Firewall wasn't allowing the ports. I was surprised that would flag it since I'm not coming in/going out from the server, but when I enabled the right ports, it worked.

Thanks!

[PHL]

Ran into a little snafu in this new config now - I can't watch live TV. I get the message that the TV feed may be disconnected or tuned to an invalid channel. I am using a DirecTV receiver, trying to tune in CNN (ch. 202). I have verified the WinTV 150 card is receiving video because I can watch it with the WinTV2000 software. I have verified the settings in the BTV web console are correct, too.

[witzgall]

I am trying to get BTV to start as a service on a windows server 2003 machine. I follwed the instuctions above, but when I start the service, it starts and then stops, with the message that it may be ok as some services, such a as performace monitor, etc do that.

Any ideas?

Chris

[Veraxis]

Have you tried to log in to the web portal to see if the server is actually running? Open up: http://localhost:8129 in your web browser.

[HomeyFour]

Originally Posted by witzgall

I am trying to get BTV to start as a service on a windows server 2003 machine. I follwed the instuctions above, but when I start the service, it starts and then stops, with the message that it may be ok as some services, such a as performace monitor, etc do that.

Any ideas?

Chris

I had the same problem under Windows XP. I'm not sure if I installed that part of the resource kit correctly. I ended up downloading a seperate program. I don't recall the name of it, but Google for "windows xp run as service" and you'll come up with something! This worked for me.

I'm no longer doing this, since my BTV "server" is my main TV watching PC now.

[witzgall]

Originally Posted by Veraxis

Have you tried to log in to the web portal to see if the server is actually running? Open up: http://localhost:8129 in your web browser.

Nope, the web service is not running. Actually, none of the Beyond tv processes are running.