ezQuake's QTV related commands/variables

There are few commands and variables you can use with your ezQuake client to modify QTV streaming experience. These include changing QTV buffertime, chat prefix and even autotrack.

+CL_WP_STATS

  • Enables statistics similar to +WP_STATS when watching demos or QTV.
  • Note: This is actually a clientside command, not QTV side.
  • Note: See SCR_WEAPONSTATS related items in the ezQuake documentation.
  • usage: +CL_WP_STATS (enables)
  • usage: -CL_WP_STATS (disables)

LASTSCORES

  • Enables normal /lastscores output from the server.
  • Note: This is actually a serverside command (cmd) instead of clientside command but we add it here to avoid misunderstandings.
  • usage: lastscores

FOLLOW

  • Enables observer to follow someone else's pov changes.
  • Meant to be used in combination with commentator.
  • Works with both player nick and #ID
  • usage: follow #ID
  • usage: follow nick

DEMO_AUTOTRACK

  • Enables/disables reading KTX autotrack information from the stream. Basically same thing as autotrack command in KTX.
  • Note: With new enough ezQuake you can use just /AUTOTRACK command
  • usage: demo_autotrack 0/1
  • usage: autotrack

QTV_ADJUSTBUFFER

  • Enables automatic QTV buffering adjustment by finetuning playback speed.
  • Should prevent small pauses caused by the network lag.
  • usage: qtv_adjustbuffer 0/1

QTV_BUFFERTIME

  • Allows you to change QTV buffering time from default value of 500ms (0.5)
  • usage: qtv_buffertime 0.2 (200ms)

QTV_ADJUSTHIGHSTART

  • If QTV_BUFFERTIME becomes excessive, you can normalize it with speeding up the playback until it reaches the normal value. (excessive buffer means more delayed chat/commands)
  • If QTV_BUFFERTIME is 0.5 and QTV_ADJUSTHIGHSTART is 1.5, playback will be slowed down when buffer reaches 150% of the normal (in this case 750ms).
  • Works in conjunction with QTV_ADJUSTBUFFER 1
  • usage: qtv_adjusthighstart 1.2 (120% of the buffer level)

QTV_ADJUSTLOWSTART

  • If QTV_BUFFERTIME starts to run out, you can normalize it with speeding down the playback until it reaches the normal value. (running out of buffer will cause pauses on the playback)
  • If QTV_BUFFERTIME is 0.5 and QTV_ADJUSTLOWSTART is 0.5, playback will be speeded up when buffer reaches 50% of the normal (in this case 250ms).
  • Works in conjunction with QTV_ADJUSTBUFFER 1
  • usage: qtv_adjustlowstart 0.8 (80% of the buffer level)

QTV_ADJUSTMINSPEED

  • Defines the lowest possible playback speed when QTV_BUFFERTIME starts to run out.
  • NOTE: The slower the speed is, the faster the QTV_BUFFERTIME will fill up.
  • WARNING: Too slow playback speed is noticeable!
  • Works in conjunction with QTV_ADJUSTBUFFER 1
  • usage: qtv_adjustminspeed 0.9 (recommended value is 1)

QTV_ADJUSTMAXSPEED

  • Defines the fastest possible playback speed when QTV_BUFFERTIME becomes excessive.
  • NOTE: The faster the speed is, the faster the QTV_BUFFERTIME will go down to normal levels.
  • WARNING: Too high playback speed is noticeable!
  • Works in conjunction with QTV_ADJUSTBUFFER 1
  • usage: qtv_adjustmaxspeed 1.1 (recommended value!)

QTV_CHATPREFIX

  • Allows you to change chat prefix during QTV streaming.
  • usage: qtv_chatprefix [qtv]

QTVLIST

  • Lists available MVDTV stream IDs from specified QTV proxy.
  • usage: qtvlist ip-address:port
  • example: qtvlist qtvproxy.com:28000

QTVPLAY

  • Connects to specified QTV stream.
  • Use QTVLIST command to check the ID as describe above.
  • usage: qtvplay ID@ip-address:port
  • example: qtvplay :28000

QTVUSERS

  • Displays current observers from the stream you are in.
  • Works faster and with colored nicks.
  • usage: qtvusers (as QTV observer)
  • usage: cmd qtvusers (as spectator/player)

VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT CHANGING QTV_ADJUST_* RELATED ITEMS

  • Basically one wants to avoid wrong values using these adjustments, because they can have noticeable effect on the playback smoothness.
  • DO NOT SET the start values too high or too low. Setting too low value for lowstart might lead in the buffer running out before your client starts to adjust the playback speed. In the other hand setting too high highstart value will increase the lag on chatting or giving commands like cmd users. Also it will take longer periods of time to normalize the buffer if the min/maxspeed is set to relatively small changes.
  • Also DO NOT SET the min/maxspeed variable too high/low because if you do, then playback speed can vary A LOT during buffer runouts/excessiveness. So it's recommended to use slighty faster/slower playback speed over longer period of time than to quickly trying to correct the buffer in a short time (ie. speed bursts).
  • RECOMMENDATIONS: low/highstart at max 20% difference of the normal (0.8 and 1.2 respectively). Min/maxspeed variation should be 10% or less, this way one doesn't notice it's adjusting the buffer (0.92 and 1.08 respectively).