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Instructor
#151 Old 21st Mar 2007 at 5:03 PM
Hi Eric this is a great tutorial and thanks for it.
If u will agree Im more than happy to re-create this as a MS Word format and/or a PDF format.
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Lab Assistant
#152 Old 6th May 2007 at 10:30 PM
Does this still work with seasons? I had a whole ton of cool channels, and when i updated the stuff for seasons the game crashed everytime i started. This was before i re-installed, and i had to because of a bad file in the stuff, but the TV might have done it too. Does it work with seasons? Thanks in advance!

Life is not measured by how many breaths you take, it is measured by the moments that take our breath away.
Lab Assistant
#153 Old 9th May 2007 at 1:12 PM
can some one who uses the season SimPE make a new Tutorial since this one is a bit out of date and is now kinda hard to follow?
Test Subject
#154 Old 9th May 2007 at 4:19 PM
Did the Seasons EP change something regarding broadcast channels? Most of what I've tried doesn't work. I might not be doing it exactly right, but I can't get it to work at all. I'm pretty sure it's probably my error, but is there an easier way to have only my programming (and no Maxis shows) run on at least one TV channel? Can't I just delete the Maxis shows and insert mine instead?
To sum up all my many questions into one, concise one: Is there a "Custom Sim2 TV (including Seasons) tutorial for Extreme Dummies?" Any help is appreciated!
Test Subject
#155 Old 18th May 2007 at 9:23 AM
can .mpeg files work in the custom channel?
Lab Assistant
#156 Old 29th May 2007 at 1:07 PM
i am stuke at stage 3 step 4 can someone help me i am still young

funney250 i makes homes for request so just ask
Part-time Hermit
#157 Old 29th May 2007 at 4:40 PM
funney250, how old are you?

Can you be more specific about what you're having problems with? Are you not finding the options in SimPE you're supposed to? Please, give more detail so that people can help you.
Theorist
#158 Old 2nd Jun 2007 at 6:57 PM Last edited by Sophie-David : 21st Oct 2007 at 11:15 PM. Reason: Added an updated link for Super settings
Default How to use *Super* for AVI Conversion
Quote: Originally posted by esalkin
Try Super http://www.erightsoft.com/SUPER.html video converter. It will read even badly damaged files in just about any format and save them as any size and/or format. Best part is the price free
This is an excellant tip, and Super is a great program for converting WMV files to AVI. In contrast, I found VirtualDub to be completely useless because it could not read Windows Media Player MPEG formats.

However I spent several hours trying to get a workable output file from Super because I was using the wrong Output Video Codec. My output files were not working in Windows Media Player, so I knew they would not work within the Sims 2.

As a general rule the Sims 2 will play almost any AVI formatted file that Windows Media Player will play. However, it would be overkill to use Super at its highest settings because the Sims 2 in-game player has such low resolution. But you shouldn't skimp on the audio quality, because you will quickly notice degradation if you cut back on the sound parameters.

Please see the screen capture of Super at Post #107 here which shows the settings that I found by experimentation to be ideal.

Sims99.com is a great source of creative movies made using the Sims 2. These works are copyright, so any conversions that you make for use within the game should not be redistributed.

There are currently three TV channels that actually build specific skills and raise fun while watching them. SEVEN's FIY TV Channel increases Mechanical skill and already comes with its own videos, so you do not need to make your own. Katy has two TV channels, one for Logic and one for Creativity, but currently there are no videos for them, so Super provides a means of adding them.

At the moment there is a clash in the channel names for the Mechanical and Creativity channels which can be fixed using SimPE, as I posted in Katy's thread above.

Monique also has a Do-It-Yourself channel that improves all skills at once, but I would find this a little too much of a cheat.
Test Subject
#159 Old 4th Jun 2007 at 2:09 PM
I followed the tutorial but i get a flashing blue screen on the tv channel in the seasons EP do i have to do anything else to get it to work
Theorist
#160 Old 4th Jun 2007 at 2:55 PM
Quote: Originally posted by sims1234
I followed the tutorial but i get a flashing blue screen on the tv channel in the seasons EP do i have to do anything else to get it to work
I would suggest installing SEVEN's FIY TV Channel using the directions, if you haven't done already. His download comes with a video, so if you get that channel working with a known good video then you can use that video as a test one for other channels such as Katy's.

Any video you use must be playable in Windows Media Player - if you cannot play it there then you are not going to be able to play it within the Sims 2. Once all the other setups are working such as the .INI file and the package file for the Downloads folder, I found that the Sims 2 internal player itself seemed to be able to play almost anything, as long as it was in .AVI format.
Test Subject
#161 Old 4th Jun 2007 at 4:13 PM
thanks i will give that a try
Test Subject
#162 Old 4th Jun 2007 at 5:48 PM Last edited by sims1234 : 4th Jun 2007 at 5:55 PM. Reason: typing error
i tried that and the tv channel i made still doesn't work, the video is playable in the game so i don't know what i have done wrong
Theorist
#163 Old 5th Jun 2007 at 3:04 PM
Quote: Originally posted by sims1234
i tried that and the tv channel i made still doesn't work, the video is playable in the game so i don't know what i have done wrong
Well at least you know your video is OK. Did you make your own package file - perhaps by modifying one of the others?
Test Subject
#164 Old 6th Jun 2007 at 2:02 PM
i just changed the tutorial file to what i wanted the channel to be
Theorist
#165 Old 7th Jun 2007 at 2:01 AM
Quote: Originally posted by sims1234
i just changed the tutorial file to what i wanted the channel to be
I'm finding it difficult to help you because of lack of information in these one-liners, but I would suggest that if you can first get Seven's FIY channel to work then you would be well on your way to getting an alternately titled channel to work. I did not personally use Eric's tutorial here, because in my case I found the FIY instructions easier to follow, but that's just me. BTW, Eric also posted this thread at InSIMenator, and you may find some useful information there too.
Test Subject
#166 Old 7th Jun 2007 at 3:33 PM
Thanks for your help, i really appreciate it
Test Subject
#167 Old 13th Jun 2007 at 5:10 PM
I'm stuck at the first step. Sorry, apparently I'm an idiot, lol. anyways, When I open up the file in sim pe and then click on the "object data" on the left hand side, nothing happens. The screenshot you have has all these other boxes and stuff but on my screen all it has is that left hand column. If you could help me, I would greatly appriciate it! Oh and sorry for being a complete moron. (screen shot attached)
Screenshots
Part-time Hermit
#168 Old 13th Jun 2007 at 5:16 PM
monicaking77, try clicking the Reset Layout icon in the top row, that should return your view to the standard one.
Test Subject
#169 Old 13th Jun 2007 at 5:44 PM
Okay I did that. now it is still doing nothing... or something weird. I dunno. lol. sorry! and thanks! (see screenshot)
Screenshots
Part-time Hermit
#170 Old 13th Jun 2007 at 6:43 PM
What is the screen resolution you're using? I remember using a small resolution caused problems for some people viewing the SimPE window properly. If you have an option on your monitor to increase the resolution, try and see if that helps.
Retired Duck
retired moderator
#171 Old 14th Jun 2007 at 10:57 AM
You want to increase your resolution, but there is a fairly quick fix. See attached piccy.
Screenshots
Test Subject
#172 Old 21st Jun 2007 at 4:44 AM
ugh!!!! i used this before and it worked, but after i bought seasons the channels just showwed flashes. same thing happens with the new channels i make. I NEED HELLLP!
Theorist
#173 Old 21st Jun 2007 at 8:32 PM
Quote: Originally posted by spriteTAB
ugh!!!! i used this before and it worked, but after i bought seasons the channels just showwed flashes. same thing happens with the new channels i make. I NEED HELLLP!
Seasons will have overwritten your broadcast.ini file when it installed - it will have done so because it actually adds a new weather channel. Copy and rename My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Config\broadcast.ini to broadcast.ini.old, then edit broadcast.ini as in the tutorial. backup this modified broadcast.ini by copying and renaming it to broadcast.ini.new. When you next install a game update, you will have a working copy of your modifications to restore from.
Test Subject
#174 Old 23rd Jun 2007 at 10:20 PM Last edited by onion_girl_9 : 23rd Jun 2007 at 10:27 PM. Reason: more typos, grrrr
A few things:
While this is a simple enough tutorial to follow you must have some understanding of how a program calls files in order to deviate in any way from Eric's original instructions.
1. If you have any EPs installed you must edit the broadcast.ini file of the most recent EP. You will always find the broadcast.ini file under:
\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 <ep>\TSData\Res\UserData (unless you installed the game initially to a different location).

2. The image attached is a screen shot of my broadcast.ini file (most of it any way)
Pay attention to the numbering of the existing channels. I have all EPs so my last used channel # is 12 for the Season 12=tvstation_weather_winter channel.
So my first custom channel must be 13. You'll notice that the station data (begins midway through the file) in the original .ini file is in the same order as the numbered station names at the top. ie. tvstation_weather_winter data is the 12th block (I couldn't capture it in the screen print but trust me it is).
So your custom channel data block must correspond to the channel # you assign it (the easiest way to say it, always put your new block below everything else).
In my case I have to place the new data as the 13th or last block. Although these blocks are not numbered for your benefit the computer will "count" the data to correspond with the folder (TV pie menu choice in game) selected.

3. This goes back to the mirroring coffeehedake mentions.
Your channel folder must be named exactly the same in the custom channel.package file and the data block in the .ini
So when you follow the step for editing text lists instance 0x00000088 to your custom channel name ex. tvstation_frightnightnetwork
you must use this same name here in the .ini file
ex. 13=tvstation_frightnightnetwork
and here:
[tvstation_frightnightnetwork]
Folder=Broadcast/TvFrightNight_Network
CommercialInterval=60
CommercialFolder=Broadcast/Commercials

by the same token, the folder that you create (@ <most recent EP>\TSData\Res\Movies\Broadcast) must match the folder you have told it to look for exactly
ex. Folder=Broadcast/TvFrightNight_Network
so my folder name is
C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Seasons\TSData\Res\Movies\Broadcast\TvFrightNight_Network

4. Also, for the sake of mirroring, you must have the exact folder in your EAGames folder where your user stuff like downloads is stored. For me it is:
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Movies\Broadcast\TvFrightNight_Network
*I have also copied & pasted the broadcast.ini from the program files installation (see 1st bullet point) to:
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Config
allowing it to overwrite the broadcst.ini there. *I'm 99% certain this is necessary.

5. Put your properly coded and sized movie files in the channel folder you created in the EP program file, leaving the corresponding folder under your user file (my documents\ea games\the sims 2) empty. You do not need to put the movie file in both places. Rule of thumb, If you want to view a downloaded movie in a maxis created channel and you want it to override Maxis TV shows, you would place it in the folder under my documents, if you want to add to the list of shows on a channel you place it in the channel folder in the program file with the maxis content. So your movies will work if placed in either of these locations in your new custom channel folder but is only taking up hard drive space if you put it in both.

Keep in mind that when you install a new EP (and patches) most if not all user data and configurations are overwritten. You will need to manually update the new .ini and your channels will likely need to be re-numbered (if the new EP comes with any of it's own TV programming).

Please don't beat up Eric for a tutorial that you don't understand due to your personal lack of technical experience. It was written many patches and EPs ago. Have patience enough to experiment and learn. Remember to always back up any game file you change.

Theorist
#175 Old 25th Jun 2007 at 6:47 AM
Actually you do not need to edit any of the broadcast.ini files in the program directories. Most people will find it easier to keep track of the broadcast.ini file in My Documents -

My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Config\broadcast.ini

- since this path does not change no matter what future expansion pack or stuff pack you may install.

Editing only the My Documents broadcast.ini file has these advantages:

1) It is easier to locate for most users

2) The file path is always the same

3) It is more likely to be backed up. Some people do back up their My Documents folders on a regular basis. Very few back up their Program Files.

4) Any files or settings in My Documents are dependent on which user is logged onto Windows at the time. The broadcast.ini file - and in fact the whole contents of the EA Games folder including the Downloads subfolder - can therefore be tailored for each individual user. (As an aside, I currently run a separate user logon so that I can have a version of the Sims 2 with only the custom clothing and objects belonging the Victorian period or earlier).
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