Live TV timeshift buffer not recycling

[bolders]

TV-Server Version: RC1
MediaPortal Version: RC1
MediaPortal Skin: XFACE
Windows Version: XP SP3
CPU Type: AMD 64 - 3700
HDD: Seagate - approx 2TB
Memory: 1GB Corsair VS
Motherboard: ECS RX480a
Video Card: Nvidia 7800GT
Video Card Driver: 169.21
Sound Card: OnBoard
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card: Hauppauge NovaT 500
1. TV Card Type: DVB-T
1. TV Card Driver: 4.2
2. TV Card: Hauppauge PVR 150
2. TV Card Type: Analogue (using video out from NTL)
2. TV Card Driver: 4.2
3. TV Card:
3. TV Card Type:
3. TV Card Driver:
4. TV Card:
4. TV Card Type:
4. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec: Nvidia Pure Video
MPEG2 Audio Codec:
h.264 Video Codec: CoreAVC
Satelite/CableTV Provider:
HTPC Case: Silversone LC16M
Cooling:
Power Supply:
Remote: Microsoft MCE (IR Server suite rocks)
TV: Hanspree JT02 37"
TV - HTPC Connection: DVI - HDMI


Hi all

My setup has been freezing when watching live TV for a while now but ive recently made a discovery which may help get to the bottom of the problem (with your help of course )

My setup consists of a media PC in the front room which has a PVR 150 (connected to STB) and NOVA T 500 fitted. I have the TV server and Media Portal installed on this PC. I also have several other PCs that connect as clients.

The problem I have does NOT affect the client PCs and it only occurs when watching TV via the PVR 150 card. This problem occured on my old media PC and the one I have just built.


When im watching Live TV via the PVR 150 it runs perfect for about an hour but then the picture just freezes. However I can still skip back into the timeshift buffer and rewatch the last hour of TV.
I have discovered that when I start live TV the time shift buffer file is created normally. It then continues to add buffer files until the maximum number allowed is reached (i.e. default is 20 files) at this point the TV just freezes and the first buffer files are not being overwritten.

To check this I set the maximum number of files to 4 in the TV server setup (general settings/timeshifting).
As soon as the 4 buffer files had been created the TV froze when watching from the local PC. when watching via my laptop the buffer files worked correctly. To over come this problem for now I have increased the file size of the buffer files to 512MB and also increased the maximum number of files to 40 but i still have to remember to turn the TV off and back on again after about 3 hours to prevent the maximum number of buffer files from being reached.

Does any body have any ideas what might be going on here.

I realise that log files will probably be needed but im not sure if its the TV server logs or Media Portal logs that are required.
Should I delete the existing log files and create fresh ones when replicating the problem.
Are there anythings that I should be aware of when creating log files (e.g. settings in config such as watchdog enabled and log verbosity setting)

Im fairly competent setting up Media Portal now but im afraid im not that familiar with the logs or which ones are relevant - I guess now is a good time to learn so any tips would be appreciated.

Thanks

bolders

[tourettes]

Originally Posted by bolders

I realise that log files will probably be needed but im not sure if its the TV server logs or Media Portal logs that are required.

Should I delete the existing log files and create fresh ones when replicating the problem.
Are there anythings that I should be aware of when creating log files (e.g. settings in config such as watchdog enabled and log verbosity setting)

Both TV server and MP logs could be helpful. Also if you clean the old logs it will be more easier to check whats going wrong.

[bolders]

Hi tourettes

Here are the logs

I deleted the medial portal and tv server logs, rebooted, opened MP, switched to Guide then started playing live TV.

The TV hung as expected. I tried to exit MP and also to switch to home (which it will sometimes do) but in this instance it was unresponsive and I had to close MP via windows task manager.

For this test I set the min number of files to 1, max to 4 and file size to 30MB so i didnt have to wait too long for the error to occur.

I have been running this test on my Nova T 500 while I writing this post and it has just hung in the same way as it does with my PVR 150 so this fault is not exclusive to my analogue card as i originally thought.

I have just checked the TV from a client PC and it works perfeclty so it seems the problem is limited to the local PC only

Cheers

bolders

[Ambass]

Hi Bolders,

Unfortunately, the TsWriter log at the fail time is missing.

Sometimes, I've the "SEEK failed.." but it's a normal behaviour that can occur during file reuse.

Btw, the ts buffer count should not exceed the minimum if you do'nt pause tv. For example if the minimum is declared to 4, the number of files should increase to 4, then reuse the files.
If you reach the maximum, something prevent the erasing of the 1st file....
Also, I discourage to set minimum ts files to 1 because minimum required is 2. ( probably it will use 2 )


Could you attach new logs, to try to understand from the tsWriter.log.

Ambass.

[Ambass]

Oops, sorry,

You are using analog TV , and it's in MPFileWriter.log. I'm not familiar with...
I'll check.

Ambass.

[bolders]

TV-Server Version: TV3 (RC1 + svn 19158)
MediaPortal Version: RC1 + svn 19158
MediaPortal Skin: XFACE
Windows Version: XP SP2
CPU Type: AMD 64 X2 4450e
HDD: Seagate 2x 300GB, 3x 320GB, 1x 500GB
Memory: 2GB Corsair DDR2 (4,4,4,12)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H 780G Socket AM2+
Video Card: ATI 3200 (onboard)
Video Card Driver:
Sound Card: On board
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card: Hauppauge NovaT 500
1. TV Card Type: DVB-T
1. TV Card Driver: 4.4
2. TV Card: Hauppauge PVR 150
2. TV Card Type: Analogue (using video out from NTL)
2. TV Card Driver: 4.4
3. TV Card:
3. TV Card Type:
3. TV Card Driver:
4. TV Card:
4. TV Card Type:
4. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec: Nvidia Pure Video
MPEG2 Audio Codec: Nvidia Pure Video
h.264 Video Codec: CoreAVC
Satelite/CableTV Provider: NTL
HTPC Case: Silversone LC16M
Cooling: 2x Noctua NF-R8 (case), 1x Noctua NF-P12 (CPU - on stock AMD cooler)
Power Supply: Enermax modu82 425Watt
Remote: Microsoft MCE (IR Server suite rocks)
TV: Hanspree JT02 37"
TV - HTPC Connection: HDMI


Hi Ambass et Tourettes

I just wondered if there was any feed back on this problem.

Also I have just built a new system and done a complete fresh install but the problem is still there - everything else is working really well. The only thing from the old PC is the TV cards card and Hard drive.

This is the third system I have had this problem on now so im a bit suprised that nobody else has seen this problem...strange

cheers

bolders

Ambass, is there any more info that you need. Im not sure from your last post

[Noonian]

TV-Server Version: MP 1.0RC1
MediaPortal Version: MP 1.0RC1
MediaPortal Skin: BlueTwo
Windows Version: XP SP2
CPU Type: AMD Athlon 3500
HDD: Samsung Spinpoit 250GB
Memory: 1GB
Motherboard: ASUS M2NPV-VM
Video Card: onboard nvidia 6150
Video Card Driver: 6.14.11.6375
Sound Card: on board
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card: FireDTV
1. TV Card Type: DVB-T
1. TV Card Driver:
2. TV Card:
2. TV Card Type:
2. TV Card Driver:
3. TV Card:
3. TV Card Type:
3. TV Card Driver:
4. TV Card:
4. TV Card Type:
4. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec: NVidia PureVideo
MPEG2 Audio Codec:
h.264 Video Codec:
Satelite/CableTV Provider:
HTPC Case: Antec Fusion
Cooling:
Power Supply:
Remote: Microsoft
TV: Sony 40w2000
TV - HTPC Connection: dvi

Bolders,

I believe I have the same problem as you (see logs attached), Unfortunately I don't have any clues about how to resolve it. It's been bugging me for quite a while through several fresh installs and SVNs.

Looking through your specs the common denominators seems to be NVidia Purevideo (have tested other codecs with the same result) and MCE Remote and IR Suite. I've been wondering if it could matter that I do not use the default location for the timeshift buffers. Do you?

Anyone with any ideas, additional tests to frame the problem better??

Regards
Noonian

[bolders]

Hi m8

I seem to have resolved the problem by accident. TV run all night and only 6 buffer files created (as it should be)

First to answer your question - no i do not use the default locations for my timeshift folders.

I have 2 HDs in my media PC -

1x 40GB IDE (split into 15GB partition for boot and 25GB partition for ghost images and backups)
1x500GB SATA - used for timeshift buffer, recording and backup of music, docs, etc from my file server.

I moved the timeshift files from the 500GB drive to the 25GB partition of the 40GB drive. This was because the 500GB drive was quite noisy when timeshifting. However it seems to have also cured my timeshifting problems.

Dont know if there is a solution here but perhaps it is worth trying to move the TS location to other drives and see if it helps

good luck

bolders

[Paranoid Delusion]

There were reports of people having the same TS folder as recording folder having problems, so what i did, was create a folder inside the recording folder, just for timeshifting (setup in config), and as its just a flag switch to transfer data to the recorded folder, does not seem to have ever given a problem hdd wise.

Regards

[Noonian]

Seems to be working now, after moving the timeshift buffer back to the default location. The default location is on the first partition (C of my hard drive. When I have it on the second partition (D, I get this problem.. Weird !

Regards
Noonian