Tunerlock Failure -> 50% cpu then hang (dual core)

[Spoonfed]

Being trying to sort out a stability issue on my fairly fresh system.

While using the PC for browsing/whatever I would notice that 1 of the CPU's cores pegged at 100% usage (50% overall) by the SYSTEM process. The PC would still keep running fine.
I have previously had hangs etc but tonight managed to narrow the problem down to MediaPortal and TV capturing.

During this 100% 1core usage the MP log shows
2008-02-28 22:04:41.883189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraph: Unlocked... wait for tunerlock
2008-02-28 22:04:46.962189 [Info.][6]: Tuner locked: False
2008-02-28 22:04:47.471189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraph: Unlocked... wait for tunerlock
2008-02-28 22:04:52.554189 [Info.][6]: Tuner locked: False

constantly repeated.

Now the car was locked, and capturing (there is 1.8gb of capture on the HD), for some reason lost lock and it seems MP's continued efforts to relock and inturn initiating hardware requests seems the SYSTEM process peak the core.

Now I can use the system fine at this point, however as soon as I go to bring back MP from the tray
2008-02-28 22:20:59.217189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraph: Unlocked... wait for tunerlock
2008-02-28 22:21:00.859189 [Info.][MPMain]: D3D: Restoring from tray
2008-02-28 22:21:04.239189 [Info.][6]: Tuner locked: False
2008-02-28 22:21:04.751189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraph: Unlocked... wait for tunerlock

Bang, system hangs. Sometimes I still have mouse movement, I can even still ping the PC but otherwise its dead (frozen on the same screen)

System is Vista 32 (fully patched)
The card in question being captured (which fails) is 2nd tuner Dvico Dual 4 PCI card

I'm guessing the issue is either driver or hardware. It doesn't always seem to happen, more so after capture has been running for a period.

Log showing the card usage about 20min prior to issue presenting
2008-02-28 21:38:57.439189 [Info.][6]: teletext: stop grabbing teletext for card:AVerMedia DVB-T 777
2008-02-28 21:38:57.439189 [Info.][6]: Commandprocessor: Card:AVerMedia DVB-T 777 idle
2008-02-28 21:38:57.439189 [Info.][6]: Commandprocessor: Card:Compro VideoMate DVB-T300 (Digital) recording tv channel:TEN HD
2008-02-28 21:38:57.440189 [Info.][6]: Commandprocessor: Cardvico FusionHDTV DVB-T Dual Digital 4 (Tuner 1) recording tv channel:TEN HD
2008-02-28 21:38:57.440189 [Info.][6]: Commandprocessor: Cardvico FusionHDTV DVB-T Dual Digital 4 (Tuner 2) recording tv channel:7 HD


And a Log section showing where it appears to have reobtained relock briefly?

2008-02-28 22:00:30.252189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraph: Unlocked... wait for tunerlock
2008-02-28 22:00:35.316189 [Info.][6]: Tuner locked: False
2008-02-28 22:00:36.052189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraph: Unlocked... wait for tunerlock
2008-02-28 22:00:41.069189 [Info.][6]: Tuner locked: False
2008-02-28 22:00:41.078189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraph:Grab epg for :7 HD
2008-02-28 22:00:41.079189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraph: start graph
2008-02-28 22:00:41.465189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraph:TuneChannel() tune to channel:5
2008-02-28 22:00:41.747189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraph: tuning details: frequency:177500 kHz ONID:4115 TSID:1284 SID:1348 provider:unknown
2008-02-28 22:00:41.748189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraphBDAubmitTuneRequest() frequency:177500 kHz Bandwidth:7 ONID:4115 TSID:1284, SID:1348
2008-02-28 22:00:41.906189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraphetHardwarePidFiltering to:0,1,10,11,12,D3,D2,441,443,440,404,
2008-02-28 22:00:41.914189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraphBDA: signal strength:96 signal quality:0 signal present:False locked:False
2008-02-28 22:00:41.915189 [Info.][6]: DVBDemuxer:7 HD audio:FFFFFFFF video:441 teletext:404 pmt:440 subtitle:0 program:1348
2008-02-28 22:00:41.917189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraph: wait for tunerlock
2008-02-28 22:00:42.128189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraph:TuneChannel done signal strength:99 signal quality:100 locked:True
2008-02-28 22:00:42.634189 [Info.][6]: wait for pmt :-1
2008-02-28 22:00:42.648189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraph: Unlocked... wait for tunerlock
2008-02-28 22:00:47.737189 [Info.][6]: Tuner locked: False
2008-02-28 22:00:48.248189 [Info.][6]: wait for pmt :-1
2008-02-28 22:00:48.250189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraph:Got PMT version:6
2008-02-28 22:00:48.251189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraph: OnPMTIsChanged:C:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\Database\pmt\pmt_7 HD_4115_1284_1348_5.dat
2008-02-28 22:00:48.254189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraphendPMT() set demux: video pid:441 audio pid:0 AC3 pid:443 audio1 pid:0 audio2 pid:0 audio3 pid:0 subtitle pid:FFFFFFFF teletext pid:404 pcr pid:441
2008-02-28 22:00:48.255189 [Info.][6]: DVBDemuxer:7 HD audio:0 video:441 teletext:404 pmt:440 subtitle:0 program:1348
2008-02-28 22:00:48.259189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraphetHardwarePidFiltering to:0,1,10,11,12,D3,D2,441,443,440,404,
2008-02-28 22:00:48.262189 [Info.][6]: update dvbt channel:7 HD
2008-02-28 22:00:48.266189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraph: grab epg for 7 HD
2008-02-28 22:00:48.278189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraph: Unlocked... wait for tunerlock
2008-02-28 22:00:53.339189 [Info.][6]: Tuner locked: False
2008-02-28 22:00:53.855189 [Info.][6]: DVBGraph: Unlocked... wait for tunerlock
2008-02-28 22:00:58.922189 [Info.][6]: Tuner locked: False

[Paranoid Delusion]

Not 100% certain on this, have they taken the same approach as hauppauge with 2 usb tuners on a pci board, connecting through a VIA usb chip.

Asking because the drivers for dvico with my old Dvico dual (version 1) the usb tuner never did work correctly after a resume, even with latest drivers.

Not saying thats the problem you are encountering, but from the amount of complaints out there regarding these cards, may well be relevant.

[Spoonfed]

Yeah I understand these cards have a USB implementation on the PCI card.

I don't use resume, however one thing I notice, if the system crashes and i just hit reset the 2nd Dvico tuner shows an errror unable to start in Device Manager.
A hard power off is needed to fix these. (Which perhaps what is happening on the fly with the card, faulty hardware?...... more like dodgey Dvico haha).

I'd go buy two dual cards tomorrow if I was sure they were 100%, seems so many are 1/2 efforts by the manufacturers. AverTV Duo would be good, though a quick search seems MP having problems with two tuners with the same 'visual' name in the Device manager list (which is the same as the 2 Dvico tuners currently).
Don't really understand how this could be an issue tho, surely within hardware they are 'signed' with different IDs for any application to reference too?

[Paranoid Delusion]

ATM you have Pinnacle Dual pci or Terratec Cinergy 2400i pci-e, which seem to get the best reviews and least reports.

if the system crashes and i just hit reset the 2nd Dvico tuner shows an errror unable to start in Device Manager.

That definately points to a problem, might be worthwhile returning for exchange if not to old.

[Spoonfed]

The Dvico i've had for sometime, along with another Dvico card I have, found them both to be poor in software, drivers and reliablity.

Can get the Pinnacles' locally but not Terratec's unfortunately (UK pound is very strong too so costly here)

With the Pinnacles PCI or PCIe the go?
Computer Alliance
Computer Alliance

Also a PCIe compro option.
the E700
Computer Alliance

Some big price differences, especially when the AverTV Duo PCIe can be had for just over $100AUD.

The current AverTV 777 single PCI card I have is by far the best card i've used thus far, super fast, reliable etc etc.