TV recording doesn't start if DVD is playing (1 Viewer)

[mm1352000]

Heya

1) Unless I am seriously mistaken:
The event at ***09:39:45.750000 [(6)]: TV service: Starting*** in tv.log is a startup (reboot) event, not a resume from standby. It corresponds to the first event at ***09:39:29.875000 [Info.][MPMain(1)]: Main: MediaPortal v1.2.3.0 is starting up on Windows XP ( Service Pack 3 ) [5.1.2600.196608]*** and to ***09:39:47.609375 [Info.][MPMain(1)]: Main: The TV service has started successfully.*** in Mediaportal.log.

Hmmm, I said suspend/resume because of the logging immediately above that:
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2014-12-04 09:36:44.296875 [PowerEventThread(8)]: PowerScheduler: System wants to enter standby (query)
2014-12-04 09:36:44.312500 [PowerEventThread(8)]: TV service PowerEventThread 49354
2014-12-04 09:36:44.312500 [PowerEventThread(8)]: TV service PowerEventThread 49344
2014-12-04 09:36:44.750000 [PowerEventThread(8)]: OnPowerEvent: PowerStatus: Suspend
2014-12-04 09:36:44.750000 [PowerEventThread(8)]: OnPowerEventHandler: PowerStatus: Suspend
2014-12-04 09:36:44.750000 [PowerEventThread(8)]: TvController.OnSuspend()
2014-12-04 09:36:44.765625 [PowerEventThread(8)]: Scheduler: stopped
2014-12-04 09:36:44.781250 [PowerEventThread(8)]: Scheduler: thread stopped.
2014-12-04 09:36:44.781250 [PowerEventThread(8)]: Stopcard
2014-12-04 09:36:44.781250 [PowerEventThread(8)]: dvbtopGraph called
2014-12-04 09:36:44.781250 [PowerEventThread(8)]: tvcard:FreeAllSubChannels
2014-12-04 09:36:44.781250 [PowerEventThread(8)]: Stopcard
2014-12-04 09:36:44.781250 [PowerEventThread(8)]: dvbtopGraph called
2014-12-04 09:36:44.781250 [PowerEventThread(8)]: tvcard:FreeAllSubChannels
2014-12-04 09:36:44.781250 [PowerEventThread(8)]: dvbtopGraph filterstate already stopped, returning.
2014-12-04 09:36:44.781250 [PowerEventThread(8)]: Stopcard
2014-12-04 09:36:44.781250 [PowerEventThread(8)]: dvbtopGraph called
2014-12-04 09:36:44.781250 [PowerEventThread(8)]: tvcard:FreeAllSubChannels
2014-12-04 09:36:44.781250 [PowerEventThread(8)]: Stopcard
2014-12-04 09:36:44.781250 [PowerEventThread(8)]: tvcard:FreeAllSubChannels
2014-12-04 09:36:44.781250 [PowerEventThread(8)]: Stopcard
2014-12-04 09:36:44.781250 [PowerEventThread(8)]: tvcard:FreeAllSubChannels
2014-12-04 09:36:44.781250 [PowerEventThread(8)]: Stopcard
2014-12-04 09:36:44.781250 [PowerEventThread(8)]: PowerScheduler: System is going to suspend
2014-12-04 09:36:44.781250 [PowerEventThread(8)]: PowerScheduler: SetWakeupTimer
2014-12-04 09:36:44.796875 [PowerEventThread(8)]: ActiveSharesHandler: have not found any matching connections - will allow standby
2014-12-04 09:36:44.812500 [PowerEventThread(8)]: PowerScheduler: Set wakeup timer to wakeup system in 6.253125 minutes[/collapse]

I had assumed (I think wrongly, now) that you had the PowerScheduler reinit TV service option enabled, and that was why the regular TV service startup logging followed... but now that you point this out, I don't see any indication that the system is resuming. That's a bit odd. I mean, how did the system suspend... and then do a clean boot.

So it seems to me that everything before the reboot, including starting to initiate standby (not suspend), is not relevant to this discussion. Right? Wrong? (I was having some non-related, operator caused problems before -- thus the reboot and fresh start.)

I'm not sure whether it is relevant.
How exactly did you reboot?
PS: I said suspend because that's what the log says ("OnPowerEventHandler: PowerStatus: Suspend" etc.) but as far as I'm concerned you can substitute "standby" wherever I write that.

There are no standby/resume cycles during this entire test time from 9:39:44 until 11:07:43. The dvd was playing for most of this time. from 9:40:36 until 11:02:46.

True, but my point was that the tuners seem to be "borked" right from the point of first use after boot (which I thought was resume). Unfortunately as far as I can see there are no tune attempts between the start of the system and the start of the DVD playing to confirm whether the tuners were in fact working prior to starting the DVD or not. This is critical. Your case for an interaction with DVD playback assumes the tuners were working... but that assumption needs to be tested.

2) I absolutely, positively, 99.93% guarantee that this issue is related to starting a dvd. Whatever that is could of course somehow cause standby/resume to not work. But I routinely do several, at least 4 or 5 standby/resume cycles daily, and I have NEVER (99.93%) seen this issue without a dvd start involved.

Okay. For a moment it seemed like a reasonable alternative theory in the absence of a concrete explanation of how DVD playback could trigger something like this.

The thing about blaming DVD playback is that I can't think of any plausible explanation for how it could be to blame.

At this point it appears that the symptoms of the fault stem from the tuner driver refusing to do what TV Server asks it to do. To be clear, that is to say: when you see that TV Server fails to record, it is not for want of trying. TV Server does try to start the recording at the right time (and repeatedly retries after that, until the scheduled end time of the recording)... but interactions with DirectShow and/or the tuner driver fail, preventing the recording from starting. In the logs that can be seen in the form of this error message:
2014-12-04 09:46:33.828125 [scheduler thread(9)]: dvb: RunGraph returns: 0x8007001F

Given the above information, when you say that the issue is related to starting a DVD, in my head I'm thinking that an explanation in terms of effects on DirectShow, BDA and/or the tuner driver is needed. That's difficult from my perspective, because all of those components are closed source third party "black boxes". I have no insight into the inner workings of DirectShow and/or the tuner driver that would enable me to explain how this issue could arise. Personally I've never seen interactions like this before. As a result, I'd freely admit I'm sceptical and am looking for an alternative explanation that makes sense in the context of the domains that I am familiar with.

3) Referring to post $22 above, I've almost convinced myself that 'the problem' is only with schedules that existed before starting the dvd. I have not been able to reproduce the problem by adding scheduled recordings after starting the dvd despite several tries, and it may be easier to reproduce for already existing schedules (worked 2 out of 2 tries). Does this suggest any possible area that could get broken?

At this point I'm not able to accept that theory, because at least in this example the problem is not that TV Server doesn't try to perform the recordings. Rather it is that TV Server is not able to start the recordings due to the tuner's refusals. It shouldn't matter when or how you create the schedules, or whether the test was a recording or live TV. I'd expect all interactions with the tuner to fail until the underlying issue preventing the tuner from doing what it should is resolved. That may require a TV service or PC restart.

So my swag is that live TV will also work OK. I'll try to repeat this, and try live TV.

Indeed, and my theory is the opposite: that live TV will not work.

So, do I have point 1) right? If so, do you still suggest the same test procedures?
Do 2) and 3) suggest any other possibilities?

Yes, I think you have point 1 right... though as above, I'm interested in what exactly went on there as it could provide an explanation for what happened.
I'd suggest the same test procedure with two modifications that have been alluded to above:

1. If possible please also try a recording or live TV before triggering the problem. That way we have confirmation the tuner was working before the DVD playback, and that the DVD playback is *the* trigger... even if we don't understand how it could be the trigger.
   
2. Try live TV after the problem kicks in.

Best regards,
mm

 

[cewillis]

"how did the system suspend... and then do a clean boot.
I'm not sure whether it is relevant.
How exactly did you reboot?"
I pressed the reset button on the front of the computer -- so respectfully, I do think events before the reset are not relevant.
But I do agree that I haven't shown the tuners to be working before starting a dvd -- and I will.

"True, but my point was that the tuners seem to be "borked" right from the point of first use after boot "
I really don't believe that -- but I need to prove it.

"At this point I'm not able to accept that theory, ......
It shouldn't matter when or how you create the schedules, or whether the test was a recording or live TV. I'd expect all interactions with the tuner to fail until the underlying issue preventing the tuner from doing what it should is resolved. That may require a TV service or PC restart."
OK, but I'm pretty certain that this DID happen once per post #22. I will try to repeat.

1. If possible please also try a recording or live TV before triggering the problem. That way we have confirmation the tuner was working before the DVD playback, and that the DVD playback is *the* trigger... even if we don't understand how it could be the trigger.
2. Try live TV after the problem kicks in.

Will do -- after deleting all logs, and rebooting. I will also have an existing scheduled record for sometime after this test sequence. (to repeat post #22)
Are you totally confident that live TV is fully equivalent to a recording in all respects? I can use the New function to quickly schedule a recording --.

 

[mm1352000]

Are you totally confident that live TV is fully equivalent to a recording in all respects?

In terms of interactions with the tuner (which are the point of failure, and therefore what we're interested in): yes, 100% confident.
It doesn't hurt to do both, if you'd prefer.