Advice Required: Building a new Freeview PC-PVR (6 Viewers)

[CyberSimian]

My HTPC has been shut down for the last 2 days.

Terminology is important. Do you really mean shutdown, or do you mean standby (which is usually sleep, but could be hibernation). "TV Server" cannot wake the system to grab the EPG if it is shutdown.

I set it up to grab as you suggested in your earlier reply, in the early hours on BBC1 (& while idle: for 10min every 24hrs)

10 minutes to too short. I have my system setup to grab the EPG once per day, but I grab for 40 minutes. The EPG grabbing and database-update take around 30 minutes on my system, but it varies from day to day (depending on how many entries there are in the EPG), so 40 minutes provides some contingency for when the EPG is larger than normal.

If I leave it on, will it populate the guide, if so how long will that take?

It won't populate the guide if the refresh interval is 24 hours and there has already been an EPG grab within the last 24 hours. To perform an immediate grab, make sure that the grab timeout (not the refresh interval) is set to 40 minutes, and then go to the "Manual Control" section and click "Refresh DVB EPG". A refresh interval of 24 hours should be OK, provided that your system wakes each morning (i.e. it is not shutdown), and the grab timeout is large enough (i.e. 40 minutes, not 10 minutes).

there's no programs listed in the the TV-guide, except for BBC1.

Check that you have the following settings:

On "DVB EPG" panel:
Grab EPG only for channels on same transponder -- must be deselected

On "TV EPG Grabber" panel:
Store data only for selected channels -- must be deselected
Grab EPG for these channels -- select only BBC1 or BBC1 HD

On "Radio EPG Grabber" panel:
Store data only for selected channels -- must be deselected
Grab EPG for these channels -- select nothing

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

 

[groovybaby]

Many thanks @CyberSimian & @joecrow for your previous help.

A few niggles and queries, sorry for the long list, but these problems are really annoying.

1: Remote Control:
Q1: Do you have a user manual for the remote (eg: the one that @CyberSimian recommended), that shows what each key is capable of? The MP wiki that I've seen is for a different remote.
Q2: Can the remote only control MP?

2: Automatic MP reboot:
Normally when I start the HTPC to watch a program etc,
MP does the Windows login automatically, and displays the MP menu pages etc, at full screen size.

But I have MP set to reboot once a week,
and afterward when I start the PC, currently I have to use the keyboard, to:
a: login
b: then restart MP
c: and then resize MP

Q3: So can this all be done from the remote? If so, how do I:
a: get the remote to allow me to enter letters instead of numbers?
b: Re-Start MB, eg: click (or double click) on the MP icon on the Windows desktop, or is there another way?
c: Re-Size MB, eg: click on the full-screen-icon on the MP window, or is there another way?

3: Unpredictable Reboot?
Sometimes when I start the HTPC to watch a program etc, the PC may have rebooted as above, but for no apparent reason.

4: Internet connection: Windows Security Updates: Avast Updates:
Currently I use the HT with it disconnected from the net.
But when it's time for an automatic Windows or Avast (eg, my antivirus software) update, the PC may automatically reboot (if its on standby), and then possible go to sleep again.
Then I have to check what caused these actions and if necessary, log in again, and connect to the net, to do the updates, all by using the keyboard.

Q4: So is there a way of preventing this, because even if I kept it permanently connected to the net, I would still have to use the keyboard to do it, unless these updates can realistically be actioned via the remote?

5: Failed Recordings:
Sometime when I set more than one program to record at the same time, one or all fail.
It's usually in the evening when I set 2 or more (up to 4) programs say 2100 < 2200
I've tried some test in the day, which my be OK.
But I do remember setting 4 test programs to start at about 1400,
and the first 3 recorded OK but the 4th failed.

6: Signal Strength & Quality:
Usually the recording quality is good, but from time to time, some programs either fail to record at all, or record but have minor or catastrophic data loss.
eg: yesterday I set 2 programs on the same channel, (for: 2100<2200<2300) both on my HTPC & on my PVR, and both recorded OK on the PVR, but were useless on the HTPC.

Sorry for the long list, but these problems are really annoying.

Many thanks.

 

[joecrow]

But I have MP set to reboot once a week,
and afterward when I start the PC, currently I have to use the keyboard, to:
a: login
b: then restart MP
c: and then resize MP

Just cherry picking one of your questions I can answer quickly.
All the above can be done automatically on reboot. You can use netplwiz to auto login to your win 10 account (Google "auto login win 10" for further info). Go to MP1 Config/General/Startup and Resume Settings to enable MP startup with Windows and Fullscreen or Windowed mode.

 

[CyberSimian]

Firstly, I must mention that I have forgotten whether you are using MP1 or MP2. The "TV Server" part is identical for both products, but the MP part differs between MP1 and MP2.

I use MP1 exclusively, and @joecrow currently uses MP1, but is being tempted by the Dark Side (MP2). Below I can only tell you how MP1 would do it. If you are using MP2, someone else will need to reply.

Do you have a user manual for the remote (eg: the one that @CyberSimian recommended), that shows what each key is capable of?

Various manufacturers have produced remote controls for Windows Media Center (WMC). These have substantially the same set of buttons on each, with only one or two additional buttons that differ between remotes. If you purchased the HP remote, that is a WMC remote control ("MCE RC6"), and it works with the default MP config.

However, you can customise most (possibly all) buttons on the remote to do whatever actions you prefer. Obviously the actions are pre-defined by MP, but you can choose the subset that you want for your remote control.

MP1: In "MP Config", click the "Mapping" button on the "HID" tab in the "Remotes and Input Devices" section. There you can see what each button does and change it if you want (this panel may take a bit of learning to understand how to use it).

Can the remote only control MP?

Microsoft set the standard when they introduced WMC, so most other media-center applications use the same remote control. You can probably use the HP remote to control Kodi, NextPvr, and so on.

If the question is "can the HP remote be used to control other devices such as my TV, my DVD player, my DVR?", the answer is "no". For that, you would need a programmable universal remote control that can control multiple devices. You still need to use the HP IR receiver for the HTPC, though.

I use a Logitech Harmony 650 remote control, which can operate up to six devices. Harmony remotes implement "activities" that make switching between devices "one press" actions. But Harmony remotes are not without their disadvantages, so Harmony is not an unqualified recommendation.

how do I:
a: get the remote to allow me to enter letters instead of numbers?

You don't. Instead you choose a password that consists entirely of numbers.

I initially set up my system (Windows 7) so that it did not require a password. But then I found that I could never connect to it over my home network from my laptop. To move files between them, I had to copy the files to a USB memory stick, carry the memory stick to the other system, and then copy the files from the memory stick. I got fed up with that after a few months, so I gave in and defined a password on the HTPC, after which the systems connected immediately (doh!). To allow the password to be entered from the remote control, I used numeric digits.

There is one caveat: when I setup my system I defined two users, so the logon screen has two user icons, and I need to click the one I want to logon (I use an Ortek/Hama remote to do that, as it has a built-in mouse). With Windows 10, it defaults (I think) to the previous logged-on user, so you need only to enter the password (numeric digits) and press the OK button on the remote.

how do I:
b: Re-Start MB, eg: click (or double click) on the MP icon on the Windows desktop, or is there another way?
c: Re-Size MB, eg: click on the full-screen-icon on the MP window, or is there another way?

MP1: As @joecrow mentioned, there is a startup option that you can select to cause MP to start automatically when Windows boots, and (independently) to start fullscreen.

MP1: With your remote, you should be able to start MP from the Windows desktop by pressing the "green marble" button on the remote. There is another config setting to enable this Additional 3rd Party Checks (you want to enable the "MpTray" utility).

Sometimes when I start the HTPC to watch a program etc, the PC may have rebooted as above, but for no apparent reason.

I believe that Windows 10 Update sometimes needs to perform a reboot after updates have been installed. This is not always the case, as some updates don't require a reboot.

Very rarely I have encountered an unexpected system restart. There is a tool called "Blue Screen View" that provides a readable interpretation of the Windows dump info, and in my case the reboot is usually caused by the TV tuner driver. Not much that I can do about that (my tuner is long out of production, so the driver is no longer maintained by the manufacturer).

MP1: Recent versions of MP have an occasional tendency to terminate, but MP then restarts immediately. This is an MP problem, but no solution is available at the present time (and this does not cause a system reboot).

when it's time for an automatic Windows or Avast (eg, my antivirus software) update, the PC may automatically reboot (if its on standby) ... So is there a way of preventing this

For Windows 10, you could try enabling the I am using a metered internet connection setting (this is located somewhere in Windows internet settings). On a different Windows 10 laptop, this has (so far) successfully prevented Windows updating from version 1609.

For Avast, if you cannot disable automatic updates, I am minded to ask whether you need antivirus at all if you don't connect to the internet for other purposes (youtube, netflix, web browsing, email, social media). In fact, if you are using the broadcast EPG, you need never connect to the internet except when installing a new version of MP (and maybe to synchronise the system clock with a web-based time server).

I run my HTPC without any additional antivirus/antimalware software -- I use only what is provided with Windows.

Sometime when I set more than one program to record at the same time, one or all fail.

When I used WMC, I had eight tuners in my system, because WMC used one tuner per channel. I have now reduced that to six tuners, because MP uses one tuner per MUX. Nevertheless I do occasionally end up performing eight simultaneous recordings , but all without problem. I draw the limit at eight simultaneous recordings.

Make sure that the disk being used for the recordings is:

• Not a slow disk (e.g. not a 4200 rpm laptop disk),
• Internal to the HTPC (e.g. not a USB disk or NAS disk),
• Has plenty of empty space (writing to a disk that has very little empty space takes longer, because Windows has to move the read/write heads all over the disk to use the empty space).

Usually the recording quality is good, but from time to time, some programs either fail to record at all, or record but have minor or catastrophic data loss.

Tuners in HTPCs are less sensitive than tuners in TV sets or tuners in DVRs. This means that you need a stronger signal for an HTPC in order to have reliable reception. Also, in the UK the various MUXes differ in broadcast signal strength. For example, at my location:

(1) Three MUXes broadcast at 200 kW power
(2) Three MUXes broadcast ar 50 kW power
(3) Two MUXes broadcast at 20 kW power

My TBS tuners can receive (1) and (2) without problem, but (3) is marginal (so I have excluded those from the EPG). My Pinnacle tuners can receive only (1), with no trace of (2) or (3). I use a loft aerial, and I could probably receive all MUXes if I installed an external roof-top aerial.

Obviously, the MUX powers are likely to be different at your location, but you should go to one of the internet web sites to review the broadcast powers of your transmitter. Try this web site, click "What channels should I get", enter your postcode, click "Check", and then scroll to the bottom of the page and click "Detailed view". Scroll down a bit until you see the MUXes listed for each transmitter. If you hover the mouse pointer over the channel number, it will show various data, including the power in kW (it is the last item of data in the hover text).

It may be instructive to observe which channels fail to record, or which have pixelation. If the problem is signal strength, you will have more problems with channels in the weak MUXes.

Some people use aerial amplifiers (indeed, I do ), but remember that an aerial amplifier does not improve signal to noise ratio -- in fact the amplifier will worsen signal-to-noise ratio (because the amplifier will add its own noise). But if you already have an aerial amplifier (or can borrow one), it might be worth trying. Otherwise is means paying £300 to an aerial installer to install a better aerial system.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

 

[joecrow]

Q4: So is there a way of preventing this, because even if I kept it permanently connected to the net, I would still have to use the keyboard to do it, unless these updates can realistically be actioned via the remote?

If you have Win 10 Pro then it is possible to switch off Windows auto updates and put it into a manual mode via the Group Policy Editor, for Win 10 Home it is usually possible to inhibit auto updates using the update settings, for both Google "Stop Win 10 updates" for further infdo.
I am not familier with Avast AV but I would be surprised if there was not an option to turn off auto updating in the setup.

 

[joecrow]

Firstly, I must mention that I have forgotten whether you are using MP1 or MP2. The "TV Server" part is identical for both products, but the MP part differs between MP1 and MP2.

Opps. me to @groovybaby In my my earlier post I assumed you were using MP1 but looking back I think maybe you have MP2 please confirm.
I will correct my response to your Question 2 if you are in fact using MP2, sorry.

 

[groovybaby]

Many thanks @CyberSimian & @joecrow for your continued help.

Yes: I'm using MP2 currently in 32bit mode.

@CyberSimian I'm currently using the remote you recommended, eg:
HP USB MCE IR RC6 Wireless Receiver and TSGH-IR02 Windows Media Center remote

All very confusing, but like most things: HDYEAE ALBAAT
(Q: How do you eat an elephant / A: A little bit at a time)
Not that I'd literally want too!

So I think that I need to do these 2 things first:
a: check, and if necessary improve my aerial strength:
I'm using a roof top aerial, but it's the old analogue aerial, so a digital version may be more efficient.
b: Cure the 'Automatic MP reboot' issue, so let me know @joecrow if your advice is different for MP2.

Many thanks.

 

[CyberSimian]

I'm using a roof top aerial, but it's the old analogue aerial, so a digital version may be more efficient.

Digital and analogue aerials are identical (don't believe the misleading advertising that claims you need a digital aerial!). What matters is:

(1) Are you using the transmitter that gives the best reception at your location? Some locations can receive signals from more than one transmitter, but with differing signal strength. Local topography and/or nearby tall buildings can also make the choice of transmitter more complicated.

(2) Are you using an aerial that has the correct group classification for the transmitter that you are using? For example, your existing aerial might be group A, while the transmitter is broadcasting in group B. You will still receive a signal, but it won't be as strong.

(3) Is the aerial big enough? From memory, my aerial is about four feet long, and has numerous elements on it.

(4) Is the aerial correctly aligned for the transmitter that you are using? Have storms caused it to become misaligned?

(5) Is the aerial cabling of good quality? Has it deteriorated over the years due to weathering? Nowadays the recommendation is to use satellite-grade cabling, as it provides the smallest signal losses caused by the cable itself.

(6) Are all of the connections secure (i.e. not loose)? This is difficult to check for the external parts of the system.

If you eventually decide to employ an aerial installer, you should explain to him that you want to use the aerial with an HTPC that has a tuner of low sensitivity. If you don't do this, the installer may select an aerial which gives good reception for TVs at your location, but which is not sensitive enough for the HTPC.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

 

[joecrow]

b: Cure the 'Automatic MP reboot' issue, so let me know @joecrow if your advice is different for MP2.

OK, first off you still need to set up Windows to do an auto login via netplwiz see here for instructions.
After that start up MP2 and click on the settings icon as shown in the screenshot below, then "General" and "System" and select "Autostart" and click to enable Yes.
To enable fullscreen on MP2 startup again click on the settings icon then "Appearance" and "General" and select "Fullscreen" and click to enable Yes.

Hopefully then following a reboot windows will auto login and MP" will startup in fullscreen mode automatically.

Also please note if you go to settings "Input Devices" you can customise which buttons on your remote do what and assign buttons to more complex functions.

 

[groovybaby]

OK, first off you still need to set up Windows to do an auto login via netplwiz see here for instructions.

Many thanks @joecrow

However:

Method 1 – User Accounts:
I've followed those instructions, but when I open the User-Accounts window,
its tick-box (Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer) is not shown!

Method 2 – Settings Menu
Sign-in options / is already set to: Never

???