Card Channel scan finds no channels, lockup when entering live TV (1 Viewer)

[KevL]

TV-Server Version: 1.0.2
MediaPortal Version: 1.0.2
MediaPortal Skin: Monochrome 2.9
Windows Version: winxp mce2005 build 2600.xpsp080413-2111: SP3
CPU Type: Athlon 4850e
HDD: Samsung Spinpoint F1 1000GB x2
Memory: 4GB DDR2
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H Bios F7
Video Card: ATI HD4550
Video Card Driver: Catlayst 9.3
Sound Card: M Audio Transit USB optical SPDIF OUT
Sound Card AC3: Transit USB optical SPDIF out
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card: Blackgold BTG 3540 6in1
1. TV Card Type: DVB-T x 2 , DVB-S x 2
1. TV Card Driver: 6.0.0.25
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: Cyberlink PDVD8
MPEG2 Audio Codec: AC3Filter out via SPDIF
h.264 Video Codec: Cyberlink PDVD8
Satelite/CableTV Provider: Digital Terrestrial, Multisat motorised system
HTPC Case: Antec Fusion
Cooling: Zalmann (huge copper thing)
Power Supply: 320W Antec Fusion
Remote: Harmony via USB UIRT
TV: Pioneer PDP-508XD
TV - HTPC Connection: HDMI

Hi Have been running 1.0.2 successfully for a while.

Now have noticed that I cant enter MP TV without a crash.

Also when trying to rescan tuners cards (in an attempt to fix TV) then no channels are found. Have verified proper operation of the TV card and TV card signal using DVBViewer.

I looked through the attached error logs and can see a problem with network

2009-07-19 00:53:06.687500 [SetupTv]: ServiceHelper: Could not check whether the tvservice is running. Please check your network as well.
Error: System.Net.Sockets.SocketException: No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it 127.0.0.1:31456

Reading the forum I see similar errors and that a full reinstallation of MP is recommended. I have done this (complete uninstallation first using the MP1.0.2 uninstallation tool) but still get the same error condition.

My firewall has MP exceptions added. I cleaned out the old ones and let MP reconfigure the exceptions during reinstallation.

Any ideas?


Fairly sure it used to work fine.

Kev

 

[DreadFury]

try disabling your firewall and any antivirus on your server and client machine, then see if it works from there.
if it does, set the necessary exceptions and re-enable them.

Also, check to make sure you have filesharing enabled and are in a private (not public) network to cover all bases.

If this still doesn't help, try resetting your router, this will allow it to reset the dns services.

good luck!

 

[KevL]

Many thanks for your advice DreadFury,


I'll have a look at my firewall and antivirus.

I guess I sould have made clear that my server and client are actually the same machine. I have not as yet configured any client machines elsewhere on my network.

Filesharing is enabled on my network. I can log into other pcs on the network and can copy and move files around between pcs on the network. Not sure about public/private filesharing. All my pcs connect to a network router (with adsl modem in the router). Connections to the router are wireless except for my HTPC which has an ethernet link to the router.


Will look into XP firewall and AVG antivirus settings on HTPC and report back.

Kev

 

[KevL]

No change with XP firewall switched off. Tried disabling AVG antivirus etc - no help.

So I did a complete uninstall of MP and MS SQL 2005 Express.

When I finally reinstalled MP1.02 and got it talking to the SQL database (not an easy setup I have to say) I found that the problem still remains.

Cant scan any tuner cards in MP. Just get the error message - no signal.

Tuner Card works fine in other apps.

Short of a complete OS reinstall I cant think of anything else to try.



Kev

 

[DreadFury]

hrmmm, and the logs still show a network issue? (I can't see why the network would be needed on a single seat install, but it could be doing localhost calls)

did you try reinstalling the drivers for your card(s)?

as a test, try manually setting a few channels to your card (rather than scan) to see if they come through.

When scanning, are all setting for your tv standards correct? (PAL/NTSC, etc)

did you try adjusting the sensitivity to signals?

Also, if you are testing your cards in other apps, they might be locking them, another suggestion would be to try a reboot and then try scanning first thing after the reboot.

I'm trying to think of everything I can, but I use a QAM card and NTSC analog, along with an HD-PVR, so odds are that our setups are quite different.

I can tell you that I didn't even bother scanning, I used an epg grabber to set my channels on my tuner cards and they worked without any scans.
(I did this after i saw that it was easily done manually)

good luck.

 

[KevL]

Hi DreadFury,

I have spent all weekend trying to get this to work. It used to work perfectly.

Region is PAL, I have no control over sensitivity - though I do have bucket fulls of signal (1m sat dish point at Astra and proper DVB-T ariel pointing at Sandy Heath so buckets full of signal).

I have been using the save settings app to restore settings (rather than set it all up manually). But before I did this I tried scanning tuners with a pristine (presumably empty) database when I resintalled MP1.0.2. This is why there are hundreds of channels in my database. I cant rescan channels or watch any of the stored channels.

I am beginning to wonder if microsoft may have sent me a hotfix "upgrade" recently which has broken dvb cards (as far as MP is concerned). I will try running DVBfix again - Even though I have WinXP MCE 2005 and have previously applied SP2 and SP3 upgrades - so according to wiki - shouldnt need the fix.

The other variable in all this is that I moved my operating system from a hard disk to a new Solid state drive. I did this by doing a partition image so in principle everything should work just fine. (have never had problems before). What was drive C is still drive C - just on a new disk. Windows boots and works etc.

During the move MS decided that I needed to reactivate windows. Maybe this process changed something?????

Anyway I'm sure the Tuner card hardware works (DVBViewer scans and plays video through it just fine). I realise DVBViewer might then "lock" the card and I have rebooted numerous times etc. MP never scans successfully. => No Signal error on all tuners.

I will also try reinstalling the Tuner card drivers even though DVBViewer can apparrently see them OK.

I even tried applying the analogue tuner fix. My tuner card has 2 DVB-Terrestrial Tuners, 2 DVB-Sat and 2 Analogue tuners. I dont use the analogue tuners and have unselected them in the tuner setup tab (so they are crossed out). Analogue card fix didn't help - hard to tell from the forum/wiki if I might need this fix. Was it just for MP1.0.1 or does MP1.0.2 need it too???.

Spent all weekend searching the forum. Cant see a fix there - though others have the same 127.0.0.1 machine actively refused connection thing. I can ping 127.0.0.1 without trouble - though given my network seems to work fine - id be surpried if I couldn't.


Complete OS reinstallation looks likely - but I really dont look forward to that. Maybe I'll wait for MP1.0.3 and do a full reinstall then.

Kev

 

[DreadFury]

That's lame, I don't know what else to suggest.
if you mannually set a channel,m does it tune?

have you tried 1.1 alpha by chance?

I can't speak for others in general, but for me I have had the best luck with 1.1

 

[KevL]

Hi DreadFury.

Last eve I made progress (of a sort).


I reinstalled the device driver for the TV Tuner card.

Then ran setup TV server. Now I found I had 14 entries for Tuner devices found by MP TV server. (there should only be 6 + the web radio device).

Also it then complained about psixxx.dll (the quartz issue). Bloody odd as I haven't messed with that since full upgrade during XP MCE rollup 2 and SP3 - and that was months ago.

So I concluded that my OS was irredeemably "buggered" and full reinstall was called for.

Last night I reinstalled XP MCE 2005 and after 3 hours (even via broadband) downloading updates, hotfixes and security fixes I have a clean working fully upto date XP MCE 2005 OS. I have imaged this just in case and this evening will put MP back on top. I have 4 working tuners and a motorised sat dish so expect to be scanning and grouping channels into the early hours.

Not sure whether to choose MS SQL or MySQL as the server app?????? I think I read that the new 1.1 will prefer mySQL but then I read that mySQL has some problems that the MS SQL doesnt have so am not sure how to proceed.

I did a full uninstall of MS SQL 2005 express this weekend (via add and remove programs - in my ignorance) only to find it had left tons of stuff behind - including running SQL server serices after reboot. The half uninstalled MS SQL app would then not allow me to reinstall a new copy of MS SQL???????? Naturally I am keen to move away from MS - even free MS apps.

I havent tried MP1.1 yet. Because it is such a pain to setup channels I like to upgrade infrequently.

Anyway thanks for all your advice. It was your advice to try reinstalling the Tuner driver that made the problem apparent.

Kev

 

[DreadFury]

awesome, I'm glad you at least made some headway.

As for MySQL or MSSQL, I personally would suggest MySQL.
I have seen several devs say themselves that not only is there no problems using either, but MySQL demands less system resources.
(Besides, in my line of work I need to deal with both on a daily bases, from this I have decided that I HATE MSSQL) =)

I'm not sure if your MSSQL problem happened before or after your OS install (I am hoping before)
If not, to fix the problem, open regedit and search for every instance of MSSQL and remove it.
(I would suggest a backup first of course, and be extra extra careful on what you remove)

Once your reg is clear of MSSQL entries, reboot, then delete the remaining MSSQL files left in your program files and you should be ready to go.


Good luck!
I hope everything gets up and running for you.

also, I would suggest you find a good disk imaging program. (I use Acronis)

Once you have everything setup, just image your disk.

It takes me less than 10minutes to completely restore my system, and all I need to do is boot the system from the boot disk acronis made and select restore.
After about 8 minutes or so, I have a perfect system again and don't need to reconfigure anything.

I have an image of a fresh install with all updates, as well as an image with my working MP system, it's good to have both.
That way if you decide to upgrade MP later and want a fresh install, you don't need to reinstall anything.

Something to keep in mind =)

 

[KevL]

Well I installed MP102 on my pristine XP OS.

Used mySql 5.0 (had to download and install it manually as the MP installer couldn't download it)

Guess what.

Exactly the same problem.

TV Config finds no channels on any tuner.

I am sure the card works fine. (as indicated by DVBViewer working flawlessly on previous OS install - when MP102 gave no signal on all transponders.)


Did MP1.0.2 change the way the tuners work?

I have read through the last 30pages of posts here and I am not alone in getting this "no signal" issue. Unfortunately many posts are unanswered.


Have added logs after trying to scan channels.

Maybe I'm missing something.


Kev