Dual Tuners - Unable to start timeshifting No free card (1 Viewer)

[4rstJeep]

TV-Server Version: 1.0.1
MediaPortal Version: 1.0.1
MediaPortal Skin: Blue3Wide
Windows Version: Vista
CPU Type: Intel Dual Core 2.4 ghz
HDD: 650GB internal, 2TB external
Memory: 4 GB
Motherboard: Asus
Video Card: ATI
Video Card Driver:
Sound Card:
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card: ATI TV Wonder HD 650 Combo USB
1. TV Card Type: Hybrid
1. TV Card Driver: Latest
2. TV Card: ATI TV Wonder HD 650 Combo USB
2. TV Card Type: Hybrid
2. TV Card Driver: Latest
MPEG2 Video Codec:
MPEG2 Audio Codec:
h.264 Video Codec:
Satelite/CableTV Provider:
HTPC Case:
Cooling:
Power Supply:
Remote:
TV:
TV - HTPC Connection:

TV server picks up and configures both of my external tuners. However when I am in MP and start recording a channel, all the other channels go Red with the "No" symbol and trying to tune to another channel gives alert
"Unable to start timeshifting No free card"

Any clue why it won't use my other tuner?

 

[4rstJeep]

Sorry forgot to include my tv log: tv.log - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

You can upload any logs directly here, using the advanced + feature and attaching to post.

Can you try something, create 2 timeshift folders, point first card to one and second card to the other, does it work now.

This seems to be something that some people are finding, can you let us know the results.

Thanks

 

[4rstJeep]

Thanks for the response! Tried setting the folders for one of the BDA to timeshiftbuffer\1 and the second BDA to timeshiftbuffer\2 with no success. When recording one channel the "no" symbol shows (no change.jpg), and as expected when you try to change channels the timeshift error shows up (no timeshift.jpg). On a related note, not sure if you are supposed to be able to, but I cannot record 2 channels from the manual control in the MP TV server config.

 

[gperkinson]

Hi Paranoid Delusion,

I get this error periodically after my machine wakes from sleep - very frustrating as it stuffs up my recordings. I recently decided to give up on the S3 Sleep routine and leave the machine running through the day. Today I lost the TV Tuner Card while the machine was up. The only way I seem to be able to recover from the loss of the TV Tuner Card is to re-boot. I tried opening and closing TV Server Configuration and looking for the other card in "TV Streams" as suggested in other forums, but no luck.

All the screenshots that "4rstjeep" posted are the same my machine comes up with.

I notice my machine behaves itself if I uninstall and reinstall MP and TVS, but gradually gets back to this issue after a while (couple of months)

Any comments Paranoid Delusion?

- Should I reload the drivers (I have a Hauppauge NOVA-T 500)
- I have the "reinitialise tuner" option set in Powerscheduler
- I have switched off Windows Updates (which seems to have the potential to screw things up)
- Is re-loading MP and TVS something I need to do periodically?

Regards

Graham

 

[zeebee]

4rstJeep: do you have this problem from the beginning (boot) of the computer? Maybe it sounds stupid, but do you have mapped your channles also to the second card?

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

Hi Graham

So it shows up in TVServer config, what happens if you try retuning the channels, does it fail to do so on one tuner.

The only time I have seen this happen to me, is on a resume from standby, if i have too low a detect tvcards setting in tvserver config\general, ie 15 seconds instead of 20, but thats not your problem as you are running 24\7.

I would not reinstall drivers, that can make things worse, if you do, then delete SQL database.

Suggestions

1. Reseat TV card in pci slot, easy to do, just in case any intermitant connection.
2. Move TV card to another pci slot, if I did this would start out with a new database, as this would reinstall drivers and leave
unwanted references to the old tv card positions.
3. Start to wonder if the TV card is faulty, although rare has been known to happen and a real pig to prove if intermittent, ronisle had this with his Cinergy 2400i (dual dvb-t), proved to be a solder joint had gone high resistance, and he was able to repair.

Other than above, SQL database could get corrupted, but then if a reboot solves, cannot see it being that.

The other thing you might think about, is using ForTheRecord for your recording settings, this will use Vista's own standby settings, no Powerscheduler involved, you need to enable reinitiliase tuner under its management console, that's all.

Did this TV card behave itself with Vista's MCE, just a thought.

 

[gperkinson]

Hi Paranoid Delusion,

As always, thanks for your response - appreciated.

The issue of loosing the TV Tuner Card while up and running was a one off. Thinking about it, I did move the machine which could have caused this issue i.e. perhaps moving in the PCI slot as you have suggested. In regard to your comment about moving the card to another slot - is that due to cooling? Is it possible the card overheated? When I lost the card while the machine was on, I could not see it at all in TVS, so no chance of even trying to tune it. If the card is lost after S3 sleep resume, I can see it in TVS, but cannot seem to access it in MP i.e. I get the Timeshifting error.

Given that the card always comes up after a re-boot, would that still indicate the card could be faulty?

Regards

Graham

 

[4rstJeep]

Zeebee, It seems that my channels had in fact became un-mapped from the second tuner, so now I can in fact dual tune again but now when I leave the TV (MP) on a channel for an extended period of time when I come back the image will appear to be "paused" but will not play. I get it to fix itself by changing the channel but then of course I have lost the timeshift.

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

In regard to your comment about moving the card to another slot - is that due to cooling

Nope, can be a conflict between hardware, anything else that may be using the pci bus can cause issues, this does seem to be manufacture related, just not sure which actual ones it affects the most, but this would be my first option with intermittent hardware from new, if its been in 6 months+ and has never given a problem, then would just check for loose seating.

I leave the TV (MP) on a channel for an extended period of time when I come back the image will appear to be "paused" but will not play

Could be codec related or weak signal (old log shows 36 signal strength, 80+ quality), does it seem to be particular channels giving the problem.