HTPC goes off with no reason (2 Viewers)

[dm15644]

It just goes off - boom. No shutdown. I've also noticed that this only happens when I start something in Media Portal, and sometimes during boot, but never when Windows is idle or Linux is booted.

I've now figured out that I can actually provoce this error with a certain sequence of actions in MP. I've tried the setting that Efros suggested, but no blue screen. Instead, I'm runing memtest86+-1.65 now (Test 6, 50% - no errors yet).

I don't have a lot of programs installed, only stuff I need for Media Portal, plus Acronis True Image. See attached screenshot for my start menu.

I'm also pretty sure that the PicoPSU is not the problem. The brick doesn't get very hot, and a power meter shows a moderate 60W, so it seems ok, on the other hand it's the only component I've changed in the last 6 months. Did anybody who also used the PicoPSU have similar experiences?

Will let you know about the progress.

Cheers

/jayrock

 

[dm15644]

You probably need to check your windows log too.

Which ones?

/jay

 

[NLS]

all?

most probably your system and application logs

 

[dm15644]

I've noticed I get the following lines in mediaportal.log shortly before the fault occurs.

2006-10-13 07:35:43.531250 [Info.][6]: SinkGraphEx: video codecs installed:21 preferred:4
2006-10-13 07:35:43.531250 [Info.][6]: SinkGraphEx: try video codec:'InterVideo Video Encoder'
2006-10-13 07:35:43.531250 [Info.][6]: SinkGraphEx: try video codec:'MainConcept MPEG Video Encoder'
2006-10-13 07:35:43.531250 [Info.][6]: SinkGraphEx: try video codec:'MainConcept Demo MPEG Video Encoder'
2006-10-13 07:35:43.531250 [Info.][6]: SinkGraphEx: try video codec:'CyberLink MPEG Video Encoder'
2006-10-13 07:35:43.531250 [Info.][6]: Exception ystem.ArgumentException: Der Wert liegt außerhalb des erwarteten Bereichs.
bei System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.MkParseDisplayName(IBindCtx pbc, String szUserName, UInt32& pchEaten, IMoniker& ppmk)
bei System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.BindToMoniker(String monikerName)
bei MediaPortal.TV.Recording.SinkGraphEx.CreateGraph(Int32 Quality)
2006-10-13 07:35:43.531250 [Info.][6]: Exception er Wert liegt außerhalb des erwarteten Bereichs.
2006-10-13 07:35:43.531250 [Info.][6]: site :Void MkParseDisplayName(System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes.IBindCtx, System.String, UInt32 ByRef, System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes.IMoniker ByRef)
2006-10-13 07:35:43.531250 [Info.][6]: source :mscorlib
2006-10-13 07:35:43.531250 [Info.][6]: stacktrace: bei System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.MkParseDisplayName(IBindCtx pbc, String szUserName, UInt32& pchEaten, IMoniker& ppmk)
bei System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.BindToMoniker(String monikerName)
bei MediaPortal.TV.Recording.SinkGraphEx.CreateGraph(Int32 Quality)
2006-10-13 07:35:43.531250 [Info.][6]: Commandprocessor:running
2006-10-13 07:35:43.593750 [Info.][6]: DVBGraph:Grab epg for :ZDF-ZDFmobil
2006-10-13 07:35:43.593750 [Info.][6]: DVBGraph: start graph
2006-10-13 07:35:44.656250 [Info.][6]: DVBGraph:TuneChannel() tune to channel:29
2006-10-13 07:35:44.687500 [Info.][6]: DVBGraph: tuning details: frequency:514000 kHz ONID:8468 TSID:514 SID:514 provider:unknown
2006-10-13 07:35:44.703125 [Info.][6]: DVBGraphBDAubmitTuneRequest() frequency:514000 kHz Bandwidth:8 ONID:8468 TSID:514, SID:514


The System.ArgumentException only occurs before it goes off - if Media Portal runs fine, there's no such event.

What is the cause for this exception? Strange also that part of it is German.

Any guesses?

Regards

/jayrock

PS: How can I prevent the log file being interpreted as emoticons?

 

[jawbroken]

The german part says that the value lies outside the expected range. It seems strange. I have never seen a german error message in my logs. Have you tried disabling most of your plugins and trying then? The only reason I say that is that, in my mind, plugins are more likely to have error messages in german.

Actually, now I look more closely it seems to be a codec issue, maybe? I don't know...

 

[dm15644]

Actually, now I look more closely it seems to be a codec issue, maybe? I don't know...

Yes, my qualified guess would go in the same direction, but how can I find the root cause?

/jayrock

 

[Efros]

If you see the following error in the mediaportal.log:

22/05/2006 14:34:27 SinkGraphEx: video codecs installed:24 preferred:4
22/05/2006 14:34:27 SinkGraphEx: try video codec:'InterVideo Video Encoder'
22/05/2006 14:34:27 SinkGraphEx: try video codec:'MainConcept MPEG Video Encoder'
22/05/2006 14:34:27 SinkGraphEx: try video codec:'MainConcept Demo MPEG Video Encoder'
22/05/2006 14:34:27 SinkGraphEx: try video codec:'CyberLink MPEG Video Encoder'
22/05/2006 14:34:27 Exception ystem.ArgumentException: Value does not fall within the expected range.
at System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.MkParseDisplayName(IBindCtx pbc, String szUserName, UInt32& pchEaten, IMoniker& ppmk)
at System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.BindToMoniker(String monikerName)
at MediaPortal.TV.Recording.SinkGraphEx.CreateGraph(Int32 Quality)
22/05/2006 14:34:27 Exception :Value does not fall within the expected range.
22/05/2006 14:34:27 site :Void MkParseDisplayName(System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes.IBindCtx, System.String, UInt32 ByRef, System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes.IMoniker ByRef)
22/05/2006 14:34:27 source :mscorlib
22/05/2006 14:34:27 stacktrace: en System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.MkParseDisplayName(IBindCtx pbc, String szUserName, UInt32& pchEaten, IMoniker& ppmk)
at System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.BindToMoniker(String monikerName)
at MediaPortal.TV.Recording.SinkGraphEx.CreateGraph(Int32 Quality)

then this means you don't have any supported DirectShow MPEG2 encoder filter installed. See the Software requirements section for how to solve this.

If you receive this message but don't see a similar error in the mediaportal.log, then please make sure you actually configured an MPEG encoder. See the Software requirements for more information. If you have configured it correctly then post a support request in the appropriate support forum section or try to get help via IRC.

http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/UserGuides/SW-Cards_setup

this seems apropos, don't know for sure though.

 

[dm15644]

Thanks, Efros, that pointed me to a possible solution. I have a HW card (Pinnacle PCTV 310i), so I figures that something was wrong with the card. I opened the case and it seems like the card wasn't properly plugged in. I took it out and plugged it in again. Now I cannot provoke the error anymore, at least not with the method I used before.

Will further check it and post the results.

/jayrock

 

[Efros]

Cool! Had a similar prob with a tv card that liked to pop out, but it just disappeared altogether.

 

[Taipan]

Cool! Had a similar prob with a tv card that liked to pop out, but it just disappeared altogether.

Your TV card popped out and then vanished? Wow, that is clever.....