LiveTV freezes and shows a lot of artifacts (5 Viewers)

[Owlsroost]

I still have problems with the new TSReader. It worked only one time. After restarting my HTPC I got the "unkown error" and TV was not working. This only happens with the new TSReader, so it's related to the new version.

OK - please can you try all of the attached versions and tell me which versions work OK (no "unknown error" messages etc).

I suspect the problem is caused by the logging change I made, but I need the testing to be sure.

 

[Snoopy87]

They all work. Also the old one works. It's really strange and I don't know why. At the moment I'm unable to reproduce the issue, but I know that it only occured with your new TSReader and never ever with the old version....

Also with your new version I have those artifacts :-( I few moments ago I used the Import-Function ("Scan for new files") in in the Moving Pictures plugin while TV was shown in the small windows at the top. Directly after I startet the scan the whole tv windows was full of artifacts.

So as told in the past, it's a problem of MediaPortal, when something else is going on, but my CPU is not at 100% at those moments! While watching TV the artifacts always begin when the EPG grabber starts...

 

[bounguine]

So as told in the past, it's a problem of MediaPortal, when something else is going on, but my CPU is not at 100% at those moments! While watching TV the artifacts always begin when the EPG grabber starts...

I looked throgh the whole thread but I haven't tried the uploaded TSReader_* nor gathered logs yet.

1. No way to watch normally FTA DVB-S2 channels or DVB-S MPEG-4 channels (not the ACAMD problem).
2. MS SQL now needs more memory (EPG grabber or else?).
3. No problems in MP 1.2.3

 

[Snoopy87]

*push*

Any news on this?

I tried 1.4.0, but the issue still exists.

Please change the status "will not fix", because it has nothing to with MDAPI Plus!

For example: When the artifacts occur and I rewind and watch exactly the same scene, the artifacts are gone!

The new TSReader versions from this thread are not working for me. Only one time, after reboot I always got a "Unknown error" and the TV Plugin is unable to start.

I also made a new video, which shows SHIFT+1-output:

 

[Holzi]

*push*

Any news on this?

I tried 1.4.0, but the issue still exists.

Please change the status "will not fix", because it has nothing to with MDAPI Plus!

For example: When the artifacts occur and I rewind and watch exactly the same scene, the artifacts are gone!

The new TSReader versions from this thread are not working for me. Only one time, after reboot I always got a "Unknown error" and the TV Plugin is unable to start.

I also made a new video, which shows SHIFT+1-output:

Have you done this........ https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...-a-lot-of-artifacts.117848/page-5#post-982307 ?

 

[mm1352000]

...because it has nothing to with MDAPI Plus!

You have said this several times now, but so far I have not seen you provide any valid proof.

You have said:

Also this issue happens on Free TV channels, where MDAPI is not running.

Did you actually test with M**** properly disabled?
The filter is still in the tuner graph path even for free channels unless you rename the plugin folder and restart the TV service.
So simply testing with a free channel is not a valid test/proof.

EDIT: Another reason why it's a bug in MediaPortal and not in MDAPI Plus: This issue occurs with 1.3 BETA. All earlier versions work without any problems.

Reproducing the problem without M**** is evidence; this is not.

MDAPI is not illegal and we all have a valid pay tv subscription. Of course you can't fix the issue, if it's a bug in MDAPI Plus, but if it's a bug in MediaPortal - and it doesn't matter if it only occurs while using MDAPI Plus - please fix it, because most of us use MDAPI.

Please respect the team policy.
It is illegal in some countries, and definitely breaking terms and conditions for many pay TV providers.
I understand that you may not like the policy, and you are free to use other software if you don't like it.

For example: When the artifacts occur and I rewind and watch exactly the same scene, the artifacts are gone!

This sometimes occurs for me too when my HDD is getting thrashed.
As Tony has said, different video codecs have different responses to corruption as well.
In other words, this test does not eliminate bad video codec behaviour.

Also with your new version I have those artifacts :-( I few moments ago I used the Import-Function ("Scan for new files") in in the Moving Pictures plugin while TV was shown in the small windows at the top. Directly after I startet the scan the whole tv windows was full of artifacts.



So as told in the past, it's a problem of MediaPortal, when something else is going on, but my CPU is not at 100% at those moments! While watching TV the artifacts always begin when the EPG grabber starts...

To me it sounds like you have issues with intermittent corruption of the stream due to electrical interference of some kind.
The common elements between MovingPictures scanning, EPG grabbing... is system/hardware activity, in those examples particularly involving the HDD.
The CPU doesn't have to be at 100% for such problems to occur. In fact that check is almost irrelevant unless you are decoding h.264/AVC with software rather than GPU. HDD load is far more relevant. For me, watching 1080i h.264 in MP with DXVA enabled (and lots of programs running in the background) only requires ~10..15% CPU with a 2006 Core 2 2.4 GHz.

An issue with the HDD should be extremely easy to reproduce or eliminate as a cause.
Just start a background process (defrag, AV scan etc.) that uses your timeshifting HDD and then try to watch TV.
You should also do the basic checks for PIO mode, SMART health, etc.

 

[mm1352000]

...in fact...
The other thing these videos remind me of is corruption caused by overheating...

One final comment:
There are clearly continuity errors in the only TsWriter log files that I've seen (first post).
This almost certainly means:

• corruption is present in the source (signal issues... or M****!!!)
• HDD thrashing
• something overheating

If this is the case, anything that Tony does in TsReader is only a band-aid on the problem. It won't actually solve it.
So I suggest that if you really want to solve this problem you should investigate these things further.

 

[Snoopy87]

Have you done this........ https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...-a-lot-of-artifacts.117848/page-5#post-982307 ?

As said, they are all not working for me!

-------

- Timeshift is made on my Ram Disc. It also happens, if the timeshift files were store on my SSD.

- I made sure that no other background service, application, etc. is running on my System. No AntiVirus Software, no EPG Grabber, etc.

- It happens on two HTPCs

- It happens with two different TV Cards (TBS 6922, Digital Devices Cine S2 V6.5)

- It happens with two different SSDs (ADATA and SanDisc)

- It happens on two different sat connections (at home and at my friend's home)

- When I rewind and watch the same scene, the artifacts are gone! So it is not an issue of signal, decryption, etc.

- My signal is 100% and Quality is also 100% (same for the other HTPC of my friend)

- It happens with all LAV Filter versions (DXVA2 is enabled)

- It happens since MediaPortal 1.3 Beta (it doesn't happen on MP 1.2.x and old MP 1.3 Builds)

- I'm not the only person who have this issue! A lot of people have this issue

- A lot of other users don't use MDAPI, so it has nothing to with MDAPI. (also it worked with MDAPI and MP 1.2 and old 1.3 Builds, the mdapi setup has not changed)

- It does not happen with DVBViewer, ProgDVB and XBMC.

- It does not happen, if you use XBMC with the MediaPortal TV Server

- As you can see in my video above, there are no frame drops and no high cpu/gpu load

- It has nothing to with overheating. The temperatures in my HTPC are fine, and as told, if I rewind, the issue is gone!

 

[Holzi]

Have you tried another video codec or disable DXVA2 with LAV video decoder.

 

[mm1352000]

@Snoopy87
Thanks for the info.

- It happens with two different SSDs (ADATA and SanDisc)

Okay.

- Timeshift is made on my Ram Disc. It also happens, if the timeshift files were store on my SSD.
- I made sure that no other background service, application, etc. is running on my System. No AntiVirus Software, no EPG Grabber, etc.

Okay... but why were there continuity errors in the TsWriter log in your first post?
Also, you said in your previous post that it happened with the MovingPictures import and EPG Grabber.
Is it possible that there are two problems?

- It happens since MediaPortal 1.3 Beta (it doesn't happen on MP 1.2.x and old MP 1.3 Builds)
- I'm not the only person who have this issue! A lot of people have this issue

Okay... but a lot of people also don't see the issue... so what is the common factor?
Also, there are many possible causes of video corruption => no guarantee that everyone is seeing exactly the same problem.

- It happens on two HTPCs

Are the two HTPCs connected to the same server, or are you talking about your PC + your friend's PC?
What proof do you have that it is *exactly* the same problem?
As Tony said earlier in the thread:

Your problem is different to driver140771's problem.

- It happens with two different TV Cards (TBS 6922, Digital Devices Cine S2 V6.5)

With the same cable to supply signal?

- My signal is 100% and Quality is also 100% (same for the other HTPC of my friend)

Measured with a professional signal analyser, or are you only looking at the [basically meaningless] readings from the TV tuner driver?
Such readings will also not show transient/intermittent issues ("spikes").

- It happens on two different sat connections (at home and at my friend's home)

With the same video codecs?

- When I rewind and watch the same scene, the artifacts are gone! So it is not an issue of signal, decryption, etc.

You're right - this suggests video codec or splitter (TsReader)... but again, this doesn't explain why there are errors in your first TsWriter.log.

- It happens with all LAV Filter versions (DXVA2 is enabled)

What about other codecs?

- It does not happen with DVBViewer, ProgDVB and XBMC.

This is useful info, but different codecs are at least used for XBMC and possibly Prog and DVBViewer => still not eliminating video codec?

- It does not happen, if you use XBMC with the MediaPortal TV Server

Again, this suggests video codec or splitter (TsReader).

- As you can see in my video above, there are no frame drops and no high cpu/gpu load

Useful info. Picture corruption without frame drops suggests video codec... again!

- It has nothing to with overheating. The temperatures in my HTPC are fine...

Okay - I have to take your word for this.

- A lot of other users don't use MDAPI, so it has nothing to with MDAPI. (also it worked with MDAPI and MP 1.2 and old 1.3 Builds, the mdapi setup has not changed)

Again: please just do the test and then we can stop talking about this.
I'm sorry to say that I will not be making any further comments until you do this.