MP 1.2.3 - minor issues/questions (2 Viewers)

[mm1352000]

Second, it's a 1TB disk, Advanced Format (4096 byte/sector) disk, that is apparently suppose to have partitions aligned on 4096 byte boundaries. Mine isn't, as of now.

Ahhhh - that would explain a lot.
(Note to self: add this to the list of things to mention when dealing with continuity errors.)

Thanks for your persistence and for reporting back.

 

[cewillis]

Sorry to be so long. Got the partition straightened out, and a full, fresh install done (twice) from formatting the partition.
Unfortunately, I still have varying signal strength, and some discontinuities, reported in Manual Control for the two qam channels used earlier. (the ones in the same frequency slot). Seems better at first glance for channels at different frequencies.
Updated tswriter not installed yet. Could the 2nd tuner be messing up trying to tune the same frequency as the 1st tuner?

Also unfortunately, I seem to be doing something wrong with the install(s). I can't play anything back. Trying to playback a recording gets 'unable to play (name).ts', and trying to watch a channel 'live' gets 'unable to play tsbuffer.ts'. The MP error log clearly shows a tsreader problem, but I don't know what it means. (thus the second install, hoping I did something stupid in the first).
I can't see anything wrong in the mp or tv configuration. I normally use the loopback adapter setup, https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/threads/msloopback-device-for-singleseat-users.51028/, but I've tried it both ways with the same result.
Very weird, since this didn't happen before. I'll keep looking.

 

[mm1352000]

Hello again Cal

The issue with TsReader seems to be that it is not registered with the OS or the file (TsReader.ax) is not in the place the OS expects it to be for some reason.
Did you install with administrative privileges?
Assuming you installed MP to d:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal and d:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal TV Server, you could try to run the attached batch file to correct the issue.

mm

 

[cewillis]

Well, mm, I have absolutely no idea what's going on here -- but I do know that it is NOT a problem with MP.
Here's the recent history, for amusement only.
Yes, Admin privileges. The partition in question is drive letter e, not d. The MP files are all in the standard locations you mentioned, including TsReader.ax. The batch file you provided (after changing the drive letter) could not find any of the referenced files, until I put the batch file in the MediaPortal directory, and removed all the path information from the referenced files and the TV files. Then the modified batch file did find the first 3 referenced files, but could not find TsReader.ax even though it is clearly right there in the directory.
This made me think 'disk or file error' (being out of other ideas), so I did a Full, Everything, Complete, Yes I mean all of it MP uninstall, and ran a 3 hour disk check, which did find and fix (it claims) 2 files access records, and one bad sector. Then I redownloaded the 1.2.3 install file, and installed -- again.
Same Exact Result. MP gets the same error when trying any playback, and the modified batch file can't find TsReader.ax when it is absolutely there.

Just a reminder, way back at the beginning of this thread I HAD 1.2.3 installed and running ON THIS SAME PARTITION!!!!!
For the record, the MP install is completely automatic and totally painless -- as expected. It's me that's having the problem.
In literally hundreds of installs over 30+ years going back to DOS 1.0, I've never seen anything screw up like this.
I guess I'll try a virus scan -- haven't done that in a couple of days. Then maybe trash my disk and my install CD and start over ---

By the way -- I got the right arrow and everything else (so far) to work by not selecting either MCE or generic HID, and only defining 2 buttons, instead of most of then, with KeyboardInputPlugin. Defined Power (ctrl-e on my remote) as Standby Windows and defined Back as Previous Menu in all instances. Weird, huh?
Still have the annoying 2 second blank screen -

I'll let you know if and when I get things working.
Thanks for all your help and patience,
Cal

 

[cewillis]

FINALLY -- things are much better.
There was definitely a problem with the TsReader that was getting installed (multiple times, even on a different disk). I don't know where or how it was happening, but I had even re-downloaded the install file, and it still happened. To prove a problem with the TsReader file, I renamed the file, left it in place, and copied the 1.1.0.0 version into the directory. With this version of TsReader, the sysreg commands worked, and MP would 'try' to play a recording instead of getting the 'cannot play --' message. (caused MP to hang up of course because this TsReader is not for 1.2.3)
Then I did a 'simple' uninstall, renamed the entire Team MediaPortal directory and left it in place, copied the install file from my office computer (had downloaded it 5/12), and installed that. Success -- back in business.
So -- disk error? uncorrected download error? who knows.
Now I'll re-examine the multiple tune question.
Remote is working fine, after defining the step forward and backward buttons.
Still have the annoying 2 second blank screen that happens after MP plays back anything.

Cal

 

[mm1352000]

Just a quick post to let you know I'm still following...
The issue with the TsReader is bizarre. I have nothing to suggest about why that would happen and why what you did fixed it. Just plain strange.
Thanks for reporting the solution with the remote as well. Yet another weird one, definitely.
Regarding the 2 second blank thing: any chance you can grab a screen cast of it?

mm

 

[cewillis]

Regarding the 2 second blank thing: any chance you can grab a screen cast of it?
mm

I'll try it -- do you have a specific software recommendation? (open source?)
Hasn't anyone else seen this issue?

Cal

 

[cewillis]

From a while back --

So what I want you to do is to test recording those two channels with each of the two tuners on your HVR2250 in isolation. This will take two tests; one with the first tuner enabled and the second disabled, and the second test with the first tuner disabled and the second tuner enabled.

OK, with both of your file upgrades installed, I did that - and more. I did it with the 1st tuner, with the 1st tuner disabled, and with the 1st tuner already busy tuning something else.
Both of the channels in question are assigned to one tuner, as expected (now).
Both channels on the 1st tuner: No problems.
Both channels on the 2nd tuner: numerous signal quality reductions occur, but not many discontinuities: 6 on 1 channel, 3 on the other, in over 2M packets processed.
Subjectively, viewing these channels (one at a time) on the 2nd tuner while the 1st is busy is 'OK'. A few distortions now and then, but still mostly 'watchable'.
I get 6 qam channels that I ever record, including the 2 above. With tuner 1 busy, the other qam channel quality ranges from no problems seen (2 channels) to unacceptible (1 channel).
So 2250 tuner 2 can not quite handle the signal I get for some channels? A manageable problem. (until tuner or cable upgrade)

Cal

 

[cewillis]

mm, I hope you're still here.

I must be a genius -- and an idiot.

Genius -- the 2 second blank screen is gone, but no idea why. I think all I changed was enabling PowerScheduler in MP to prevent standby while a recording is playing, I even tried going back to the old versions of txwriter and the other one to see if that could have possibly been related - but no.
I suspect the blank screen will return someday --

Idiot -- I cannot get PowerScheduler to work right. What I have now is after MP was awakened from standby to record, and then gone back to standby, when I wake it up again later, MP is 'dead'. All black screen. CTRL-ALT-DELETE and kill MP process gets the Windows screen back momentarily, and then the machine immediately goes into standby with no action from me.
I have tried using MP PS to initiate standby, and TV PS only waking for record events; MP PS enabled but not checked to start standby, and TV PS doing all the standby/wake(this is how it worked for 1.1.0.0); and both set to initiate standby.
Thinking it might be related to the remote, I have tried only KeyboardInputPlugin with no MCE or HID selected, and the other way around (this was the case for the attached logs).
I've tried with and without the new file versions.
I guess I should say that after after scheduling a recording, I initially put the machine in standby using my remote (as I've always done with 1.1.0.0). Then TV PS wakes it up to record, etc ---.

And with MP PS disabled, the above problem goes away. But then the computer goes to standby during playback.

Please tell me what I'm doing wrong ---
Cal


Edit:
May have found the 'problem'. At least no blank screen after several attempts.
I did not, but do now, have checked the enigmatic 'Apply workaround to fix MediaPortal freezing on resume on some systems'.
Had foolishly hoped this was no longer needed on 1.2.3.