Playing a TV show Locks the PC (1 Viewer)

[beatnut88]

Hi,
Been using MP v1 for many years now and suddenly this weird problem has started. When firing up MP from sleep on my W10 box I select the first show to watch which is SBS News. Sometimes it is still recording, sometimes it has finished recording. Nothing happens. The Item stays highlighted in the Recorded TV list and the whole system locks. I cannot bring up Task Manager nor can I reboot using Ctrl-Alt-Del. The only way is to switch the PC on and off. I can then play any file including the SBS News.
Because I was having to force reboot it messed up MP1. So I downloaded v1.15 and did a clean install. Problem persists
Any help appreciated

 

[mm1352000]

Hello

In relation to the log files...
Thank you for them.
Unfortunately they have some short-comings:
1. The log files you've provided are from MP 1.12. You've updated to MP 1.15. There's no guarantee that the problem is the same, even if the symptoms appear to be the same. So, please can you collect some new log files with MP 1.15.
2. You collected the log files using the Watchdog (great! ) option 3 (not so great... ). The consequence of using option 3 is that we didn't get full debug detail in the log files. Can you please either manually set the log verbosity setting to "debug" before reproducing the problem, or [preferably] use Watchdog option 1 or 2 instead. I do note that you said you weren't able to open task manager (so option 1 or 2 may not be possible). I just wonder if you tried using ALT + TAB (switch application focus) as well as CTRL + ALT + DEL?
3. Even in the MP 1.12 limited-detail logs I can see what appear to be occasions when MP is able to wake successfully. This makes it a little confusing as to whether those really are successful wake cycles, or you're seeing a problem that I don't notice in the log files. In other words: I'm generally struggling to identify the section of log files which are intended to show the problem. Therefore could you please specify the date and time (approximate) when the problem occurs.

...and some additional questions about the problem...
As you probably know, problems don't start for no reason. My experience has been that they generally start as a consequence of some kind of change. For example, Windows or driver updates, changes to Windows or MP settings, new plugins, a new TV/display, AV receiver or computer component etc. etc. etc.
Do you recall when (date/time) the problem started?
If yes, do you recall making any changes that might have triggered the problem?
Does the problem happen every time you wake the PC from sleep/hibernate?
If you use the system for other applications, do you have similar problems with those other applications? (...or is it only MP that is experiencing the problem?)

Kind regards,
mm

 

[beatnut88]

Thanks
Hope these logs are more informative. The PC is used exclusively for MP so no other software to compare it with.. No soft nor hardware changes. Alt-TAB is just as effective as task manager - that is not. Tried in in windowed mode rather than full screen. Still frozen. The PC always wakes up "successfully" - it is just that when I select a recorded TV show the whole system just completely freezes - meaning I can only playback shows after a reboot rather than sleep. The current fault occurred just before reboot - i.e less than a minute before the log was generated. I dunno if the watchdog will be able to collect the fault as the PC has to be rebooted to be able to generate the log file.
Neil

 

[mm1352000]

Thanks Neil

Hope these logs are more informative.

I'll take a look and get back to you within the next half hour or so.

No soft nor hardware changes.

Does that include automatic Windows 10 updates (ie. have you disabled them)?

Despite what you've said here, I'm also still interested to know if you know when the problem started.

 

[mm1352000]

Oh, and just one more clarification...

The PC always wakes up "successfully" - it is just that when I select a recorded TV show the whole system just completely freezes - meaning I can only playback shows after a reboot rather than sleep.

Does this mean that the following sequence will fail:

1. Boot the computer from scratch.
2. Put it to sleep without starting MP.
   
3. Wake it.
4. Start MP.
5. Try to play a recording.
6. Success/failure???

 

[mm1352000]

Okay, the Windows system event log file shows plenty of Windows updates being installed, so that is one possible source/cause for the problem. The question about when the problem started becomes that much more important. Unfortunately it looks like the event log only goes back to 1 October.

On the point of playback itself...
Your MediaPortal configuration file (MediaPortal.xml) shows that your TV codec settings are currently unconfigured. Please remedy that in MP Configuration -> codecs and renderer section -> TV codecs tab. Note that because you've installed the LAV codecs, they'll show as selected when you go to fix this. However that's only because MP Configuration selects them as defaults when available. MP itself does not select the LAV codecs by default, which is why it's important to sort out the settings.

After you've fixed the codec settings, please try to reproduce the problem again.

 

[beatnut88]

I haven't disabled updates. there were 4 updates on 10/1. So the problem started approx a week ago - i.e. after the updates. Can't pinpoint exactly. Went thru the scenario you laid out - same problem exactly. I haven't installed the anniversary edition.

 

[mm1352000]

Another thing...

I see MP is trying to play recordings from here:
[2016-10-09 15:45:16,337] [Log ] [MPMain ] [INFO ] - PlayRecording:\\MediaPortal\C\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal TV Server\recordings\Media Watch - ABC1 - 2016-10-06.ts - using rtsp mode:False

That seems bogus. Is that really the correct recording directory? If not, you need to fix your recording folder settings in TV Server Configuration and/or your advanced settings in MP Configuration.

 

[beatnut88]

Hi,
Can't see what you mean about the TV Codecs not being configured. Went and had a look and all the settings appear - all default obviously. Only changed one thing - set the hardware accelerator to Intel. Also Had a look at the path. It's fine in TV-Server - C:\Users\Public\Recorded TV.
Since making that minor change to the codec when I put it to sleep manually and played a recording it worked fine. Twice. Can only hope that it works when MP invokes sleep.
Will let you know
Neil

 

[mm1352000]

Can't see what you mean about the TV Codecs not being configured. Went and had a look and all the settings appear...

That's exactly the situation that I tried to explain when I said "Note that..."!

LAV codecs are only defaults for MP Configuration, not for MP itself. In this particular aspect MP and MP Config are different and independent. MP does not have default codec settings.

Again and in other words:

• Initially the settings were completely unset. This means that when you were using MP, any random codecs could have be tried/used. Possible results when settings are unset include no audio, no video, stuttering, freezes (as appears to have been the case for you)... or if really lucky, okay playback. It all depends on which codecs are installed.
  
• When you viewed the section in MP Config as instructed, LAV options would appear to be selected because those are the defaults for MP Config.
  
• The settings are saved after you view the section in MP Config.
• Only now will MP be guaranteed to use the selected codecs.

all default obviously

I can't emphasize strongly enough: this is not a good thing.
A standard MP recommendation is that people configure codec settings immediately after install and before trying to play anything. Failure to do so leads to all sorts of problems eventually (if not immediately).

Since making that minor change to the codec...

Personally I would never use the word "minor" in relation to codecs. Codecs are crucial. Please don't make the mistake of underestimating how important those settings are.

...when I put it to sleep manually and played a recording it worked fine. Twice.

I'd interpret this to mean that configuring the codec settings solved the problem.

Can only hope that it works when MP invokes sleep.
Will let you know

I'm 99% sure it'll work, but yes please do let us know if it doesn't.

Regards,
mm