Recorded TV playback stops at advert breaks (1 Viewer)

[Teebor]

I think I have narrowed the problem down to the following :-

When recording american tv shows (who's line is it anyway, pimp my ride, lost, etc etc) just after the 2 second black screen that signifies the beginning and end of the adverts no recorded tv will play in between. If I am lucky and I skip ahead to the end of the adverts the program will continue to play BUT only if I land just after the black space.

Now I tested this with UK tv programs which do not seem to have this "blank space" and everything works fine even with advert breaks, and sometimes during testing the American shows are ok and other times they are not.

Now I have only just installed media portal as my tv aerial had to be replaced as it would no longer recieve a digital signal :/ so media portal had not been updated for MONTHS, so when I turned it all back on I uninstalled and wiped media portal from the machine and reinstalled everything so its a fresh install (barring me tweaking the skin for mytvguide.xml and replacing the tv icons)

Anyone seen this behaviour before and know what might be causing it?
I am about to install Nvida NDVD which I believe has the purevideo codec in it (I think thats right??) so perhaps that might correct the issue?

And help is gratefully received


MediaPortal Version: Stable release 0.2.2.0
MediaPortal Skin: blue two
Windows Version: Windows xp sp2
CPU Type: AMD
HDD: 80GB Maxtor (with a 200GB SATA maxtor as storage only)
Memory: 512MB
Motherboard: Some MSI board, can't remember model no.
Motherboard Chipset: MSI
Motherboard Bios: yes
Video Card: Ati 1600 pro
Video Card Driver: yes
Sound Card: onboard
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card: Terratec 2400i (dual tuner)
1. TV Card Type:
1. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec: unsure but should be default as new install
MPEG2 Audio Codec: unsure but should be default as new install
Satelite/CableTV Provider: UK Freeview
HTPC Case: no
Cooling: Air
Power Supply: yes
Remote: terratec
TV: yes
TV - HTPC Connection: optional

 

[Teebor]

Got a couple of things wrong :-

TV Tuner is using latest drivers

Ati gfx card isn't using latest drivers.

Now using Nvidia codecs instead of the default (ddshow is it?)

2nd drive (storage drive) is 200GB Hitachi Deskstar (deathstar)

System memory is 1GB

oh and forgot CPU speed which is 3200+

After all the tweaks I made last night and the inclusion of PVRScheduler I will give it another go tonight.

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

Have seen this behaviour occassionaly, think you just pinpointed it, wondering if MP is detecting the blackscreen as "no signal".

Also found that when it has happened, f\f stops working (or seems to), and the only way of going forward is use the Arrow keys to get past the ads.

Strange considering most advert breaks are 3-4 minutes, and once past these the file is fine again.

Do the ads seem to stutter\lockup if you actually try to watch them.

Might be worthwhile getting a MP log of when this happens and posting it, the trouble is not seen it for a couple of weeks, but then not watched Pimp my Ride for a while.

 

[Teebor]

How you can not watch pimp my ride dawg?? lol

If I try to leave it to watch the ads it might occasionally stick on one frame and play a few seconds of sound, then as you quite rightly say you use the arrow keys to skip forward (I always use these anyway so never thought of it like that), I can get the same sound clip to loop until after the ad break.

I am going to try recording those again tonight as a test to see if PVRScheduler is working satisfactorily so I will report back on the results, I have changed the codecs used for tv now to some nvidia ones so that may correct the issue in itself.

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

I have changed the codecs used for tv now to some nvidia ones so that may correct the issue in itself.

Errr, I only use the Nvidia decoders on all my 3 setups, just gives me the best visuals.

Do not think that is going to make, Pimp my Ride any better.

 

[Teebor]

Right barring current PVRScheduler problems it seems to have recorded pimp my ride ok and playback is fine through the adverts.

Now I'm not using the Nvidia purevideo decoder (too expensive) but I am using another Nvidia decoder (something to do with dvd playback I believe) and its not filling the screen properly no matter what I try. At best I can get it down to an inch thick black bar on both sides of the screen when watching some channels but not all :/
Also the contrast and colour is completely out of whack on the Nvidia codec that I am using, so I am binning it.

So I have now switched to DScaler instead to see where that leads me.

Stroke of luck? probably but we shall see how it goes.

 

[Bookman]

Recording hangs on black screen.

Hi guys,

I have been using MP for a couple of years and have generally sorted out any problems by browsing these forums. For the last month however I've experienced similar behaviour to that described by Teebor and have not so far been able to resolve it.

For the past six months or so I have been using MP to record episodes of Frasier broadcast on UK Channel4 during the day when I am at work. I must have successfully recorded four or five series (24 episodes each) without any problems this way. Suddenly a month or so ago recording became more erratic. Some episodes recorded fine but just as many didn't. The recording would start but then hang occasionally at the opening graphic sequence but more often at one of the title cards that punctuate the show- often after an advert break. It also failed to record the last episode of the last series of Soprano's because this featured a dedication to someone just after the opening credits. In all cases the screen is predominately black and this is obviously connected with the the problem. The audio often continues to record however.

I have not noticed this happening when recording other shows or on other channels, and it does not happen - so far - when watching TV live but then again i've not had the opportunity to watch Fraser live recently. It is also a seemingly random behaviour as at other times the recording is fine despite the presence of title cards in an episode.

I've tried changing video drivers and codecs but to no avail and this does not explain why after so many successful recordings with the same settings this problem should suddenly arise.

I would be grateful for any ideas and suggestions.

BTW thanks to all those behind the development of MP. I would recommend this application to anyone with A tv card in their computer over any commercial product I've tried.

Best regards,

Graeme

PS Filled in system specs form -don't know where it's gone!

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

Would suspect that you have a reception problem on that particular transponder causing a intermitant\weak signal, worth checking ALL aerial connections, making sure that the one feeding the pc has no other cables touching it.

Which version of MP are you using, must admit not had above problem for a couple of months, so a new svn update may help you as well.

 

[robbiegregg]

Hi I thought I was the only one with this recording issue! When I try and record something and there is a black screen such as the end of an advert break, the picture will lock but the audio will keep recording. I will try and play around with the signal however it is already boosted and we only live 5 miles (clear line of sight) from the nearest digital TV broadcast aerial so I don't think it can be that.

Did anyone who had this problem manage to fix it?

 

[Bookman]

I still have this problem I'm afraid. Seems to only affect UK channel4 for me , other channels seem to record OK. I have noticed however that it will freeze when watching live tv also. I have put it down to a weak signal. Here in Aylesbury we have always had reception problems - even with analogue. Our aerial is tuned to the Oxford transmitter 26 miles away. Tonight I could not even get ITV 1- probably due to the rain!

I can only hope these problems will be resolved when the analogue switch off occurs. Then I understand, the digital signal will be boosted. Small comfort I know.

Cheers,
Graeme