TT-CT2-4400 Problems (2 Viewers)

[aspik]

Hi mm,

I have news from TechnoTrend. They claim that there is definitely no bug/problem in the driver. Supposedly MediaPortal currently is not fully supporting the new CT2 Series. The Support wrote me that TechnoTrend already sent examples from the CT2 Series to the MediaPortal Team. Unfortunately I don't know to whom they sent this "examples". Maybe @gibman or @morpheus_xx know something about that? I asked they to post here to get in touch with you, but they said that they need an e-mail from you. Since I don't have your e-mail, they said that alternatively you can send them an e-mail at: support@technotrend.eu to get in touch with them. Would you be so kind?

 

[mm1352000]

Supposedly MediaPortal currently is not fully supporting the new CT2 Series.

This is true, but only in the sense that TVE 3 does not support features that require proprietary code. For example: CI slots, remote controls and DiSEqC in some cases. However, basic tuning should work, as with any driver which is truly BDA-compatible.

The Support wrote me that TechnoTrend already sent examples from the CT2 Series to the MediaPortal Team.

This is also true. TT sent one CT2-4500 CI to me. As far as I know I am the only team MP person that has been in contact with them in recent years, and that is the only sample they sent. That card seems to work fine (with the exception of CI and remote control) in TVE 3, and I used it to add CI and remote control support to TVE 3.5.

In the past we've had similar troubles with TT USB devices before. Just ask anybody who has bought a C/T or S2 3600 or 3650 CI. If my memory serves correctly, I asked for a USB sample to be sent for exactly this reason... but I guess TT decided to send the PCIe card anyway.

I feel like we're in a difficult position.
From your side, you have the tuner with but don't have the ability to analyse and fix the problem.
From TT's side, they say there is nothing wrong with their tuner/driver because it works in TT-Viewer. They probably don't have the knowledge about MP to say why MP has problems with it.
From my side, I feel the problem is specific to this tuner/driver because I don't experience any issues with my TT sample or any other tuner that I have. Even if I had access to a sample of the exact same tuner that you have, I would find it very difficult to solve this problem unless TT can give me some clues about what is causing it.

I'm not sure what to do...

 

[aspik]

Thanks again for your effort! I'm aware of the situation, but I'm also determined to get this problem solved. Of course, only if you are also From my side I can offer:
- remote full access to my htpc (via team viewer) where you can install and/or test/do whatever you need (I have a English version of windows installed )
- ask the support guy with whom I'm in contact to send you exactly the CT2 4400 tuner,
- send you my tuner, for the time you need to find the problem (if TT would not sent you the example). Even when I see you live in New Zealand and I live in Germany,
- ask the TT support to provide more Info what is exactly needed from MP side to get the CT2 Series properly working. Besides CI Slots, diseqc and remote control (which is of course totally irrelevant for my problem).
I have to say that in the first response from the support, they where willing to cooperate to solve this problem. They wanted to contact you if I could give them an e-mail. So maybe you could after all send them an e-mail and we will see, what Info they provide?

Edit:
I forgot to add that they wrote that the tuner is not only working with the TT-Viewer, but also with other 3rd Party software. Unfortunately they didn't wrote which one...

 

[aspik]

I had time to do a bit more test and research. I've checked out the latest MP1 branch and found the LockInOnSignal method in the TvLibrary:

///<summary>
    /// Checks if the tuner is locked in and a sginal is present
    ///</summary>   
    public override void LockInOnSignal()
    {
     // UpdateSignalQuality(true);
      bool isLocked = false;
     
      DateTime timeStart = DateTime.Now;
      TimeSpan ts = timeStart - timeStart;
      while (!isLocked && ts.TotalSeconds < _parameters.TimeOutTune)
      {
        foreach (IBDA_SignalStatistics stat in _tunerStatistics)
        {

At the beginning of the method is a calling of UpdateSignalQuality, but it is commented. I thought maybe it would help, if before the channel get tuned, it can firstly check the signal quality... For a test I uncommented the method calling (plus the log writings in the UpdateSignalQuality method) and compiled the TvLibrary. Next I replaced the original TvLibrary.dll with my own compiled. Unfortunately this didn't helped, but the log includes now additionally entry’s:

[2014-12-30 23:59:11,654] [Log    ] [21       ] [INFO ] - dvb:UpdateSignalQuality
[2014-12-30 23:59:11,654] [Log    ] [21       ] [INFO ] - dvb:UpdateSignalQuality() count:2
[2014-12-30 23:59:11,654] [Log    ] [21       ] [INFO ] -    dvb:  #0 get locked
[2014-12-30 23:59:11,654] [Log    ] [21       ] [INFO ] -    dvb:  #0 isTunerLocked:False
[2014-12-30 23:59:11,654] [Log    ] [21       ] [INFO ] -    dvb:  #0 get signalquality
[2014-12-30 23:59:11,654] [Log    ] [21       ] [INFO ] -    dvb:  #0 signalQuality:100
[2014-12-30 23:59:11,654] [Log    ] [21       ] [INFO ] -    dvb:  #0 signalStrength:65
[2014-12-30 23:59:11,654] [Log    ] [21       ] [INFO ] -    dvb:  #1 get locked
[2014-12-30 23:59:11,654] [Log    ] [21       ] [INFO ] -    dvb:  #1 isTunerLocked:False
[2014-12-30 23:59:11,654] [Log    ] [21       ] [INFO ] -    dvb:  #1 get signalquality
[2014-12-30 23:59:11,654] [Log    ] [21       ] [INFO ] -    dvb:  #1 signalQuality:100
[2014-12-30 23:59:11,654] [Log    ] [21       ] [INFO ] -    dvb:  #1 signalStrength:65
[2014-12-30 23:59:11,654] [Log    ] [21       ] [INFO ] - dvb:  LockInOnSignal waiting 20ms
[2014-12-30 23:59:11,674] [Log    ] [21       ] [INFO ] - dvb:  LockInOnSignal waiting 20ms
[2014-12-30 23:59:11,694] [Log    ] [21       ] [INFO ] - dvb:  LockInOnSignal waiting 20ms
[2014-12-30 23:59:11,714] [Log    ] [21       ] [INFO ] - dvb:  LockInOnSignal waiting 20ms
[2014-12-30 23:59:11,734] [Log    ] [21       ] [INFO ] - dvb:  LockInOnSignal waiting 20ms
[2014-12-30 23:59:13,674] [Log    ] [21       ] [INFO ] - dvb:  LockInOnSignal could not lock onto channel - no signal or bad signal

The result is the same, the tuner can't lock onto the channel... Maybe you can read more from those log entry's?

Additionally I've found that the BDA signal statistics property set:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/ff566557(v=vs.85).aspx
includes a property KSPROPERTY_BDA_SIGNAL_LOCK_TYPE in which are 4 lock types described:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/ff556526(v=vs.85).aspx
In the currently implementation of TvLibrary those lock types are not implemented:

public interface IBDA_SignalStatistics
  {
    [PreserveSig]
    int put_SignalStrength([In] int lDbStrength);

    [PreserveSig]
    int get_SignalStrength([Out] out int plDbStrength);

    [PreserveSig]
    int put_SignalQuality([In] int lPercentQuality);

    [PreserveSig]
    int get_SignalQuality([Out] out int plPercentQuality);

    [PreserveSig]
    int put_SignalPresent([In, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.U1)] bool fPresent);

    [PreserveSig]
    int get_SignalPresent([Out, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.U1)] out bool pfPresent);

    [PreserveSig]
    int put_SignalLocked([In, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.U1)] bool fLocked);

    [PreserveSig]
    int get_SignalLocked([Out, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.U1)] out bool pfLocked);

    [PreserveSig]
    int put_SampleTime([In] int lmsSampleTime);

    [PreserveSig]
    int get_SampleTime([Out] out int plmsSampleTime);

Would it be helpful, if the lock types would be implemented and in case the tuner can't tune onto a channel it could check in which lock type the tuner is? Or I'm completely on a wrong path...?

 

[mm1352000]

Or I'm completely on a wrong path...?

This.

Sorry, but I'm convinced the problem has nothing to do with locking on signal. When the problem happens the tuner simply is not responding as it should.

 

[aspik]

No problem! I had time during the holidays, so this was a desperate try of a beginner to analyze the problem
Can you please give me a heads up, about my propositions? Perhaps you already contacted TT? Because if your not interested or don't have the time for it, please tell me. In that case I'm forced to get a new tuner. The new hauppauge hvr-1975 looks like a nice alternative.

 

[mm1352000]

Hello aspik

I've sent an email to my contact at TechnoTrend. Let's see if we can co-operate to identify and resolve the problem...

Regards,
mm

 

[aspik]

Hi mm,

ok, now I feel uncomfortable... since you don't respond so long time I thought that your not interested and I put the tuner on ebay.... it has sold just today and I'm sending it tomorrow.... as a result of that I ordered the hauppauge 1975 tuner...
Now I'm not sure what to do... I'm really sorry

 

[mm1352000]

Eeek, no - I'm interested, just been really busy as it is the new year.

 

[mm1352000]

Well, your tuner is sold - nothing we can do about that. Maybe it will be possible to get a fresh sample for you to test. Let's see what my contact says...