tv jerky and freeze/no signal (1 Viewer)

[mrkaras]

MediaPortal Version: SVN
MediaPortal Skin: BlueTwo Wide/x-mas 2006
Windows Version: windows 2003 sp1
CPU Type: core 2 duo 2.1
HDD: western digital 400Gb
Memory: 1Gb
Motherboard: Asus P5L-VM 1394
Motherboard Chipset:
Motherboard Bios:
Video Card: Asus Gforce 6200 LE
Video Card Driver:
Sound Card: onboard (ASUS)
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card: kworld
1. TV Card Type: DVB-T
1. TV Card Driver:
2. TV Card:
2. TV Card Type:
2. TV Card Driver:
3. TV Card:
3. TV Card Type:
3. TV Card Driver:
4. TV Card:
4. TV Card Type:
4. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec:
MPEG2 Audio Codec:
Satellite/CableTV Provider:
HTPC Case:
Cooling: CPU fan / passive on other
Power Supply:
Remote:
TV: Samsung LA37R7
TV - HTPC Connection: VGA, DVI/HDMI


I find that after probably about an hour live TV starts to get jerky, turning the TV off (jut the "TV on" button) and back on fixes it for a while but eventually it will just freeze and can only be fixed by a reboot (closing mediaportal doesn't fix it). This happens if time shifting is on or not.

 

[Taipan]

Do you get the same behaviour if you watch TV with the KWorld supplied TV viewing application?

 

[guytpetj]

MediaPortal Version: SVN (latest)
MediaPortal Skin: BlueTwo
Windows Version: windows 2003 sp1
CPU Type: P4 3.0Ghz
HDD: western digital 250Gb
Memory: 1Gb
Motherboard: ASR
Motherboard Chipset:
Motherboard Bios:
Video Card: ATI, onboard
Video Card Driver:
Sound Card: onboard
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card: Winfast PVR 2000
1. TV Card Type: Analog
1. TV Card Driver: Latest
MPEG2 Video Codec: MPV
MPEG2 Audio Codec: MPA
Satellite/CableTV Provider:
HTPC Case: CoolerMaster CM260
Cooling: CPU fan / Case fan
Power Supply: 300Watt
Remote: MCE

The same problem started happening to one of my HTPC's approx 8 days ago.
TV will freeze and the only way out is a reboot. This is my test machine and always runs the latest SVN (once I'm hapy with a new version and it works good, then I update my other HTPC's with that same software)

My other 3 HTPC's are running on older SVN versions and don't have this problem.

 

[mrkaras]

I don't know if the kworld software does the same, I am meaning to try but it is just a bit difficult to test (takes an hour or 2 and passably not prove anything). but I will try.

I an using a SVN version because I wanted to use the new X-mas skin, but maybe I should go back to the release version. I think I had the same problem with that but I'm not absolutely sure.

 

[Taipan]

takes an hour or 2 and passably not prove anything

If the same problem occurs with the KWorld software, then you know that MediaPortal is not the cause.

But, given that guytpetj is reporting a similar problem on a recent SVN, then maybe that is the cause? Do you have an earlier (2 weeks ago) backup that you could roll back to?

 

[mrkaras]

I have the last release (0.2.1.0 I think) that I can roll back to.

on the possibly not prove anything I just meant I may not see the problem as any particular amount of time even if it will eventually occur, it seems to be a bit random. It is defiantly something I will need to try, probably if the older version does the same thing anyway. I am currently blaming the card (rather than mediaportal) but I have very little evidence either way.

 

[mrkaras]

I have rolled back to the released 0.2.1.0 version and I still have the problem.
This time it froze and said "no signal" (I didn't see a slowdown first, but that sounds like all related to me). when I quit mediaportal and started the kworld software I still could not get a signal.

I have now started running th kworld software and have not yet seen a problem.

Is it normal/is it a problem that the main IC on the TV card gets very hot, it doesn't have a heat-sink or anywhere to attach one to but without measuring i I would say it is 60 degrees.

 

[Taipan]

This problem sounds like it might be due to marginal signal strength, or electrical interference on the TV signal?

Does the problem occur on all channels, or just particular channels?

Do you know what signal strength and signal quality readings you are getting (the KWorld application might tell you this)?

Do you have a good quality external TV antenna with quad-shielded cable right to the TV card?

Are there any splitters along the antenna lead that could degrade the Tv signal?

It will be interesting to see what happens with the KWorld application ....

 

[mrkaras]

I have run the Kworld software for a while and did not see any freezes of slow downs. I changed back to mediaportal and had a no signal within half an hour but I haven't had another one since.

I don't know if it happen on all channels but after the loss of signal changing channel will not help.

the signal strength as reported by the Kworld software is about 63% on channel 10 and closer to 83% on other channels.

the Antenna is less than a year old and stated that it was good for digital TV.
the wiring is standard coaxial TV cable from the

antenna ----splitter--------mediacenter
|
|-------------older analogue TV (still a fairly recent type)

the splitter is a proper splitter with screw on crimped plugs and the wiring is the same stuff all the way. after the wall outlet I go through one piece of plugged in antenna cable and the output of the TV card goes to the TVs antenna input so I Can watch TV while rebooting.

 

[Taipan]

the signal strength as reported by the Kworld software is about 63% on channel 10 and closer to 83% on other channels..

63% is way too low - you need better than 80% to get good reliable DVB-T viewing. I am confident that the low signal level is the problem ...

Can you try it without the splitter, and without any other devices on that antenna lead (so that you are getting maximum signal to the TV card) to see if that improves the viewing?