Tv Recordings Broken Video and Audio (2 Viewers)

[mm1352000]

I do not know what the name of the interim sleep/recording state is

It's called "away mode".

The recording on the 21st @19.58 was perfect until the computer was woken, but the recording on the 22nd was FUBAR from start to finish.

It does not seem to be behaving consistently.

There'll be a pattern. You just have to figure out what it is. Sometimes it isn't obvious.


I see references to Hyper-V in your system event log.
Are you using virtualisation?
If yes, please describe your setup in full.

In an earlier thread you reported that changing your security software config helped.
Have you tried [temporarily] disabling your security software completely?

Have you checked your system's DPC latency?

 

[Stephen O'Kane]

There'll be a pattern. You just have to figure out what it is. Sometimes it isn't obvious.

I have tried to find a pattern, but I can't see one.
This happened in Win 8.1 and now Win 10.
It happened with MP1.12 and now on MP1.15.
I have tried a complete wipe and clean install om MP too.
Some recordings are perfect, some are unwatchable.
The only consistent behaviour is that when watching live, or time shift there are never any issues.

I see references to Hyper-V in your system event log.
Are you using virtualisation?
If yes, please describe your setup in full.

I am not running anything like that - at least to my knowledge.
It is a singleseat installation, on a stand alone desktop, cable connected to router, and not connected to any other machine.

In an earlier thread you reported that changing your security software config helped.
Have you tried [temporarily] disabling your security software completely?

I added the recommended exceptions to my AV software, and disabled Windows Defender.
Nothing related to security software made any difference.
As the issue seems to be random/intermittent (at least to some extent) I don't really want to disable security software for an extended period - is that not a bit risky?

Have you checked your system's DPC latency?

I haven't checked that. Is there a recommended tool for this, and I'll try this evening.

 

[mm1352000]

I have tried to find a pattern, but I can't see one.

TV Server hasn't changed very much between 1.12 and 1.15, so I'd pretty much expect the same results.
There are other potential differences - frequency (=> signal strength/quality), SD vs. HD, simultaneous recording count, time of day etc. - that you didn't mention, and which I would have thought are more likely to be factors.

I am not running anything like that - at least to my knowledge.

Hmmm, okay - strange.

Nothing related to security software made any difference.

That doesn't seem to match what you said here:
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...layback-stuttering.130874/page-3#post-1159014

...is that not a bit risky?

I would say not especially, if:

• your network is connected to a router with NAT (...which is true for most people)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_address_translation
• the people that use devices that connect to your network don't visit dodgy websites and/or attempt to use files downloaded from dodgy websites
• you're careful not to connect portable storage devices (USB sticks, portable HDDs) that have been connected to dodgy/public networks/PCs
  
• you're smart enough not to open dodgy email attachments, especially on emails from people you don't trust

This shouldn't take more than a few minutes. All you have to do is trigger the issue (I don't anticipate you'll find that hard) then disable your security software for 5 minutes, and check if disabling/re-enabling the security software makes any difference to the problem.

I haven't checked that. Is there a recommended tool for this, and I'll try this evening.

http://www.resplendence.com/latencymon

 

[Stephen O'Kane]

Nothing related to security software made any difference.

That doesn't seem to match what you said here:
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...layback-stuttering.130874/page-3#post-1159014

I put that down to the intermittent nature of the issue.
It seemed to improve the issue at that time, but the problem persisted beyond that, and continues through to today.

I have had periods where recordings have been fine, sometimes over several days, then days where some recordings are broken up, on multiple SD/HD channels, and even recording that start fine, get messed up in the middle, and are ok again.
This happens all times of the day/night.

I will maybe start logging the issues to see if I can see a pattern emerging, as none are obvious. :-(

 

[Stephen O'Kane]

OK - I have done a bit of research and I have narrowed the issue.
Still can't solve it, but at least I can produce it at will.

This morning, I recorded two programs.
1st one at 7.30am was fine (log shows about 0.17 continuity errors/sec)
2nd one at 8.30am was unwatchable.(log shows nearly 3 continuity errors/sec)
Same channel for both recordings.
Computer in the same state too.

Only difference was that I left the Chrome browser open, with as few active tabs - probably gmail, twitter, weather and maybe bbc news

No other difference, computer was idle during both recordings.

So how is chrome affecting Media Portal.

I ran a test this evening, I'll summarise that and add logs in the next post.
--- Post updated ---
So test recording this evening on the same channel as this mornings recordings, i.e UK Freeview Channel 4 HD.(104)
Time | Action

CE Rate for period​

==========================================================
1901 - Start Recording(closing MPClient after starting)

0.01 CE/sec:​

1905 - Start Chrome (google.co.uk start page)

0.25 CE/sec:​

1908 - Open Gmail Tab

0.97 CE/sec:​

1910 - Open BBC News Tab

0.40 CE/sec:​

1912 - Open MP Client(at start screen)

0.00 CE/sec:​

1914 - Bring Chrome to focus(BBC tab)

0.00 CE/sec:​

1916 - Switch to Gmail tab

0.00 CE/sec:​

1918 - Close MP Client(leaving Chrome open)

0.39 CE/sec:​

1920 - Open Client, and watch current recording from start

0.01 CE/sec:​

1925 - Close MP Client

0.34 CE/sec:​

1927 - Close Chrome

0.05 CE/sec:​

1930 - Open MP Client - Stop recording


So it looks to me that Chrome (Version 52.0.2743.116m) is affecting Media Portal somehow, but only when the Media Portal Client is not active. I have deactivated all chrome extensions too.

The highest rate of errors is when chrome is open, and lowest when Media Portal Client is open, even if not watching anything.

The CPU on the machine stayed at less that 5% for the duration, typically at 2% when not watching the recording.

So does this help? Does it point to anything that might help.

Searching the forum, I found an entry for the same issue, but that thread ended with no proper solution.

Can somebody suggest something to try?

Thanks
Stephen.

 

[Owlsroost]

I still think this might be CPU power-state switching. The MP client is constantly rendering to the screen when it's running (although it slows down when nothing is happening), so that is probably enough to keep the CPU from dropping to the lowest power state. Chrome (as it's a web browser) generates variable amounts of network traffic and screen rendering load.

I vaguely remember (from several years ago) that someone on the forum with similar problems had to run something like the Windows 7 Solitaire game in the background - I assume that provided enough, constant, CPU load to stop the constant power-state switching to and from the lowest power state.

Note the above thoughts are only educated guesswork...

 

[mm1352000]

I still think this might be CPU power-state switching.

100% agree.

 

[Stephen O'Kane]

I still think this might be CPU power-state switching.

100% agree.

You may be right about power, but if what you say is true, then would the worst state would be when the computer is idle, i.e. nothing other than TvService recording?

But that is not the case.

If the computer is idle I get virtually no errors.
If chrome is running a few tabs I get multiple errors per second.
If MP Client is on screen, but idle (i.e the start screen, not playing a recording) I get no errors

I tried a few different applications instead of Chrome, e.g. Photo Editing, Edge Browser, but none of them has the same result.

Starting chrome with a few tabs like a switch. As soon as it starts the continuity errors start. As soon as it stops, the errors also stop.

That seems like the wrong way around if what you say about solving it by running a background application.

But if it is CPU power-state switching, what can be done about it?

I never any had issues like this on Windows Media Centre, but now I am on Windows 10 I can't switch back to Media Centre.

Stephen

 

[mm1352000]

You may be right about power, but if what you say is true, then would the worst state would be when the computer is idle, i.e. nothing other than TvService recording?

In my opinion not necessarily.

It's just a theory, and so it should be relatively easy and pain free to prove or disprove by experimenting with CPU speed/power settings. You may find tools such as CPU-Z helpful for getting more detailed information about the CPU's current speed (which can throttle up and down) and power state.

If you disprove the theory, please also try checking the system's DPC latency with and without Chrome running. You may find that Chrome is using/triggering a process that has a high DPC latency, which in turn affects the latency tolerance and/or amount of CPU time available for the TV service process.

A third thing you could try (in addition to fiddling with CPU power/speed settings, and checking DPC latency) is to try to increase the TV service process priority (in TV Server Configuration -> general section). Remember to restart the TV service after changing that setting in order for the change to take effect.

 

[joecrow]

But if it is CPU power-state switching, what can be done about it?

At the risk of poking my not so clever nose in here. I would suggest setting the Power Options Plan in the Win 10 Control Panel to "High Performance" if not already set, this automatically sets the min. CPU state to 100% (Balanced is only 5% but can be adjusted) . This may be the easiest way to stop power state switching. See attached screenshot.
If this advice is wrong please feel free to ignore or chastise me.