TV Server Channel Scan Crash PC at analog channel #67 (1 Viewer)

[Antiflash]

I knew I was looking for trouble when as a total newbie tried to configure MediaPortal in Windows 8 installing the latest 1.3.0 Beta.
When I try to configure the TV server and scan analog channels it always crash the PC at the same part. When scanning channel 67. I get an BSOD with the error BAD_POOL_CALLER. I get fully functional 66 channels but can't get TV server scan above that. QAM channels are scanned without problems.
Using Windows 8 64bits and a Hauppauge HVR-2250 (configured as hybrid).
Any ideas?
As an alternative tried to manually add channels above 66, but I failed to properly configure them and they do not work.
Any ideas?

 

[Antiflash]

Just to add some more information about the problem. I can 100% able to reproduce the BSOD when scaning analog channel #67 as odd as it might sound. First I though that manually adding channels beyond 67 will let me use the TVservice. But after I found how to manually add channels and completing the analog line up of my cable service, I unfortunately learned that TVservice is totally unreliable on my setup and usually crashes the computer when watching live tv and performing simple actions like changing channels or navigating between guide or other TV screens.
I'm not implying TVservice is at fault because it is actually the Hauppage driver of my HVR-2250 that crashes when is used by TVService. But I have installed and reinstalled the latest Hauppauge drivers without luck. The card works well with Media Center and Hauppauge WinTV.
I don't know if report this as a bug because running beta software (MP 1.3.0) in an unsupported OS (Windows 8 64bits) is asking for trouble.
But hopefully someone with similar platform (MP 1.3.0Beta + Hauppauge HVR-2250 + Windows 8 Pro 64 bits) can confirm or discard my problem.
I was really looking forward to replace Media Center with MediaPortal, but will probably have to wait for the next stable release with W8 support.
If you need any information just let me know.
Take Care
Johan

 

[Vasilich]

have you tried this https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/threads/tswriter-deadlock-potential-fix.114898/ ? because one of user mentioned that he doens't get BSOD with this version of TSWriter anymore

 

[Antiflash]

Thanks for the tip. the patched TSWriter I think it could have helped because I get fewer BSOD from the TVserver. Before I got BOSD randomly while watching TV. Now I just get BSOD uvly when starting TV or recording (very few times) and what is almost certain to cause an BOSD is closing MediaPortal while whatching tv without first stoping time shifting. If I press stop, accepting to stop timeshifting and then exit I have no problems. But if I just press the X in the mouse overlay or alt-F4 without stoping timeshifting I always get an BOSD with the error "bad_pool_caller"
Even if I have no previous experience with MP, I would gladly help providing any information if it will serve to improve MP in future releases. Let me know what to provide and how to get it.
Thank you

 

[mattjcurry]

Hey @Antiflash I have the same issue intermittently and would love to help troubleshoot as well if you find a solution. At think point I am also interested in different tuners, but need analog support.

 

[Knightro]

I am having the exact same issue with the same hardware, it's very frustrating. I am also going to post on the other forum link which I tried the 1.4 & 1.5 version with the same result.
Analog channels scan process starts then the system crashes with blue screen stating "Bad Pool Caller"

 

[Antiflash]

I just tried it again with 1.4 and latest drivers. No luck. It is just unstable with analog TV. It crashes during scanning. And if I define the channels manually it crashes randomly while watching TV or changing channels.
Just to try to compare do you use:
Windows 8?
64bits?
Hauppauge HVR-2250 hybrid Tuner?

What I would like to know if someone with that configuration is able to use analog TV with medianportal

 

[mm1352000]

Folks, lets be clear about what you're referring to. When you say "crashes" do you mean system crashes (ie. BSODs) or MP/TV Server crashes?

We may be able to do something about TV Server crashes (which are caused by errors in our code) but BSODs are a completely different story. BSODs are an indication that a driver or kernel (low level system) process experienced unexpected error conditions and couldn't continue to operate. The fact that all of you are using the same type of tuner and that Antiflash experienced a crash randomly while watching TV (ie. while MediaPortal and TV Server are not directly interacting/communicating with the tuner)... to me that points to issues in the driver which are beyond our control.

Have any of you used the analog tuner successfully in other software?
Do either of you have more than 4GB of RAM?

 

[Antiflash]

They are indeed BSoD and the error "BAD_POOL_CALLING" is related to Hauppauge drivers.
I understand why you think is not an MP problem but maybe it is something you can do if you consider the following:
1. When I mentioned random is because it occurs sometimes and some times don't. But it BSOD only when.
- Scanning channels
- Changing channels
- Exiting TV
That implies that TV server is interacting with the drivers when they crash the PC
2. I have tested Analog TV working with the following Programs without any issue:
- Windows 8 Media Center
- NextPVR v2.6.2
- WinTV v7
3. The digital tuner part of this hybrid tuner does work with MP

Considering this, let me know if you need any info if you are inclined to debug the problem.
Thanks for your help

 

[mm1352000]

I understand why you think is not an MP problem but maybe it is something you can do if you consider the following...

It is certainly possible that TV Server triggers a problem by interacting with the driver in a way that it doesn't expect. The difficulty is then to find out exactly what it is that we're doing that the driver doesn't like. This is really tough because logs generally get lost in a BSOD.

When I mentioned random is because it occurs sometimes and some times don't. But it BSOD only when...

Okay, I thought you meant that BSODs also occurred while watching TV (ie. not changing channel, not stopping/exiting TV).

Considering this, let me know if you need any info if you are inclined to debug the problem.
Thanks for your help

I'm definitely keen to see if we can figure out what is wrong. The first thing we need to know is exactly when the crash is occurring, and for this we need log files. As I said above, I think log files are usually lost in BSOD scenarios... but lets give this a shot...

Please could you configure your PC to capture a minidump on BSOD. Here are instructions for XP and W7. I'd expect the instructions for W8 to be similar to W7.
http://blog.nirsoft.net/2010/07/27/how-to-configure-windows-to-create-minidump-files-on-bsod/

After doing that, please trigger a BSOD.

After restarting the PC:
1. Open TV Server configuration.
2. Click "open log directory" in the top left corner.
3. Zip up all the files you find in that folder and post/attach the zip file here.
4. Find and post/attach the minidump file that Windows generated for the BSOD.

Note: I'm not making any promises that I can do anything to help, but the above information would be required for anybody to further analyse the problem.