[confirm] TV-server crash (1 Viewer)

[HakanThn]

Hi again,

I did some more testing, and it seems that the problem is connected with watching HD channels in combination with recording one HD or several SD channels. Here's a summary of the cases I've tested:
No recording + watching HD = ok
Recording SD + watching HD = ok
Recording HD + watching SD = ok
Recording HD + watching HD = not ok
Recording 2 SD + watching HD = not ok

I´m thinking of what things more I can try to narrow down the problem. Since it seems to be connected with the TV-server, then the GPU drivers and the codecs used should not matter?
Could it be some type of bandwidth problem, e.g. HDD usage? But a normal HDD should be able to cope with simultaneous recordings...?
I´ve noticed also that TvService is using a lot of memory before crashing, around 1GB.

Attached are another set of logs from testing the combination of HD recording and HD watching.
Test description:
Test of watching different channels while simultaneous recording of one DVB-S2 HD channel.
1. About 16.23: Start watching another S2 HD channel. Picture starts to stutter immediately, and freezes completely after about 30s. MP still responds to commands, I managed to stop watching with a "B" keystroke.
2. About 16.27: Start watching a S2 SD channel (the HD channel recording still running). This works fine until manually stopped at 16.54.
3. About 16.55: Start watching another S2 HD channel. Same as in 1 before. This time I let MP run. Leads in a minute to a TV-server stop (service still running acc. to task manager, but the process is not using any CPU) and dw20.exe (Microsoft .NET Error Reporting shim) is running at 50% CPU until 17.13. Manually stopped and restarted TV-service at 17.18, which led to MP being closed by Windows.

 

[mm1352000]

Hi again HakanThn

I´m thinking of what things more I can try to narrow down the problem. Since it seems to be connected with the TV-server, then the GPU drivers and the codecs used should not matter?

Based on your logs and what you've said it seems that the TV Server is effectively getting a massive memory leak and then crashing... or stalling... or something. The connection breaks. At this point I don't understand what causes it, but after looking at your latest logs on and off all day I think it something to do with:
- the streams or
- a bandwidth limitation somewhere or
- signal trouble

I see some of these in your latest two sets of TsWriter logs:

No PayLoad, Continuity Counter should be the same

...and some of these...

Discontinuity header bit set!

When I see those on the TV Server side, I also see *lots* of continuity errors on the TsReader side.

I don't know if it is just me, but it seems like this issue happens whenever you start watching/recording Discovery HD or National Geographic HD...

Could it be some type of bandwidth problem, e.g. HDD usage? But a normal HDD should be able to cope with simultaneous recordings...?

If it is bandwidth then I would be guessing more within the tuner hardware/architecture - after all, the problems seem to be within the stream (or with TsWriter's handling of the stream). If it were the HDD only then I would expect to see problems on the TsReader side, but not the TsWriter side.

I'm not really sure what to suggest to you except to say:
1. Confirm that National Geographic HD and Discovery HD are okay when you watch them by themselves. Make sure you watch for an extended period of time (at least 10 minutes).
2. I'm wondering if the CAM (or something about the tuner... drivers maybe) is at fault. Are you able to test with a second tuner? Alternatively can you eliminate the CI interface by temporarily removing it and testing with FTA channels? If you can't get HD FTA channels then try 4 or 5 SD channels if possible.
3. Try testing using the TV Server manual timeshift and record functions so that you can eliminate the MediaPortal client.

mm

 

[HakanThn]

Hi mm,
Thanks for your advice.

No, the problem is not specific to Discovery HD or Nat.Geog. HD, I can watch them without problems as long as I don´t record at the same time and I´ve problems with other HD channels also.

I will try the tests you proposed as far as possible. As you say, it could be a limitation of the CAM. I know it can manage to decode two channels at the same time, but maybe not two HD channels . I don't have any other tuners with HD channels, and I don't think I a have any FTA HD channels either , but I will give it a try.

I will be away for a week, but will try it and report when I´m back

 

[gibman]

haven't followed this thread so bear with me.

did u try the new channel stress test tool that has been implemented into setuptv ?

u can read more about it in the wiki.

/gibman

 

[HakanThn]

I´m back from my travel, and have done some more testing:

I'm not really sure what to suggest to you except to say:
1. Confirm that National Geographic HD and Discovery HD are okay when you watch them by themselves. Make sure you watch for an extended period of time (at least 10 minutes).
2. I'm wondering if the CAM (or something about the tuner... drivers maybe) is at fault. Are you able to test with a second tuner? Alternatively can you eliminate the CI interface by temporarily removing it and testing with FTA channels? If you can't get HD FTA channels then try 4 or 5 SD channels if possible.
3. Try testing using the TV Server manual timeshift and record functions so that you can eliminate the MediaPortal client.

mm

1. Yes, confirmed that both these HD channels are okay by themselves
2. My S2 card has two tuners, but it only allows watching one channel per tuner (even if on same transponder). Have no HD FTA channels. Did some more testing though, and I confirm now that one SD channel + one HD channel on the S2 card gives me problems. Tried with an SD FTA channel + an HD channel, and still have the problem => the CAM is not the problem? (not 100% sure though that the FTA channel doesn't involve the CAM , it works without the card inserted but give the message "card not inserted"). No use trying with two FTA SD channels, since two scrambled SD channels doesn't give the problem.
3. Tried TV Server manual timeshift of two HD channels => immediate TV-service crash.

/Håkan

 

[mm1352000]

Hi Håkan

I hope the travel was successful (work)/relaxing (holiday).
How about this:
1. Record 5 minutes from an HD channel.
2. Stop the recording.
3. Start recording a different HD channel.
4. Attempt to view the recording from (1).

mm

 

[HakanThn]

haven't followed this thread so bear with me.

did u try the new channel stress test tool that has been implemented into setuptv ?

u can read more about it in the wiki.

/gibman

Tried the stress test, without changing any settings, see attached txt file. I'm not really sure how to interpret the results. Are the timings etc ok?
Most of the errors I can explain by no transmission on the channel, or other problems with the channel, but some errors I don't understand: Silver HD, Nat. geo. wild HD and Eurosport HD all work when tuned from MP.

 

[Vasilich]

just to be sure - what version of cine DD drivers do you use?

 

[HakanThn]

I discovered something new:
Not all HD channels gives problems!
It seems that HD channels with symbol rate 25000 are fine, can even record one HD and watch another.
HD channels with symbol rate 30000 can only be watched if the other DVB-S2 tuner is idle.

I've read a few times about problems with 30000 channels, could it be related?
e.g. https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...b-s2-hd-channels-sr-30000-a-91222/index2.html (although that problem seemed to be md*pi related).

Hi Håkan

I hope the travel was successful (work)/relaxing (holiday).
How about this:
1. Record 5 minutes from an HD channel.
2. Stop the recording.
3. Start recording a different HD channel.
4. Attempt to view the recording from (1).

mm

Yes, I had a very good holiday trip!

Tested as you described, no problems.

just to be sure - what version of cine DD drivers do you use?

I´m using 2.1.1.33. I see there's a newer version available, 2.1.2.39. Looking at the stated changes it seems not relevant to this, but it is worth at try. Will upgrade.

Updated to driver version 2.1.2.39, and the problem remains as before.

 

[Wbunaarf]

Hi,

I discovered something new:
Not all HD channels gives problems!
It seems that HD channels with symbol rate 25000 are fine, can even record one HD and watch another.
HD channels with symbol rate 30000 can only be watched if the other DVB-S2 tuner is idle.

I've read a few times about problems with 30000 channels, could it be related?
e.g. https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...b-s2-hd-channels-sr-30000-a-91222/index2.html (although that problem seemed to be md*pi related).

For what it's worth, I just did a test. I started a recording on Nat Geo HD, and then started watching Nat Geo Wild HD (both S2, SR 30000). I let it run for ~20 min and had no problems, so at least it's not necessarily a general problem with mp and a sr of 30000. Please note that this was tested using 28029 with tswriter patched (and of course with completely different hardware, but still).

//Johannes