Unable to start timeshift - No free card available (1 Viewer)

[LukasW]

Hello there,
ive just tested MediaPortal for usage on my HTPC. Unfortunately it does only work partially. Iam running the TV-Server on the same machine as the client. My Computer has one DVB-S card (Technisat Skystar 2) built in.

When i start MediaPortal (V1.0 RC3) and start MyTV->Channels i have only a very few channels with a green monitor status icon and EPG information. I can only tune to these few channels. When i try to select one of the others (with a red monitor status icon) i get the message

(channel-name here)
Unable to start timeshift
No free card available

It seems like the TV server is recording a timeshift for these few channels and my tv-card is busy because of that.

Whats wrong here?

 

[Rudi99]

Are you grabbing EPG via DVB-S? (and please give us more info in your system-specifications via profile, thx)

 

[Zorg]

Hi, Rudi99

I'm grabbing EPG via DVB-S and I'm experiencing a problem similar to the one posted here.

I have also a Technisat Skystart 2 with the last Media Portal, and now and then my scheduled recordings fail.
It records the xml but not the ts file, and if I try to watch the channel that is supposedly being recorded it says "unable to start timeshifting, no free card available". If I try a preview of the channel in the tvserver it says "all cards busy". When I stop that "false" recording, then the card is available again.

I have ticked these checkboxes in my EPG configuration:

Always try to fill holes
Always try to update existing entries
EPG grabbing while idle. Timeout 10 mins. Refrexh every 1 mins

May be the problem is in the EPG grabbing configuration, I don't know.

Thank you in advance

 

[Rudi99]

Hi Zorg,

i'm also using last svn of MP 1.0 final and grabbing EPG via DVB-S, here is what i have checked:

NO Always try to fill holes
NO Always try to update existing entries
NO EPG grabbing while idle
YES "Grab while timeshifting" (i'm not at home atm)
Timeout 15 mins

 

[Zorg]

Thanks a lot for answering.

Could you please check it when you are at home, just to confirm that this is the configuration that's OK?
For the moment, I see that you have almost nothing checked, quite the contrary to what I have.

Another question: when you asked LukasW about the EPG grabbing, was it because you know it is related to the no free card available issue?

 

[pilehave]

Hi, Rudi99

I'm grabbing EPG via DVB-S and I'm experiencing a problem similar to the one posted here.

I have also a Technisat Skystart 2 with the last Media Portal, and now and then my scheduled recordings fail.
It records the xml but not the ts file, and if I try to watch the channel that is supposedly being recorded it says "unable to start timeshifting, no free card available". If I try a preview of the channel in the tvserver it says "all cards busy". When I stop that "false" recording, then the card is available again.

I have ticked these checkboxes in my EPG configuration:

Always try to fill holes
Always try to update existing entries
EPG grabbing while idle. Timeout 10 mins. Refrexh every 1 mins

May be the problem is in the EPG grabbing configuration, I don't know.

Thank you in advance

Why would you refresh every 1 min? Try and change that to 15 or something more normal...

 

[Zorg]

Well, I changed the EPG configuration and the issue wasn't solved.
Now I only have ticked the "EPG grabbing while idle" Timeout 15. Refresh every 240.

I think it may be a problem with the TVServer or with my Skystar2. I wrote a post with all the details here:
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...scheduled-recording-problem-52757/#post361377

It seems a complicated problem because it only happens with the third scheduled recording of an specific channel.

 

[Rudi99]

Hi Zorg,

these are my actual settings (with still having stutterings in liveTV):

 

[rocklander]

any kiwis out there can offer some help on this?

I am new to media portal, and am watching the client on the same computer as the server is on.

I'm getting this message (and the 'some' green and 'some' red icons) too.

I'm in new zealand, and have some weird combination issues.
I can record tv1, and watch tv2 fine, but can't watch any other channels (tv3, c4, priime etc)(get the "no free card" message)
I can record tv2, but can't watch ANY other channels (get the "no free card" message)
I can record tv3 and watch c4, prime and a bunch of others, but not tv1 or tv2 (get the "no free card" message)

so I look at the "on now" epg and (whilst recording tv3)
I see green ticks on:
tv3, C4, prime, tv3+1, stratos, cue, c42, parliament tv, te reo, shite tv.
I see red "not-allowed" circles on:
tv1, tv2, tvnz6, tvnz7, unknown448, maori tv.

is it something to do with network affiliations (tvnz vs canwest) or similar? but then why would I be able to record tv1 and watch tv2, but not record tv2 and watch tv1? man I'm confused

 

[rocklander]

I think I have this figured. it's because the canwest and tvnz channels are on different LNBs.. another card should sort me out on this... just in case there's other kiwis out there with similar questions