no HD video on MVP with 6.1

[IVB]

I have a standalone server machine that isn't used for playback at all.

I had 6.0 on an old POS machine, but I couldn't get the MVP to playback HD content as it was far too weak, even in standad mode. then I upgraded the machine to an E6600. With V6.0, i noticed lip synch issues. Rather than muck with the audio delay, I decided to first try 6.1 to see what that did.

Now I have no video on HD shows, but I have the audio. I tried the usual suspects (decoders, overlay vs VMR9), but no luck. I tried in both service mode and regular mode.

Any thoughts?

EDIT: I should also note that I switched machines physically, the new one has all the recordings copied over and the wiz.bin copied over. I lost my license key, still waiting on the reply email from SageTV support with it, so it shows that "trial" stuff all over the place.

[strangeandnew]

I too have perfect audio, but no video for HD recordings. SD plays across the Media Extender just fine. I upgraded to 6.1.9 at the same time I installed an HDHR.

[paulbeers]

Are all the records from before 6.1? Have you recorded anything since the 6.1 upgrade? I have problems with my HD recordings that I did from 5.0, but anything that I am recording now in 6.1.9 are just fine. if I remember correctly, there was something mentioned in the betas about that "older" hdtv recordings would have issues. That may or may not have been fixed. I just know I get lots of studdering from my 5.0.4 HD recordings on my MVP, but recordings I do now since I switched run just fine.

[IVB]

My problem is with recordings both before and after the upgrade. I recorded 24 last night, and it has the same problem.

[IVB]

Given that there have been no replies, I assume everyone is similarly drawing a blank?

Silly question but i haven't had to do this in the 3.5 years that i've had sage - is this where I use the support@sagetv.com channel to formally request support?

[paulbeers]

I would use this webpage. When I have needed support, its where I go.

http://www.sage.tv/request.html

[bcjenkins]

I too just upgraded to a C2D proc on a dedicated server. Last night was the first time I watched an HD recording on it. Worked great.

Here's my (pertinent) specs:

E6420 C2D
2 GB RAM
Fusion 5 GoldRT
Server 2K3
Java 1.6u1

I did not install DVD decoders, audio drivers, accelerated video drivers. SageTV is set to all installation defaults concerning media playback.

Running a modified STV on the MVP including the following add ons:

imdb_search_import.stvi
RW_Metadata.stvi
AddFutureAirings.stvi
comskip_playback.stvi
FavoriteChannelListsv1.1.2.stvi
IVL0.7.1.stvi
PauseOnSkip.stvi
webtext.stvi
rssnews_import.stvi
dynamic_menu_import.stvi

[IVB]

Thanks for the reply.

Do you have it set to standard or enhanced quality playback? Also, VMR9 or Overlay? SageTV as service or using GUI?

I'm having some weirdness - I switched to SageTV as service last night, and suddenly there's video. It stutters something awful, but I was so concerned with SageTV not recording Idol (as per my other thread) I haven't had a chance to play around yet.

I only have 1GB of RAM, not 2, but as i'm using an E6600 this should definitely work.

[bcjenkins]

I use standard quality, overlay and service mode. Standard quality and overlay are installation defaults.

[paulbeers]

I'm just throwing this out there (judging by your signature, I am sure you have), but have you stress tested your system? Mine was studdering something awful too for a couple of reasons
1. was using an old recording (which we have already determined not to be your problem)
2. had a bad stick o' ram (will get you every time). I am actually only using 512mb of Ram in my system right now as I am waiting for a replace 512 to show up (of course I have only Sage and only windows xp installed).

[IVB]

Yeah, I was just wondering about the RAM bit. I was in such a rush to get this built, I haven't done a huge stress test yet.

I guess I know what I ned to do next.

[paulbeers]

I noticed your thread over in the software section, and I would certainly go that route with all the difficulties it appears you are having (if it makes you feel any better, I did the same thing and threw my box together and load Sage/etc before I ever actually tested a thing). A guy over at tomshardware.com pointed me to passmark.com (I used to use memtest-86 and a few others) and its BurnInTest program. You can use it free for 30 days and it does all the tests you would pretty much want to do with a headless Sage Server without having to use a bunch of different programs (or booting to a cd as I had to with memtest).

[CollinR]

Another issue, did you format the video storage NTFS 64k?

I hope so.


Man this sucks I know how much you wanted this, and I know how much you have invested in getting this going. If I had HD here I'd be backup you up all the way man!!!

[IVB]

can't remember about the video storage, but why would that cause stuttering?

[Opus4]

If the recording drive is not partitioned using 64K cluster size, there is a good chance the drive won't be able to seek fast enough to keep up with the data flow, especially when the drive is fragmented. Just go to a DOS prompt and run chkdsk & it will tell you the number of bytes in each allocation unit.

- Andy

[IVB]

ok, just checked. I have 2 disks, and the one with the recording on it has a 64K cluster size. Still stutters.

Although as I type, I realize I never did set debug_logging=TRUE. Damn. I'll have to redo this test tomorrow once i've gotten some rest to see if I can track down the problem.

[IVB]

I so hate technology it's not funny. Why the hell have I chosen HA as a hobby?

Turns out that I can't use my IDE drive to render HD video, it's too slow. I noticed some other slowness accessing that hard disk earlier today, decided to try to stream an HD stream off the SATA drive and it works fine. Dunno if it's the disk or the mobo, but I don't care. I've got 300GB left on the SATA, and another 2 500GB SATA in the parts closet that I was about to use for a RAID5 but I suppose I can use them in this box.

Oh, but I should mention that my D* STB stopped deciding to tune today. I spite this new server, I spite thee I spite thee I spite thee.

[paulbeers]

Not sure which mobo you have, but my core 2 duo mobo only has 1 IDE port and so my new server is the first computer I have built withiout an IDE HD (I've used SATA drives in the past for secondary drives just not my main drive). You aren't sharing the PATA drive with an optical drive are you?

[flavius]

Originally Posted by IVB

I so hate technology it's not funny. Why the hell have I chosen HA as a hobby?

Turns out that I can't use my IDE drive to render HD video, it's too slow...

You ought to rebuild the box without that IDE drive.

[IVB]

1) Paulbeers - Yeah, only one IDE port. I've got a CD/DVD drive and the IDE drive, is that a problem? I've done that before, perhaps i've had this issue and didn't notice as I wasn't streaming HD off that drive.

2) flavius - What do you mean by rebuild? Fully reformat, or just pull the drive?