Service Mode and other issues

[soulprops77]

Hi folks,
So I just swapped out my motherboard and processor for an E4500. I'm pleased as punch with performance that I'm getting in general, but Sage is giving me some headaches. I can break the issues down into two categories. Those that occur when running as a service and those that occur either way.

I've noticed two issues related to running as a service. The first is that my USB-UIRT will not transmit any signals to my STB. The remote works fine for controlling Sage, but when it comes time to change channels, nothing. . . No lights on the USB-UIRT.

The second service mode issue seems to be exclusive to AVI playback. All of my AVIs are very choppy, both the audio and video.

Both of these problems are resolved when I don't run in service mode.

Now for my global issue. Some DVDs that are stored on my HD as Video_TS folders will not play. I keep getting a region code error. I know that this isn't the case because the DVDs in question are region 1 and they play fine in PowerDVD.

I'm running Vista Home Premium, Cyberlink A/V decoders and SageTV Beta 6.2.6.

I'm kind of at a loss here, does anyone have any insight to share?

Thanks,
Chris

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by soulprops77

I've noticed two issues related to running as a service. The first is that my USB-UIRT will not transmit any signals to my STB. The remote works fine for controlling Sage, but when it comes time to change channels, nothing. . . No lights on the USB-UIRT.

I've heard a few people say that they had to have the service log in as the same user as the desktop UI for this to work, so there's one thing to try.

The second service mode issue seems to be exclusive to AVI playback. All of my AVIs are very choppy, both the audio and video.

Both of these problems are resolved when I don't run in service mode.

Now for my global issue. Some DVDs that are stored on my HD as Video_TS folders will not play. I keep getting a region code error. I know that this isn't the case because the DVDs in question are region 1 and they play fine in PowerDVD.

I'm running Vista Home Premium, Cyberlink A/V decoders and SageTV Beta 6.2.6.

Don't know about these... do you have a different DVD decoder you could try?

The beta is getting closer to being over, since it is in RC status, so as always: if debug logging isn't already on, enable it & send in a bug reports for things that aren't working properly.

- Andy

[Taddeusz]

I had the same problems with the USB-UIRT when I got mine. As Opus said, change the service to use the same account as the one you're using to login to the computer. You'll need to enable a password for the account if you don't have one already. I believe that cleared up all the problems for me.

The problem comes up because the service is running using a seperate account from the client. The USB-UIRT can't be shared by two users at the same time. In fact you may have to turn off service mode to do the initial setup of the USB-UIRT. It's been long enough since I dealt with it that I can't remember.

[soulprops77]

Thanks for the advice guys.

I figured out the AVI issue. Sage didn't like something about the Cyberlink/AC3Filter combination so I set it to Default/AC3Filter and all is well on that front.

The USB-UIRT thing is really bugging me though. I've always had the service logged in as the same user as the desktop. Doesn't make a difference. Sage will not let the USB-UIRT transmit to my STB in service mode.

Just to be clear. . . The issue with the service mode user and the USB-UIRT. . . Does that stop the device from receiving and sending signals, or just sending?

Thanks,
Chris

[Taddeusz]

You're sure you have your channel lineup setup correctly to send commands through the USB-UIRT? There are also some additional steps you have to go through to setup the multi-zone stuff. By default the USB-UIRT transmits everything out the emitter on the front of the device.

[soulprops77]

Only one STB to deal with so there should be now multi-zone issues and I know that my channel lineup is set correctly because the UIRT transmits perfectly when running Sage in standalone mode.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by soulprops77

The USB-UIRT thing is really bugging me though. I've always had the service logged in as the same user as the desktop. Doesn't make a difference. Sage will not let the USB-UIRT transmit to my STB in service mode.

Just to double check: you've checked the service login user + password settings using either SageTVServiceControl.exe or Windows' services utility? If you recently installed an upgrade, it would have gotten reset.

- Andy

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by soulprops77

Only one STB to deal with so there should be now multi-zone issues and I know that my channel lineup is set correctly because the UIRT transmits perfectly when running Sage in standalone mode.

Strange. Mine works fine in service mode. Are you using this machine also as a client when running in service mode? If so, is the client running under the same user as the service?

Even though I'm no longer using my server as a client my USB-UIRT runs fine as both a receiver for the client and as a transmitter for the service. The only thing I did special was set it up for zones for my two STB's.

Edit: Are you running girder on it?

[soulprops77]

Originally Posted by Opus4

Just to double check: you've checked the service login user + password settings using either SageTVServiceControl.exe or Windows' services utility? If you recently installed an upgrade, it would have gotten reset.

- Andy

Hey Andy,
I have checked, double checked, and triple checked. Only with the SageTVServiceControl.exe though, I haven't checked the Windows' services utility, but I would imagine it would give me the same info.

Either way, I only have one user account set up so if it's not Default then it has to be the user I'm logged in with.

Thanks,
Chris

[soulprops77]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

Strange. Mine works fine in service mode. Are you using this machine also as a client when running in service mode? If so, is the client running under the same user as the service?

I am using the same PC as server and client and as I stated above, there is only one user account. I have the service running as the user I am logged in as.

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

Edit: Are you running girder on it?

Nope. no girder.

Thanks,
Chris

[Razillian]

Have you checked to make sure the IR codes are there when you are running in service mode and that the tuner is set to use that code set?

[soulprops77]

I'm not even sure how I would do that. . . Aren't the IR codes stored in somewhere in the "common" folder in the first "SageTV" folder? Where would they go?

[Razillian]

I meant inside sage itself. In the video source setup where you select the USB-UIRT to change the channel for that particular video capture device. Setup -> Setup Video Sources -> (Select the video source) -> Tuner Control: USB-UIRT Tranceiver

Not sure if it still holds true, but once upon a time I noticed that if sage service started correctly prior to sage (client) firing up on the box, then I had some different settings than if, for whatever reason, the service didn't start on time. Sage client properties file being used versus the Sage properties file. Mostly it affected my remote control configuration, but the USB-UIRT codes might fall into that arena as well.

[soulprops77]

I'm at a total loss here. I've completely re-installed Sage (rolled back to 6.1.9) and I getting the same results, almost. . . After setting sage up fresh I can control the UI with my remote, but the USB-UIRT won't change channels. The USB-UIRT Learn Helper Utility has no problem learning and sending commands to my STB. No such luck with Sage. It's as if it will do either/or, but not both.

I can't for the life of me figure it out. I feel like I've done everything possible here. I even rolled backto Java 1.4.2_13. . .

It's confounding that everything works fine without the service running.

Is there any stone I've left unturned that anyone can think of?

Thanks,
Chris

[edit] Perhaps this should be bumped back to the regular SageTV forum?]