STX-HD100 freezes during playback - requires power cycle

[hchucky]

While watching live or recorded TV (standard or HD) the picture on the HD100 will freeze. This can happen as often as every 30 min. The only way to get back to normal is to power cycle the unit via the power button on the remote.

I've reported this issue but I thought I'd reach out to the general user community as well as this is a big WAF killer.

I'm currently running 6.3.6 using Java 1.6 update 4. I also had the issue with 6.3.5 and Java 1.6 update 3.

When the problem occurs I see the following entries in the debug log:
Sat 1/12 18:26:43.599 Error with MiniPlayer, closing UI: java.net.SocketTimeoutException: Read timed out
Sat 1/12 18:26:43.599 java.net.SocketTimeoutException: Read timed out
Sat 1/12 18:26:43.599 at java.net.SocketInputStream.socketRead0(Native Method)
Sat 1/12 18:26:43.599 at java.net.SocketInputStream.read(Unknown Source)
Sat 1/12 18:26:43.600 at java.net.SocketInputStream.read(Unknown Source)
Sat 1/12 18:26:43.600 at java.io.DataInputStream.readInt(Unknown Source)
Sat 1/12 18:26:43.600 at sage.b0.if(Unknown Source)
Sat 1/12 18:26:43.600 at sage.b0$1.run(Unknown Source)
Sat 1/12 18:26:43.600 at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
Sat 1/12 18:26:43.600 pushBuffer call failed; terminating push loop
Sat 1/12 18:26:43.601 Killing UIMgr UIManager:localhost@@00085c53a304-5917ea
Sat 1/12 18:26:43.601 Killed UI Timers
Sat 1/12 18:26:44.112 Stopping Disk Space Bar thread since the UI context "00085c53a304" no longer exists. AllUIContexts = [SAGETV_PROCESS_LOCAL_UI, 000dfe000e5b, 005056c00008]
Sat 1/12 18:26:44.112 Shutting down Disk Space Bar Updater Thread: Thread[Thread-3165,2,main], for UI context 00085c53a304
Sat 1/12 18:26:45.765 Updated:Watched[id=3421277 Airing=A[3412318,3210753,"NFL Football",24504@0112.15:30,180], WatchStart=Sat 1/12 17:49:33.647, WatchEnd=Sat 1/12 18:07:17.496, RealStart=Sat 1/12 17:49:36.804, RealEnd=Sat 1/12 18:26:45.764]
Sat 1/12 18:26:45.765 VF logFileWatch doneAir=A[3412318,3210753,"NFL Football",24504@0112.15:30,180] theTime=Sat 1/12 18:07:17.496 recTime=Sat 1/12 18:06:44.755
Sat 1/12 18:26:45.766 stopPush0()
Sat 1/12 18:26:45.766 Closing down MiniPlayer
Sat 1/12 18:26:45.766 closeDriver0()
Sat 1/12 18:26:45.767 Seeker.finishWatch(UIManager:localhost@@00085c53a304-5917ea)
Sat 1/12 18:26:45.768 Killed VideoFrame
Sat 1/12 18:26:45.768 Killed EventRouter

[carlgar]

Are you using Vista? If so, you probably need to update to Vista SP1 RC1. This looks like it is the known Vista TCP bug.

[hchucky]

I'm running Windows XP with the latest service packs.

[Wally]

Same here. If I try to change channels after the freeze the Extender turns itself off. Happens about every 20 minutes and more so in HD than SD. I also sometimes get the picture freeze when changing channels while the audio changes but nothing but turning off the Extender will get the picture to unfreeze. I'm running all the latest XP service packs, Sage, Java and Extender firmware.

[Yooper]

I get the same thing with the video freezing when I change channels but I can hear the new audio. I reported this on the bug submission.

I found that the up and down channel selection still works here - this gets it unstuck.

I assume you are running the 6.3.6 RC software?

[hchucky]

Originally Posted by Wally

Same here. If I try to change channels after the freeze the Extender turns itself off. Happens about every 20 minutes and more so in HD than SD. I also sometimes get the picture freeze when changing channels while the audio changes but nothing but turning off the Extender will get the picture to unfreeze. I'm running all the latest XP service packs, Sage, Java and Extender firmware.

Are you running any customizations? Are you running in service mode?

HC

[Wally]

hchucky,

I'm running no customizations and in service mode on the server. Sometimes if I quickly change channel after a freeze I can recover but mostly the screen just goes blank and the Extender turns off. Even when working, I get one second pauses every minute or so in HD.

[carlgar]

Originally Posted by Wally

hchucky,

I'm running no customizations and in service mode on the server. Sometimes if I quickly change channel after a freeze I can recover but mostly the screen just goes blank and the Extender turns off. Even when working, I get one second pauses every minute or so in HD.

What speed is your network card? Is it a built in or a addon (PCI or PCI-E)? Have you checked the configuration for NIC?
I have two networks and I noticed tonight that my PCI-E would encounter some pauses with my PCI-E 1 gigabit net card when watching a show recorded in 1080i. When I moved the HD extender to my other network which uses the built in NIC, I did not encounter this issue. The built in NIC gives me more control over the number of transmit and receive buffers. I have increased the number of transmit buffers to 1024.

[talbot3]

Originally Posted by Yooper

I get the same thing with the video freezing when I change channels but I can hear the new audio. I reported this on the bug submission.

I found that the up and down channel selection still works here - this gets it unstuck.

I assume you are running the 6.3.6 RC software?

I have the same problem. The smooth rewind will unfreeze the video on my machine. Did support offer you any solutions?

[bialio]

I see this ocasionally also, as does my wife. It happens for me when I'm changing channels (using channel up or down) on my SD channels. I have a PVR-500 dual tuner.

Switching over to one of the channels I get from HDHR and then back is the workaround I use when it happens. My wife usually power cycles. It'd be nice if this didn't happen.

btl.

[Wally]

carlgar,

Thanks for the help. I am running the built in Marvel 1GB Ethernet on a Gigabyte P965 motherboard. I upped the transmit buffers to 512 which is the max but it did not help. Also tried changing the switch/hub and cables with no affect. PC based clients all work fine on this server just this HD Extender is a pain. This seemed to have started with the 12/21 firmware and was supposedly fixed in the 12/26 firmware but apparently not for many.