HD100 - Long connection time?

[logsvp]

My Sage server is running 24x7. At night, I switch my extender off at the mains. When I switch it on the next morning, it will take a minute or so to get to the "found server and auto connect in 5 seconds" screen. So at this point I figure it has found the server on the network (because it lists it) - I am using fixed IP addressing and running the latest SageTV version and latest firmware

However, at this point it can take up to 10 minutes before it then displays the SageMC main page - in the meanwhile the TV shows a status of "No Signal".
Once the main page is displayed OK - the system works fine.

I was wondering if there is anyway of telling what is going on whilst it tries to display the main page?

[Opus4]

How long does it take to load the default STV at startup?

How many extenders do you have connecting? On the System Information screen (default STV), what are JVM Heap Size values?

- Andy

[pjpjpjpj]

Glad this got brought up...

Andy -

One of my two Extenders (which makes it that much more odd) has a tendency to take a long time to get to the main menu when I turn it on, (having only shut it off with the remote, not the switch on the back).

It has nothing to do with server activity (or lack thereof) either. Usual example: I will be watching TV in the family room on Extender #1, shut it off (remote power off), go upstairs to get ready for bed, then turn on Extender #2 in the bedroom to continue watching whatever I was watching. When I turn on Extender #2, the "Sage is starting up" screen comes up right away, no problem. But sometimes - not every time, but more often than not - it will sit there for at least a minute, sometimes 2 or 3 or more, before the main menu appears.

I'm still on 6.4.3 and the last Extender firmware (March?). Might those updates have changed anything? My gut tells me it's something else, since it only appears to be on one of the two Extenders.

It's not a "real" problem - it's never NOT started up. It's just a pain when you turn on the TV and have to wait 3+ minutes to be able to watch it.

[logsvp]

Originally Posted by Opus4

How long does it take to load the default STV at startup? How many extenders do you have connecting? On the System Information screen (default STV), what are JVM Heap Size values?

Here are the answers to your questions

Timings (mins:seconds):
00:00 Switch on via switch at back of unit
00:20 Active light illuminates
00:32 Starting screen displayed
01:02 Screen blanks (with TV showing 'No Signal) after auto-connect 5 seconds message
04:15 Main screen displays

The timings are consistent regardless as to whether I have SageMC or the standard STV being used

I first took timings for SageMC and then changed to the standard STV. I then tried this 3 times for the standard STV and the timings are always the same as far as I can see.

JVM Heap Size (Used/Total/Max): 188MB/231MB/533MB for SageMC
JVM Heap Size (Used/Total/Max): 228MB/231MB/533MB for Standard STV

I have two HD Extenders and 1 MVP Extender - when I did this test the other HD extender and MVP extender were off.

If I power off the the HD100 by pushing the silver button at the front and then turn it back on again, the main screen is displayed within seconds (i.e. less than 5).

[Opus4]

You should enable debug logging to get the log on the SageTV server.

- Andy

[logsvp]

Originally Posted by Opus4

You should enable debug logging to get the log on the SageTV server.

Ok I have done this and extracted what I figure to be the relevant section i.e. from when I switched the extender on:

Thu 8/21 17:15:04.888 Server got broadcast packet: java.net.DatagramPacket@1e26602
Thu 8/21 17:15:05.168 Server sent back mini discovery data:java.net.DatagramPacket@1e26602 to /192.168.1.60 1024
Thu 8/21 17:15:20.977 MiniUI got connection from Socket[addr=/192.168.1.60,port=1059,localport=31099]
Thu 8/21 17:15:20.977 MiniPlayer is adding to its map:00085c53d660
Thu 8/21 17:15:50.981 Dropping old MiniPlayer connection because it's old from:00085c53d660
Thu 8/21 17:15:50.983 MiniUI got connection from Socket[addr=/192.168.1.60,port=1060,localport=31099]
Thu 8/21 17:15:50.984 MiniPlayer is adding to its map:00085c53d660
Thu 8/21 17:16:20.988 Dropping old MiniPlayer connection because it's old from:00085c53d660
Thu 8/21 17:16:20.990 MiniUI got connection from Socket[addr=/192.168.1.60,port=1061,localport=31099]
Thu 8/21 17:16:20.990 MiniPlayer is adding to its map:00085c53d660
Thu 8/21 17:16:22.135 Ministry is waiting for 180 sec
Thu 8/21 17:16:50.994 Dropping old MiniPlayer connection because it's old from:00085c53d660
Thu 8/21 17:16:50.996 MiniUI got connection from Socket[addr=/192.168.1.60,port=1062,localport=31099]
Thu 8/21 17:16:50.997 MiniPlayer is adding to its map:00085c53d660
Thu 8/21 17:17:21.001 Dropping old MiniPlayer connection because it's old from:00085c53d660
Thu 8/21 17:17:21.003 MiniUI got connection from Socket[addr=/192.168.1.60,port=1063,localport=31099]
Thu 8/21 17:17:21.003 MiniPlayer is adding to its map:00085c53d660
Thu 8/21 17:17:51.007 Dropping old MiniPlayer connection because it's old from:00085c53d660
Thu 8/21 17:17:51.009 MiniUI got connection from Socket[addr=/192.168.1.60,port=1064,localport=31099]
Thu 8/21 17:17:51.010 MiniPlayer is adding to its map:00085c53d660
Thu 8/21 17:18:21.014 Dropping old MiniPlayer connection because it's old from:00085c53d660
Thu 8/21 17:18:21.016 MiniUI got connection from Socket[addr=/192.168.1.60,port=1065,localport=31099]
Thu 8/21 17:18:21.016 MiniPlayer is adding to its map:00085c53d660
Thu 8/21 17:18:31.990 MiniUI got connection from Socket[addr=/192.168.1.60,port=1066,localport=31099]
Thu 8/21 17:18:31.990 MiniUI is adding to its map:00085c53d660
Thu 8/21 17:18:31.990 Creating new UI for client:00085c53d660
Thu 8/21 17:18:31.997 Creating-2 new UI for client:00085c53d660 UIManager:localhost@@00085c53d660-cdba53
Thu 8/21 17:18:32.390 MiniUI established for 00085c53d660

This seems to tie up with the ~3 minutes that it is taking to connect.

[logsvp]

So any ideas on what is causing this delay? I guess the next step then is to contact Support

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by logsvp

So any ideas on what is causing this delay? I guess the next step then is to contact Support

Oh, yeah... I should have included that comment above I guess.

Submit a support request & you should probably reference this topic, but don't send the logs right away; if/when needed, they'll ask for them.

- Andy

[logsvp]

This problem has now disappeared which is very good news

I think that not rebooting the server between upgrades of SageTV / DH-100 Firmware may have contributed to the problem as when I did this (as part of doing some extra logging for Support) embarrassingly it all started working correctly.

[logsvp]

Just an update on this problem (just in case it helps anyone else)

The problem subsequently re-appeared again and got worse. The extender would freeze whilst playing back video on an inconsistent basis which either required you to be patient whilst it sorted itself out or to reboot it.

The problem turned out to be a problem on my network - a slowly failing gigabit switch (Netgear GS108). Googling for the problem provided a solution - to replace a couple of failing capacitors - so after wielding the soldering iron, my network is running at full speed and the HD Extenders are working perfectly.

What I need to look into now is to how to monitor the network to determine if network errors are occurring - if I had had this information it would have helped me to identify the issue and saved me from troubling SageTV Support.