Any way to notify when tuner is dead?

[timg11]

I have an HDhomerun tuner. I sometimes find it is "dead": three LEDs are steady on the front, and tuning anything in SageTV results in "No Signal". Power cycling brings it back, but by the time I notice the problem, I've usually missed shows.

I'm unable to tell if SageTV crashes kill the HDhomerun, or if HDhomerun going down then causes SageTV to crash.

Is there any way I can get SageTV to run a command, display a window, or do _something_ when it is supposed to be recording and instead is getting "no signal" because the HDhomerun is locked up? Running a command line program is probably the best idea - I could then rig up something with a relay that would power cycle the HDhomerun.

The HD-PVR also locks up sometimes and needs a power cycle, so the same mechanism could be used with the HD-PVR.

[briands]

This would be a GREAT feature especially when running a remote headless server with multiple tuners.

I'd think it would be pretty easy to monitor the file size as a quick indication of recording or not. Flag the issue and pick up the recording with any other available tuner.

[cenwesi]

what about pinging the IP. If no response then you know it is dead.

[ThePaladinTech]

Umm, slightly off topic. Are you aware that the HD HomeRun has a recall on the power supplies? if yours is affected they will send you a new free. My HD HomeRun has both been more stable since the new adapter. (and it gets a couple more channels to boot! - although that may be a coincidence)

[wayner]

I would love to be able to know this as well as I use cable boxes attached to most of my tuners. About once every couple of months my cable company powers down all of my cable boxes which causes me to miss recordings.

One way to do this, which is a little complex, is to parse through the output of something like Comskip and look for info like Maximum volume or Average Brightness or Number of frames. This should all be considerably lower on "dead" recordings. I would love to automate a process that does this once a day and then sends a power toggle via my USB-UIRT if required.

[timg11]

Thanks for the previous replies. I still have this problem and have been studying it more. I already have the new HDHR power supply. The HDHR is not really dead, since the HDHR manager and Config GUI program still works.

Looking at the HDhomerun Config GUI, both tuners are tuned in to channels.
Attempting to start VLC gives the Tuner in Use error.

SageTV also appears to think the HDHR is busy. Attempting to watch the channel while it is recording shows a black screen with "No Signal".

The Ethernet switch on the HDhomerun is blinking its LEDs like lots of data is going through. I can reboot the HTPC system, restarting SageTV, and the HDHR is still tuned to the channels, and the Config GUI claims it is in use. SageTV is still unable to use it.

How can I figure out where this data is going and what or who is controlling the HDHR? No other systems on the LAN are running HDHR or SageTV software.

How can I reset this state, and prevent it from occurring in the future?
Is there a way to configure the HDHR to say "SageTV on this one system totally owns these tuners - whatever it says to do, do it"

I'm using the latest (12/31) HDHR software and firmware.

[gplasky]

What do the lights on the HDHR say? If you have no program up using the HDHR as a recorder then you should only have one light on for power. If you have all 3 lights (power and 2 tuners) on then something is defective on your HDHR. Open a support ticket at Silcondust and check the box to create a log for Silicondust to troubleshoot. This isn't a Sage issue if both Sage and VLC thinks it is busy.

Gerry

[timg11]

All three LEDs are on steady.
I opened a ticket and also checked in the Silicondust HDHR forums. Others are having the same problems.

See this thread.

An admin suggested turning off Dynamic Tuner Allocation, but the original poster indicates that did not fix the issue.

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by timg11

All three LEDs are on steady.
I opened a ticket and also checked in the Silicondust HDHR forums. Others are having the same problems.

See this thread.

An admin suggested turning off Dynamic Tuner Allocation, but the original poster indicates that did not fix the issue.

Well good to know. Although I'm running the latest and do NOT have that issue. And I have Dynamic Tuner Allocation checked.

Gerry

[TallMomof2]

I'm having similar problems but what I'm finding is if the OTA signal to the HDHR is not good enough SageTV either crashes or locks up. I've carefully gone through all the OTA channels and eliminated the ones that appear to cause the most problems. I'm stuck with an indoor antenna (*#%$ homeowners association) and one in the attic isn't realistic.

Running the latest drivers and latest Sage RC.

[briands]

Originally Posted by TallMomof2

I'm having similar problems but what I'm finding is if the OTA signal to the HDHR is not good enough SageTV either crashes or locks up. I've carefully gone through all the OTA channels and eliminated the ones that appear to cause the most problems. I'm stuck with an indoor antenna (*#%$ homeowners association) and one in the attic isn't realistic.

Running the latest drivers and latest Sage RC.

According to this link, your HOA may not be able to restrict you (your wife may be another matter)... but I am not a lawyer...

[TallMomof2]

The way I undestand the law (and how it's interpreted by all the HOAs around here) is that satellite dishes (Dish & DirecTV) are fine but antennas are not.

BTW, my husband refuses to put up an outdoor antenna, he thinks they're an eyesore.

[david1234]

Originally Posted by TallMomof2

The way I undestand the law (and how it's interpreted by all the HOAs around here) is that satellite dishes (Dish & DirecTV) are fine but antennas are not.

Here's the FCC factsheet- an HOA can not ban TV antennas.

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html#QA

[briands]

Originally Posted by TallMomof2

The way I undestand the law (and how it's interpreted by all the HOAs around here) is that satellite dishes (Dish & DirecTV) are fine but antennas are not.

BTW, my husband refuses to put up an outdoor antenna, he thinks they're an eyesore.

So sorry for the gender confusion... I tend to think everyone on here is male... Your username even makes it pretty clear... duh what an idiot..