HD-PVR lockup possible cause

[MrD]

It seems that I might be able to replicate a lock-up with the HD-PVR.

I recently removed one of the HD-PVRs from my configuration due to the H21 receiver going tits up.

My other HD-PVR is connected to a H20 receiver. The receiver is set to always output 720p.

I was switching between channels NBC / FOX / ABC. The sound on NBC was DD, the sound on FOX stereo, and the sound on ABC was DD. When I switched from NBC to FOX, the sound on FOX was snapping every couple of seconds. I switched to ABC and got sound.

I switched back to FOX and got "spinny", after that I had to power cycle the HD-PVR.

Has anyway else noticed this behavior?

[Chriscic]

So you're saying going to a channel with stereo sound eventually causes the HD-PVR to lock-up? Just want be clear.

I haven't seen this behavior with my system.

[MrD]

Originally Posted by Chriscic

So you're saying going to a channel with stereo sound eventually causes the HD-PVR to lock-up? Just want be clear.

I haven't seen this behavior with my system.

Maybe going back and forth between DD and non-DD

[phelme]

Interesting. Could be the SPDIF digital link. A lot of people still have problems with that connection in general so this could be feasible. My lock-ups always seemed to have occurred on a Friday night and involve the SciFi HD channel (using a DirecTV receiver). Or moving from HBO HD to SciFi HD.

[Skirge01]

I don't want to fuel this theory, since there's no hard evidence yet, but this does make me wonder: Could commercials be causing the sporadic issues so many are seeing, due to the program being in DD and a commercial being in stereo? Having to switch back and forth could very well be an issue.

I'll need to keep an eye out for what programs are recording when these hiccups happen and see if they have commercials or not. Perhaps I'll just set an HD-PVR to record HBOHD non-stop for a couple of hours and keep an eye on it while watching other shows.

[bastian74]

I believe I've seen some commercials in different resolution than the show.
DD to stereo definately happens, but I don't think (at least for DTV) the codec changes to PCM when that happens, it is still dolby digital, it's just the center/rear channels are silent.

I have one confirmed cause of random lock-ups to add to the pile though. Even though my DirecTV H21 receiver is hard-coded to 1080i, the digital signal is momentarily corrupted when the satellite signal fades and the receiver switches to the signal fade graphic. This occasionally causes my HD PVR to lock up until power cycled.

[autoboy]

I have two HD-PVRs and the one with the analog stereo connection is the one that locks up while spdif one works without too much issue. My problem might be non related to your problem, but I thought i would add my thoughts.

This HDPVR thing really sucks doesn't it. Anyone else want to give this type of product a try? I'd lose my HD-PVR in an instant if someone who could write drivers created one.