"Capture Error in playback" multiple messages

[mickdaly]

Has anyone asked Sage to display the "Capture Error in playback" msg only once, instead of repeating it over and over? I have to "ok" dozens of times (an hour or two after the error was first displayed). This is simply bad programming to me!

I've been struggling for 10 days to get my new system setup. It's still unusable!

I have all uptodate drivers and firmware - no betas. The best I've achieved was one 2 hour period when I could record on one pvr and watch live tv on another. Suddenly (I didn't touch a thing!) it went bad again!

It's been an constant frustrating battle - mostly rebooting every box and starting over. Yes, I've re-installed drivers dozens of times! Hours of time spent.

But let me stop my 'rant' and leave that for another post.

Mick
HP Mediasmart EX-470 server with 4.5tb storage, running Sagetv; 2 Hauppauge HD-PVRs; 2 Directv Receivers (channel changing by usb/serial/usb cables); 3 Sagetv HD-200s; Pioneer KRP-500M Kuro plasma; Pioneer Elite SC-07 receiver; Panasonic TH-50PH9UK plasma; Sharp Aquos LC-C4067U LCD.

[freedml]

How about one step at a time rather than all at once. Can you get one tuner working well and watch/record it on the server?

[wayner]

I bet you are getting this error while trying to play back Recorded TV shows on your WHS machine aren't you?

The WHS server is not designed to play back video files - have you tried using Placeshifter or your HD-200s for playback?

[AtariJeff]

I see you listed HD-PVR's in your sig. What version of the driver are you using ? I struggled for almost a month after rebuilding a WHS rig. I was using 1.5.6 and it was total crap. Switched back to 1.5.3 and it's been solid ever since.

[wayner]

According to Device Manager the Drivers are 1.0.5.3 date 11/18/2008 - I set up this machine last December and I don't think I have updated the drivers since then. I keep meaning to try to switch to digital audio which may require a driver change but I haven't done that yet.

[mickdaly]

Good idea - thanks for all your input.

No, I'm getting the error through the extenders.

I am at 1.5.6 - my CDs have 1.0.5.301 ... where can I get 1.5.3?

I'll also take your advice and re-install one PVR ... the only way I can be sure one of them isn't 'bad'.

I did reset my directv receivers to output 720p, but still get the error.

Back to my original Q - surely it's 'wrong' that the capture error msg is issued over and over!?!

Mick
--------
HP Mediasmart EX-470 server with 4.5tb storage, running Sagetv; 2 Hauppauge HD-PVRs; 2 Directv Receivers (channel changing by usb/serial/usb cables); 3 Sagetv HD-200s; Pioneer KRP-500M Kuro plasma; Pioneer Elite SC-07 receiver; Panasonic TH-50PH9UK plasma; Sharp Aquos LC-C4067U LCD.

[Patrick25]

I have a timer connected to my two HD-PVRs and have them power off every day at 4 am for about an hour. I configure my system to shutdown shortly before they power off. When the timer turns the power back on, my PC automatically turns back on. I've been trying this for a week and I no longer get that problem.

[eric3a]

I'm actually asking in an other thread is there is a way NOT to see those messages at all.
When I travel, my wife doesn't need some obscure error message in the middle of the TV screen. She just needs the error dealt with, which I can do remotely or automatically via SageAlert.

Eric

[mickdaly]

Taking the advice of you good folks I only see this msg occasionally - I think going back to old drivers was the key ... but I agree, Eric, the msg has little or no value esp. given the WAF! Are Sage folks reading these posts?!

I've installed a Smarthome power strip that shuts off all my HDPVRs and HD200s when my server goes to sleep at 1am. However, Sagetv on my server is still messed up when I wake up in the morning!

Also, does anyone know why, when I power down the server and power back up, Sagetv doesn't start up until I Remote into the server?

Mick
HP Mediasmart EX-470 server with 4.5tb storage, running Sagetv; 2 Hauppauge HD-PVRs; 2 Directv Receivers (channel changing by usb/serial/usb cables); 3 Sagetv HD-200s; Pioneer KRP-500M Kuro plasma; Pioneer Elite SC-07 receiver; Panasonic TH-50PH9UK plasma; Sharp Aquos LC-C4067U LCD

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by mickdaly

Also, does anyone know why, when I power down the server and power back up, Sagetv doesn't start up until I Remote into the server?

Mick

Because you don't have SageTV set to run as a service or it's not auto-logging in so that it runs as an app?

Gerry

[mickdaly]

how do I set it to run as a service? I did say I'm a newbie!

and pls explain "auto-logging in so that it runs as an app" ... It starts up immediately I remote in using Remote Desktop ... I don't do anything - it just starts. But ONLY when I remote in.

Mick
HP Mediasmart EX-470 server with 4.5tb storage, running Sagetv; 2 Hauppauge HD-PVRs; 2 Directv Receivers (channel changing by usb/serial/usb cables); 3 Sagetv HD-200s; Pioneer KRP-500M Kuro plasma; Pioneer Elite SC-07 receiver; Panasonic TH-50PH9UK plasma; Sharp Aquos LC-C4067U LCD

[MrD]

I too want these messages gone. It's pretty obvious when I need to reset the HD-PVR.

The only value the messages have is hearing my 2yr old daughter say

"ohhh nooo... Daddy fix!"

warms my heart

[mickdaly]

Originally Posted by MrD

I too want these messages gone. It's pretty obvious when I need to reset the HD-PVR.

The only value the messages have is hearing my 2yr old daughter say

"ohhh nooo... Daddy fix!"

warms my heart

Scary words from a 2-yr old!
Could the "warm" in your heart be related to the cold sweat on your brow?!

Mick
HP Mediasmart EX-470 server with 4.5tb storage, running Sagetv; 2 Hauppauge HD-PVRs; 2 Directv Receivers (channel changing by usb/serial/usb cables); 3 Sagetv HD-200s; Pioneer KRP-500M Kuro plasma; Pioneer Elite SC-07 receiver; Panasonic TH-50PH9UK plasma; Sharp Aquos LC-C4067U LCD

[Savage1701]

I'll take a run at your problems, although I am using 32-bit XP and not WHS so throw out what does not apply on WHS. You also seem to have them mostly solved.

1. I only got my single playback error warning when I had the video preview in window or background set to "off". That limited it to one error message for me, not a ton of them (I know what you mean).

2. HD-PVR's are the trickiest without a doubt. I am running the original installers that came with it so that the driver and TME match up and I can access the Arcsoft H.264 decoder, which is hidden in newer versions. I agree with you - the newest drivers are not always the best. I also have a 120mm fan under my HD-PVR with a 1" spacer above and below the fan to eliminate dead spots. I want to keep my HD-PVR cool as I can. Easy to do with a molex power-out PCI bracket and a spare fan and a few rubber feet from the hardware store to get your spacing and not have anything "walk" due to fan vibration.

3. Try a trial download of Core AVE, Cyberlink, or Main Concepts H.264's and see if they help. But I guess that's irrelevant with WHS if it's not designed for that anyway.

4. One obscurity for me - I have about the same amount of storage you do. I had to add an extra power supply to my system. Although I have a 600W 2U server PSU, I have no way of knowing how it spreads power over the rails, etc. Of course, you have to load most PSU's to some degree or they get flaky as well. I put 4 of my mechanical hard drives on an older Antec 350W test bed PSU, and my problems, including clicking, 3Ware power reset warnings, the spinning wheel of death, and such, went away. I computed that at 12V 2A and 5V 1A cold spinup, and at about 1/2 to 1/3 of that under read/write conditions, it would load my Antec around 30-60% of capacity depending on how you want to count the numbers. It is stable at this load so that's good.

I also tended to notice my system restarted at night, which tied into my 3Ware verifying it's drives all at once. I guess I'd be careful with yours since Dell, for instance, used to be notorious for non-standard power supplies and plug configs. But using a spare PSU to temporarily power the hard drives should not matter there. Just make sure it's the first to go on and last to go off or you may drive your main system nuts. Use the green to ground ATX short to make it stay on, and put it on the same strip/connector as your computer so they must be on at the same time.

5. I checked and found I had 2 versions of Java installed. I uninstalled the older one. No clue how that applies to WHS.

6. Check the forum to increase your Java heap size via registry. It can't hurt to try. Again, may not apply to WHS.

7. I spent $30 and bought an x1 USB 2.0 card. I plugged my HD-PVR into it. It has the NEC chipset, highly regarded in USB circles. My Asus P5QE has far more USB ports than any board ought to. I can make it crash almost at will if I make it handle my tuner sticks and HD-PVR. I think the P5QE's were designed more for someone who has a bunch of low-bandwidth stuff like music player, printer, keyboard, mouse, and such.

8. If my HD-PVR ever baceme the dreaded "Unknown Device" then until I could force XP to re-recognize it, I could not play H.264 files either. The add-on x1 USB 2.0 card handled that nicely.

Hope you get your problems fixed.

[mickdaly]

Originally Posted by Savage1701

2. HD-PVR's are the trickiest without a doubt. I am running the original installers that came with it so that the driver and TME match up and I can access the Arcsoft H.264 decoder, which is hidden in newer versions. I agree with you - the newest drivers are not always the best. I also have a 120mm fan under my HD-PVR with a 1" spacer above and below the fan to eliminate dead spots. I want to keep my HD-PVR cool as I can. Easy to do with a molex power-out PCI bracket and a spare fan and a few rubber feet from the hardware store to get your spacing and not have anything "walk" due to fan vibration.

I'll try something like this - good idea.

5. I checked and found I had 2 versions of Java installed. I uninstalled the older one. No clue how that applies to WHS.

Me too - I deleted one.

6. Check the forum to increase your Java heap size via registry. It can't hurt to try. Again, may not apply to WHS.

Did this - thanks.

Many thanks for these suggestions.

Sagetv IS now running in service mode on my HP Server.

The server is set to sleep between 1am and 7am, but when it wakes up, Sagetv no longer responds. I have to restart the server.

Any ideas what could be wrong?

Mick
HP Mediasmart EX-470 server with 4.5tb storage, running Sagetv; 2 Hauppauge HD-PVRs; 2 Directv Receivers (channel changing by usb/serial/usb cables); 3 Sagetv HD-200s; Pioneer KRP-500M Kuro plasma; Pioneer Elite SC-07 receiver; Panasonic TH-50PH9UK plasma; Sharp Aquos LC-C4067U LCD; Logitech Harmony 880 remote.

[Savage1701]

Now that one I can't help you on. I don't run in service mode and I don't sleep my Sage server if you are talking sleeping in the hardware sense - S1, S3, etc.

I've never found USB devices, in particular, take kindly to sleeping. I also use a RAID controller for my storage drives which does not enjoy that either.

For me, my life is simpler if I just leave my SageTV server running. I use an extender upstairs at our main TV, and it's power draw is so tiny it hardly matters. But I understand if you are trying to conserve power.

Another possibility - I UNDERCLOCKED a CPU in BIOS and knocked 40-50 watts off an older 920 series Pentium D system. It made no difference as a file server, which is what I was actually testing it as. Your comment jogged my memory there. But I have no clue what that would do with H.264 files and such in your case.

This is beyond my technical abilities, but I think it is fairly simple to get a .bat file or maybe even scheduler could handle shutting down SageTV a couple of minutes before your system sleeps and wake it up a couple of minutes after? I know people write little .bat files to do repetitive tasks all the time, like having the USB-UIRT send a signal every hour to cable boxes that insist on going into power saving mode or stuff like that.

I don't even know if WHS can do that, but it would give the other services time to wake up in the AM and make sure Sage shut down first at night.

Hope some this further helps.

[Savage1701]

This is pretty much a kludge, but it ought to work and it's easier than a .bat file. Sorry I did not think of it before:

1. Get one of the graceful shutdown utilities available on the web. I Googled "Software Shutdown Utility" and got a ton of them. That takes care of you on the "put my server to sleep" end of things at 1:00 AM. You may need to try several to get one that works well with your WHS OS, but many are free or 30-day trialware.

2. Go into your BIOS and set your CPU to always come back on after a power failure. Usual choices are stay off, come back on, or revert to last state. Again, choose "always come back on" because it will perceive the PDU shut-off as a power failure.

3. Pick up one of the inexpensive Ethernet-based PDU units on Ebay. I can point you to several models that will do what you need, as I have used many different brands of PDU's to control my rack's power needs remotely. What you want is one that has a scheduling feature. You would then set your PDU to turn the power off about 5 minutes after your graceful shutdown utility turned the CPU off, to allow for a fudge factor. Get a power strip to plug everything that needs 120VAC and pertains to your system to use that one outlet on the PDU - that's important. Most of these PDU's will sync to SNTP servers so they are dead-on atomic clock accurate. They will also allow you to set the time to turn back on. Set it for 7:00AM as you wish. When your BIOS senses power at the outlet of the PDU it is plugged into has returned, it will automatically reboot your system, and your HD-PVRS, external storage boxes, whatever pertains to your WHS Sage server will have power at the same instant as well. I do this all the time, and it's faultless. You just have to make sure you keep the settings if you update your BIOS for any reason, but that's easy and BIOS updates are infrequent at best.

4. The nice thing is you give your PDU an IP address and can manage it remotely from a browser window if you want to change the wake up and shutdown times. Many of these PDU's are so granular you can specify days of the week, special exceptions, you name it.

Finally, it avoids any sleep issues and it avoids your HD-PVR's having power when your CPU does not, or vice-versa.

[mickdaly]

Originally Posted by Savage1701

I've never found USB devices, in particular, take kindly to sleeping. I also use a RAID controller for my storage drives which does not enjoy that either.

For me, my life is simpler if I just leave my SageTV server running. I use an extender upstairs at our main TV, and it's power draw is so tiny it hardly matters. But I understand if you are trying to conserve power.

Power conservation isn't the reason. My powerstrip automatically cuts power to each of my HD200s and HDPVRs when the server goes to sleep, so those devices reboot every day (they seem to need it!) The HP Mediasmart server is designed to sleep without problems.

I discovered (my bad!) that I'd installed the non-WHS version of Sagetv. I didn't realize there WAS a WHS version until reading another forum post! Last night I uninstalled sagetv, installed the specific WHS version, and - guess what! - this morning everything was working perfectly!

Now, fingers crossed ... let's hope it stays that way.

Thanks to everyone for all the help - this community is amazing!

Mick
HP Mediasmart EX-470 server with 4.5tb storage, running Sagetv; 2 Hauppauge HD-PVRs; 2 Directv Receivers (channel changing by usb/serial/usb cables); 4 Sagetv HD-200s; Pioneer KRP-500M Kuro plasma; Pioneer Elite SC-07 receiver; Panasonic TH-50PH9UK plasma; Sharp Aquos LC-C4067U LCD.

[Savage1701]

Good for you! Glad to hear it!

[mickdaly]

After several weeks of fairly stable operation, suddenly I'm getting these Capture errors again! AAARRRGGGHHHH!!!

I changed nothing, so what do you think is happening? What can I do?

EDIT:
I tried 1.5.6.1 upgrade for both PVRs - nothing worked!
Have gone back to 1.0.5.3 ... but now have even bigger problems: neither PVR will record~!

EDIT:
Not sure how, but after many hours got the problem to go away!?!?!?!?!?!?
Until next time ...?!