HD-PVR Stops Responding ~Once/Day

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by joe123

Ah! But on that listing, it says to lock output to 720p. For me, locking it to 1080i did the trick.

Maybe it should say to lock it to either 720p or 1080i.

As with everything on the HDPVR this is quit variable. I have my STB set to change the resolution and have zero issues with lockupps on my HDPVR. I don't know why my experience is different from that of others and couldn't explain why it works but it does. I actually have more issues with my STB than with the HDPVR itself.

[joe123]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

As with everything on the HDPVR this is quit variable. I have my STB set to change the resolution and have zero issues with lockupps on my HDPVR. I don't know why my experience is different from that of others and couldn't explain why it works but it does. I actually have more issues with my STB than with the HDPVR itself.

What STB do you have?

[darcilicious]

The only problem I have left that I can definitively point a figure at the HD-PVR is using its blasters to change channels. It very occassionally will miss a digit (about once a month) and sometimes this will cause the HDPVR to toally lock-up because it changes to a channel with a bad signal (some of our local access channels seem to be just awful).

I still get one of these messages about once a week (well, closer to every six days): "Halt Detected in Recording" but the new version of SageTV just plows on, with the recording missing a second or three. What I have just recently noticed is that when that happens, I get two files for the recording but the timeline in SageTV isn't broken. I can live with this.

Frankly, I'm still leaning towards thinking that the STB is the priamry source of the issue (sketchy signal and the like) though it would be nice if the HDPVR were a little more robust if so.

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by joe123

What STB do you have?

It's a Scientific Atlanta 4250HDC from Cox Cable. What happens is that about once every week or so it will all of a sudden start outputting stereo PCM instead of Dolby Digital from the optical out. To fix it I have to pull the power and reboot. I think it may be related to heat since it hasn't happened in a while since the temperature has gone down.

[joe123]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

It's a Scientific Atlanta 4250HDC from Cox Cable. What happens is that about once every week or so it will all of a sudden start outputting stereo PCM instead of Dolby Digital from the optical out. To fix it I have to pull the power and reboot. I think it may be related to heat since it hasn't happened in a while since the temperature has gone down.

Holly Macaronies - You have exaclty the same setup - We both have the same STB (execpt my provider is Time Warner). We are also running Win XP.

So you have your STB Fixed at 720p? Have you tried 1080i as well?

My system is NOT locking up at 1080i.

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by joe123

Holly Macaronies - You have exaclty the same setup - We both have the same STB (execpt my provider is Time Warner). We are also running Win XP.

So you have your STB Fixed at 720p? Have you tried 1080i as well?

My system is NOT locking up at 1080i.

I already said I don't have mine at a fixed resolution. I allow it to switch between 480i, 720p or 1080i. I have no problems with my HDPVR locking up, only with the STB outputting the wrong type of audio.

[joe123]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

I already said I don't have mine at a fixed resolution. I allow it to switch between 480i, 720p or 1080i. I have no problems with my HDPVR locking up, only with the STB outputting the wrong type of audio.

Oh, so sorry. A thousand pardons...

Well, for me 480i DEFENITELY locks up my HDPVR within a day or so.

We have the same everything almost, execpt for the STB provider. Maybe Time Warner sucks.

[joe123]

I should add that as a test, yesterday I set my STB box to output both 1080i and 720p.

In less than a day, my HDPVR locked up. So for me, 720p or the switching between 1080i and 720p locks up my HDPVR.

Leaving my STB LOCKED to only 1080i makes the HDPVR NOT lock up.

There is not much difference between file sizes with 720p and 1080i, so 1080i is the way to go.

For those having HDPVR lock-ups, you may want to try setting your STB to output 1080i only and see if the lock-ups go away. It worked for me.

[Taddeusz]

How long of a recording delay do have set? Does the HDPVR ever pick up the transition between channels? If you allow the resolution to change do you ever get the blue screen as the HDPVR is syncing to the new resolution?

For better stability I had to set my delay long enough so that the HDPVR wouldn't pick up that transition between channels. I believe the HDPVR is most sensitive to resolution changes at the beginning of a recording.

However, I believe the biggest thing that improved my HDPVR stability was the use of an NEC based USB PCI add-on card. After upgrading my hardware I tried using the built-in ports on my Intel motherboard to try and do away with add-on cards but started having problems with my HDPVR. Returning the HDPVR to the NEC card made it completely stable again.

[joe123]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

How long of a recording delay do have set? Does the HDPVR ever pick up the transition between channels? If you allow the resolution to change do you ever get the blue screen as the HDPVR is syncing to the new resolution?

However, I believe the biggest thing that improved my HDPVR stability was the use of an NEC based USB PCI add-on card..

I bought the NEC USB PCI add-on card recommend here and had ZERO positive results. I keept having 1-3 lock-up per day with the NEC USB card - really bad. Nothing else was hooked unto that USB card except for the HDPVR.

As for the delay between recordings, I don't even know how to change that. When I look at my HDPVR when it stops recording one movie and then starts a new one, I would say about ~7 seconds. The bling top blue light goes off on the HDPVR, the IR blaster on the DPVR changes the channel on my STB, about 2 seconds pass and then the blue bling light on the HDPVR goes on again. These are rough numbers from memory, I have not actually timed the events.

[darcilicious]

To change the delay from the time SageTV (starts to) tune a channel to the time it starts recording: http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...89&postcount=2

[joe123]

Originally Posted by darcilicious

To change the delay from the time SageTV (starts to) tune a channel to the time it starts recording: http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...89&postcount=2

Thanks, I will try that. What is the recommend magic number that you guys have it set to and experience no HDPVR lock-ups?

[Taddeusz]

I'm also not using the HDPVR's IR blaster. I'm using my USB-UIRT. I was using FW channel changing but got annoyed by the fact that leading zeros were stripping out causing one and two digit channel changes to take longer since my STB would wait for additional "key presses". That and there is no progress being made in FW as the drivers and utilities haven't been developed for quite a few years now.

I've never used the HDPVR's IR blaster but from what I understand it is quite problematic and slow.

I personally have tweaked the timings so that my USB-UIRT IR commands are sent almost as quickly as over FW. In fact, it allowed me to keep quite a low recording delay. Much lower than I had with FW where I had a 7.5sec delay.

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by joe123

Thanks, I will try that. What is the recommend majic number that you guys have it set to and experience no HDPVR lock-ups?

It depends on your setup. I recommend setting it so that the HDPVR doesn't catch the transition between shows. There's no real magic bullet. Setting it too high can lead to an annoyingly long delay while setting it too short will allow the HDPVR to catch the channel transition.

[joe123]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

I
I've never used the HDPVR's IR blaster but from what I understand it is quite problematic and slow.

I have had a TON of problems with the HDPVR locking up like others here, but the ONE thing which has been ROCK SOLID since day 1 on the HDPVR has been the IR blaster on the HDPVR.

My HDPVR IR blaster has worked flawlessly for several years. I cannot even remember once that it missed a channel change.

Amazing how we all have such different results and experiences.

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by joe123

My HDPVR IR blaster has worked flawlessly for several years. I cannot even remember once that it missed a channel change.

I think what I meant to say that the usage of the HDPVR's IR blaster is what causes problems, not that how well it works is problematic.

It is odd that everyone has different experiences in usage. Makes me wonder if the real problem is the combination of hardware. When it comes to my computer hardware purchases I stick with larger name brand RAM, Intel processors, and Intel brand motherboards. Sticking to this theme I have had far fewer problems. I suppose I have become an Intel fanboi but their products have never let me down. In everything from their network adapters to their processors and motherboard chipsets. I have no complaints.

[joe123]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

Makes me wonder if the real problem is the combination of hardware. When it comes to my computer hardware purchases I stick with larger name brand RAM, Intel processors, and Intel brand motherboards. .

Not sure. Before my last upgrade, I had name brand everything and Intel CPUs.

After upgrading to AMD system, I still had HDPVR issues but if anything, I had less issues and lockups with AMD than with the Intel. Go figure.

[joe123]

I just wanted to repeat in case it helps someone out there, that my HDPVR lock-ups went away the moment I set my STB fixed to 1080i.

If I use 720p, or 480i, I experience lock ups about 1-2 per day.

At 1080i, I am not getting any lock-ups for weeks since I made the switch.

[jerryt]

Originally Posted by jerryt

1...

Updated list

1. Do a clean install of the drivers
2. Revert to 1.0.5.301 drivers after using hwclear
3. Keep the HD-PVR cool
4. Don’t use SPDIF for audio, use RCA
5. Don’t use hardware versions earlier than E1
6. Defragment your hard drives
7. Lock component output to 720p
8. Use a NEC PCIe USB card or USB 3.0 ports
9. Filter power through a UPS
10. Increase Java memory
11. Isolate the HDPVR on its own physical controller
12. Use ferrite beads on the USB cables
13. Upgrade firmware running HcwDriverInstall.exe separately for each HD-PVR
14. Tape over the HD-PVR IR port
15. Enable "Tell me if this device can perform faster" for all your USB ports.
16. Rebuild your sageproperty file by; deleting it, restarting sage and going through setup again.
17. Use DVBlogic to control the HDPVR's.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by jerryt

Updated list

1. Do a clean install of the drivers
2. Revert to 1.0.5.301 drivers after using hwclear
3. Keep the HD-PVR cool
4. Don’t use SPDIF for audio, use RCA
5. Don’t use hardware versions earlier than E1
6. Defragment your hard drives
7. Lock component output to 720p
8. Use a NEC PCIe USB card or USB 3.0 ports
9. Filter power through a UPS
10. Increase Java memory
11. Isolate the HDPVR on its own physical controller
12. Use ferrite beads on the USB cables
13. Upgrade firmware running HcwDriverInstall.exe separately for each HD-PVR
14. Tape over the HD-PVR IR port
15. Enable "Tell me if this device can perform faster" for all your USB ports.
16. Rebuild your sageproperty file by; deleting it, restarting sage and going through setup again.
17. Use DVBlogic to control the HDPVR's.

And, after all this, get out your checkbook and either buy a Tivo or cable DVR to save your marriage and family.
As Dick Van Dyke once said: "put it in a brown paper bag, wave it over your head and scream like a chicken".
How a single piece of hardware and a single software app can be used so exclusively together and work so miserably together is almost like watching congress operate on CSPN.
I love the "geek" factor, but if either of these were a Microsoft product, well, you get the idea . . .