HD-PVR Stops Responding ~Once/Day

[jerryt]

Originally Posted by joe123

Have you noticed less lock-ups when you do this? Are you able to reproduce the results?

I wonder if this was one of the "fixes" for V7?

I have no lock ups.

So I can not reproduce, but it has been show to fix HDPVR recording problems.

You have to delete (Move?) sageproperty and autobackup files and restart.

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by joe123

I had the exact opposite experience. I bought the recommended USB card mentioned here (exact one - even from the same seller Newegg.com), plugged my HD-PVR by itself with no other USB connections going to the card and my HD-PVR lock-ups were the same if not worse.

I have done EVERTYING mentioned here with no steady results.

The only thing that did work for me for a brief period of time, was when I built a fresh new XP Pro 32bit with a fresh SageTV installation. It ran PERFECTLY GOOD for weeks and weeks (months) without a single failure. I almost cried. Then out of no where, BANG - RED-ICON HD-PVR stop producing data

It's something else.

The card I installed was this I believe. I would have to check to be certain however. I know it was an Adaptec 4000 series USB controller. Got it at the original CompUSA before they went under.

[phelme]

At one point, my HD-PVR on a newly built system ran perfectly fine for weeks and weeks recording almost non-stop without a SINGLE lock-up. My setup was rock solid and I almost cried seeing such a stable setup. Then all of a sudden I started getting the dreaded RED-ICON by Sage saying that my HD-PVR stopped producing data.

The "halt detected" errors are new to my HD-PVR's too. Never started getting them with this frequency until a month or so ago. One system I think I've stabilized by making sure power saving mode is disabled on the USB Root Hub where the HD-PVR is connected. Upgrading to XP SP3 must have flipped that option back on.

[sic0048]

Don't forget at with the announcement of the Hauppauge Colossus, most (if not all) of the troubles with the HD-PVR are expected to disappear. The device works fine, but the USB connection seems to be the weak point. With the PCI-e Colossus card, those issues won't be a factor.

I honestly think that the Colossus card will be extremely stable. It takes all the good parts of the HD-PVR and uses a PCI-e connection rather than the unreliable USB connection.

[joe123]

Originally Posted by phelme

The "halt detected" errors are new to my HD-PVR's too. Never started getting them with this frequency until a month or so ago. One system I think I've stabilized by making sure power saving mode is disabled on the USB Root Hub where the HD-PVR is connected. Upgrading to XP SP3 must have flipped that option back on.

For the record, my USB power mode was disabled when the system was steady and after when I started getting the HD-PVR stopped producing data.

I went from a complete 100% working and stable setup to numeous lock-ups over night. I checked, double checked and tripple check everything and nothing had been updated when I started having the issues again.

I really think it's something else.

[joe123]

Originally Posted by sic0048

Don't forget at with the announcement of the Hauppauge Colossus, most (if not all) of the troubles with the HD-PVR are expected to disappear. The device works fine, but the USB connection seems to be the weak point. With the PCI-e Colossus card, those issues won't be a factor.

I honestly think that the Colossus card will be extremely stable. It takes all the good parts of the HD-PVR and uses a PCI-e connection rather than the unreliable USB connection.

Cool! Let's see if Hauppauge gives us a trade-in discount for the HD-PVR.

[sportera]

Originally Posted by joe123

For the record, my USB power mode was disabled when the system was steady and after when I started getting the HD-PVR stopped producing data.

I went from a complete 100% working and stable setup to numeous lock-ups over night. I checked, double checked and tripple check everything and nothing had been updated when I started having the issues again.

I really think it's something else.

I have been monitoring this thread since the first post, and while I cannot find fault in the claim that faulty USB configurations are a big culprit, I can make a solid claim that I've found, (and proved), "heat" to be my problem.

I originately stacked my (2) HDPVR's "horizonally" on top of my 2 stacked DTV's. At that time I was getting lockups at the rate of 2-3 times a week. I found there was a good bit of heat radiating from the top of my perforated DTV's. Then I read a post where someone tried turning the HDPVR's "vertically" for less heat buildup so I tried that. Then my lockups decreased to about 1-2 times a week, and seemed to happen more in the summer when my server room got warmer. Finally I moved my HDPVR's from the top of my DTV's to the to top of my server PC (which is cooler) and still kept them turned vertically. Now I still get lockups occasionally but seldom and at the rate of about 1-2 times a month, in the summer, and seldom when my server room is cold.

I'm sorry but I had to jump in here as I've tried so many things "except for hanging the chicken" above my setup, and I really believe it is "heat" that causes the lockups. I almost attempted to make a mod I read somewhere where a guy installed a fan in the top of each HDPVR.

Hope this helps. I'd highly recommend you move your HPPVR's to the coolest place nearest your installation and monitor your lockups.

[joe123]

Originally Posted by sic0048

Don't forget at with the announcement of the Hauppauge Colossus, most (if not all) of the troubles with the HD-PVR are expected to disappear.

Anyone knows if SageTV 7 will Support the new Hauppauge Colossus ?

Sage (and others) usually get's hardware ahead of public so that they can plan accordingly.

EDIT: Never mind, Looks like SageTV 7 will support it:

[Chriscic]

Originally Posted by sic0048

I honestly think that the Colossus card will be extremely stable. It takes all the good parts of the HD-PVR and uses a PCI-e connection rather than the unreliable USB connection.

Hope you're right. Since it uses an entirely different encoding chip I'm not sure "takes all the good parts" is accurate, but hopefully the new parts work as good or better than the old. Certainly on paper you have added MPEG2 although not sure on bitrates for either than or .h264.

It could easily have a whole other set of problems/limitations.

[tvmaster2]

So, my just-returned-from-RMA HD-PVR version F1 took just one day to begin turning itself off all by itself (the original reason I sent mine in to be repaired).
Is there any chance this could be software related? I can't imagine how any software app could cause the PVR to shut down, but at this point, I'm all ears.

[joe123]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

I can't imagine how any software app could cause the PVR to shut down, but at this point, I'm all ears.

Welcome to the club.

Cut to the chase and use the TME software that came with the HD-PVR. If you can duplicate the shut downs, then you have a case.

Happauge will not listen to you if you mention the word SageTV. But since TME is the software they distribute, you then have a case if the unit locks up.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by joe123

Welcome to the club.

Cut to the chase and use the TME software that came with the HD-PVR. If you can duplicate the shut downs, then you have a case.

Happauge will not listen to you if you mention the word SageTV. But since TME is the software they distribute, you then have a case if the unit locks up.

In my initial testing, using TME caused NO shut-downs, but the Sage folk here claim that Sage isn't likely the problem.
It's almost like I'm investigating Congress.

[tvmaster2]

so if that pans out, who would I contact to get the problem solved, as it would appear to be a problem with how Sage handles the signal

[joe123]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

In my initial testing, using TME caused NO shut-downs, but the Sage folk here claim that Sage isn't likely the problem.
It's almost like I'm investigating Congress.

This has always been my gripe with SageTV. I personally think that the HD-PVR lock ups have something do to with both the HD-PVR and SageTV.

I would have liked to see more transperancy as to what SageTV found "wrong" with the HD-PVR that they supposedly help "fix" in Versoin 7 of SageTV. They claim that it had nothing to do with Sage, but what did they "fix"? Too many people here suffering with the HD-PVR not to be more transparent in my opinion.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by joe123

This has always been my gripe with SageTV. I personally think that the HD--PVR locks ups have something do to with both the HD-PVR and SageTV.

I would have liked to see more transperancy as to what SageTV found "wrong" with the HD-PVR that they supposedly help "fix" in Versoin 7 of SageTV. They claim that it had nothing to do with Sage, but what did they "fix"? Too many people here suffering with the HD-PVR not to be more transparent in my opinion.

yeah, I'm using Windows 7 with Sage 7 with the most recent version of both the HD PVR (F1), and the most recent Hauppauge drivers, 1.5.7
So, the last possible thing that could be causing this is the power adapter, or . . . .

[joe123]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

yeah, I'm using Windows 7 with Sage 7 with the most recent version of both the HD PVR (F1), and the most recent Hauppauge drivers, 1.5.7
So, the last possible thing that could be causing this is the power adapter, or . . . .

Don't use 1.5.7 drivers. Try the 1.0.5.301 drivers and see if that helps.

It has help many here including me.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by joe123

Don't use 1.5.7 drivers. Try the 1.0.5.301 drivers and see if that helps.

It has help many here including me.

rumor has it you can ONLY use 5.7 with the F1 rev.

[joe123]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

rumor has it you can ONLY use 5.7 with the F1 rev.

I feel sorry for all of us with this, but if that is true about the F1 versoin, I feel extra sorry for you.

[jerryt]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

rumor has it you can ONLY use 5.7 with the F1 rev.

Someone posted the work around for using the earlier software with the F1, I believe it was an edit of the init file to add the F1 device ID's, or something like that.

[Taddeusz]

I know this really isn't helpful and I can't completely explain why but I have zero problems with the 1.5.7 driver and I have a revision C2 HDPVR. The one thing that did make a difference though was getting a NEC based USB PCI adapter and putting my HDPVR on that. I haven't had an issue since.