SageMC changing channels on it's own - hardware or software?

[tvmaster2]

Dual tuner setup: one HD-PVR and one PVR-150

Two channel maps: HD-PVR sees and records only HD channels, PVR-150 sees and records only the SD channels (from a Motorola satellite receiver).
The tuners are installed in my server, and there's a HD-200 in another room.

I watch at both locations, but make sure to put one in standby when I'm watching the other.

I have no favorites set-up, there are no channel overlaps in the maps, and "Always tune channel" is set to on.

For some reason, and I've read and tried everything I can think of, Sage randomly changes channels, even if a recording is in progress.
The change is ALWAYS made to a channel on the PVR-150.
If a recording is in progress, Sage doesn't stop recording - just changes channels.

anyone have anything like this happen - ever?

[GKusnick]

Have you looked at your logs to see what it thinks it's doing when that happens?

[tvmaster2]

I'm not much of a programmer, but if you suggest which logs to look at and where to find them, I'll certainly have a go

[GKusnick]

Detailed Setup > Advanced > Debug Logging > On.

The log files are in your SageTV installation folder, called sagetv_n.txt, where 0 is the most recent one.

This is all covered in the FAQ.

[tvmaster2]

the faq (on this forum somewhere?) or the manual? I checked the manual for the word "log" and just got a reference for the Mac

the debuggin log was "off", so I doubt there will be any reference to the last channel change. Now that it's on, I'll look for the file you mentioned the next time it happens.

followup: ok, now that debugging is on, the file you mentioned was created. In your opinion, what do you imagine the error would look like in the log?

[GKusnick]

I have no idea what to expect in the log. Just make a note of the time when the unwanted channel change happens, then look in the log to see what's there at that time code.

The FAQ is on the forums. Click the link in my previous post.

[tvmaster2]

hehe - duh, i am slow but eventually figured that out. hehe
thanks for your help - at least now i can send the log to Sage technical support, as the admins here don't seem to know the answer
thanks again

[Islander]

I will be interested in knowing if you are able to find a solution for this.

I have an UBS PVR and a 950Q and I am having a similar problem to yours. The only difference is that they are both connected to the same DN box one on TV1 and the other on TV2 (950Q).

I am seeing on my 950Q the same behavior that you are experiencing in that a channel change happens even if the 950Q is recording something. To debug it manually I had gone into the schedule and looked at it in parallel view and made a manual list of the next few hours. From that it seems, that the 950Q is being changed when there is a recording schedule for the PVR on TV1. Oddly enough, the PVR does not change channels. [Is the other tuner that is not being changed behaving normally in your system?]

I thought that perhaps it was a remote code issue, but using the remotes (which were used to input the codes into the ir control file for each tuner) I am only able to influence the output that is "tied" to that remote. That is TV1 remote only controls TV1 with no effect on TV2 and TV2 remote only controls TV2 with no effect on TV1.

I was going to fool around with changing remote codes and see how it went but I will give GKusnick's suggestion (thanks!) of using the logs a try.

[tvmaster2]

glad it's happening to SOMEONE else other than me. I have been able to finally repeat the process . . . in point form, here goes.

Note: Only one satellite receiver is being controlled by both the HD-PVR and the PVR-150. Why? Well, the PVR-150 makes SD recordings that can be accessed by Placeshifter, whereas the HD-PVR does not. MPG2, in other words, vs. H.264.
Also, as noted earlier, the HD-PVR channel map only includes HD channels, while the PVR-150 channel map only includes the SD channels (Starchoice/Shaw Direct).

Here's how I re-create the channel changing

-Select a channel with the Hauppauge remote from the PVR-150 map.
-receiver changes to that channel.
-set up a recording on one of the HD-PVR channels.
-when the time comes, the channel changes correctly and the recording begins - but...
-if I take the remote and hit the "OK" button, to bring up program info, the info that is shown is from the previous PVR-150 channel, not the "now recording" HD-PVR channel.
-if a program scheduling change happens on that previous, PVR-150 channel before the HD-PVR channel-map recording is complete, SageTV instructs the satellite receiver to change channels back to the previous PVR-150 channel.

Also - because of the "live buffer" concept, if you don't manually change channels to the channel being recorded, the recording isn't recognized, as Sage thinks both things are recording, gets confused apparently and then doesn't file the actual recording.

got me stumped - logs about to be sent to Sage tech support when I am absolutely sure this is the process

keep me informed of your findings

[GKusnick]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

Note: Only one satellite receiver is being controlled by both the HD-PVR and the PVR-150.

Sage has no idea that you're doing this (and neither did I, until now). It assumes that each tuner is an independent TV source, i.e. that it can freely change channels on one without affecting the other. You've violated that assumption by connecting them both to the same STB. So naturally Sage gets confused about what channel is being recorded, since it thinks there are two STBs. I expect Support is going to tell you that there's nothing they can do to help since you're trying to use the program in a way it was never meant to work.

The specific reason why it re-tunes the channel between programs is probably because you have "always tune channel" enabled. But even if you disable that, there are going to be times when Sage will want to use both tuners at once on different channels, and it's just not going to work with only one STB.

[Islander]

Originally Posted by GKusnick

Sage has no idea that you're doing this (and neither did I, until now). It assumes that each tuner is an independent TV source, i.e. that it can freely change channels on one without affecting the other. You've violated that assumption by connecting them both to the same STB. So naturally Sage gets confused about what channel is being recorded, since it thinks there are two STBs. I expect Support is going to tell you that there's nothing they can do to help since you're trying to use the program in a way it was never meant to work.

The specific reason why it re-tunes the channel between programs is probably because you have "always tune channel" enabled. But even if you disable that, there are going to be times when Sage will want to use both tuners at once on different channels, and it's just not going to work with only one STB.

He probably means one STB with two outputs each one controlled by a different ir remote code set, so unless I am missing something that is the same as having two separate STBs or whatever number as each should be treated as a separate source. That is SageTv should only be sending to the STB the ir codes associated to the STB output that is associated with the tuner and recording on that tuner. Or am I missing something here?

I also could swear that from other posts there are many users using both outputs on their multi tuner STBs of course using a tuner item for each. Otherwise, if I understand correctly SageTV only works with single tuner STBs?

Thanks.

[GKusnick]

If there's such a thing as a dual-tuner STB that behaves exactly like two single-tuner STBs duct-taped together, with separate IR codes and separate outputs for each tuner, then there's no reason why Sage couldn't work with that as two independent TV sources. (I've never seen such a box, but I guess they could exist.)

However his description of the behavior he's seeing sounds very much like what I'd expect from trying to control one single-tuner STB from two separate capture devices. (I.e. watching live TV on one device, and then the channel changes spontaneously when a recording starts on the other device.)

[Islander]

Yes there is. For as long as I recall it has been possible to change the ir codes on the box and the remote. The issue historically has been the ir control of tv2 because tv2 is normally controlled by uhf as the tv connected to it is normally located in another room.

Recently at least dishnetwork has released an adapter that allows ir control of tv2. That is what I am using on my dn 322 box, and with the availabilty of at least 10 different control set codes there should be no issues with sagetv seeing this and acting as if they were two separate boxes.

I am not entirely sure but I believe that some the newer dn boxes, perhaps his included, are able to be controlled by either uhf or ir withou any additional adapters. It just requires that the I'd chip at the bottom of the remote be switched to signal to the receiver that ir control of tv2 is desired. I believe that is his setup but he can confirm.

[Islander]

I have done some further testing.

If I remove the PVR and only leave the 950q then everything works as it should. SageTv records, changes channels etc on TV2.

If I remove the 905Q and reconnect the PVR then everything works as it should. SageTv records, changes channels etc on TV1.

Something definitely goes bonkers when the two tuners are installed. I am going to test it some more over the weekend including connecting the two tuners together again. Possibly clearing the drivers again for the nth time and reinstalling them and using the debug logs, but something tells me this is a SageTv issue, why I do not know because it seems that it works for others.