SageMCTuner - anyone have this working with cablecard?

[Sparhawk6]

Originally Posted by klutzy

Installed Ceton Infiniti card and SageDCT last week. Easy install and good performance after working out a few small bugs. Will report again after a few days. This replaces my Hauppauge HDPVR and USB-IRT tuning kludge.

Thanks.

[bollockz]

Just an update to my SageDCT trouble. The issue did return

SageDCT crashes randomly. Still unsure what is causing it. Thought it had resolved itself after the last rev. of SageDCT.

Still working with babgvant to see if we can figure out why.

[klutzy]

Updated of my SageDCT adventures.

SageDCT and the Ceton card work well after each restart of the SageTV service. Unfortunately after a few hours of operation, the quality of the picture degrades. If I suspend and restart the SageTV service, the picture is good. To make certain that this wasn't a cable provider or Ceton card issues, I operated using Windows Media Center and ran for a day with no loss of quality. I haven't had a chance to communicate with babgvant but I suspect there is still an issue with SageDCT. But SageDCT is a great product and replaces my set of HDPVRs, sattelite receivers, kludgy channel changing schemes. The channel changes using DCT are fast and always accurate. For an initial release this is great!

However, I am having difficulty getting my OTA channels working. They are on a separate network encoder (2 Haupaugge 2250's). They show us as normal on my primary server but I get no signal on any of the channels. They function perfectly when I connect directly to the network encoder. I've used network encoders for years and never had a problem. I cannot tell if this a conflict with SageDCT. I have suspended the SageDCT service but the OTA channels still show no signal when accessed through the primary service.

Any similar experience out there?

[kmp14]

Originally Posted by klutzy

Updated of my SageDCT adventures.

SageDCT and the Ceton card work well after each restart of the SageTV service. Unfortunately after a few hours of operation, the quality of the picture degrades. If I suspend and restart the SageTV service, the picture is good. To make certain that this wasn't a cable provider or Ceton card issues, I operated using Windows Media Center and ran for a day with no loss of quality. I haven't had a chance to communicate with babgvant but I suspect there is still an issue with SageDCT.

just curious, how does the picture quality degrade? Since it is all digital, I would guess that you get pixelation or stuttering? If not, what does the picture degradation look like?

[klutzy]

Pixelation and stuttering.

[kmp14]

Originally Posted by klutzy

Pixelation and stuttering.

I noticed that the latest Ceton Beta hardware image (v4884) notes this in the change log:

HW v4884: Packet input timing fixes

I know that the pixelation and dropouts I have with SageDCT are due to lost packets, so I wonder if this update might improve things?

[babgvant]

Originally Posted by klutzy

If I suspend and restart the SageTV service, the picture is good. To make certain that this wasn't a cable provider or Ceton card issues, I operated using Windows Media Center and ran for a day with no loss of quality.

Does it repro with the same file after a restart?

[klutzy]

Originally Posted by babgvant

Does it repro with the same file after a restart?

If you're asking if the recorded file is actually compromised, yes it is. Of course if I restart, I believe Sage begins a new file when it starts back up. That new file is fine.

Interestingly, if I only stop the SageDCT service - leaving the SageTV service running - and them immediately restart SageDCT, the picture is perfect and remains so for an hour or two and then gradually worsens. It is almost like for each cycle in time the process gets increasingly out of synch.

By the way, this is a very useful and needed piece of software.

[babgvant]

Originally Posted by klutzy

If you're asking if the recorded file is actually compromised, yes it is. Of course if I restart, I believe Sage begins a new file when it starts back up. That new file is fine.

Interestingly, if I only stop the SageDCT service - leaving the SageTV service running - and them immediately restart SageDCT, the picture is perfect and remains so for an hour or two and then gradually worsens. It is almost like for each cycle in time the process gets increasingly out of synch.

Enable verbose logging and "Debug Data Receive", then look through the log files for errors.

[klutzy]

Didn't know what to set for "Replace Path". SageTV is running on the same computer as SageDCT.

[klutzy]

I had verbose logging running all night and the problem did not reoccur. I did change one thing. I hadn't changed the service account name from its default. Since I was going to set up an network encoder on another computer I changed that to an account with administrative priviledge and a password. It is possible DCT was having a problem because I was user the default account?? However, the system was rock solid and I did not see in errors in the long - 5gb - log file.

[grimeball]

Originally Posted by LehighBri

IThis is just amazing though now that it's working and would highly recommend this to everyone. Channels change within seconds and I can tune most channels I've tried thus far (Verizon FIOS).

@LehighBri or other FIOS customers using Sage/Ceton:

I am considering a purchase of the Ceton card to use with FIOS. I've read many places regarding FIOS having a generous CCI policy (currently?...maybe changing...)

Having 2 kids (ages 8 and 5), the kids channels are important (Nick, DIsney [rimarily).

I currently have a Motorola Q6414-2 HD DVR. WHen I go through the diagnostics menu for these channels, I see the CCI flag set to 0x02. Other channels are showing 0x00. So it is a channel specific thing (In addition to the kids channels, ESPN is also 0x02. However, network and many other channels are showing 0x00. I haven't exhaustively gone through every channel...just focused on the ones I mainly watch.

I read on another forum at GreenButton that some FIOS users were seeing CCI set to 02 through Motorola STB, but 0x00 through their Tivo's.

Can anyone with a Ceton and a Motorola see if the kids channels are producing any differences on the kids channels. If FIOS is DRM'ing the kids channels, that coould be a dealbreaker for me getting a Ceton. If it's the Motorola box, I may go ahead and do it, with the knowledge that I am at the mercy of FIOS and the flag not changing.

[AlphaCrew]

Originally Posted by grimeball

@LehighBri or other FIOS customers using Sage/Ceton:

.. SNIP....

Can anyone with a Ceton and a Motorola see if the kids channels are producing any differences on the kids channels. If FIOS is DRM'ing the kids channels, that coould be a dealbreaker for me getting a Ceton. If it's the Motorola box, I may go ahead and do it, with the knowledge that I am at the mercy of FIOS and the flag not changing.

I just recorded 6 Min of Disney HD and ESPN2 HD, both seamed OK. (Baltimore MD Area)

[AlphaCrew]

babgvant:

First off thanks for all the hard work you have put into SageDCT. Your solution is very easy to implement and for beta works well.

System Specs:
AMD X6 Win 7 Ultimate 64 bit 8 Gigs Ram


I have 2 Problems:
1st: The files that are being created will not play in WMP12 (Win7 32 Bit). No error is thrown, and the players time counter counts down, but no video 98% of time, while other times no audio. If I run the files though VideoRedo's Quick Stream Fix, the files play OK. Any Idea?

2nd: Do you know if there is an inherent problem with running both Ceton and HVR-2250 with SageTV_SageDCT together? If the Ceton is recording and the 2250 start, it kills the Ceton recording for a bit, but does recover. Any thoughts?

Thanks

[grimeball]

Originally Posted by AlphaCrew

I just recorded 6 Min of Disney HD and ESPN2 HD, both seamed OK. (Baltimore MD Area)

Thanks AlphaCrew. Even better that you're in the Baltimore area so it should be a good apples to apples comparison.

Do you have a Motorola STB from Verizon still? When I check menu d06 on my HD DVR STB (Q6414-2), the CCI flag is showing as 0x02 for ESPN2 and DIsney (SD and HD channels). Does it show the same for you?

My hypothesis at this point is the Motoroal STB usage of various flags. There's the Broadcast flag and the CCI flag. My understanding is that FIOS may be sending the CCI flag as 0x00, but the network is setting the broadcast flag. DRM specs don't say that hardware must use the broadcast flag, rather, only the CCI flag.

Motorolahas a "feature" where it is using the broadcast flag or the CCI flag and setting the CCI flag to 0x02 if either is set. When the requirement is only if the true CCI flag is set.

If this hypothesis is true, that would explain why the MOT box is showing CCI 0x02 for some channels, but the Ceton card works for intended purpose because the "true" CCI flag is set to 0x00.

[babgvant]

Originally Posted by AlphaCrew

1st: The files that are being created will not play in WMP12 (Win7 32 Bit). No error is thrown, and the players time counter counts down, but no video 98% of time, while other times no audio. If I run the files though VideoRedo's Quick Stream Fix, the files play OK. Any Idea?

The ts files contain garbage PID in the PAT, that's why you need[ed] to download an updated demuxer for it to work in Sage.

Originally Posted by AlphaCrew

2nd: Do you know if there is an inherent problem with running both Ceton and HVR-2250 with SageTV_SageDCT together? If the Ceton is recording and the 2250 start, it kills the Ceton recording for a bit, but does recover. Any thoughts?

It should work, I have a Duet installed in the same box. W/o more info I'd guess that you might have an IO issue. SageDCT doesn't do anything fancy when it writes the packets, so on a slow or fragmented disk I wouldn't be surprised if there were issues.

[AlphaCrew]

Originally Posted by grimeball

Thanks AlphaCrew. Even better that you're in the Baltimore area so it should be a good apples to apples comparison.

Do you have a Motorola STB from Verizon still? When I check menu d06 on my HD DVR STB (Q6414-2), the CCI flag is showing as 0x02 for ESPN2 and DIsney (SD and HD channels). Does it show the same for you?

My hypothesis at this point is the Motoroal STB usage of various flags. There's the Broadcast flag and the CCI flag. My understanding is that FIOS may be sending the CCI flag as 0x00, but the network is setting the broadcast flag. DRM specs don't say that hardware must use the broadcast flag, rather, only the CCI flag.

Motorolahas a "feature" where it is using the broadcast flag or the CCI flag and setting the CCI flag to 0x02 if either is set. When the requirement is only if the true CCI flag is set.

If this hypothesis is true, that would explain why the MOT box is showing CCI 0x02 for some channels, but the Ceton card works for intended purpose because the "true" CCI flag is set to 0x00.

I have HD QIP 7100-1 Boxes. If you explain how to get to that menu, I will check for you.

[AlphaCrew]

Originally Posted by babgvant

The ts files contain garbage PID in the PAT, that's why you need[ed] to download an updated demuxer for it to work in Sage.



It should work, I have a Duet installed in the same box. W/o more info I'd guess that you might have an IO issue. SageDCT doesn't do anything fancy when it writes the packets, so on a slow or fragmented disk I wouldn't be surprised if there were issues.

babgvant

Thanks for your response.

I typically don't use sagetv to watch my shows, I either watch them on the computer (via WMP) or like the rest of my family through media streamers (such as Popcorn Hour C200 and WD LiveTV Plus)

Is there any hope of getting SageDCT to produce a stable stream? Many are so bad they choke VideoRedo, and can't be fixed.

What information do you need to investigate this further?


I'm using a Asus MB with 6Mps HDD (WD Black) (single). With all 4 tuners going, DCP Latency Checker barely registers 200 us peak.

[babgvant]

Originally Posted by AlphaCrew

Is there any hope of getting SageDCT to produce a stable stream? Many are so bad they choke VideoRedo, and can't be fixed.

The TS packets come off the DCT like that, I have thought about fixing the PAT but since Sage was nice enough to provide an updated demuxer that has been deprioritized.

You could use their demuxer to do a container swap, that should produce a better behaved file.

Originally Posted by AlphaCrew

I'm using a Asus MB with 6Mps HDD (WD Black) (single). With all 4 tuners going, DCP Latency Checker barely registers 200 us peak.

You should be fine there then

[AlphaCrew]

Originally Posted by babgvant

The TS packets come off the DCT like that, I have thought about fixing the PAT but since Sage was nice enough to provide an updated demuxer that has been deprioritized.

You could use their demuxer to do a container swap, that should produce a better behaved file.



You should be fine there then

I will assume then WMC7 "fixes" the MPEG2 Packets to properly conform to MPEG standards?

Can you point me to information to try "their" (I will assume SageTV) demuxer route?

I, and am sure many other future Ceton users would really appreciate a stable and compliant MPEG2 recording..

PS: Is there a place where donations can be made to help support your work?

Thanks Again!