HDHomeRun (HDHR) Prime + SageDCT

[willieb]

Originally Posted by babgvant

My understanding is that...

Thanks for such a thorough answer, Andy. Makes sense.

[Telecore]

For a few weeks, I've had SageTV (latest ver 7.X) working well with 2 HDHRs and 1 HDHR prime (v 20110830) and SageDCT 1.8 on Windows 7 64 bit SP1. The only problem was some very minor occasional pixelation on cable channels. A couple of days ago, I noticed HDHR s/w 20110925a was available. When I updated the sage server and the HDHR units, it caused me to have to re-install/setup all video sources. I also updated to SageDCT 1.9. After a few hours of installing, re-installing,etc , everything seemed to work, except, I am getting frequent HALTs in recording. I cannot, in most cases, even record an entire 1/2 hour show. When this happens, the SageDCT control can't send test messages to one of the tuners, and the SageDCT process has to be stopped+restarted OR a reset of the HDHR Prime must occur. Otherwise, sometimes if I wait long enough, the channel eventually comes back. I am using all defaults except Auto Reset is checked. I am thinking of going back to 20110830 on the HDHRs. Anyone out there with any similar problems or insight on this? May be going to Ceton if I can't get this to work.

[doncote0]

Originally Posted by Telecore

For a few weeks, I've had SageTV (latest ver 7.X) working well with 2 HDHRs and 1 HDHR prime (v 20110830) and SageDCT 1.8 on Windows 7 64 bit SP1. The only problem was some very minor occasional pixelation on cable channels. A couple of days ago, I noticed HDHR s/w 20110925a was available. When I updated the sage server and the HDHR units, it caused me to have to re-install/setup all video sources. I also updated to SageDCT 1.9. After a few hours of installing, re-installing,etc , everything seemed to work, except, I am getting frequent HALTs in recording. Anyone out there with any similar problems or insight on this?

I am having the exact same issue. I had success with the immediately preceding beta, but the release version has not worked. Ugh... obviously they changed something between the successful Beta and the release version.

Babgvant is also running 20110925a and might have seen the same problem.

[babgvant]

Originally Posted by doncote0

Babgvant is also running 20110925a and might have seen the same problem.

Nope. Flawless here.

[doncote0]

Just checked the system remotely. Started three SageDCT recordings at the same time without error.

I did this last night after I noticed that my SageDCT video sources were listed as "Functioning False".

1. Removed all SageDCT sources from video source listing in SageTV
2. Shutdown SageTV (exit)
3. Shutdown SageTVService
4. Shutdown SageDCT
5. Shutdown HDHomerun Service
6. Shutdown SJQ
7. Hard-booted the HDHR Prime
8. Configured in HDHR Setup utility (configured and saved for each DCT source).
9. Opened SageDCT. Scanned with overwrite and reset. Generated sources. Saved to new clipboard file. Saved new SageDCT port config (once on each tuner).
10. Exited SageDCT.
11. Copied the contents of the clipboard file. Opened Sage.Properties and pasted these contents over the old prime information in the file (after searching for prime). Saved.
12. Started HDHR service, SageDCT Service and SageTV.
13. Added the 3 new SageDCT sources and configured. All now show as functioning.
14. Restarted computer and went to bed.
15. No problems for now.

[Telecore]

Well, after 2 days of problems, today things seem improved but I'm not sure why. Did the following: 1. uninstalled comskip plugin (had latest donators version). 2. turned off Microsoft Security Essentials 3. Moved paging file back to c: (system) drive (SSD). 4. Rebooted PC. Went to bed. 5. Next day rebooted HDHR Prime.

Today, noticed things were working better, but 1 of 3 tuners was listed as non-functioning in Sage. Confirmed that SageDCT could not send test msg to this tuner. Remaining tuners worked fine. Made test recordings during day via Remote desktop from work. Later 2nd tuner went down after successfully completing a recording. Restarted SageDCT w.Auto-restart off. Since then I have recorded a bunch of things and watched tv - no problems so far for 8-9 hours - all 3 tuners functioning. Not sure if any of the above actions caused this but am suspicious of comskip.

I have noticed that CPU usage appears a bit high with all 3 HDHR Prime tuners active watching HD cable channels (59% or so) + remote desktop. May be on the road to getting this to work, but not sure which action fixed things. Sage server runs headless for the most part, not using Sage program, only extenders. Network is wired gigabit ethernet. Only using about 1.6 of 6 gig RAM on a minimal Win 7 64 bit machine.

UPDATE: I believe all of this was a situation where the CPU was overloaded. Turning off comskip, MS Security essentials seemed to make it better. Running Sage on the server causes everything to bog down. Using extenders seems OK now. No major errors, all 3 tuners operational but still have very occasional lockup while watching a cable channel. Almost there.

[Sparhawk6]

Well, after struggling for 2 hours, I managed to get 1 of my Homerun Prime tuners working (shows as "functioning:true"), but the other two won't work (show as "functioning:false"). How could that happen? (logs attached)

EDIT: Ugh. I reloaded SageDCT and now none are functioning, and the tests under the "test" tab are not working - it is saying that the "target machine actively refused it"

EDIT2: It has something to do with Windows Firewall. I enabled the firewall like everyone said, and allowed SageDCT. But I had the above problems. So I went back into the firewall settings and left the firewall on, but set it to allow all connections. Now all tuners are functioning....

EDIT3: But now it takes 15 seconds to tune! Huh???

EDIT4: Sratch that, it only takes 15 seconds to tun to the NFL Network. All other channels appear to be working fine. weird. very confused.

[phelme]

I'm at least making progress with activation. Talked to a great tier 2 support person at Comcast last night. He tried everything he could that national operations can access but I'm simply never getting the "hit." He said it appears to be a local configuration problem...

...stunned silence.

He compiled an email to my local headend so they can look into it. I already have a tech scheduled for today so maybe there can be some coordination (though the tier 2 guy said it'll take some time for local engineers to figure it out and might be too soon, but he wanted me to keep the appointment). He will follow up with me tomorrow in any case.

Can hardly wait to just get past activation so I simply can get to step #2 of setting up SageDCT.

[phelme]

Finally, the activation is working!

I have a longer accounting on the SiliconDust forums. In short, they had my account configured for the wrong headend for my area (there are three feeding in).

[Sparhawk6]

I should document my experience.

I am in Comcast territory. Before my Prime arrived, I picked up the cablecard at my local Comcast office. Even though there were 2 people total there (it was at 8 AM), it took them 15 minutes to see me. It's like the DMV.

I set everything up at home. I started by installing the HD Homerun Prime software. I declined the option to update the software/drivers from the web, because I was wary of newer software that may have broken SageDCT.

When I called to activate my CableCard, the person asked for the Host ID. I had no idea what that was. I had to poke around myself in the Prime's web settings until I found it. She proceeded to activate my card. I hung up.

I did a channel scan in the Prime software, and found my channels. I quickly realized that I could only view the basic channels - other channels were reported as "outside my subscription". I called Comcast again.

The customer service person sent a signal, and I could see the channels. I hung up. But later, I lost the channels again. I had to call a third time. This time, it appears it stuck.

Installing SageDCT was tough, but mainly because of Windows firewall. I wasn't sure how I was supposed to configure it. When it was set to block all connections except those allowed, and SageDCT was allowed, I couldn't get a signal from the Prime to Sage. Sage would report the tuners as "functioning:false". When I left the firewall on, but allowed all incoming connections (windows now reports the firewall as "off" in the security center notification in the lower right), I could get a stream, and the tuners report as functioning.

Oh, one other issue caused me problems: When I chose my channel lineup, I wanted to choose "new lineup", but my only options were to copy and mirror the lineup on my QAM tuners, or copy the lineup but keep it separate. I chose that second option. But when I enabled channels on the DCT tuners, it started enabling them on the QAM tuners. When I would try to view the encrypted channels, Sage would try using the QAM tuner instead of the Prime. The solution was to disable the encrypted channels in my QAM lineup.

Thansk babgvant for your hard work on this hack. Dare I say - this is the best mod of SageTV ever. Now if I could just find an HD300 to purchase...

[phelme]

So I'm having a few issues with SageDCT communicating with SageTV. I'm getting "Watch request failed. null" errors when trying to watch a channel either in the channel setup or from the program guide. Haven't seen anyone else comment on this. Some background:

-> I'm on Windows XP <-

OK, so SageDCT is working, I can send commands to the tuners, that works, generated the encoders file copied to sage.properties. I added the tuners in SageTV. So far so good, it did the broadcast standard check and everything. OK that works.

Picking one of the tuners it reads:
Functioning: true
Network Encoder: true
Input Type: Digital TV Tuner
Cable/Antenna: Cable
Tuner Control: N/A
Broadcast Standard: <-this is blank

It doesn't appear to matter whether I have the firewall enabled or not, but maybe there is some fine tuning to be done there. I added the ports manually (should this be UDP or TCP?) I also added SageDCT.exe to its apps list.

Any ideas? Does it matter the broadcast standard setting is empty? I checked and there is nothing in the properties file.

[phelme]

ah never mind. it's working.

like was earlier mentioned, the channel setup and preview simply doesn't work (at least not for me).

[mechling-burgh]

So you now have SageDCT working with just a windows xp sage server no windows 7 involved.

[phelme]

Originally Posted by mechling-burgh

So you now have SageDCT working with just a windows xp sage server no windows 7 involved.

yep, of course I'm not trying for any copy-once channels where WM7 is needed. I'm using DirecTV and HD-PVR's for premium channels.

[phelme]

If I may ask, what does SageDCT do that takes up about 13% of my CPU per tuned tuner? I have a quad-core AMD so it can deal, but I'm just curious.

Might it have something to do with using the motherboard's gigabit Ethernet as opposed to a dedicated card?

[Kirby]

Apologies if I missed it in the thread, but working on little sleep and not sure what is going on. Getting a lot of errors in Sage with my Prime setup:

"Halt detected in recording". Probably about 200+ since last night. Where do I even begin?

[babgvant]

Originally Posted by phelme

If I may ask, what does SageDCT do that takes up about 13% of my CPU per tuned tuner? I have a quad-core AMD so it can deal, but I'm just curious.

Might it have something to do with using the motherboard's gigabit Ethernet as opposed to a dedicated card?

If you have a Realtek NIC and haven't updated the drivers recently, I'd try that. On my HTPC utilization is ~3-4% with 3 HD recordings going.

[KJake]

Originally Posted by Kirby

Apologies if I missed it in the thread, but working on little sleep and not sure what is going on. Getting a lot of errors in Sage with my Prime setup:

"Halt detected in recording". Probably about 200+ since last night. Where do I even begin?

I think the Auto Reset option can help with that - have you tried that?

Haven't experienced this myself.

[babgvant]

Originally Posted by KJake

I think the Auto Reset option can help with that - have you tried that?

Haven't experienced this myself.

Auto Reset only masks the root cause (when it works). The most frequent cause of this problem is old NIC drivers.

[Kirby]

Originally Posted by KJake

I think the Auto Reset option can help with that - have you tried that?

Haven't experienced this myself.

Been using that since about 10pm last night, and since that time, I had probably 150+ Halt detected errors.

I am not sure, but the recordings that did fail were on the clear QAM HD channels that I deactivated their SD counterpart. Example: TBS HD, PBS HD, CBS HD, etc. Recordings that did work overnight and this morning were on channels that are not clear QAM.

I noticed in the lineup listing for the device, that the channels that fail have a physical channel number. I assume this is carryover from my HDHR QAM tuner (as those qam frequencies are correct) but needs to be removed for the Prime?

*edit* I reset the physical channel number for the PBS to 781, and fired a recording, worked perfect! Think I may have solved my issue at least, and maybe it will help others too!