HDHomeRun (HDHR) Prime + SageDCT

[gplasky]

If you're trying to run the Prime as ClearQAM then currently there is no reason to run SageDCT. I would shutdown SageDCT and configure and run it as a HDHomerun, following those instructions. .

Gerry

[freewheeling]

Originally Posted by jbuszkie

And make sure the app is set to sage. Is your sage program in the normal spot?

Jim

I went through the whole setup process again with SageTV (both the application and the server) turned off and disabled. Still no "*.scn" file saved anywhere. My SageTV is in the normal place.

So this isn't working. I can still see all of the channels fine on QuickTV, but SageTV is blanked out.

[freewheeling]

Originally Posted by gplasky

If you're trying to run the Prime as ClearQAM then currently there is no reason to run SageDCT. I would shutdown SageDCT and configure and run it as a HDHomerun, following those instructions. .

Gerry

Yes, I'm already straight about that. The point is, the QAM setup procedure doesn't work either. I've gone through it twice now, and still SageTV only "sees" 1 tuner, and isn't able to find anything on a scan. Again, I don't think it's looking in the right place, and I have no idea why a *.scn file isn't being saved anywhere. I clearly indicated that SageTV was the main application, and QuickTV works fine.

[gplasky]

And you are scanning the cable channels in the SiliconDust HDHomerun Setup utility first? Did you run the scan for all three tuners? You have to pick from the drop down and choose each tuner and scan them separately. After the scan make sure you change the station identifier to exactly what Zap2it has it set for.

Gerry

[freewheeling]

Originally Posted by gplasky

And you are scanning the cable channels in the SiliconDust HDHomerun Setup utility first? Did you run the scan for all three tuners? You have to pick from the drop down and choose each tuner and scan them separately. After the scan make sure you change the station identifier to exactly what Zap2it has it set for.

Gerry

I disabled one of the tuners because I figure a 300Mbs wireless connection would be lucky to keep up with 2. Why would that make a difference?

OK, I added the third tuner and scanned for channels, then applied and saved. Still nothing. It's not saving a *.scn file anywhere. Searched my entire home computer and there's only one *.scn file on an old drive that was written back in 2010, long before I had this device.

So, are you sure anyone else has done this with a Prime? BTW, I'm using the latest beta firmware and software.

Frustrating.

[OttoNP]

It makes a difference because when you run the scan on each tuner that is when it makes the .scn file for that tuner. If you only ran it on one tuner you will only see one tuner...so, run it on the other tuner and you should see two...then you do another channel scan in Sage, which should take like 2 seconds, and then it should work as Qam...this is based on HDHR, my prime is in the mail...

[tmiranda]

Silly question, but worth checking. Are you hitting "Apply" before exiting the HDHR setup program? Nothing is written to disk until you hit Apply.

[freewheeling]

Originally Posted by tmiranda

Silly question, but worth checking. Are you hitting "Apply" before exiting the HDHR setup program? Nothing is written to disk until you hit Apply.

Yep, that was a pretty silly question.

I'm *really* doing everything right. SageTV now "sees" 2 tuners (for some reason doesn't see tuner 0), but it obviously doesn't know where they are. Also, there's absolutely *no* scan file anywhere. It just doesn't exist, and never has. It's not in some hidden nook or cranny of the system. All three tuners work perfectly well in QuickTV and all have exactly the same name and number as the Zap2it site.

My theory is that the setup for the Prime doesn't work the way the regular HDHomerun Dual works. I don't know what it's doing to accommodate SageTV. My guess is nothing. However Sage did add tuner 2 after I enabled and scanned it (and applied it). So it's doing *something* but the address it has for the tuners is wrong.

There are basically two different subnets in my network. The internet connection belongs to 192.168.1.x and the tuners are on 10.0.1.x . The localhost is on 127.x.x.x of course. So my guess is that Sage is expecting the tuners on the 127 subnet.

But again, that's only half the problem. That's why the scan from withing Sage isn't working, but it doesn't explain why there's no *QAM.scn file.

My question is, has anyone else set up the Prime for the QAM channels in SageTV, or is all the experience here just referring to the way the Dual handles it? I don't think they work the same way.

[jbuszkie]

Other silly questions..

You are running the HDHR setup program on the same computer as sage, right?
You changed from cable card to digital tuner in the HDHR setup?
The channel scan from HDHR setup finds channels?

If the setup program can see the prime then the subnet stuff shouldn't matter.
The setup program, if it finds channels will write to the sage directory on that same computer where it's running from.

I ran the prime with two clear qam tuners for a week before I got my calble card!

Got to eliminate all the possible "duh" questions!

Jim

[freewheeling]

Originally Posted by jbuszkie

Other silly questions..

You are running the HDHR setup program on the same computer as sage, right?

Yes

You changed from cable card to digital tuner in the HDHR setup?

I actually never tried to set up a cable card, so it was always set to digital tuner. So, yes.

The channel scan from HDHR setup finds channels?

Now you really *are* being silly. I've said many times that it not only finds channels but that I can view all of them on QuickTV. I think I've mentioned that about a half-dozen times, at least.

If the setup program can see the prime then the subnet stuff shouldn't matter.

Well, except that it definitely *does* matter to SageDCT. I originally thought it was necessary to configure SageDCT even though I knew I wasn't using the Cable Card, and SageDCT only gets a response from the "test" if I have the "replace path" set to the 10.0.1.201 dot4 location. Otherwise, it looks in the wrong place.

The setup program, if it finds channels will write to the sage directory on that same computer where it's running from.

But, it isn't doing that. I don't mean to get snippy, but how many times do I need to say that. There's only one *.scn file on my entire system and it's on an old drive and was written in 2010, and isn't associated with HDHomeRun, or even SageTV.

I ran the prime with two clear qam tuners for a week before I got my calble card!

Got to eliminate all the possible "duh" questions!

Interesting that you've used the Prime for QAM. Apparently it is *supposed* to work that way. I wonder if it's the software? I didn't get anything in the box but the hardware so I downloaded the latest beta and installed that. Did you use this latest beta (hdhomerun_windows_20111128beta1.exe). The firmware was installed at the same time, so it's the same release.

I still think this is related to the fact that I have two subnets going on the same computer at the same time. If I could run a log, I'll bet it tries to write the *.scn file but get some kind of error and never saves, because it's looking in the wrong subnet. If it makes a difference to SageDCT I'll bet it makes a difference to the HDHomeRun Prime setup.

But, since HDHomeRun Prime setup finds the tuners it has to be that it can't find *SageTV* (because it's looking in the same subnet as the tuners).

How's that for Holmesian logic? If only one explanation fits all the evidence then it has to be the answer no matter how improbable it seems.

[jbuszkie]

Well.. Then now you might want to bring the fight over to Silicon Dust guys.
My firmware on the prime is Firmware: 20111025 as reported by the webpage.

Can you move the prime into the same subnet to test?

If you've completely taken SageDCT out of the picture then I'm out of ideas/suggestions... You'll probably have to engage the SD forums and possible SD support.

Bummer you are having much trouble.

Jim

[gplasky]

Localhost is a term used for the local machine. Each and every device on your network is a localhost of 127.0.0.1. What is the IP address of your Sage server? The Sage server and the tuners need to be on the same subnet. So if the Sage server has an IP of 192.168.1.X, your tuners need to be on 192.168.1.x. If your Sage server is on 10.0.1.x then your tuners should be OK.

Gerry

[freewheeling]

Originally Posted by gplasky

Localhost is a term used for the local machine. Each and every device on your network is a localhost of 127.0.0.1. What is the IP address of your Sage server? The Sage server and the tuners need to be on the same subnet. So if the Sage server has an IP of 192.168.1.X, your tuners need to be on 192.168.1.x. If your Sage server is on 10.0.1.x then your tuners should be OK.

Gerry

Actually the server is on a third subnet 192.168.137.x (this because I'm connecting directly between the HD200 and the computer since there aren't any wireless adapters available for the HD200). I can set it up so that it's on the 10.0.1.x subnet. I'm not sure how it would connect to the internet though. Presumably I'd have to share the internet connection with the 10.0.1.x "private network"? If I do that, will the speed go down for that 300Mbs wireless network? That was sort of the whole point. Without that high speed connection the HomeRun won't work right. Anyway, I'll give it a try.

Update: I'm re-running the scans but I noticed that if I share the internet connection on the 192.168.1.x subnet with the 10.0.1.x subnet where the tuners and Sage server now reside then Silicondust can't find the tuners. So I have to unshare the internet subnet to get Silicondust to look in the right place.

[jlmdxtv]

phelme,

I'm using SageDCT 2.20 with XP, so I don't think XP by itself is the issue.

FWIW: When the system is busy (recording back-to-backs, or 2 or more Prime streams are kicking off at the same time) I have noticed the first 5 minutes or so of one of the recordings will sometimes be missing, and from there on, there's only audio in the SageTV player for that hosed show. This has happened 3 or 4 times since I installed it. I never have gaps in the middle of the shows.

I haven't tried adjusting any of the buffer sizes off of their default settings. I'm getting 100% signal rates.

I'm keeping an eye on the SiliconDust site for a new Prime firmware beta because I suspect the device - not SageDCT. For now, I'll just re-record shows that get trashed. Fortunately, I also have an HDHR that always works with those broadcast shows that don't get repeated multiple times a week.

john

[phelme]

Originally Posted by jlmdxtv

phelme,

I'm using SageDCT 2.20 with XP, so I don't think XP by itself is the issue.

Hmmm, OK. I've tried removing all SageDCT detritus, files, registry entries etc. and reinstalling and still haven't had any luck. Strange.

[freewheeling]

Originally Posted by gplasky

Localhost is a term used for the local machine. Each and every device on your network is a localhost of 127.0.0.1. What is the IP address of your Sage server? The Sage server and the tuners need to be on the same subnet. So if the Sage server has an IP of 192.168.1.X, your tuners need to be on 192.168.1.x. If your Sage server is on 10.0.1.x then your tuners should be OK.

Gerry

OK, that doesn't work either. BTW, the file that *is* being written to SageTV by the HDHomeRunPrime setup isn't a *.scn file it's a *.frq file. I didn't notice it before because I was looking for a *.scn file. The full name of the file is:

QAMScan-Silicondust HDHomeRun Tuner 13113B29-2-0.frq

But the scan still isn't finding any stations and it's scanning *while* I'm actually watching the stations play on QuickTV.

[phelme]

Originally Posted by freewheeling

OK, that doesn't work either. BTW, the file that *is* being written to SageTV by the HDHomeRunPrime setup isn't a *.scn file it's a *.frq file. I didn't notice it before because I was looking for a *.scn file. The full name of the file is:

But the scan still isn't finding any stations and it's scanning *while* I'm actually watching the stations play on QuickTV.

And the frq file has entries in it I assume... that aren't commented out?

[freewheeling]

Originally Posted by phelme

And the frq file has entries in it I assume... that aren't commented out?

No, assuming the comment character is "#". Here's what it says:

#This QAM frequency cache file will be used to speed QAM scanning channel, if an empty file of QAM_FRQ_CACHE.ENABLE exist in sagetv directory. #SCHEME:UNKNOW (0) #TUNER:Silicondust HDHomeRun Tuner 13113B39-2-0 #Format: CH:nn frq:nnn [mod:nnn] [inv:nnn] CH:999 frq:0000 #END

There's no file by that name, empty or otherwise, in the directory.

I wonder if I'm supposed no uncomment that?

I wonder, should I set this up using WMC first? Perhaps it expects to look in the WMC setup since people usually set that up. I never bothered with WMC.

[freewheeling]

I also wonder if I should paste in the QAM assignments from the HDHRP setup program? Is the "format" line a suggestion or null entry that I'm supposed to follow?

No instructions *ANYWHERE* regarding any of this.

[flavius]

You are not talking about the assignments coming out of ConfigureSageDCT, are you? Did you ever add those to the sage.properties file? If so, you would want to remove those.

Did you try the SiliconDust forum? People over there probably know their setup software better than we do.