TBS6985

[pukka]

Hi All,

I have just received my new TBS 6985, using it with DVBE4Sage it keeping coming up with an error
2013-01-13 15:36:41.182 #2: Mapped SID=55379, ONID=2, TSID=2614, Channel=3142, Name="RTE R1 Extra", Type=2, Running Status=4
2013-01-13 15:36:56.096 #2: Got an erroneous packet, skipping!
2013-01-13 15:36:57.890 #2: Got an erroneous packet, skipping!
2013-01-13 15:36:58.248 #2: Got an erroneous packet, skipping!
2013-01-13 15:37:00.947 #2: Got an erroneous packet, skipping!
2013-01-13 15:37:17.078 #2: The initial run for autodiscovery finished
2013-01-13 15:37:17.078 #2: Signal locked, quality=83, strength=94
2013-01-13 15:37:17.078 #2: Catastrophic error - TS packet has wrong sync_byte, searching for start of next packet...

Here is my config
2013-01-13 15:36:16.440 DVBE4SAGE Encoder SVN revision 247
2013-01-13 15:36:16.440 Loading configuration info from "C:\Program Files\DVBE4Sage\dvbe4sage.ini"
=========================================================
Configuration file dump:

[General]
LogLevel=2
SetupType=DVBS
NumberOfVirtualTuners=1
NorthAmerica=0

[Plugins]
DCWTimeout=5
IsVGCam=0
MaxNumberOfResets=1
ServedCAIDs=963
ServedPROVIds=

[Tuning]
LNBSW=11700000
LNBLOF1=9750000
LNBLOF2=10600000
InitialFrequency=10714000
InitialSymbolRate=22000
InitialPolarization=H
InitialModulation=QPSK (DVB-S)
InitialFEC=5/6
DVBS2Tuners=2
TSPacketsPerBuffer=1024
NumberOfBuffers=600
TuningTimeout=20
TuningLockTimeout=5
InitialRunningTime=60
UseSidForTuning=0
UseNewTuningMethod=0
ScanAllTransponders=0
ExcludeTuners=1,3,4,5
ExcludeTunersMAC=
IncludeTuners=
IncludeTunersMAC=
UseDiseqc=0
AutoDiscoverONID=1
IncludeONIDs=
ExcludeONIDs=

[Output]
TSPacketsPerOutputBuffer=160000
TSPacketsOutputThreshold=135
DisableWriteBuffering=0

[Encoder]
ListeningPort=6969

[Recording]
PreferredAudioLanguage=eng
PreferredAudioFormat=ac3
PreferredSubtitlesLanguage=eng

[Advanced]
PMTDilutionFactor=1
PATDilutionFactor=1
PMTThreshold=60
PSIMaturityTime=10
MaxECMCacheSize=3000
EnableECMCache=1
ECMCacheAutodeleteChunkSize=300
BouquetName=BSkyB Bouquet 1 - DTH England
PreferSDOverHD=0
ExcludeTIDs=PreferredTIDs=
End of configuration file dump

When I try sagetv the chanel will play but I get a lot of stuttering and picture breakup
If I use the TBSViewer BBC HD will play just fine

anyone have any idea?

Thanks

Paul

[routerunner]

I was wondering whether you tried this card in sage natively as well?
I suspect this card is more stable than the TBS6984 which this card substitute.
I'm interested in your feedback.

TA
Eddy

[routerunner]

Hi,

sorry to bother you again, but I was wondering whether you tried this card natively with SageTV? Can you see all the four tuners? Can you record simultaneously without issues?

Thanks in advance...
Eddy

[pukka]

Hi Eddy

I have not tried natively, but sage does show 4 tuners when you look. if I get chance over the weekend I will give it a go for you.

Thanks

Paul

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by pukka

Hi Eddy

I have not tried natively, but sage does show 4 tuners when you look. if I get chance over the weekend I will give it a go for you.

Excellent! Thank you very much

The things is I have two TBS6894 and only troubles out from them. I know that the new TBS6895 is supposed to be far way more stable as they've replaced the crappy PCIe controller and they now have four individual physical tuner whilst before they had two groups AB & CD, so that if one of the tuner of one group fails the other one "disappears" as well

Whilst you performing the test in native mode, I'll be particularly interested in this particular test if you don't mind:

- Start recording of each tuner one by one until you've got all four tuners recording simultaneously, but waiting about 2 minutes between starting each recording and waiting at least 5 minutes after all recording have started. I'm interested on whether you will have the yellow & red warning icon saying that one or more tuners had stopping producing data and therefore being reset.

Thanks in advance and looking forward to your results.

Eddy

[pukka]

My Findings so far,

i can see all 4 tuners in sage.

when i try to scan for channels it keeps coming back with no channels found.
in the sagetv directory they is not .frq file created also.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Paul

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by pukka

My Findings so far,

i can see all 4 tuners in sage.

when i try to scan for channels it keeps coming back with no channels found.
in the sagetv directory they is not .frq file created also.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Paul

Can you see an ".LNB" file in the SageTV installation directory? If not you need to create one which is normally what Sage ask you to do. Otherwise go to:

Setup > Setup Video Sources > (Add/select current source) > DVB-S Provider > Astra (28.2)

Make sure to fill the values as follow:

LOF1: 9750
LOF2: 10600
LOF SW: 11700
TOS1: None
TOS2: None

Select this Provider > Done - 1 Provider

Channel Setup > Scan For Available Channels

Try this first. Also you must repeat the above for each tuner...

Eddy

[pukka]

little more update today, i have not .frq file in the sage directory.

when i try and add with the LOF1, 2, SW. the sacn still comes back with no channels found.

i am going to get my hauppauge nova hd s2 and reinstall that later to see if that will work with out the picture breakup

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by pukka

little more update today, i have not .frq file in the sage directory.

when i try and add with the LOF1, 2, SW. the sacn still comes back with no channels found.

The reason why the scan doesn't work now is because you have an old "PredefinedDVBS.frq" which contains the old BBC parameters entries which have changed since the original SageTV 7.1 was out.

In attachment a "valid" predefined file you have to replace yours with. Stop the service, unzip the file into the SageTV installation directory overwriting the existing one and start the service.

Now the scan will work...

Also you might want to read THIS about setting up the TBS6984 as well

Eddy

[pukka]

Just a little update on the problem I have been having with the picture breakup.

if I ran the card with 1 or 2 tuners it was fine, but as soon as 4 tuners were enabled, the picture would start to breakup. I sent the card back to TBS and they have confirmed the card is faulty and are shipping me a new card. once it arrives I will let you know how it goes.
Thanks

Paul

[pukka]

just after a little more help. when the tuner is used natively in sage with FTA I am still seeing picture breakup. is they anything in sage with looking at? or turning on?

Thanks

Paul

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by pukka

just after a little more help. when the tuner is used natively in sage with FTA I am still seeing picture breakup. is they anything in sage with looking at? or turning on?

Thanks

Paul

Hi,

I assume you tested with the replacement card, however were you ever been able to record 4 channels simultaneously in the past by using 4 separate tuner cards? I ask because maybe your have bandwidth issues with your HDD, PCI/PCIe bus, network latency and so on.

Some thought/suggestion:

- Make sure your "recording directory" setting is not UNC path, but HDD drive letter.
- Make sure in the Sage.properties that every entry like below (one for each tuner) has the DVB-S string assigned as it speeds up the tuning and other things (please read here [http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59253] if interested):
mmc/encoders/xxxxxxxx/100/0/broadcast_standard=DVB-S
- Try to increase the following setting for each tuner (in milliseconds) in the Sage.properties which allows SageTV to buffer up:
mmc/encoders/xxxxxxxx/delay_to_wait_after_tuning=0

The main thing with TBS is the fact that their driver's buffer are too tight and any delay in reading out the transport stream from the card causes picture breakups.

I'm working on a plugin that will allow to decrypt scrambled channels natively and that will help as well as it introduces an extra layer of buffering.
If none of the above works then please wait the next plugin release (currently under private beta testing) which should help you with this.

Please let us know how you're getting on...

Eddy

[pukka]

I have been trying a few things with the computer. If I have sagetv running with a physical tuner enabled, loading sagetv locally I get picture breakup on the freesat channels. Looking back at the recorded file even copying them on to another computer the glitches are still visible.
With LM DVB Smart Recorder for SageTV the same is true.
As a test I have installed mediaportal and been through the setup “big learning curve” and using it for a few days, I have not seen any stuttering at all.
Does anyone have any other suggestions?
Thanks
Paul

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by pukka

I have been trying a few things with the computer. If I have sagetv running with a physical tuner enabled, loading sagetv locally I get picture breakup on the freesat channels. Looking back at the recorded file even copying them on to another computer the glitches are still visible.
With LM DVB Smart Recorder for SageTV the same is true.
As a test I have installed mediaportal and been through the setup “big learning curve” and using it for a few days, I have not seen any stuttering at all.
Does anyone have any other suggestions?
Thanks
Paul

This is happening because you're under-running the card and therefore you need to increase the SageTV internal buffering. Have you tried setting at least 1000 to the "mmc/encoders/xxxxxxxx/delay_to_wait_after_tuning" property?

Eddy

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by routerunner

This is happening because you're under-running the card and therefore you need to increase the SageTV internal buffering. Have you tried setting at least 1000 to the "mmc/encoders/xxxxxxxx/delay_to_wait_after_tuning" property?

Eddy

Alternatively, even if you don't need decryption services, you can use the "DVB Decrypter & Card Client" plugin that being inserted directly after the capture device will provide automatic buffering and will prevent any under-run issue. Please note that you don't need OSCAM to be installed if you don't use the decryption services, simply the filter will work in bypass mode.

Eddy

[deanm]

Just to let everyone know. (That's interested)

My TBS6985 card turned up this morning and will let everyone know the out come of my testing.

Dean

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by deanm

Just to let everyone know. (That's interested)

My TBS6985 card turned up this morning and will let everyone know the out come of my testing.

Dean

Subscription to this thread with instant email notification added

Cannot wait to see how it goes...

Eddy

[deanm]

Originally Posted by routerunner

Subscription to this thread with instant email notification added

Cannot wait to see how it goes...

Eddy

Well installed and each tuner is picked up and working. Thou had to make sure I did a scan on each tuner first.

When testing with just the manual scan one of the tuners seems to have an issue with poor signal. Will need to check cables later.

Used my utility to create the Frq files and it seems a few channels have poor signal issues. I need to look at the frq files and check cables. Also nothing worked in Eddy's plugin. The sid is in the log file but nothing else is showing in OSCAM.

Also noticed that I only get 56 channels when I do a manual scan. I need to look at the frq setting in sage as I'm sure they are out of data, but worked with my other tuners.

So more testing still to be done.

Dean

[deanm]

Updated the driver to v1.0.3 and all my issues have gone.

Still have an issue with Eddy's DVB Decrypter where randomly getting a No Signal. But this might be down to my FRQ file.

More testing to be done but so far card is working good.

Dean

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by deanm

Still have an issue with Eddy's DVB Decrypter where randomly getting a No Signal. But this might be down to my FRQ file.

No, I don't think so, the FRQ file has nothing to do with this (unless the same channel never tunes), you're experiencing the same symptoms of James tuner (TBS6984)...

Unfortunately It doesn't happen to me so is very difficult to debug, but it looks like a timing issues due to the fact that the TBS is very quick to tune (less than 1 seconds on some condition). Did it happen before with your previous tuner?

Eddy