WMC Live TV Tuner

[EnterNoEscape]

Originally Posted by Zogg

I have a work around to set the proper channel that I'm still testing, using EventGhost and a batch file, but then it occurred to me to simply put the tuning executable command into the pretuning executable field, so the tuning command gets sent twice. So far it seems to be working fine.

That's some quick thinking. I uploaded a new version with the suggested modifications. It makes tuning take effectively 5 seconds longer, but fast tuning doesn't really mean much if you're not tuning into the desired channel.

[nyplayer]

Where can I get the zip file ? attachment not working.

[EnterNoEscape]

Originally Posted by nyplayer

Where can I get the zip file ? attachment not working.

That's odd. I just downloaded and was able to open the attachment on the first post. This is just a link to that attachment, but maybe it will work better for you?

[nyplayer]

Originally Posted by EnterNoEscape

That's odd. I just downloaded and was able to open the attachment on the first post. This is just a link to that attachment, but maybe it will work better for you?

Thanks that worked

[Zogg]

This version seems to be working okay so far. I removed my workaround just to make sure. Will keep testing and let you know how it goes.

[ojones]

EnterNoEscape Thanks for continuing to support the WMC tuner / OpenDCT combination. We use a WMC extender paired with BM3000 to make a few channels work in our SageTV universe that keep the WAF under control!

I can't wait for a service interval to install the new version!

Happy New Years!

[Zogg]

I'm seeing a couple of issues that appear to be related. I didn't have these problems in the past so they might be related to the latest version 1.4.

First, I'm getting recording errors and warnings like this:

The device input "BM3000-1 on 127.0.0.1:9000 HDMI" stopped producing data while recording "How I Met Your Mother" on FX on physical channel 48. SageTV will try to reset the device. This may be caused by a channel that is no longer available.

Second, I'm seeing the channel number be re-entered I guess by OpenDCT multiple times during the recording. While watching the recording I see the channel number get typed in again at random times. This appears to coincide with SageTV trying to reset the device.

I'm going to put these devices on a separate switch for testing, and if that doesn't "fix" it then I'll revert to 1.3 and test some more.

EDIT: Well putting the BM3000 units on a separate switch along with the HDHR Primes seems to have fixed the issue. Having my server on either switch makes no difference. But with the server and Primes on the separate switch, and putting the BM3000 units back on the main switch, I got lots of errors again. I'm not sure what is going on with this but at least I have a workaround.

[EnterNoEscape]

Originally Posted by Zogg

I'm seeing a couple of issues that appear to be related. I didn't have these problems in the past so they might be related to the latest version 1.4.

First, I'm getting recording errors and warnings like this:

The device input "BM3000-1 on 127.0.0.1:9000 HDMI" stopped producing data while recording "How I Met Your Mother" on FX on physical channel 48. SageTV will try to reset the device. This may be caused by a channel that is no longer available.

Second, I'm seeing the channel number be re-entered I guess by OpenDCT multiple times during the recording. While watching the recording I see the channel number get typed in again at random times. This appears to coincide with SageTV trying to reset the device.

I'm going to put these devices on a separate switch for testing, and if that doesn't "fix" it then I'll revert to 1.3 and test some more.

EDIT: Well putting the BM3000 units on a separate switch along with the HDHR Primes seems to have fixed the issue. Having my server on either switch makes no difference. But with the server and Primes on the separate switch, and putting the BM3000 units back on the main switch, I got lots of errors again. I'm not sure what is going on with this but at least I have a workaround.

I'm glad you figured out a workaround. My best guess would be the switch power supply is going bad, the switch ports are sketchy or the switch is overheating.

[KryptoNyte]

My current setup is WMC7 running on the same machine as SageTV, with (2) Xbox 360's as extenders with an HDPVR on each. The SageTV server has a Ceton 6 PCIe with tuners 1 through 4 dedicated to Sage and tuners 5 and 6 dedicated to WMC [Live TV Tuner]. I'm using exemultituner to tune the Xbox 360's (40511 and 40512).

I'd like to issue the stop command mentioned in the first post so the Xbox doesn't continue to run and record to the WMC temp directory, but there is a part that's not clear to me. This command;

sagetv.device.<unique_id>.stopping_executable=http://localhost:40511/stop

includes the tuner ID in the same code line as the 40511. How can I determine which Ceton tuner, 5 or 6, is connected to which Xbox 360, 40511 or 40512? And does WMC always bind, say, tuner 5 with Xbox 40511 for example?

[KryptoNyte]

The commands don't stop either device regardless of the questions above. Maybe I'm not using this correctly. Here are the lines of opendct.properties;

sagetv.device.-170519524.consumer=opendct.consumer.DynamicConsumerImpl
sagetv.device.-170519524.delay_to_wait_after_tuning=0
sagetv.device.-170519524.device_name=DCT-Ceton InfiniTV PCIe (00-80-91-fa) Tuner 6
sagetv.device.-170519524.encoder_listen_port=9000
sagetv.device.-170519524.encoder_merit=0
sagetv.device.-170519524.encoder_pool=dct
sagetv.device.-170519524.exclusive_server_address=
sagetv.device.-170519524.fast_network_encoder_switch=true
sagetv.device.-170519524.last_channel=-1
sagetv.device.-170519524.stopping_executable=http\://localhost\:40511/stop
sagetv.device.-170519524.transcode_profile=
sagetv.device.-170519525.consumer=opendct.consumer.DynamicConsumerImpl
sagetv.device.-170519525.delay_to_wait_after_tuning=0
sagetv.device.-170519525.device_name=DCT-Ceton InfiniTV PCIe (00-80-91-fa) Tuner 5
sagetv.device.-170519525.encoder_listen_port=9000
sagetv.device.-170519525.encoder_merit=0
sagetv.device.-170519525.encoder_pool=dct
sagetv.device.-170519525.exclusive_server_address=
sagetv.device.-170519525.fast_network_encoder_switch=true
sagetv.device.-170519525.last_channel=-1
sagetv.device.-170519525.stopping_executable=http\://localhost\:40512/stop
sagetv.device.-170519525.transcode_profile=
<snipped>
version.config=4
version.program=0.5.8
web.enabled=true
web.port=9091

I'm not sure why the backslashes appeared in the paths, something opendct apparently adds after running. If I issue the commands in a web browser manually, it works fine;

http://localhost:40512/stop

[Zogg]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

The commands don't stop either device regardless of the questions above. Maybe I'm not using this correctly. Here are the lines of opendct.properties;

sagetv.device.-170519524.consumer=opendct.consumer.DynamicConsumerImpl
sagetv.device.-170519524.delay_to_wait_after_tuning=0
sagetv.device.-170519524.device_name=DCT-Ceton InfiniTV PCIe (00-80-91-fa) Tuner 6
sagetv.device.-170519524.encoder_listen_port=9000
sagetv.device.-170519524.encoder_merit=0
sagetv.device.-170519524.encoder_pool=dct
sagetv.device.-170519524.exclusive_server_address=
sagetv.device.-170519524.fast_network_encoder_switch=true
sagetv.device.-170519524.last_channel=-1
sagetv.device.-170519524.stopping_executable=http\://localhost\:40511/stop
sagetv.device.-170519524.transcode_profile=
sagetv.device.-170519525.consumer=opendct.consumer.DynamicConsumerImpl
sagetv.device.-170519525.delay_to_wait_after_tuning=0
sagetv.device.-170519525.device_name=DCT-Ceton InfiniTV PCIe (00-80-91-fa) Tuner 5
sagetv.device.-170519525.encoder_listen_port=9000
sagetv.device.-170519525.encoder_merit=0
sagetv.device.-170519525.encoder_pool=dct
sagetv.device.-170519525.exclusive_server_address=
sagetv.device.-170519525.fast_network_encoder_switch=true
sagetv.device.-170519525.last_channel=-1
sagetv.device.-170519525.stopping_executable=http\://localhost\:40512/stop
sagetv.device.-170519525.transcode_profile=
<snipped>
version.config=4
version.program=0.5.8
web.enabled=true
web.port=9091

I'm not sure why the backslashes appeared in the paths, something opendct apparently adds after running. If I issue the commands in a web browser manually, it works fine;

http://localhost:40512/stop

I have these for my two tuners:

sagetv.device.185565068.stopping_executable=http\://192.168.1.13\:40510/stop
sagetv.device.185565069.stopping_executable=http\://192.168.1.14\:40510/stop

It seems to work okay.

[KryptoNyte]

Thanks. I tried it with the localhost IP address instead but that didn't work either.

Thinking a bit more about this, for the Ceton 6, in my SageTV tuner list there are (4) OpenDCT based tuners for all copy-freely channels, and (2) HDPVR based tuners for WMC Live TV Tuner copy-once channels. OpenDCT has no involvement with the HDPVR tuners per my Sage setup, so if OpenDCT doesn't control the tuner, it would make sense that it wouldn't send any STOP messages for that specific tuner either. Somehow, I'd have to have SageTV send the STOP command instead for the (2) HDPVR tuners. I've never tried SJQ, but I wonder if it could do this.

[Zogg]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

Thanks. I tried it with the localhost IP address instead but that didn't work either.

Thinking a bit more about this, for the Ceton 6, in my SageTV tuner list there are (4) OpenDCT based tuners for all copy-freely channels, and (2) HDPVR based tuners for WMC Live TV Tuner copy-once channels. OpenDCT has no involvement with the HDPVR tuners per my Sage setup, so if OpenDCT doesn't control the tuner, it would make sense that it wouldn't send any STOP messages for that specific tuner either. Somehow, I'd have to have SageTV send the STOP command instead for the (2) HDPVR tuners. I've never tried SJQ, but I wonder if it could do this.

That makes sense. I've never used SJQ either, though, so I can't help there.

[EnterNoEscape]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

Thanks. I tried it with the localhost IP address instead but that didn't work either.

Thinking a bit more about this, for the Ceton 6, in my SageTV tuner list there are (4) OpenDCT based tuners for all copy-freely channels, and (2) HDPVR based tuners for WMC Live TV Tuner copy-once channels. OpenDCT has no involvement with the HDPVR tuners per my Sage setup, so if OpenDCT doesn't control the tuner, it would make sense that it wouldn't send any STOP messages for that specific tuner either. Somehow, I'd have to have SageTV send the STOP command instead for the (2) HDPVR tuners. I've never tried SJQ, but I wonder if it could do this.

That sounds like correct logic to me. OpenDCT would only be involved if you were using a BM3000 and the like.

[egeller]

I run WMC on a stand-alone Win 7 machine on my network for the premium channels. Performance is generally good, but I go through spells where recordings are ruined by spooky and seemingly random "previous channel" executions during the recording.

From my testing, I know that the http://ipaddress:40510/button-ok command invokes the previous channel command. Execute it twice and you get back to the channel you started on.

Today the problem affected at least two recordings. One of them was "My Cousin Rachel" which SageTV decided to record for me. The movie is one hour and 50 minutes long. At the 31:24 mark it switched to "previous" channel. At 1:03:20 it switched back to the correct channel. Finally, at the 1:46:10 mark, during closing credits, it switched to previous channel again.

Are there any logs I can look at, or turn on to investigate from where the stray channel changes are coming? I wonder if I need to put a sniffer on the network to see where it is coming from. There is nothing in the OpenDCT.log or Wrapper.log. I think I am asking about logging in WMC itself or in the event viewer of the PC running WMC.

My workaround, for the few recordings I really intend to watch, is to delete the recording and have it re-record. In rare instances, I use the Playon interface and download a copy of the movie. I think it took me three or four tries to get "Jason Bourne" a few months ago.

I am wondering if it is something strange I am doing on my network or one of my machines.

[boukmandutty]

Check the scheduled recordings in WMC on the machine your server is recording from. I think you might have accidentally scheduled something there without realizing it.

[KryptoNyte]

Originally Posted by egeller

I run WMC on a stand-alone Win 7 machine on my network for the premium channels. Performance is generally good, but I go through spells where recordings are ruined by spooky and seemingly random "previous channel" executions during the recording.

From my testing, I know that the http://ipaddress:40510/button-ok command invokes the previous channel command. Execute it twice and you get back to the channel you started on.

Today the problem affected at least two recordings. One of them was "My Cousin Rachel" which SageTV decided to record for me. The movie is one hour and 50 minutes long. At the 31:24 mark it switched to "previous" channel. At 1:03:20 it switched back to the correct channel. Finally, at the 1:46:10 mark, during closing credits, it switched to previous channel again.

Are there any logs I can look at, or turn on to investigate from where the stray channel changes are coming? I wonder if I need to put a sniffer on the network to see where it is coming from. There is nothing in the OpenDCT.log or Wrapper.log. I think I am asking about logging in WMC itself or in the event viewer of the PC running WMC.

My workaround, for the few recordings I really intend to watch, is to delete the recording and have it re-record. In rare instances, I use the Playon interface and download a copy of the movie. I think it took me three or four tries to get "Jason Bourne" a few months ago.

I am wondering if it is something strange I am doing on my network or one of my machines.

Is the offending tuner being shared with another application and/or another computer on the network? Is there a WMC instance running on another computer on the network? Is it possible there is a problem with the tuning adapter or cable card itself. I know that I can watch WMC dial in a channel change right in the recording as I have the HDPVR start recording within a couple seconds of the tuning, and with the latest WMC LiveTV release it is tuning the channel twice - are you actually seeing the new channel entry or some indication of it when the recording changes mid-program?

[egeller]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

Is the offending tuner being shared with another application and/or another computer on the network?

No, not as far as I can tell, but I will re-check. The symptom I see is as if the OK button is pressed, to get the previous channel. It is always the previous channel that is tuned and not a random channel.

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

Is there a WMC instance running on another computer on the network?

There was until five minutes ago. I have disabled the service on the second computer. I was using it to watch TV in my home office, but I can figure out another way to do that, without having a second WMC instance running.

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

Is it possible there is a problem with the tuning adapter or cable card itself. I know that I can watch WMC dial in a channel change right in the recording as I have the HDPVR start recording within a couple seconds of the tuning, and with the latest WMC LiveTV release it is tuning the channel twice - are you actually seeing the new channel entry or some indication of it when the recording changes mid-program?

Yes, I am seeing the channel tuned in the recording.

I also still need to check out @boukmandutty's suggestion on a stray scheduled recording. Unfortunately, I have contractors installing air conditioning in my house this week, so my schedule is messed up.

[Tiki]

Do you have a wireless keyboard connected? I’ve seen some posts from others where their Logitech wireless keyboards would periodically send the Enter keystroke for no apparent reason (might be same as OK).

[egeller]

Originally Posted by Tiki

Do you have a wireless keyboard connected? I’ve seen some posts from others where their Logitech wireless keyboards would periodically send the Enter keystroke for no apparent reason (might be same as OK).

The machine is on a KVM switch, whose focus is on another machine, unless I am specifically doing maintenance on the WMC machine. It's worth a try to remove the connection to the KVM and give it a dedicated keyboard that I trust. It could be coming from the KVM switch. The ENTER key may be sending the same command.

As per previous postings, I verified that there is nothing scheduled via WMC.

It happened again today on a recording of Counterpart, scheduled from 1604 to 1701. At 1613 the channel changed from Starz to Encore-Westerns. At 1621 the channel changed back to the original Starz channel. The previous recording on that tuner was on Encore-Westerns from 1240-1400.

I am going to talk to my son about putting a sniffer or logging software on the network or the machine. He has more experience with that stuff than I have encountered. I'd like to trap a stray WGET of http://server:40510/button-ok, or some other audit trail of channel changes.

I was hoping that shutting down the second WMC instance, on another PC, would make a difference. I shut it down yesterday, but it still happened.

My thanks for help goes out to everybody who reads this and brainstorms with me. As long a Playon works, it's annoying but not a showstopper.