Channel tuning delay

[gacevich]

I set up and paid for a Schedules Direct account. Went into Sage where I had two fully functioning STBs and HDPVRs controlled by dual zone USB-UIRT.

Walked through the steps to switch to Schedules Direct as the EPG source. Seems to work as expected. It gave me proper provider and proper channel line up.

However, when I go to view a channel I can see the STB change to the desired change and the HDPVR indicator lights come on. But all I get is a black screen. No picture, no sound. Occasionally, when the channel is first tuned in I will see the channel number displayed at the bottom and "not available" right after that. My cable works on all of my non-sage tvs so i think I am still getting the signal. STBs and HDPVRs seem to be indicating proper functionality.

Did I miss something that allows the CATV signal to be processed? I am on Spectrum/legacy TWC.

* removed from SD EPG topic *

[Monedeath]

Originally Posted by gacevich

However, when I go to view a channel I can see the STB change to the desired change and the HDPVR indicator lights come on. But all I get is a black screen. No picture, no sound. Occasionally, when the channel is first tuned in I will see the channel number displayed at the bottom and "not available" right after that. My cable works on all of my non-sage tvs so i think I am still getting the signal. STBs and HDPVRs seem to be indicating proper functionality.

Did I miss something that allows the CATV signal to be processed? I am on Spectrum/legacy TWC.

Based on my experience with my 2250's, I'm going to guess that you used the Open Source installer that overwrote your previous install?

I'm starting to suspect there is something different in the newer (windows) compile files which is causing havoc/slowing things down in how snappy Sage is in its interactions with certain encoders.

Edit: But I'm not going to run around swapping out dll files trying to track down where the problem is. But someone else is more than welcome to do so.

[KarylFStein]

Originally Posted by Monedeath

Based on my experience with my 2250's, I'm going to guess that you used the Open Source installer that overwrote your previous install?

I'm starting to suspect there is something different in the newer (windows) compile files which is causing havoc/slowing things down in how snappy Sage is in its interactions with certain encoders.

Edit: But I'm not going to run around swapping out dll files trying to track down where the problem is. But someone else is more than welcome to do so.

This isn't helpful I know, but my 2250 is snappy and while I have compiled/installed JAR files for certain things and even installed ant for Phoenix compiles, my current install is the latest Windows server package with the stock UI. (Sorry P3/P3Lite...looking to play again when Gemstone2 comes out.) The only thing I've seen with the 2250 is that the file size is HUGE compared to CableCard captures. Otherwise they both suck with Android .

[Monedeath]

Originally Posted by KarylFStein

This isn't helpful I know, but my 2250 is snappy and while I have compiled/installed JAR files for certain things and even installed ant for Phoenix compiles, my current install is the latest Windows server package with the stock UI. (Sorry P3/P3Lite...looking to play again when Gemstone2 comes out.) The only thing I've seen with the 2250 is that the file size is HUGE compared to CableCard captures. Otherwise they both suck with Android .

Did you ever alter the tuner delay on the 2250? I'm thinking that's probably what zapped me. IIRC, the default is around 5000, I dropped it to 0 several years ago in V7 while it was still being used as a QAM tuner(after a post from Narflex on the digital tuners).

It didn't become an outright show stopper until "somewhat recently." (After becoming an ATSC tuner, and switching to Open Sourced Jar files)

Although I'm not going to outright blame the native files as I think it was starting to have issues before now, it just wasn't so blatant(and subject to a rigorous search), and thus didn't get tracked down as the cause/culprit until now.

[KarylFStein]

Originally Posted by Monedeath

Did you ever alter the tuner delay on the 2250? I'm thinking that's probably what zapped me. IIRC, the default is around 5000, I dropped it to 0 several years ago in V7 while it was still being used as a QAM tuner(after a post from Narflex on the digital tuners).

It didn't become an outright show stopper until "somewhat recently." (After becoming an ATSC tuner, and switching to Open Sourced Jar files)

Although I'm not going to outright blame the native files as I think it was starting to have issues before now, it just wasn't so blatant(and subject to a rigorous search), and thus didn't get tracked down as the cause/culprit until now.

My 2250 was always ATSC only. The only change I made on it in the properties is to set disable_data_scanning to true for the epg. Before that I used a couple 1850s (I think) one for QAM and the other OTA. Then ditched them for an InfiniTV4 CableCard and the 2250 for OTA once Comcast screwed up QAM. Not sure what you mean by tuner delay, but I see "delay_to_wait_after_tuning" in my properties and it's 0. I didn't touch that. I did a clean v9 install when the first version of the Windows installer was made available. After that I've upgraded the JAR file and sometimes used the Windows installer. I haven't touched the properties, though, except for the epg line and things to do with the Jetty web server.

[Tiki]

Originally Posted by gacevich

I set up and paid for a Schedules Direct account. Went into Sage where I had two fully functioning STBs and HDPVRs controlled by dual zone USB-UIRT.

Walked through the steps to switch to Schedules Direct as the EPG source. Seems to work as expected. It gave me proper provider and proper channel line up.

However, when I go to view a channel I can see the STB change to the desired change and the HDPVR indicator lights come on. But all I get is a black screen. No picture, no sound. Occasionally, when the channel is first tuned in I will see the channel number displayed at the bottom and "not available" right after that. My cable works on all of my non-sage tvs so i think I am still getting the signal. STBs and HDPVRs seem to be indicating proper functionality.

Did I miss something that allows the CATV signal to be processed? I am on Spectrum/legacy TWC.

If you are using HDPVR and you can see the channel # and a "not available " message at the beginning of your recording, it sounds like that is what is coming out of your cable box.
It's possible that your ir blaster isn't changing the channel correctly. Or you may be trying to tune a channel that you don't subscribe to. Or your cable box is screwed up and thinks you aren't subscribed to that channel even though you should be.

Does this problem happen for every recording on every channel?
Can you try changing the channel another way (buttons on the STB or with your cable remote) while you are recording something/ watching live through Sage? That might help you pinpoint the problem.
You could also try connecting the output of the cable box directly to a TV to see if that works.
You could also try unplugging power cord for the cable box for a minute or two and replugging to reset it.

[BobPhoenix]

I have HVR-2250s and HVR-2255s. The 2255s are very slow to do channel scans it takes several hours (well at least two anyway) to complete. My 2250s do that same scan in a half hour or less.

So that leads me to ask:
Are your 2250s really the newer model 2255?

[gacevich]

Originally Posted by Tiki

Does this problem happen for every recording on every channel?

yes

Can you try changing the channel another way (buttons on the STB or with your cable remote) while you are recording something/ watching live through Sage?

When I change the channel using STB buttons i see the the CATV guide change channel and program description but the video section stays black and no audio.

That might help you pinpoint the problem.
You could also try connecting the output of the cable box directly to a TV to see if that works.

Kinda a PITA to do this and I really don't think it is the STB.

You could also try unplugging power cord for the cable box for a minute or two and replugging to reset it.

Cycled power and no joy

Any other suggestions?

[Tiki]

Originally Posted by gacevich

Any other suggestions?

Sounds like a problem with your cable box, not Sage.
If you see the channel number and description presented by your cable box at the beginning of the recording, but no other picture or sound, then that is what is coming out of your cable box.

You need to troubleshoot the box and get that working first (cycle power, hook up to a different tv, etc.).

[gacevich]

Originally Posted by Tiki

You need to troubleshoot the box and get that working first (cycle power, hook up to a different tv, etc.).

Cable boxes work fine. Shifting from Sage v7 to v9 did not affect them.

Turns out that there is a significant time delay between tuning in a channel and when it appears on screen. Much more than v7. At least a minute and at first video is very pixelated and moving. Then video freezes and audio kicks in choppy then very natural. If I then jump back in time to "restart" viewing the situation clears itself up.

I viewed several recent recordings since moving to v9 and they seemed to be ok. Only spot checked recordings and saw video, heard audio and see comskip working via the timeline bar coloration changes.

Anybody else seeing live tv issues? If I am an outlier is there a way to refresh my install so viewing of live tv improves?