HDHR Prime, OpenDCT, Linux and Comcast?

[cowboyway]

Hey folks, I'm hoping someone can guide me a bit to troubleshoot a new install of sage 9 on Ubuntu 14.04 with HDHR Prime. I used the script provided to do the complete install and discovery of the tuners and that appeared to work just fine, except that the tuned channels all indicate "No Signal".

In general Sage is working fine on the new install when accessed from the extender boxes as I had it before. In fact I also have older HDHR ATSC tuners which are working just fine for over the air signals. So, it would seem the issue is specific to openDCT.

I haven't changed any of the openDCT config and can see an initial file getting created on the file system when I attempt to watch a channel through sage, but unlike the over the air tuner the prime related channel files don't grow. It sounds like an encoder issue, but not sure.

Any suggestions to help sort it out. I know the prime box with comcast works for most channels when SageDCT was used on my old instance for windows. But with the upgrade to sageTv 9 I've moved to linux and now having trouble with this there.

thank you!

[egeller]

I moved from Windows to Unraid in February. One surprise was that the Linux version of OpenDCT defaults to

sagetv.device.a-number.consumer=opendct.consumer.DynamicConsumerImpl

I found that Comcast signals do not like that, all that much.

Stop SageTV. Stop OpenDCT, and change all the instances of the above, in opendct.properties, to

sagetv.device.a-number.consumer=opendct.consumer.FFmpegTransSageTVConsumerImpl

Then restart OpenDCT and SageTV.

See if that does not give you better results. There will be one entry per tuner. You should only need to change the entries for the cablecard tuners.

The "a-number" will be specific to your installation, I think. Each tuner will have a different number.

Comcast does strange things to their signal on certain channels. Additionally, they are moving to H.264 on a lot of them. FFmpeg is more forgiving and does a conversion for you (if that is the correct way to describe it).

[EnterNoEscape]

Originally Posted by egeller

I moved from Windows to Unraid in February. One surprise was that the Linux version of OpenDCT defaults to

sagetv.device.a-number.consumer=opendct.consumer.DynamicConsumerImpl

I found that Comcast signals do not like that, all that much.

Stop SageTV. Stop OpenDCT, and change all the instances of the above, in opendct.properties, to

sagetv.device.a-number.consumer=opendct.consumer.FFmpegTransSageTVConsumerImpl

Then restart OpenDCT and SageTV.

See if that does not give you better results. There will be one entry per tuner. You should only need to change the entries for the cablecard tuners.

The "a-number" will be specific to your installation, I think. Each tuner will have a different number.

Comcast does strange things to their signal on certain channels. Additionally, they are moving to H.264 on a lot of them. FFmpeg is more forgiving and does a conversion for you (if that is the correct way to describe it).

The script used to install OpenDCT in the Docker container is the reason why you needed to do that. A clean Linux install of OpenDCT works without any special manipulation as long as you have installed the latest version and don't have any network/firewall related issues.

[egeller]

Originally Posted by EnterNoEscape

The script used to install OpenDCT in the Docker container is the reason why you needed to do that.

Thanks for the info.

I am out of ideas for the original poster. Since it's stand-alone Linux install, could it be a strange permissions issue?

[EnterNoEscape]

Originally Posted by egeller

Thanks for the info.

I am out of ideas for the original poster. Since it's stand-alone Linux install, could it be a strange permissions issue?

If the latest version of OpenDCT is installed, the only other thing I can think of is that the recordings folder doesn't have proper permissions for SageTV to be able to record to it. However, I'm only speculating. It would benefit us all if the SageTV and OpenDCT logs where posted after trying to tune into a channel and having it fail.

[cowboyway]

Thanks for the suggestions... here's some log and config data that might help.

So when i tune to a comcast hd channel that used to work...

sagetv_0.txt has a bunch of this getting logged...

Thu 8/31 21:50:20.062 [VideoFrame-0023a5001022@38ec17eb] VF network encoder playback detected: false
Thu 8/31 21:50:20.062 [VideoFrame-0023a5001022@38ec17eb] VF waiting for data to appear in new file...liveWait=-33779
Thu 8/31 21:50:20.062 [VideoFrame-0023a5001022@38ec17eb] VF thread is now waiting for 0:00:00.200
Thu 8/31 21:50:20.262 [VideoFrame-0023a5001022@38ec17eb] VF processing job VFJob[LoadMF r=0.0 t=0 file=MediaFile[id=890401 A[418027,408391,"Hannity",60179@0831.21:00,60,T] mask=TV host=boomer encodedBy=HDHomeRun 1310f293 Tuner 0 FNCHD format=MPEG2-PS 0:00:00 0 kbps [] /var/media/tv/Hannity-418027-0.mpg, Seg0[Thu 8/31 21:49:46.283-Wed 12/31 18:00:00.000]] ifn=null] nPlayin=false
Thu 8/31 21:50:20.262 [VideoFrame-0023a5001022@38ec17eb] VF network encoder playback detected: false
Thu 8/31 21:50:20.262 [VideoFrame-0023a5001022@38ec17eb] VF waiting for data to appear in new file...liveWait=-33979
Thu 8/31 21:50:20.262 [VideoFrame-0023a5001022@38ec17eb] VF thread is now waiting for 0:00:00.200
Thu 8/31 21:50:20.463 [VideoFrame-0023a5001022@38ec17eb] VF processing job VFJob[LoadMF r=0.0 t=0 file=MediaFile[id=890401 A[418027,408391,"Hannity",60179@0831.21:00,60,T] mask=TV host=boomer encodedBy=HDHomeRun 1310f293 Tuner 0 FNCHD format=MPEG2-PS 0:00:00 0 kbps [] /var/media/tv/Hannity-418027-0.mpg, Seg0[Thu 8/31 21:49:46.283-Wed 12/31 18:00:00.000]] ifn=null] nPlayin=false

/var/log/opendct/opendct.log has this since restart.... nothing changes when i tune comcast.

04:25:12.875 [ChannelManager-49] INFO ChannelManager - Updating the HDHomeRun channel lineup HDHomeRun DRI Tuner 1310F293 (dct_hdhomerun).
04:25:12.899 [ChannelManager-49] INFO HDHomeRunChannels - Connecting to HDHomeRun using the URL 'http://192.168.1.129:80/lineup.xml'
04:25:12.945 [ChannelManager-49] INFO ChannelManager - The static channel lineup HDHomeRun HDHR-US 1018012C (atsc_hdhomerun_legacy_1018012c) will remain unchanged.
12:25:13.028 [ChannelManager-49] INFO ChannelManager - Updating the HDHomeRun channel lineup HDHomeRun DRI Tuner 1310F293 (dct_hdhomerun).
12:25:13.034 [ChannelManager-49] INFO HDHomeRunChannels - Connecting to HDHomeRun using the URL 'http://192.168.1.129:80/lineup.xml'
12:25:13.083 [ChannelManager-49] INFO ChannelManager - The static channel lineup HDHomeRun HDHR-US 1018012C (atsc_hdhomerun_legacy_1018012c) will remain unchanged.
20:25:13.169 [ChannelManager-49] INFO ChannelManager - Updating the HDHomeRun channel lineup HDHomeRun DRI Tuner 1310F293 (dct_hdhomerun).
20:25:13.175 [ChannelManager-49] INFO HDHomeRunChannels - Connecting to HDHomeRun using the URL 'http://192.168.1.129:80/lineup.xml'
20:25:13.214 [ChannelManager-49] INFO ChannelManager - The static channel lineup HDHomeRun HDHR-US 1018012C (atsc_hdhomerun_legacy_1018012c) will remain unchanged.
21:08:29.714 [SageTVDiscovery-57] DEBUG SageTVDiscovery - Received discovery datagram from SageTV server '/192.168.1.150:8270' and validating...
21:08:29.717 [SageTVDiscovery-57] DEBUG SageTVDiscovery - Validated discovery datagram from SageTV server '/192.168.1.150:8270' and preparing response...
21:08:29.722 [SageTVDiscovery-57] INFO SageTVDiscovery - Sent discovery response datagram to SageTV server '/192.168.1.150:8270'.
21:08:32.753 [SageTVRequestHandler-105:Unknown] DEBUG SageTVRequestHandler - SageTV sent: 'PROPERTIES'
21:08:32.769 [SageTVRequestHandler-105:Unknown] INFO SageTVRequestHandler - Sent PROPERTIES.
21:08:32.770 [SageTVRequestHandler-105:Unknown] DEBUG SageTVRequestHandler - SageTV sent: 'QUIT'
21:27:36.508 [SageTVDiscovery-57] DEBUG SageTVDiscovery - Received discovery datagram from SageTV server '/192.168.1.150:8270' and validating...
21:27:36.508 [SageTVDiscovery-57] DEBUG SageTVDiscovery - Validated discovery datagram from SageTV server '/192.168.1.150:8270' and preparing response...
21:27:36.509 [SageTVDiscovery-57] INFO SageTVDiscovery - Sent discovery response datagram to SageTV server '/192.168.1.150:8270'.
21:27:39.517 [SageTVRequestHandler-106:Unknown] DEBUG SageTVRequestHandler - SageTV sent: 'PROPERTIES'
21:27:39.519 [SageTVRequestHandler-106:Unknown] INFO SageTVRequestHandler - Sent PROPERTIES.
21:27:39.521 [SageTVRequestHandler-106:Unknown] DEBUG SageTVRequestHandler - SageTV sent: 'QUIT'

Here's a snipit of the Sage.properties for a HDHR Prime tuner. Not sure why encoding_host is in there twice... I assume that openDCT is on port 9000.

mmc/country=United States of America
mmc/country_code=1
mmc/disable_dvbs_epg_data_scanning=true
mmc/disable_qam_epg_data_scanning=true
mmc/enable_merit_editing=false
mmc/encode_digital_tv_as_program_stream=true
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/100/0/brightness=-1
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/100/0/broadcast_standard=
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/100/0/contrast=-1
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/100/0/device_name=
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/100/0/encode_digital_tv_as_program_stream=false
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/100/0/hue=-1
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/100/0/last_channel=
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/100/0/provider_id=0
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/100/0/saturation=-1
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/100/0/sharpness=-1
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/100/0/tuning_mode=Cable
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/100/0/tuning_plugin=
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/100/0/tuning_plugin_port=0
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/100/0/video_crossbar_index=0
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/100/0/video_crossbar_type=100
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/audio_capture_device_name=
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/broadcast_standard=
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/capture_config=8192
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/default_device_quality=
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/delay_to_wait_after_tuning=0
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/device_class=NetworkEncoder
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/encoder_host=127.0.0.1\:9000
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/encoder_merit=0
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/encoding_host=192.168.1.150\:9000
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/fast_network_encoder_switch=true
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/forced_video_storage_path_prefix=
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/last_cross_index=0
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/last_cross_type=100
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/live_audio_input=
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/multicast_host=
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/never_stop_encoding=false
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/video_capture_device_name=DCT-HDHomeRun Prime Tuner 1310F293-0
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/video_capture_device_num=0
mmc/encoders/-1442373157/video_encoding_params=Great

Here's a peak at the folder where the video files appear. Note the few that are 0 size. Those are from HDHR Prime with Comcast. The others are from the working OTA tuner.

-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 155687992 Aug 31 21:08 HogansHeroes-ThePrinceFromthePhoneCompany-145135-0.mpg
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 0 Aug 31 21:59 Hannity-418027-7.mpg
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 491864821 Aug 31 22:00 LOKARCarShow-146346-0.mpg
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 549386365 Aug 31 22:00 HogansHeroes-TheSafecrackerSuite-145136-0.mpg
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 0 Aug 31 22:00 TuckerCarlsonTonight-418028-0.mpg
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 0 Aug 31 22:01 TuckerCarlsonTonight-418028-1.mpg
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 91116892 Aug 31 22:01 ABC7EyewitnessNewsat10pm-147762-0.mpg

[Fuzzy]

So...

Sage is saying it is recording with:
encodedBy=HDHomeRun 1310f293 Tuner 0

This is the direct HDHomeRun access from SageTV (which doesn't support CableCard), and NOT the encoder presented by openDCT, which should show up in sage as DCT-HDHomeRun Prime Tuner 1310F293-0 on 192.168.1.150:9000. You need to remove the direct access one and add the proper source to sage.

This is confirmed by the mmc/encoders/-1442373157/100/0/provider_id=0, meaning that input is not configured to an EPG in sage.

This is why OpenDCT is not getting a tuning request from sage.

[cowboyway]

Thank you for identifying that! For reference, I used the newer sage install script for linux that I found on the forums here. It guided a complete install of sage and openDCT and all dependencies on Ubuntu 14. At the end of that script it does an auto discover to configure openDCT. That is where it found both HDHR tuners (one ATSC and the other Prime). In sage I added the tuner sources manually and configured EPG. This is what led me to this point.

To resolve, it seems I need to remove/blacklist the ATSC tuners from openDCT. Remove the cable related tuners from SageTV config and re-add. Let me know if that sounds correct or if manual config editing will be required?

thanks again!

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by cowboyway

Thank you for identifying that! For reference, I used the newer sage install script for linux that I found on the forums here. It guided a complete install of sage and openDCT and all dependencies on Ubuntu 14. At the end of that script it does an auto discover to configure openDCT. That is where it found both HDHR tuners (one ATSC and the other Prime). In sage I added the tuner sources manually and configured EPG. This is what led me to this point.

To resolve, it seems I need to remove/blacklist the ATSC tuners from openDCT. Remove the cable related tuners from SageTV config and re-add. Let me know if that sounds correct or if manual config editing will be required?

thanks again!

No, do nothing in OpenDCT. In sage, remove the sources that are using the HDHomeRun directly, and instead add the ones that are using OpenDCT (the ones that say on 'xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:9000' or 'localhost:9000', or similar - those are the tuners as presented by openDCT.

[cowboyway]

That worked! I didn't see those entries in the source list as they were off the page and had to scroll down to see them. It all works again... even on Linux. How awesome. Thank you!