One tuner (HD-PVR) making bad recordings

[tvmaster2]

Setup: W7 32 bit with two tuners, one Colossus, and one HD-PVR.

Each tuner records to its' own hard drive.

The Colossus is making good recordings from a satellite set-top box.

The HD-PVR, on the other hand, is making bad recordings, locking up occassionally, just doing odd things. Mainly, recordings are stopping and starting, skipping frames, returning bad timing data...

I've narrowed it to three possiblities, since the Colossus/system is working fine on that side of things.

1. Hard drive the HD-PVR records to is going bad. I've run Hard Disk Sentinel and other drive checkers, and it seems to pass the tests I've run.

2. HD-PVR / power supply is going bad somehow. Can anyone suggest the best way to test both the unit and/or the power supply in hopes of eliminating or confirming either as the problem.

3. Cisco Cable box. Maybe it doesn't like the 1394 channel changing, or it's got a problem of some kind sending to the HD-PVR because of cable company updates, firmware, HDCP handshaking, etc. I suppose I could eliminate this by swapping this cable box over to the Colossus, and seeing if the same problems occur, yes?

Any other thoughts would be helpful. I can't imagine how the software would be a problem, unless of course the HD-PVR driver became corrupted somehow, but then it just wouldn't work full-stop, no?

[Tiki]

Failing power supply is most likely cause. I would just replace it. See if you can find another device that uses a compatible supply (same voltage, same or higher power/current, same connector) and swap. Otherwise order one from Amazon - they are cheap.

[dstanley]

I have to agree - over the years all of my HD-PVR problems were related to the power supply - even when I was sure it wasn't the case.
I think I was getting replacements for around the $15 mark - and on my four recorders over the years I probably replaced all of them twice. I got that I kept spares just in case - lol

[wayner]

Here's another vote for the power supply. There is another thread today on this same issue and about using your PC's power supply for the HD-PVR.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by wayner

Here's another vote for the power supply. There is another thread today on this same issue and about using your PC's power supply for the HD-PVR.

Hehe, yeah, that was me reviving the old thread out of my partial suspicion . I’ll rig up one of these internal power sources direct from the server and see what happens. I also have a third-party, external power supply, but it gives the same recording failures as the Hauppauge PS.

[wayner]

I did have one issue like this in the past but I had a spare HD-PVR that I just used instead of trying to spend too much time troubleshooting.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by wayner

I did have one issue like this in the past but I had a spare HD-PVR that I just used instead of trying to spend too much time troubleshooting.

did you use the same power supply, or did you switch it out at the same time as well?

[Zogg]

I've had this problem too, once. It was definitely the power supply. If you don't wire it into the system power supply, then be sure to buy one that is beefier such as a 3A or 4A supply and it should last longer (at least in my experience).

[wayner]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

did you use the same power supply, or did you switch it out at the same time as well?

I first tried switching out the power supply but I still seemed to be getting errors. But maybe that other PS was also bad.

[wayner]

By the way, here is an old story about HD-PVR power supplies and capacitor plague. It seems like they never fixed this issue properly as I had replacements direct from Hauppauge that failed in even fewer years:

https://valkyriemt.wordpress.com/201...-fail-for-all/

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by wayner

By the way, here is an old story about HD-PVR power supplies and capacitor plague. It seems like they never fixed this issue properly as I had replacements direct from Hauppauge that failed in even fewer years:

https://valkyriemt.wordpress.com/201...-fail-for-all/

great, thanks.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by Tiki

Failing power supply is most likely cause. I would just replace it. See if you can find another device that uses a compatible supply (same voltage, same or higher power/current, same connector) and swap. Otherwise order one from Amazon - they are cheap.

Well, I've tested all three Hauppauge 5v, 2a power supplies I have, and they all check out between 5.16 and 5.18v. Don't know how to check amperage.

Re-installed the HD-PVR software.

Still getting dropped frames and bogus recordings. My Colossus recordings continue on just fine. Also, I have THREE HD-PVR's, and I've swapped combos of them in and out with the different power supplies, all to no avail.

So that leaves a USB problem with the motherboard, a hard drive problem, or my cable company is doing something strange to the cable set top box component outputs, which is unlikely.

Any other opinions? Oh, I opened up at least one of the HD-PVR's and found no apparent bad capacitors, etc.

[Zogg]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

Well, I've tested all three Hauppauge 5v, 2a power supplies I have, and they all check out between 5.16 and 5.18v. Don't know how to check amperage.

Re-installed the HD-PVR software.

Still getting dropped frames and bogus recordings. My Colossus recordings continue on just fine. Also, I have THREE HD-PVR's, and I've swapped combos of them in and out with the different power supplies, all to no avail.

So that leaves a USB problem with the motherboard, a hard drive problem, or my cable company is doing something strange to the cable set top box component outputs, which is unlikely.

Any other opinions? Oh, I opened up at least one of the HD-PVR's and found no apparent bad capacitors, etc.

The power supplies might read okay when not under load. I've seen this myself several times. The only real way to test them is to measure the voltage during a recording by exposing the wires or opening up a unit.

A new supply rated at 3A or more is cheap to try unlike the other options, so I'd try that first.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by Zogg

The power supplies might read okay when not under load. I've seen this myself several times. The only real way to test them is to measure the voltage during a recording by exposing the wires or opening up a unit.

A new supply rated at 3A or more is cheap to try unlike the other options, so I'd try that first.

thanks, I’m all for the cheapest solution. It could still be a software issue. But yeah, next thing I’m doing is creating the home-made power supply. I’ve currently swapped my satellite receiver and my cable box between the HDPVR and Colossus. Let’s see what happens next...

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by wayner

I first tried switching out the power supply but I still seemed to be getting errors. But maybe that other PS was also bad.

After trying a combo of three HDPVR’s and four power supplies, I changed things up: swapped the cable set-top box / HDPVR arrangement with the satellite / Colossus arrangement. Deleted and reloaded the channel lineups, and for four days, everything ran smoothly with the HDPVR being fed from the Motorola satellite receiver. No crashes, missed recordings or hacked recordings.

Switched things back the way they were, deleted and reloaded listings lineups, and within two days, the HDPVR errors, crashes, HDPVR ‘not recognized/can’t start’ problems returned. Meanwhile, the Motorola satellite / Colossus ran just fine.

So, I ask you, great, exalted SageTV professionals, what the hell’s the difference between the analog, component outputs of a cable, set-top box from Cisco, and the analog, component outputs of a Motorola satellite receiver?

Baffled...

[dstanley]

I know it seems odd but in my experience if the STB is putting out crappy DIGITAL AUDIO signal then the HD-PVRs seem to choke badly on it.

One instance for me was a poor optical cable that caused me grief BUT in another instance it was just the sh*t signal from one of my Scientific Atlanta boxes - I changed the audio on that box to Analog Audio cables and it recorded perfectly - minus the 5.1 signal. I set that box to be the lowest priority and tried to never use it.

I think the HD-PVRs rely heavily on the audio signal and quality for their recording behaviour.

Take that for what it's worth - not likely much help ...

Dwight

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by dstanley

I know it seems odd but in my experience if the STB is putting out crappy DIGITAL AUDIO signal then the HD-PVRs seem to choke badly on it.

One instance for me was a poor optical cable that caused me grief BUT in another instance it was just the sh*t signal from one of my Scientific Atlanta boxes - I changed the audio on that box to Analog Audio cables and it recorded perfectly - minus the 5.1 signal. I set that box to be the lowest priority and tried to never use it.

I think the HD-PVRs rely heavily on the audio signal and quality for their recording behaviour.

Take that for what it's worth - not likely much help ...

Dwight

Hey, anything’s worth a shot. So, in other words, the Colossus may be able to handle the optical audio, and the satellite may put out a cleaner optical version? I’ll try switching the HDPVR to analog audio and report back. Thanks.

[dstanley]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

Hey, anything’s worth a shot. So, in other words, the Colossus may be able to handle the optical audio, and the satellite may put out a cleaner optical version? I’ll try switching the HDPVR to analog audio and report back. Thanks.

Yes - that is exactly the thought - that was my issue with one STB - it just couldn't output the optical signal properly for the HD-PVR to record without glitches - stopped recordings, partial recordings - throwing errors, etc.
The STB previously was fine but something happened over the course of time - I assume it was an aging problem ...

Will be curious if you find the same result and analog audio recordings will be fine ...

[wayner]

When you are using optical audio the HD-PVR will not work if you do not have a valid connection. I found this out years ago when I connected my STB to the HD-PVRs output rather than input.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by wayner

When you are using optical audio the HD-PVR will not work if you do not have a valid connection. I found this out years ago when I connected my STB to the HD-PVRs output rather than input.

by ‘valid connection’ you mean something legal from the cable set top box’s output jack...