[mythtv-users] HDPVR can only record one show (any thoughts)

Tue Dec 22 16:00:37 UTC 2009

I've been following this list for a while and playing with my HDPVR outside of myth but this week is light enough on recorded shows that I have a few days to work things out so it seemed like a good time to upgrade to myth .22 and give it a real go.

The problem seems to be related to several threads but maybe not exaclty in that once my HDPVR fails, it never comes back.  Others seem to see 5 second drop outs here and there but then it comes back and works.  Mine seems to loose the ability to talk to the HDPVR and never gets it back.

After a full reboot/reset of everything, exactly one show will record flawless, as near as I can tell.  All following recordings fail.  You can see the HDPVR blue light flashing on and off after the first show like it is trying to record the next shows.  Trying to watch live TV after this results in a black screen and a hung computer (needs a hard reset).  Some mythbackend logs follow my configuration info.

I would appreciate any suggestions on things to try next.

For the record, my system is gentoo, so my upgrade to 0.22 process was roughly:

  1.  fix the database (UTF8 -> latin1) since I saw a lot about that in the last few weeks here.
  2. created a udev rule to make the HDPVR /dev/hdpvr as seen here previously.  HDPVR is connected via component and SPDIF.
  3. unmasked and emerged myth 0.22 (version 0.22_p22860).
  4. in mythtv-setup, removed all capture cards and re-added PCHD-5500 and HDPVR.  Left all defaults for HDPVR other than SPDIF as audio input.
  5. modified directv.pl to add a 5 second delay after changing the channel (it uses a USB connection to a DirectTV setup box - model H20 I think)
  6. I left all my playback stuff alone.  Eventually I will probably want VDPAU enabled but until I can get the bits reliably on disk, I'm not concerned about how to play them.
  7.  started with a downgrade of the HDPVR firmware to version 0xf after reading in other threads that it was more stable for some.  I have tried both 0xf and 0x12 now and both don't work about the same.

In the mythbackend log, while the first show that works is being recorded, there are many messages along the lines of:

2009-12-21 22:43:33.546 [h264 @ 0x7f3c1a399880]B picture before any references, skipping
2009-12-21 22:43:33.563 [h264 @ 0x7f3c1a399880]decode_slice_header error
2009-12-21 22:43:33.579 [h264 @ 0x7f3c1a399880]no frame!
2009-12-21 22:43:33.603 AFD Error: Unknown decoding error

I assume those are from commercial flagging which I will try turning off for tonight's tests.

After the first show records, the log has the following (it's a little polluted by a recording on the PC5500 that was part of last nights test run):

2009-12-21 23:32:02.934 TVRec(1): HW Tuner: 1->1
2009-12-21 23:32:03.004 AutoExpire: CalcParams(): Max required Free Space: 12.0 GB w/freq: 8 min
2009-12-21 23:32:03.034 Started recording: The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: channel 2041 on cardid 1, sourceid 2
2009-12-21 23:36:00.808 Reschedule requested for id 0.
2009-12-21 23:36:01.118 Scheduled 261 items in 0.3 = 0.04 match + 0.27 place
2009-12-21 23:36:29.586 TVRec(2): ASK_RECORDING 2 29 0 0
2009-12-21 23:37:00.731 TVRec(2): Changing from Watching RecordingOnly to None
2009-12-21 23:37:00.768 Finished recording The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien: channel 1011
2009-12-21 23:37:00.801 Recording designated 720p because width was 1280
2009-12-21 23:37:02.497 Finished recording The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien: channel 1011
2009-12-21 23:37:02.544 mythbackend version:  [22860] www.mythtv.org
2009-12-21 23:37:02.557 TVRec(2): Changing from None to Watching RecordingOnly
2009-12-21 23:37:02.591 TVRec(2): HW Tuner: 2->2
2009-12-21 23:37:02.611 Using runtime prefix = /usr
2009-12-21 23:37:02.647 Using configuration directory = /etc/mythtv/.mythtv
2009-12-21 23:37:02.664 Unable to read configuration file mysql.txt
2009-12-21 23:37:02.681 Empty LocalHostName.
2009-12-21 23:37:02.697 Using localhost value of mast
2009-12-21 23:37:02.721 New DB connection, total: 1
2009-12-21 23:37:02.764 Connected to database 'mythconverg' at host: localhost
2009-12-21 23:37:02.804 Closing DB connection named 'DBManager0'
2009-12-21 23:37:02.844 Connected to database 'mythconverg' at host: localhost
2009-12-21 23:37:02.867 Current MythTV Schema Version (DBSchemaVer): 1244
2009-12-21 23:37:02.904 New DB connection, total: 2
2009-12-21 23:37:02.934 Connected to database 'mythconverg' at host: localhost
2009-12-21 23:37:03.097 ret_pid(4225) child(4225) status(0x0)
2009-12-21 23:37:03.137 External Tuning program exited with no error
2009-12-21 23:37:03.334 AutoExpire: CalcParams(): Max required Free Space: 12.0 GB w/freq: 8 min
2009-12-21 23:37:03.364 Started recording: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: channel 1011 on cardid 2, sourceid 1
2009-12-21 23:37:04.437 Reschedule requested for id 0.
2009-12-21 23:37:04.734 Scheduled 260 items in 0.3 = 0.03 match + 0.25 place
2009-12-21 23:37:05.617 AFD: Opened codec 0x835620, id(H264) type(Video)
2009-12-21 23:37:05.657 AFD: codec AAC has 2 channels
2009-12-21 23:37:05.680 AFD: Opened codec 0x836240, id(AAC) type(Audio)
2009-12-21 23:37:05.813 [h264 @ 0x7f136ac47880]B picture before any references, skipping
2009-12-21 23:37:05.837 [h264 @ 0x7f136ac47880]decode_slice_header error
2009-12-21 23:37:05.853 [h264 @ 0x7f136ac47880]no frame!
2009-12-21 23:37:05.877 AFD Error: Unknown decoding error
2009-12-21 23:37:05.893 [h264 @ 0x7f136ac47880]B picture before any references, skipping
2009-12-21 23:37:05.910 [h264 @ 0x7f136ac47880]decode_slice_header error
2009-12-21 23:37:05.927 [h264 @ 0x7f136ac47880]no frame!
2009-12-21 23:37:05.943 AFD Error: Unknown decoding error
2009-12-21 23:37:05.960 [h264 @ 0x7f136ac47880]B picture before any references, skipping
2009-12-21 23:37:05.977 [h264 @ 0x7f136ac47880]decode_slice_header error
2009-12-21 23:37:05.993 [h264 @ 0x7f136ac47880]no frame!
2009-12-21 23:37:06.010 AFD Error: Unknown decoding error
2009-12-21 23:37:06.047 Preview: Grabbed preview '/mythtv/store/1011_20091221223500.mpg' 1280x720 at 64s
2009-12-21 23:37:08.956 [h264 @ 0x7f3c1a399880]error while decoding MB 62 29, bytestream (-6)
2009-12-21 23:37:09.016 [h264 @ 0x7f3c1a399880]missing picture in access unit
2009-12-21 23:37:10.769 mythbackend version:  [22860] www.mythtv.org
2009-12-21 23:37:10.802 Using runtime prefix = /usr
2009-12-21 23:37:10.822 Using configuration directory = /etc/mythtv/.mythtv
2009-12-21 23:37:10.839 Unable to read configuration file mysql.txt
2009-12-21 23:37:10.882 Empty LocalHostName.
2009-12-21 23:37:10.899 Using localhost value of mast
2009-12-21 23:37:10.919 New DB connection, total: 1
2009-12-21 23:37:10.942 Connected to database 'mythconverg' at host: localhost
2009-12-21 23:37:10.966 Closing DB connection named 'DBManager0'
2009-12-21 23:37:10.982 Connected to database 'mythconverg' at host: localhost
2009-12-21 23:37:10.999 Current MythTV Schema Version (DBSchemaVer): 1244
2009-12-21 23:37:11.022 New DB connection, total: 2
2009-12-21 23:37:11.056 Connected to database 'mythconverg' at host: localhost
2009-12-21 23:37:12.535 DevRdB(/dev/hdpvr) Error: Poll giving up
2009-12-21 23:37:12.562 MPEGRec(/dev/hdpvr) Error: Device error detected
2009-12-21 23:37:12.579 DevRdB(/dev/hdpvr): Stop(): Not running.
2009-12-21 23:37:13.649 AFD: Opened codec 0x835630, id(H264) type(Video)
2009-12-21 23:37:13.685 AFD: codec AAC has 2 channels
2009-12-21 23:37:13.705 AFD: Opened codec 0x836250, id(AAC) type(Audio)
2009-12-21 23:37:13.935 [h264 @ 0x7f467234c880]B picture before any references, skipping
2009-12-21 23:37:13.952 [h264 @ 0x7f467234c880]decode_slice_header error
2009-12-21 23:37:13.969 [h264 @ 0x7f467234c880]no frame!
2009-12-21 23:37:13.985 AFD Error: Unknown decoding error
2009-12-21 23:37:14.002 [h264 @ 0x7f467234c880]B picture before any references, skipping
2009-12-21 23:37:14.019 [h264 @ 0x7f467234c880]decode_slice_header error
2009-12-21 23:37:14.035 [h264 @ 0x7f467234c880]no frame!
2009-12-21 23:37:14.052 AFD Error: Unknown decoding error
2009-12-21 23:37:14.069 [h264 @ 0x7f467234c880]B picture before any references, skipping
2009-12-21 23:37:14.085 [h264 @ 0x7f467234c880]decode_slice_header error
2009-12-21 23:37:14.102 [h264 @ 0x7f467234c880]no frame!
2009-12-21 23:37:14.119 AFD Error: Unknown decoding error
2009-12-21 23:37:14.152 Preview: Grabbed preview '/mythtv/store/1011_20091221223500.mpg' 1280x720 at 64s
2009-12-21 23:37:24.923 DevRdB(/dev/hdpvr) Error: Poll giving up
2009-12-21 23:37:24.957 MPEGRec(/dev/hdpvr) Error: Device error detected
2009-12-21 23:37:24.973 DevRdB(/dev/hdpvr): Stop(): Not running.
2009-12-21 23:37:37.238 DevRdB(/dev/hdpvr) Error: Poll giving up
2009-12-21 23:37:37.278 MPEGRec(/dev/hdpvr) Error: Device error detected
2009-12-21 23:37:37.294 DevRdB(/dev/hdpvr): Stop(): Not running.
2009-12-21 23:37:49.615 DevRdB(/dev/hdpvr) Error: Poll giving up
2009-12-21 23:37:49.655 MPEGRec(/dev/hdpvr) Error: Device error detected
2009-12-21 23:37:49.672 DevRdB(/dev/hdpvr): Stop(): Not running.
2009-12-21 23:37:55.671 JobQueue: Commercial Flagging Starting for The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson recorded from channel 2041 at Mon Dec 21 23:32:00 2009
2009-12-21 23:37:55.734 Using runtime prefix = /usr
2009-12-21 23:37:55.758 Using configuration directory = /etc/mythtv/.mythtv
2009-12-21 23:37:55.774 Unable to read configuration file mysql.txt
2009-12-21 23:37:55.791 Empty LocalHostName.
2009-12-21 23:37:55.808 Using localhost value of mast
2009-12-21 23:37:55.831 New DB connection, total: 1
2009-12-21 23:37:55.904 Connected to database 'mythconverg' at host: localhost
2009-12-21 23:37:55.924 Closing DB connection named 'DBManager0'
2009-12-21 23:37:55.941 Connected to database 'mythconverg' at host: localhost
2009-12-21 23:37:55.968 New DB connection, total: 2
2009-12-21 23:37:55.994 Connected to database 'mythconverg' at host: localhost
2009-12-21 23:37:56.034 MythContext: Connecting to backend server: 127.0.0.1:6543 (try 1 of 1)
2009-12-21 23:37:56.058 Using protocol version 50
2009-12-21 23:37:56.084 MainServer::ANN Monitor
2009-12-21 23:37:56.101 adding: mast as a client (events: 0)
2009-12-21 23:37:56.118 MainServer::ANN Monitor
2009-12-21 23:37:56.141 adding: mast as a client (events: 1)
2009-12-21 23:37:56.444 AFD: Opened codec 0x766f30, id(MPEG2VIDEO) type(Video)
2009-12-21 23:37:56.484 AFD: codec AC3 has 6 channels
2009-12-21 23:37:56.504 AFD: Opened codec 0x769500, id(AC3) type(Audio)
2009-12-21 23:37:56.534 AFD: codec AC3 has 1 channels
2009-12-21 23:37:56.551 AFD: Opened codec 0x775460, id(AC3) type(Audio)
2009-12-21 23:37:56.578 MythContext: Connecting to backend server: 127.0.0.1:6543 (try 1 of 1)
2009-12-21 23:37:56.601 Using protocol version 50
2009-12-21 23:37:56.624 MainServer::ANN Playback
2009-12-21 23:37:56.651 adding: mast as a client (events: 0)
2009-12-21 23:37:56.668 RecBase(1:/dev/dvb/adapter0/frontend0): GetKeyframePositions(10306,9223372036854775807,#17) out of 705
2009-12-21 23:38:01.510 DevRdB(/dev/hdpvr) Error: Poll giving up
2009-12-21 23:38:01.550 MPEGRec(/dev/hdpvr) Error: Device error detected
2009-12-21 23:38:01.570 DevRdB(/dev/hdpvr): Stop(): Not running.
2009-12-21 23:38:13.588 DevRdB(/dev/hdpvr) Error: Poll giving up
2009-12-21 23:38:13.628 MPEGRec(/dev/hdpvr) Error: Device error detected
2009-12-21 23:38:13.648 DevRdB(/dev/hdpvr): Stop(): Not running.
2009-12-21 23:38:25.286 DevRdB(/dev/hdpvr) Error: Poll giving up
2009-12-21 23:38:25.322 MPEGRec(/dev/hdpvr) Error: Device error detected
2009-12-21 23:38:25.342 DevRdB(/dev/hdpvr): Stop(): Not running.
2009-12-21 23:38:36.980 DevRdB(/dev/hdpvr) Error: Poll giving up
2009-12-21 23:38:37.020 MPEGRec(/dev/hdpvr) Error: Device error detected
2009-12-21 23:38:37.040 DevRdB(/dev/hdpvr): Stop(): Not running.
2009-12-21 23:38:48.675 DevRdB(/dev/hdpvr) Error: Poll giving up
2009-12-21 23:38:48.702 MPEGRec(/dev/hdpvr) Error: Device error detected

this then continues .

Thanks,
Vern

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