[mythtv-users] HDHR losses network connectivity (was LiveTV issues (root caused to cable signals))

Monkey Pet monkeypet at gmail.com
Wed Sep 5 01:45:48 UTC 2012 

After debugging my HDHR Prime recording instabilities, I finally found the
bug behind all my hdhomerun prime woes. I am hoping this post will help the
others.  The symptom is bad recordings with the error describe in this
thread, jumpy recordings, glitchy recordings, LiveTV definately doesn't
work at all.

It is http://code.mythtv.org/trac/ticket/10414#comment:25 and looks like
the HDHR network gets into some weird state and loses network connectivity.
 The workaround is to continuously ping the HDHR.  With the pinging the
HDHR recordings complete fine as reported in the bug.  The thought is that
this is a HDHomeRun Prime issue.  I am running Fedora 17 with mythtv 0.26
(Master Head).  However, ubuntu 12.04 folks reported it as well.  This
happens with a switch in between the HDHR and/or directly connect to the
NIC on the backend server.

[fa at mythtv ~]$ uname -a
Linux mythtv 3.5.2-3.fc17.i686 #1 SMP Tue Aug 21 19:48:20 UTC 2012 i686
i686 i386 GNU/Linux

[@mythtv libhdhomerun]$ ./hdhomerun_config 1313E021 get /sys/version
20120405
[@mythtv libhdhomerun]$ ./hdhomerun_config 1313E021 get /sys/features
channelmap: us-cable us-hrc us-irc kr-cable
modulation: qam256 qam64 oob1544 oob2048 oob3088
auto-modulation: auto auto6c qam
[@mythtv libhdhomerun]$ ./hdhomerun_config 1313E021 get /sys/hwmodel
HDHR3-CC
[@mythtv libhdhomerun]$ ./hdhomerun_config 1313E021 get /sys/model
hdhomerun3_cablecard


On Sun, Sep 2, 2012 at 7:19 PM, MonkeyPet <monkeypet at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Sun, Sep 2, 2012 at 5:53 PM, MonkeyPet <monkeypet at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> With 0.26 (Master Head), I tried a few more experiments:
>> 1. LiveTV - Remote frontend, Tune to a TV Channel within a few mins, it
>> aborts almost immediately with "max buffering exceeded".  Frontend will
>> crash and needs to be restarted.
>> 2. Recording - Now schedule the same channel, same show and start the
>> recording.  No remote frontend are viewing the stream. Recording proceeds
>> with no problems.
>>
>
> 3. Recording/then streaming to remote frontend - This works also.  I tell
> myth to record the show, then watch the recording immediately after
> starting.  I am guessing I have to use this as the workaround until the
> LiveTV streaming is more robust.  It sucks that I can't channel surf
> anymore, but now I can watch almostLiveTV again.
>
> If any developers want to work with me to debug the LiveTV issue, let me
> know.  Since my setup reproduces the issue 100% of the time, I can test
> patches, theories, etc.
>
>
>>
>> I am really doubting that this is a signal issue.  If it was a signal
>> issue, #2 would behavior exactly like #1 and would be aborted also.  Also a
>> majority of my recordings are finishing without any issues.  However,
>> LiveTV would consistently fail and most of the time fail immediately within
>> the first 5 mins.
>>
>> Backend log:
>>
>> 2012-09-02 17:16:20.798928 I [6287/28999] ProcessRequest
>> ringbuffer.cpp:1098 (WaitForAvail) - RingBuf(/export/data/myth
>> tv/4766_20120903001527.mpg): Waited 0.5 seconds for data
>>                         to become available... 225236 < 327680
>> 2012-09-02 17:16:21.299115 I [6287/28999] ProcessRequest
>> ringbuffer.cpp:1098 (WaitForAvail) -
>> RingBuf(/export/data/mythtv/4766_20120903001527.mpg): Waited 1.0 seconds
>> for data
>>                         to become available... 225236 < 3276802012-09-02
>> 17:16:22.299456 I [6287/28999] ProcessRequest ringbuffer.cpp:1098
>> (WaitForAvail) - RingBuf(/export/data/myth
>> tv/4766_20120903001527.mpg): Waited 2.0 seconds for data
>>         to become available... 225236 < 327680
>> 2012-09-02 17:16:27.569263 I [6287/6351] HouseKeeping housekeeper.cpp:221
>> (RunHouseKeeping) - Running housekeeping thread
>> 2012-09-02 17:17:04.086174 I [6287/6340] TVRecEvent tv_rec.cpp:1043
>> (HandleStateChange) - TVRec(5): Changing from WatchingLiveTV to None
>> 2012-09-02 17:17:04.105938 E [6287/29068] HDHRStreamHandler
>> hdhrstreamhandler.cpp:211 (UpdateFilters) - HDHRSH(1313E021-0):
>> UpdateFilters called in wrong tune mode
>> 2012-09-02 17:17:05.079236 I [6287/6340] TVRecEvent tv_rec.cpp:830
>> (FinishedRecording) - TVRec(5):
>> FinishedRecording(4766_2012-09-03T00:15:27Z) damaged recq:<RecordingQuality
>> overall_score="0" key="4766_2012-09-03T00:15:27Z" countinuity_e
>> rror_count="0" packet_count="365988">    <Gap
>> start="2012-09-03T00:00:00Z" end="2012-09-03T00:15:27Z" duration="927" />
>>     <Gap start="2012-09-03T00:16:14Z" end="2012-09-03T01:00:00Z"
>> duration="2625" /></RecordingQuality>
>>
>>
>> Frontend log:
>>
>> Sep  2 17:16:53  mythlogserver: last message repeated 10 timesSep  2
>> 17:16:53 fa-Macmini mythlogserver: mythfrontend[2949]: N CoreContext myth
>> player.cpp:2095 (PrebufferEnoughFrames) Player(0): Waited 19896ms for
>> video buffers AAAAAUUUAAUUAAULAuAUUAUAAUAAAAAP
>> Sep  2 17:16:53 fa-Macmini mythlogserver: mythfrontend[2949]: E Decoder
>> avformatdecoder.cpp:4493 (GetFrame) decoding error#012#011#011#011eno:
>> Unknown error 541478725 (541478725)
>> Sep  2 17:16:53  mythlogserver: last message repeated 11 timesSep  2
>> 17:16:53 fa-Macmini mythlogserver: mythfrontend[2949]: N CoreContext myth
>> player.cpp:2095 (PrebufferEnoughFrames) Player(0): Waited 20012ms for
>> video buffers AAAAAUUUAAUUAAULAuAUUAUAAUAAAAAP
>> Sep  2 17:16:53 fa-Macmini mythlogserver: mythfrontend[2949]: E
>> CoreContext mythplayer.cpp:2118 (PrebufferEnoughFrames) Player(0): Waited
>> too long for decoder t
>> o fill video buffers. Exiting..Sep  2 17:16:53 fa-Macmini mythlogserver:
>> mythfrontend[2949]: E Decoder avformatdecoder.cpp:4493 (GetFrame) decoding
>> error#012#011#011#011eno: Unknown error 541
>> 478725 (541478725)Sep  2 17:16:54 fa-Macmini mythlogserver:
>> mythfrontend[2949]: I CoreContext tv_p
>> lay.cpp:2155 (HandleStateChange) TV: Attempting to change from
>> WatchingLiveTV to None
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sat, Sep 1, 2012 at 4:02 PM, Monkey Pet <monkeypet at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Sat, Sep 1, 2012 at 8:40 AM, Monkey Pet <monkeypet at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Sat, Sep 1, 2012 at 6:01 AM, Michael T. Dean <
>>>> mtdean at thirdcontact.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> On 09/01/2012 01:51 AM, Joseph Fry wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>  After re-cabling:
>>>>>>>>> (notice the numbers jump)
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> [me at mythtv libhdhomerun]$ ./hdhomerun_config 1313E021 get
>>>>>>>>> /tuner0/status
>>>>>>>>> ch=qam:759000000 lock=qam256 ss=76 snq=82 seq=100 bps=38809216
>>>>>>>>> pps=994
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Those numbers, while clearly better, are still rather low.  I
>>>>>>>> typically
>>>>>>>> see values in the 90's.  I seem to recall ss=76 indicates a power
>>>>>>>> level that would normally be out of spec for digital cable (although
>>>>>>>> it might just work sometimes).
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> First thing, plug the hdhr directly into the outlet using a short
>>>>>>>> piece of
>>>>>>>> quality coax, and see if the values are more reasonable.  If not,
>>>>>>>> call
>>>>>>>> your cable company and ask them to make a service call.  They are
>>>>>>>> responsible for adequate signal levels at the outlet.  If it looks
>>>>>>>> good
>>>>>>>> directly plugged into the outlet, it would point the finger towards
>>>>>>>> your
>>>>>>>> coax or splitters (or cable amp if you using one).
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>  I just don't understand why recording a show works, but LiveTV
>>>>>>> always
>>>>>>> fail.  That seems odd to me.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>  That is odd.  Do you have fast channel switching enabled?
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> It is set to never.
>>>>
>>>> I might have spoken too soon about the issue not occurring on
>>>> recordings.  Myth lies about the recording times of truncated recordings,
>>>> so it is hard to tell.  I have seen at least one instance of it during a
>>>> recording.
>>>>
>>>> Until i get my signal issues look at by the comcast guys, my mythbox is
>>>> useless now, I plan to upgrade to 0.26 to see if the behavior changes.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Now everything is running 0.26-head, as expected I see the same issues.
>>>  I found a better/shorter coax cable and used that instead and my signals
>>> are getting better.
>>>
>>> This low signal  issue might be a good test case for the developers.  It
>>> leads to strange mythfrontend behaviors for example, you can easily crash
>>> the frontend by:
>>> 1. starting liveTV
>>> 2. then pulling the coax on your HDhomerun box.
>>> 3. mythfrontend will either crash OR display the max buffering error
>>>
>>> I'll file a bug issue for this case.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Use quick tuning
>>>>>  - Never
>>>>>  - Live TV only
>>>>>  - Always
>>>>> If enabled, MythTV will tune using only the MPEG program number. The
>>>>> program numbers change more often than DVB or ATSC tuning parameters, so
>>>>> this is slightly less reliable. This will also inhibit EIT gathering during
>>>>> Live TV and recording.
>>>>>
>>>>> in your Input Connections in mythtv-setup, IIRC.
>>>>>
>>>>> Mike
>>>>>
>>>>> ______________________________**_________________
>>>>> mythtv-users mailing list
>>>>> mythtv-users at mythtv.org
>>>>> http://www.mythtv.org/mailman/**listinfo/mythtv-users<http://www.mythtv.org/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>
>
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