[mythtv-users] diagnosing HDHome Run Prime zero byte recordings

Joseph Fry joe at thefrys.com
Thu Oct 17 16:09:37 UTC 2013


>>> If you have a more advanced switch(*), you could set up a
>>> port on your switch to mirror the traffic on your HDHR,
>>> and see if there are anomalous issues occurring.
>>>
>>> Gary
>>>
>>> (*) Where advanced, in this case, usually means a
>>> switch targeted to enterprises and manageable.
>>
>> I *strongly* recommend the HP 2626 - J4900B (or C, not the A); they're
>> managed 100BT with 2 GB Copper/GBIC ports, and you can get them on eBay
>> every day of the year for under $100.  Usually well under.
>
>
> I'd recommend *not* buying anything that's only 100Mbps.  MythTV runs
> noticeably better over gigabit, and an HDHR Prime has the ability to
> saturate a 100Mbps link.

I highly recommend running the prime off of it's own separate ethernet
adapter (100Mbps is fine).  Configure the adapter with "iface eth1
inet ipv4ll" (ubuntu) and plug in the HDHR directly to the backend.
Serves several purposes:

1. eliminates recoding bandwidth going through the switch, freeing it
up for viewing, and other purposes.
2. eliminates a potential point of failure
3. prevents any other workstation from inadvertently co-opting the
HDHR (someone in the house may see it via UPNP and start playing with
it, breaking a recording)
4. Allows the HDHR to be plugged into the backend's UPS, for glitch
free recordings during brownouts/blackouts (sure you can plug in your
switch too, but that will reduce the run time of the UPS)

High quality 100Mbps NIC's can usually be found for free if you have
friends who work in IT... I know I have about 6-7 in a box somewhere.
So this is a very cheap way to improve a build.

I have successfully run multiple HDHR's off their own NIC's by
bridging several adapters together like so:

----
iface eth1 inet manual

iface eth2 inet manual

auto br0
iface br0 inet ipv4ll
  bridge_ports eth1 eth2
----

Actually, I have a 2 port intel server NIC I got from a decommissioned
server, but you can use 2 discrete NICs the same way.


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