[mythtv-users] Intermittent Zero Lenght Recordings

[Jan Ceuleers]

On 01/17/2014 07:31 PM, Kenneth Lightbody wrote:
> I have three different systems each containing the following:
> 
> - Mythbuntu 12.04.3 64-bit, 
> - two dual Hauppauge 1229 tuners, 
> - Mythtv 0.27
> - Antenna connections.
>  
> All three systems exhibit the same symptoms.  Also note that the exact
> same problem has occurred under Mythbuntu 12.04.1 and Mythtv 0.25.
> 
> PROBLEM:
> 
>  Once a tuner stops recording (usually in middle of a recording)
> all other scheduled recordings for the card are 0 byte recordings for
> the rest of the night. The other card keeps on recording normally.

Ken,

For the longest time I have struggled with zero-length recordings. There
have been periods of (some months of) no zero-length recordings,
followed by them happening quite regularly. As in your case the only way
to get a tuner to work again would be to reboot. But even that wasn't
always effective; sometimes I had to remove power from the (USB) tuners
for them to start working again.

What seems to have helped in my case is to change the way the tuners are
powered. I have four Hauppauge HVR-1900 tuners, each of which came with
its own wallwart that supplies 12VDC to the tuner through a barrel
connector. I have replaced this nest of wallwarts and cables by a single
power supply which also powers my STBs.

So this seems to be both more reliable and more power-efficient, since
my UPS reports that the system as a whole consumes a couple of percent
less power than it did before (this is a drop in the percentage of
maximum UPS output power).

Not saying that this is your problem as well, but please do consider
looking at the way your machinery is powered. If you have wallwarts make
sure that they are properly secured into the power socket, that they are
not subjected to vibrations which might result in unreliable connections
etc.

HTH, Jan