[mythtv-users] HDPVR - no longer recording!

Shawn Flynn shawn at shawnflynn.com
Sat May 12 14:55:40 UTC 2018


Dave Pearson said:
>  So, owing to the fact that they're getting a bit old and more difficult to find, I bought another HD-PVR from E-Bay.
> 
> After it arrived I decided that I should test it, so I swapped all of the cables from my working HD-PVR and put them inm the new one. I had to reconfigure mythtv to use /dev/video0 (as I'd been using udev to name the original device a /dev/HDPVR) but, unfortunately I wasn't able to record anything.
> 
> I then swapped the original HDPVR back and now I find that that one won't work either.
> 
> I could really do with some troubelshooting assistance, as I've tried everything I can thinkl of (cat /dev/video0 > test.ts results in an empty file)

1) Check your power supply. The original ones that shipped with the HD-PVRs are notoriously finicky. They will sometimes work fine, then for no apparent reason will cause failed recordings or won't allow the HD-PVR to even power up; then just as mysteriously go back to being fine again for a while. I used to have all sorts of random failures on my recordings until I replaced the HD-PVR power supplies with 'beefier' replacement that were capable of supplying a slightly higher amperage load. No stability issues for several years since the power supply replacements.

2) Check your cabling. You moved stuff; are you sure you plugged everything back into the correct locations and they are firmly seated on _both_ ends? I recently replaced a dead cablebox connected to one of my HD-PVRs and it refused to record anything after the replacement. It would show up as my /dev/video* device, but attempting to record would result in a zero-byte file and the blue light on the top of the HD-PVR would never come on. Turns out I miss-wired the RCA cables on the back of the cablebox... swapped the component video 'Pr' (red) cable with the audio 'right' (red) cable. A bad video signal going into the HD-PVR will cause it to look like it's not doing anything.

Here's hoping this points you towards a solution,
Shawn


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