[mythtv-users] Can't get external recorder (HauppaugeUSB/Colossus2) to start

[John P Poet]

On Sat, Jun 13, 2020 at 11:01 AM Neil Bird <lists at fnxweb.com> wrote:

>   TL;DR:  I think “PID cache is empty” is the culprit but I can't fix it.
>
>
>   I've been struggling to get a Hauppauge Colossus2 working with MythTV
> to replace an older s-video card I've been using.  I'm using Poet's
> HauppaugeUSB interface.
>
>   I /thought/ I'd set it up OK, and the HauppaugeUSB command line works
> a treat outside of MythTV.  But it just fails immediately for all
> recordings (nomatter the tuning delay) and even more oddly is doesn't
> seem to even /try/ to run my channel change script.
>
>   I can see in the logs that it successfully runs the external command
> at about the right time, and also interrogates it at start-up.
>

When you test your external channel changing script, make sure you do it as
the same user that runs mythbackend. i.e.:

> sudo -umythtv /usr/local/bin/my-channel-changer.py
>

Permissions are a common problem.
Also, make sure your channel change script returns a zero status, otherwise
mythtv will assume it failed.
If the channel change script fails then everything else will.

If you just want to get past the channel change and see if it works, set
your channel change script o just be `/bin/true`


> After some diving through the code and a bit of
> not-terribly-successful gdb-ing, I *think* the most pertinent error is:
>
>  E  DTVChan[11](/usr/local/bin/hauppauge2 --config
> /etc/hauppauge2.conf): SetChannelByString(106): PID cache is empty
>  E  TVRec[11]: Failed to set channel to 106. Reverting to kState_None
>
>
>   I did then notice a possibly important step I'd missed when setting up
> the card-source link:  “Fetch channels from listing source” (whatever
> that does?.  I'm using the source I previously set up for the STB I've
> connected.
>
>   However, when I go back into setup and select that, despite it saying
> it'll take some time, it doesn't take very long (only a few seconds
> before I can back out and save), and actually I get no feedback of it
> doing anything.  And it still then gives the same error.
>

I am guessing everything is actually fine with your guide information. The
fact that it gives a valid channel number (106) is a good sign.


> I do now think that this lack of a “PID cache” is the problem, but
> I've no idea now how to get past this.
>
>   Can anyone give me any pointers?  Has missing that step before using
> it the first time cocked it up?
>
>
>   One possible consideration is that I fetch my listings manually
> (Schedules Direct) and then run mythfilldatabase from an external cron
> script, so Myth itself may not be able to run mythfilldatabase
> appropriately - I see mythtvsetup is running:
>
> /usr/bin/mythfilldatabase --only-update-channels --sourceid 2 --cardtype
> EXTERNAL --verbose all --loglevel debug, timeout=0
>
>   Is that necessary to work?  I'm reusing the source that is set up for
> the older card, so it's populated with channels and listing.
>

I am betting your whole problem is an issue with the channel change script.
If you are sure it is working okay, then please post a complete log from
mythbackend. Run mythbackend with "-v channel,record" to get good
information. Also, the log from hauppauge2 could be useful as well.

John
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