[mythtv-users] HD-3000 artifacts if computer does 'anything' else

[Patrick Wagstrom]

> I have a 2000+ running as a backend with a 500/350 and a HD-3000 all
> in 
> the same system. I already figure out that you can't actually have it 
> with the frontend because if any audio card is in there with it it
> goes 
> from lock/unlock constanty making everything unwatchable. But I'd
> think 
> you could atleast record from the HD-3000 and say the 500 at the same 
> time without having to deal with artifacts throughout the broadcast.
> Or 
> just using a frontend and having the network adapter doing anything 
> causes the same thing. It doesn't seem to matter, just 'anything' 
> happening from another device causes it to make artifacts... Some
> more 
> than others but always 'some'.
> 
> Is there a way to actually use the seemingly unbuffered hd-3000 cards
> or 
> do you just have to plan a huge event every time your going to use it
> by 
> making sure you don't do 'anything' else on it while its in use?

I've been having the same results with my HD-3000 system, and haven't
been able to track it down.  Some people claim it's an I/O related issue
with pushing bits to the hard disk, but I just watched the Steelers win
the superbowl fine off my Comcast 6200 box, so I think I'm good for disk
I/O.  It seems to be a more insidious issue, but no idea what.

For what it's work, I've got an A64 3200+ on a MSI K8N-NEO 4 with
raid-striping 133 drives that I'm writing too and still get the issues.
This occurs on Ubuntu 64 and 32 and FC 4 32 bit.  I'm using comcast QAM
cable as the video source.  All my testing leads me to believe it's a
hardware issue.  Oddly enough, I was able to save the video over gig-e
to my laptop and then watch the video on the machine with the HD card
with no problem at all.  Really strange.

The folks at pcHDTV think it could be a power supply issue[1].  It's
also been discussed with little luck before on this list[2].  I'd like
to think it's not a power supply issue as I've got a pretty good
powersupply (the stock for an Antec Overture II) in my system.

--Patrick

[1] http://www.pchdtv.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1077
[2] http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/mythtv/users/159591