[mythtv-users] Problem with new HD-PVR and 1080i

Keith Pyle kpyle at austin.rr.com
Sat Aug 25 21:22:08 UTC 2012


I have just added a new HD-PVR (1 day out of the box) and am not able to 
use it at all in 1080i mode, or reliably in 720p.  I'm aware of the 
stability issues many have reported and I've seen messages indicating 
people are using a HD-PVR at 1080i.  I've reviewed the MythTV wiki page 
for the HD-PVR and its troubleshooting tips without resolution, and 
Google has not been my friend in delivering any hints.

OS: Gentoo 3.4.7
Myth:

    MythTV Version   : v0.24.1-27-g30993d6
    MythTV Branch    : fixes/0.24
    Network Protocol : 63
    Library API      : 0.24.20110505-1
    QT Version       : 4.7.2

HD-PVR hardware:

    - hardware is 49001 LF, rev F2
    - located on an open, well ventilated shelf (nothing directly above
    or below, adequate side clearance) in an air conditioned room
    - top center of the case is 92F when not recording and 94F when
    recording

Set top box: Scientific Atlanta 4240HDC
Connections: Component video, RCA audio

1. With HD-PVR firmware 0x1e (driver package 1.7.1.30059), the HD-PVR 
can accept 1080i input, I can see good video in mplayer, but myth 
doesn't work:

    a. mplayer - works with input allowed to switch between 720p and
    1080i as determined by source program
    b. mythtv - gives the following errors, generates a 0 byte
    recording, and the mythbackend process goes to 100% CPU for the
    duration of the recording period:

    2012-08-25 11:10:09.885 DevRdB(/dev/hdpvr0) Error: Poll giving up
    2012-08-25 11:10:09.888 MPEGRec(/dev/hdpvr0) Error: Device error
    detected
    2012-08-25 11:10:09.889 DevRdB(/dev/hdpvr0): Stop(): Not running.
    2012-08-25 11:10:25.736 DevRdB(/dev/hdpvr0) Error: Poll giving up
    2012-08-25 11:10:25.740 MPEGRec(/dev/hdpvr0) Error: Device error
    detected
    2012-08-25 11:10:25.742 DevRdB(/dev/hdpvr0): Stop(): Not running.
    2012-08-25 11:10:38.152 MPEGRec(/dev/hdpvr0) Error: StartEncoding failed
                 eno: Resource temporarily unavailable (11)


2. Based on some postings from earlier this year that referenced similar 
messages, I switched to firmware 0x15 (driver package 1.5.7.0) and now 
1080i does not work at all.  Both mplayer and myth work for 720p input, 
but not reliably.

    a. mplayer - works only if input is fixed to 720p; will not work
    with input floating between 720p and 1080i *or* fixed to 1080i. 
    mplayer gives continuous errors like this for attempts to use 1080i
    input:

    [h264 @ 0x7f36105581e0]sps_id out of range
    [h264 @ 0x7f36105581e0]non-existing SPS 32 referenced in buffering
    period
    [h264 @ 0x7f36105581e0]non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    [h264 @ 0x7f36105581e0]decode_slice_header error
    [h264 @ 0x7f36105581e0]no frame!
    Error while decoding frame!

    b. mythtv - starts recording with input to HD-PVR fixed to 720p, but
    generally fails in mid-program with the same sort of messages shown
    in 1b above and the 100% CPU use.

To resolve the 100% CPU spin on mythbackend, I have to stop and restart 
it.  Stopping the recording does not reduce the CPU load. (The process 
is attempting to sleep in QWaitCondition but is waking up instantly.)

So, I do not presently have a configuration that works with 1080i, the 
HD-PVR, and myth.

What versions of mythtv and firmware are known to work?  Are there any 
particular configuration tricks to making it work?

Thanks.

Keith
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://www.mythtv.org/pipermail/mythtv-users/attachments/20120825/c72ec4ac/attachment.html>


More information about the mythtv-users mailing list