[mythtv-users] Failed HD-PVR recordings

[Jeremy Thornhill]

On Thu, 2 Jul 2009 at 19:23:39 Brad DerManouelian wrote:
>
> Hello!
>
> I'm having a problem with random recordings failing with my 2 HD-PVR
> boxes.
>
> HD-PVR: They are connected to my Astound cable set-top boxes via
> Component+S/PDIF. They are running latest firmware from Hauppauge -
> dmesg reports firmware version 0x12. Not sure which driver version I'm
> using but I compiled it about 2 weeks ago.
>
> Random: Same show will record on either box just fine, sometimes it
> will fail. After a fail, I sometimes get a good recording, sometimes
> another failure. Sometimes the first show after a restart will fail,
> sometimes it will be ok. It doesn't appear to have anything to do with
> specific channels or anything like that.
>
> I'm changing channels via firewire.
>

Brad,

I've personally been seeing a similar issue, running 0.21 fixes with
HD-PVR patches applied (I'm aware that I'm doomed to minimal support).
I'm using kernel 2.6.28 with a recent copy of the v4l-dvb drivers from
their source repository. I'm running the firmware that came loaded on
my (rev 2) HDPVR, since I believe firmware updating requires Windows
at this point (please correct me if I'm wrong).

In my case, recordings seem to sporadically fail, and looking at the
backend log reveals that the same "Stop(): Not running. /
MPEGRec(/dev/video3) Error: Device error detected" stuff is coinciding
with the failed program start. Sometimes the recording will succeed
despite these errors, but it seems that failures correspond with an
increased number of error messages. My STB is set to always use 720P
output and the channel change script via firewire never has trouble.

The failure mode in my case is the recording actually does take place,
but the TS stream seems to be corrupted in a way that makes it
unplayable with any software I've thrown at it. Trying to play back
the files on the mythfrontend causes a crash or a hang, and
mythcommflag is unable to flag them. Neither VLC nor mplayer is
capable of playback, refusing to even start playing. The one exception
to this is the image preview in mythtv, which is somehow generated
properly.

I'm thinking (hoping?) that this is a firmware issue, and all I need
to do is track down a Windows box and update the thing, but it sounds
like your problems are very similar so I thought I'd chime in.

Jeremy