Popcorn Hour A-210 NZ DVB-T Fast Forward / Skip Forward Issue

[Deev8]

This issue relates to a NMT playing New Zealand Freeview|HD DVB-T programmes recorded as .TS files using GB-PVR. The NMT is currently operating in a standalone configuration with no network connection, playing files from a USB-attached disk and/or USB memory stick.

I was initially going to post this in the networkedmediatank.com forums, but realised that there are likely to be more users here familiar with the combination of NMT, NZ broadcasts and GB-PVR .TS files.

For some time I have wanted a media player / extender that I can use for viewing recordings of New Zealand Freeview|HD DVB-T programmes. The main issue being support for HE-AAC audio. Over the past week I took the plunge and bought a Popcorn Hour A-210 – which is essentially the A-200 in a passively-cooled metal case. The A-210 uses the same firmware as the A-200.

Taking things one step at a time, I wanted to try the A-210 in a standalone configuration first with no network connection and using the native Popcorn Hour interface, and later introduce one additional complexity at a time. I copied around a dozen recordings from my HTPC onto a USB-powered portable disk, and connected that to the A-210. I have experienced the same issue viewing each of those recordings.

Selecting and playing a recording works as expected. The problem occurs if I fast forward or skip ahead during playback (to skip through ads). As soon as I press the play button again, playback is abruptly ended, and I’m dropped back into the on-screen list of media files on the disk.

All of the recordings I have tried play / skip forwards / skip backwards etc as expected using GB-PVR on my PC. I’ve tried playing recordings from a USB memory stick rather than the portable disk, and get the same result. Finally I have transcoded a couple of the recordings using Handbrake – the A-210 played the resulting MKV files without any issues skipping forwards and backwards flawlessly.

Is anyone familiar with this issue? Even better does anyone know of a solution?

[mvallevand]

Personally I'd post this question on the NMT forum.

Martin

[Deev8]

For the benefit of anyone who finds this thread in a search because they have a similar problem:

The problem I was experiencing with my Popcorn Hour A-210 playing New Zealand Freeview|HD recordings (.ts files) has been solved after I received some useful information from lchiu7.

It appears that this issue exists in the current version of A-200/A-210 firmware (02-04-101106-21-POP-411), and also in the previous version of firmware (02-03-100918-21-POP-411). The solution for me was to load firmware version 02-02-100428-19-POP-411, which was released in May 2010.

[psycik]

was this an issue on all channels? or just tv1, tv2 etc?

And how much was the 210 shipped to NZ?

[Deev8]

was this an issue on all channels?

Yes it happened with recordings from all the channels that I tried. While I didn't try every available DVB-T channel, I did try the main variations - HD and SD channels, AC3 and AAC-HE audio.

However as I said all work OK if you avoid the two most recent releases of A-200 / A-210 firmware and use 02-02-100428-19-POP-411, which was released in May 2010.