can't lock on signal recording error but it sometimes works (intermittent problem)

[monalisa]

I am using latest version of Nextpvr, with Sabrent USB Clear QAM dongle. Works great, I get lots of channels, and live tv works great too - love the interface and this forum. However, it has a problem, but only sometimes, when it is supposed to record something. It shows the recording in the TV Recordings, but it shows it as nothing recorded due to "can't lock signal" error. But the problem is intermittent, and it is random even on the same channel at the exact same time of day. Sometimes it records fine on that channel, and sometimes it doesn't. If I actually tune to that channel in live tv, it works just great - only a problem for recordings. Discovery channel has been particularly problematic (although yesterday, it recorded 8 shows on Discovery without incident).
Anyone have a clue? I AM using XP (so thought maybe I needed to do the DVB patch I have read about), but since things are working a lot of the time, I hate to tinker if not necessary and screw up what is working.
I haven't touched the hardware or software in between times when it works or doesn't, but I DID leave it tuned to Discovery in LiveTV yesterday before I left it to record and it was successful. Hoping that isn't the solution...
Thanks for any suggestions. BTW - I am a little but not wildly technical, so please be gentle in your responses.

[johnsonx42]

Things like this are generally beyond NextPVR's control. It tells the device and windows what to do, and either they do it or they don't. My experience so far, both with my own devices and based on reading the support forum here, is that USB devices are generally more problematic than PCIe devices. It seems some devices just randomly fail to start up. I have roughly the same problem with my Hauppauge HVR-850 (USB); it works fine 99% of the time, but every now and again it just won't work... and then it locks up and hangs the rest of the system too, making it oh so much worse. My PCIe HVR-2250 never ever does that, nor did my HVR-1250 before that.

Note also that the "can't lock signal" error you describe is just a guess as to why it failed. All NPVR really knows is that no data was ever delivered to the recording file.

[ga_mueller]

My HVR-950's (USB), used with Comcast clear QAM, have only missed recordings when I had a scheduling conflict (ie too many shows recorded at once). This has been the case for both GPBVR and NPVR... super reliable, over the course of maybe 3 years. They have never locked up my system.

I would suggest trying another tuning stick. HVR-950's go for around $30-40 on ebay.

edit: I have an in-line amplifier, feeding a 3-way splitter. Before this, a 2-way splitter.

[mvallevand]

I've personally had variable recording signal strength on specific channels when I added one too many splitters. Also once when a squirrel chewed through the cable run to the house, a few channels didn't record very well. It was hard to diagnose because in both cases sometimes it worked and some channels always worked.

Martin

[monalisa]

Thanks for the replies. I thought the same thing - get better hardware, but was hoping I might be wrong. But, before I go and buy new hardware (must be USB, no slots in the zbox I am using unfortunately), anyone think that any tweaks to the software or patches might help? I am using XP (and not willing to change that). Also, it only seems to be a problem on certain channels. For example, CBS (low numbered channel) always records perfectly, but Discovery (higher numbered channel which is at the edge of the range for my basic cable) is the one that is iffy on the records. Again, Discovery works great on Live TV, only a problem when recording. And when it does record, it works perfectly even on Discovery channel (but I guess that would be true for digital - either works or it doesn't). Thanks.

[ga_mueller]

One thing you might check (if you have Comcast). Our cable went out from a storm last month, and Comcast came by to restring it. When they left, the tech noted "our signal strength was too high", so they had fixed that. I checked the drop, and they had added a 3-way splitter, to cut the signal strength! I got rid of it.

[johnsonx42]

next time you have a failure, post your logs.