nPVR 2.5.9 HDHomerun ATSC Fails But HDHomerun Prime Works

[gby]

I have an existing nPVR setup on an older computer where everything works fine. I am building a new replacement computer and in setting up nPVR I can not get my HDHomerun ATSC tuners to work.

Specifically, on the new setup the HDHomerun Prime tuners work but anytime I try to tune in a channel that maps to the regular dual HDHomerun dual tuner getting ATSC over antenna nPVR fails. nPVR locks up for a while with the windows mouse pointer showing the activity "circle" showing no video and outputting no sound. If I try to close the nPVR window while this is happening the upper right X does not immediately work and usually Windows puts up the error box saying the application is not responding and do you want to force this application closed. If I try selecting a Live TV channel from the HDHomerun ATSC and wait a long time eventually nPVR puts up an error message:

"The tuner you were using was required for a recording. Would you like to switch to watching a recording, or exit back to the menu?"

This error message does not make sense given that there are NO recordings set up on the nPVR at all.

Attached are a zip of the logs I made today and a jpg showing the nPVR error message. For the logs, I specifically did the following:
1. Rebooted the computer
2. Started the nPVR Window
3. Put up the channels screen
4. Selected a channel (504) that would go to the working HDHomerun Prime
5. Successfully watched that for a while
6. Selected a channel (1966) that goes to the HDHomerun dual ATSC tuner
7. Saw no video, heard no sound and let it sit.
8. Queried the HDHomerun tuner via hdhomerun_config.exe and saw that both tuners were completely idle (nPVR was not connected)
9. Took a screen shot of the resulting nPVR error box about recording issues even though no recording events exist
10. Zipped up the .log files in user\public\nPVR\logs with today's date. Ignore the other with older dates

I have run out of ideas to debug this problem and need some help. I assume this is not the usual firewall or decoder problems since the HDHomerun Prime works. With just the HDHomerun dual ATSC tuner not working any ideas on how to fix this? :confused:

gby

Below is the history/configuration of my setup with every detail I thought might be needed.

Working Old Computer
Originally Vista 32 since upgraded to Win 7 32 with SP1; now using Windows built in firewall
Originally GBPVR, uninstalled fully, installed nPVR long ago and recently upgraded to Ver 2.5.9 with R1 patches
Tuners:
HDHomerun Prime to FIOS cable
HDHomerun via antenna for ATSC
Hauppaugue WinTV 250 connected to FIOS Cable
On this setup everything works.

Problem New Computer
Win 7 64 bit SP1; using Windows built in firewall
Installed HDHomerun software and proved both HDHR Prime and HDHR regular on ATSC 100% functioning
Installed nPVR 2.5.9 from scratch, then added R1 patches
Installed AC3Filter for Audio
Tuners:
HDHomerun Prime to FIOS cable
HDHomerun via antenna for ATSC
Set up tuners, decoders, etc
Put exceptions into Firewall for nPVR
Started testing and Channel mapping

The testing revealed that the HDHomerun Prime seems to work 100%. This tells me that nPVR exe's are properly listed in the Windows Firewall I am using.

[sub]

If you try to record from the ATSC tuner, do you end up with video in the file, or a zero byte file?

Do you have a firewall rule for NDigitalHost.exe? The HDHR Prime wont require this, but the ATSC tuner will.

[gby]

sub,

You are amazing. So quick to identify the problem. I did NOT have a firewall rule for NDigitalHost.exe on the new computer. I just had NRecord.exe and NextPVR.exe on the new computer list. I added NDigitalHost.exe to the firewall on the new computer and everything works. Thanks!

To answer your question, when trying to record from the HDHR dual ATSC I would get a zero length file. Works now.

I checked the firewall allow programs list on the working computer carefully and missed the entry for NDigitalHost.exe. Sorry for my issue.

It might help limit installation/support issues to have better behavior when this mistake happens. Going non-responsive and then falling into an error message about needing a tuner for a recording baffled me. Also, I was convinced that since the HDHomerun Prime was working that I did not have a firewall issue.

In any event, thanks for a great program and amazing support.

gby