Starting recording before channel on air = Unplayable file

[Lao Pan]

At the moment we have a Channel on UK Freeview that starts at 21:00 hours. (Merit TV) Surprisingly the first program of the night was one that I decided to record. (Inside RAF Brize Norton_20200829_21002200)
With the one minute pre-padding, recording started before the channel was on air, which resulted in a 739 Mb file which appears to be blank.

I seem to remember in previous versions of NPVR there was a work around for part time channels, but I could be wrong.

[sub]

We don't have any part time channels in NZ, so I can't easily reproduce the same scenario...however, when it comes to recording with a digital tuner, it's still using the same v4 components for recording, so if used to work, it should still.

With the one minute pre-padding, recording started before the channel was on air, which resulted in a 739 Mb file which appears to be blank.

That's awfully big for "blank". Can you put the file somewhere so I can see what's in it?

[Lao Pan]

We don't have any part time channels in NZ, so I can't easily reproduce the same scenario...however, when it comes to recording with a digital tuner, it's still using the same v4 components for recording, so if used to work, it should still.

With the one minute pre-padding, recording started before the channel was on air, which resulted in a 739 Mb file which appears to be blank.

That's awfully big for "blank". Can you put the file somewhere so I can see what's in it?

Hi Sub - I've just loaded the file into VideoRedo. It would appear that the sound track does not start till 1.07 seconds into the file and the video not until 22 seconds in.
This was causing Kodi to  not be able to play the file from any point on the timeline. Edited off the first 40 seconds (to the start of the program) and the recording was there in full.

Original file was causing problems in Windows - right clicking on it caused explorer to explode. Had to reboot then stop NPVR service before I could delete the original file.

I'll keep the file for a few days, if you want it, but my problem has been resolved - for now. (Recording the first program of the day has only happened on 3 or 4 occasions in the last 12 or so years I have been using GBPVR / NPVR)

[mvallevand]

If you provide a link to the original file and I could see if the PVR code could handle it better. You could get CutChunk from the wiki https://github.com/sub3/NextPVR/wiki/CutChunk and only send the the first 5 minutes.

Martin

[Lao Pan]

If you provide a link to the original file and I could see if the PVR code could handle it better.  You could get  CutChunk from the wiki https://github.com/sub3/NextPVR/wiki/CutChunk and only send the the first 5 minutes.

Martin

Hi Martin
80mb Chunk below - actualy about 8 mins

https://www.transfernow.net/kjM8js082020

[mvallevand]

Did you try playing the file through the video library?

Martin

[Lao Pan]

Did you try playing the file through the video library?

Martin

I hadn't, but have just tried now. The original file is now temporarily (before deletion) on my other computer. So going from Kodi - Videos - Files, over the network to the location. The file plays black for about 20 seconds, then plays normally. Guess it must be something in the Kodi NPVR addon or NPVR that doesn't like the start.
Playing TV, either live or recordings, through the addon, there is always approximately a 1 second loss of picture 3 seconds after the video starts, wonder if this has anything to do with it? This doesn't happen direct in Kodi - Videos.

[mvallevand]

I tested your file as a fake PVR recording and it plays too but I can't skip because of some weird things Kodi is doing. Are you using Matrix?

Martin

[Lao Pan]

I tested your file as a fake PVR recording and it plays too but I can't skip because of some weird things Kodi is doing.  Are you using Matrix?

Martin

HTPC is Windows 8.1 with 32 bit Kodi v18.8 "Leia". I have Matrix Alpha 1 on test in Windows 10 but not quite ready for Production yet.

The original file was also creating problems for Windows Explorer - right click menu was taking about 4 minutes to open.

[mvallevand]

Thanks. In Matrix I see the same thing in PVR as you see with the filesystem, it starts black and play but again it is not seekable. I think I actually need to put in some protection against the bad calls Kodi core is making with this file.

Martin