Playing Live TV or Recordings throw "Object reference not set" error [HDHRPrime+Fios]

[aias]

I'm a bit new to the PVR game, but I've read as many forum posts and guides as I possibly can.

The goal was to end up with a setup similar to this post.


When I attempt to view Live TV or recordings inside of NPVR, I receive the following error (again and again, even if i keep clicking continue.)

I've attached my logs in the hopes that someone is able to determine the issue. The logs are clear except for these few attempts to view live television and view a new recording.
(I previously had issues with 0 Byte recordings, but that was resolved when I resolved my firewall issues.)

Live TV:

Code:

See the end of this message for details on invoking
just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

************** Exception Text **************
System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at VideoRendererEVR.HideOSD()
   at Native.PlaybackNative.HideOSD()
   at NextPVR.Players.PlaybackProxyFactory.SetOSD(List`1 renderList)
   at NextPVR.Players.BasePlayer.RefeshOSD()
   at NextPVR.Players.LiveTvPlayer.RefeshOSD()
   at NextPVR.ControllerForm.timer1_Tick(Object sender, EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Timer.OnTick(EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Timer.TimerNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)


************** Loaded Assemblies **************
mscorlib
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5472 (Win7SP1GDR.050727-5400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/v2.0.50727/mscorlib.dll
----------------------------------------
NextPVR
    Assembly Version: 1.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.0.0
    CodeBase: file:///E:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/NPVR/NextPVR.exe
----------------------------------------
NUtility
    Assembly Version: 1.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.0.0
    CodeBase: file:///E:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/NPVR/NUtility.DLL
----------------------------------------
NShared
    Assembly Version: 1.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.0.0
    CodeBase: file:///E:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/NPVR/NShared.DLL
----------------------------------------
...

Recording Playback:

Code:

See the end of this message for details on invoking
just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

************** Exception Text **************
System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at VideoRendererEVR.ShowOSD(HBITMAP__* hbitmap)
   at Native.PlaybackNative.SetOSD(Bitmap osdImage)
   at NextPVR.Players.PlaybackProxyFactory.SetOSD(List`1 renderList)
   at NextPVR.Players.BasePlayer.RefeshOSD()
   at NextPVR.Players.VideoPlayer.RefeshOSD()
   at NextPVR.ControllerForm.timer1_Tick(Object sender, EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Timer.OnTick(EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Timer.TimerNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)


************** Loaded Assemblies **************
mscorlib
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5472 (Win7SP1GDR.050727-5400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/v2.0.50727/mscorlib.dll
----------------------------------------
NextPVR
    Assembly Version: 1.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.0.0
    CodeBase: file:///E:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/NPVR/NextPVR.exe
----------------------------------------
NUtility
    Assembly Version: 1.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.0.0
    CodeBase: file:///E:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/NPVR/NUtility.DLL
----------------------------------------
NShared
    Assembly Version: 1.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.0.0
    CodeBase: file:///E:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/NPVR/NShared.DLL
----------------------------------------
...

Troubleshooting thus far:

• I'm able to see programming using the HDHomeRun QuickTV viewer, NPVR sees the tuners and is hooked up with my Schedules Direct account (and only has the channels I'm subscribed to.)
  
• The TV Guide works fine inside of NPVR (gets all of the listings.)
  
• I have plenty of space on my recording drive, and the program has access to the drive (running as admin with folder permissions set to full)
  
• Windows Firewall is open
  
• Antivirus has exceptions for NPVR
  
• Router has correct port forwarding and IGMP settings
  

Hardware:


Thank you for being such an outstanding community; the information available when searching was extremely helpful in and of itself.

[Zeb]

Is that Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 preview? There appears to be a problem connecting with the EVR video renderer that I haven't seen before. You could try selecting a different video renderer on NPVR's Settings -> Decoders page, but that would be avoiding rather than solving the problem - and besides, EVR is generally the recommended renderer:

2013-08-13 10:46:05.180 [DEBUG][1] Adding EVR renderer
2013-08-13 10:46:05.183 [DEBUG][1] Unable to get MR_VIDEO_RENDER_SERVICE

2013-08-13 10:46:05.773 [ERROR][1] Playback graph failed to Run()

[Edit] On NPVR's Settings -> Misc2 page, if you have checked "Use alternate OSD with missing video," then you should uncheck that. You should also try restarting NPVR Service after changing settings.

2013-08-13 09:01:47.838 [INFO][4] Setting working directory to: E:\Program Files (x86)\NPVR\ ... It might have been better to install on drive C, I don't know. Is drive E a network drive?

[aias]

Thanks for the quick response!

This is running on 7 Ultimate x64, with a small (160GB) quicker drive for the C drive and a larger, slower HD for the E drive. All local and internal.

"Use alternate OSD with missing video" is unchecked

[Zeb]

It's conceivable that EVR crashed, in which case a reboot should get it going again. I've heard of decoders crashing as a result of tuning encrypted channels without a cablecard. I assume you bought the Prime to use with a cablecard, but is a card actually installed yet? Have you experimented with other video renderers? It looks like you're using the Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder for MPEG2 and LAV for AC3, correct? Those are typically the only formats used by U.S. digital cable (however Fios has introduced H.264 on a few premium channels). I believe the LAV decoder requires some configuration, but I don't know the details because I'm using AC3Filter (also a free download). There's a button [...] just to the right of the AC3 Audio dropdown to access decoder properties.

You also have a DirectX error. That's typically a performance issue that doesn't cause complete failure. When you open Settings to the default page, do you see a warning regarding DirectX? Here's your error:

2013-08-13 10:45:59.499 [ERROR][1] Error initialising Direct3D: SlimDX.Direct3D9.Direct3D9Exception: D3DERR_INVALIDCALL: Invalid call (-2005530516)

And here's the more typical error from the NPVR log of someone who had not installed the DirectX 9.0c end-user runtimes:

2013-07-28 22:17:02.052 [ERROR][1] Error initialising Direct3D: SlimDX.Direct3D9.Direct3DX9NotFoundException: Direct3DX 9 was not found...

If you have not installed the DirectX runtimes, there's a link to the web installer on this Wiki page: http://www.nextpvr.com/nwiki/pmwiki.php?...requisites

However that is probably not the cause of the main problem that prompted you to post this thread. I hope someone more brilliant than me will examine your logs.

[aias]

I'm using DirectX11 at the moment, actually. It wouldn't find DX9 in that case then, right?

Any tips with LAV? I didn't have anything configured with it out of the defaults.

[mvallevand]

I'd start by installing the dx9 runtime and send the logs again.

Martin

[Zeb]

I have to agree with Martin. The end-user runtimes are not the same thing as DirectX11, which is part of your operating system and won't be affected. Not having them installed results in increased CPU usage at the very least. One thing though: Did you install the SAF6 decoder pack before posting? I'm not saying that you should; but it's supposed to install the DX runtimes and that could be how you got LAV decoders.

Are you able to play back NPVR recordings using any other software? I see you have a Radeon HD 4850. AMD's drivers don't have the best reputation. Are you using AMD Catalyst Display Driver Version 13.1?

XBMC has its own decoders, by the way. Do you have it installed yet?

[mvallevand]

XBMC has its own decoders, by the way. Do you have it installed yet?

Yes, web.log is a good place to check this out, xbmc sends lots of messages and the web server is very spammy.

Martin