Defective TS files with displayed zero length

[sub]

Thanks that logging is collecting some good info now - can you supply one of those defective recordings? I'd like to match up what I'm seeing in the logs against an actual file.

[johnsta]

> Thanks that logging is collecting some good info now - can you
> supply one of those defective recordings? I'd like to match up
> what I'm seeing in the logs against an actual file.

The files are quite big, since I didn't cancel.

Can I use your CutChunk program, and if so, what size?

[sub]

Maybe something in the 50MB - 100MB range? Put it somewhere like dropbox or one drive.

It'd be worth confirming if you can play that chunk or not. Hopefully it'd still be defective.

[sub]

You're using an HDHomeRun Prime right? Are you actually using a CableCard, or are these QAM channels? Looking at the logs I'm starting suspect you're using QAM, rather than a CableCard lineup, and this is a major factor in the problem you're seeing.

[johnsta]

> Maybe something in the 50MB - 100MB range? Put it somewhere like
> dropbox or one drive.

> It'd be worth confirming if you can play that chunk or
> not. Hopefully it'd still be defective.

Here are the two uncut files, each about 1 GB in size:

http://jxenakis.com/gdgraphics/FNC-6-7pm...8001900.ts
http://jxenakis.com/gdgraphics/CNN-6-7pm...8001900.ts

> You're using an HDHomeRun Prime right? Are you actually using a
> CableCard, or are these QAM channels? Looking at the logs I'm
> starting suspect you're using QAM, rather than a CableCard lineup,
> and this is a major factor in the problem you're seeing.

I am absolutely, positively using an HDHomeRun Prime with a Comcast
CableCard.

I really don't know anything about QAM channels but take a look at my
message in the previous thread about setting up the HDHR:

https://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.ph...post520553

One of the setup issues had to do with QAM channels, which I didn't
understand and I ignored. Maybe that has something to do with the
problem.

[sub]

I am absolutely, positively using an HDHomeRun Prime with a Comcast CableCard.

I can see from your tuning strings that it is using QAM channels on this device, not CableCard channels. This causes the streams to start a different way than you'd usually get with a Prime configured correctly for using a CableCard.

<sid>2607</sid><tsid>0x6555</tsid><map>us-irc</map><chan>19</chan>

I'm not sure if you remember scanning NextPVR on your cable card device? You should have got the complete channel list immediately, like a second or so after the scan started. I suspect you didn't get that, and instead your saw it work through different frequencies etc, looking for channels. I'm not in the US, so don't use these devices myself, but I suspect either your CableCard wasn't activated in your Prime, or your needed to do a scan in the SiliconDust app before scanning in NextPVR.

I would backup your npvr.db3, so you can get back to it later, delete your channels (on the Settings->Channels screen), then try scanning a device again to see what happens.

[BrettB]

I am absolutely, positively using an HDHomeRun Prime with a Comcast
CableCard.

I really don't know anything about QAM channels but take a look at my
message in the previous thread about setting up the HDHR:

https://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.ph...post520553

One of the setup issues had to do with QAM channels, which I didn't
understand and I ignored. Maybe that has something to do with the
problem.

Your comments indicate that you were using the instructions from the non-CableCard section of those instructions (labeled "NextPVR Configuration – ATSC/QAM/DVB-T/DVB-C") instead of the CableCard section of the instructions (labeled "NextPVR Configuration – HDHomeRun PRIME").

I'd suggest following sub's advice to back up your npvr.db3 file and then have it create a new database to test with. But make sure that you follow the steps to configure the HDHR Prime first. Specifically, steps 5-9:

Code:

5. On the Tuners tab, set the Signal Source to CableCARD for each of your HDHomeRun PRIME tuners.
6. On the Tuners tab in HDHomeRun Setup, click on one of the Tuner IDs to access your HDHomeRun PRIME’s webpage. This can also be done by clicking the link on the Device tab in HDHomeRun Config GUI, or by directly navigating to the IP address of your HDHomeRun.
7. Click on CableCARD Menu. In the CableCARD Status section, you will see the current status of the CableCARD in your HDHomeRun PRIME. Verify that Card Authentication and Card OOB Lock show success. If Card OOB Lock does not show success, this suggests that your HDHomeRun PRIME does not have a good cable connection. Verify that the TV cable is securely connected to the RF in port on your HDHomeRun PRIME and to the wall outlet or splitter.
8. Follow your cable provider’s directions for validating your CableCARD. This normally involves calling the cable company or accessing a web page and providing the CableCARD ID and Host ID (and if using a Motorola CableCARD, the Data number) listed on this page. The validation process can take anywhere from 1-30 minutes depending on the cable provider. Refresh the Status page every few minutes to check to see if the process is complete, indicated by the Card Validation status showing success.
9. On the CableCARD tab, click Scan to complete a channel scan.

[johnsta]

> "I am absolutely, positively using an HDHomeRun Prime with a
> Comcast CableCard."

> I can see from your tuning strings that it is using QAM channels
> on this device, not CableCard channels. This causes the streams to
> start a different way than you'd usually get with a Prime, which
> is configured correctly with activated CableCard.

> "<sid>2607</sid><tsid>0x6555</tsid><map>us-irc</map><chan>19</chan>"

> I'm not sure if you remember scanning NextPVR on your cable card
> device? You should have got the complete channel list immediately,
> like a second or so after the scan started. I suspect you didn't
> get that, and instead your saw it work through different
> frequencies etc, looking for channels. I'm not in the US, so don't
> use these devices myself, but I suspect either your CableCard
> wasn't activated in your Prime, or your needed to do a scan in the
> SiliconDust app before scanning in NextPVR.

> I would backup your npvr.db3, so you can get back to it later,
> delete your channels (on the Settings->Channels screen), then try
> scanning a device again to see what happens.

That's kind of a big project, and a little scary. I'll try it, but
first I'd like to ask you to check something else out.

I know that Comcast changes its digital cable encoding at times, and
this includes issues involving QAM. I'm giving you links to two
articles. I'm not claiming that these articles are directly relevant
to our situation, but only to illustrate the fact that encoding
formats frequently change, and that Comcast was planning encoding
changes by the end of 2017:

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r3133742...Year-Rumor

http://forums.xfinity.com/t5/Non-X1-Serv...-p/2806786

I also make note of the fact that this defective TS file problem also
occurred with my Ceton card, though a lot less often.

As a matter of fact, I installed the HDHR on Dec 6, but the problem
only started getting bad on Dec 26. For example, the "WBZ news at 11"
files were OK before Dec 26, but were defective after that date.
Nothing that I did changed on Dec 26.

So what I'm suggesting is that this problem always existed, that it
had nothing to do with the switch from Ceton to HDHR, but is caused by
Comcast encoding formats are the source of the problem, and that
Comcast end-of-year encoding changes have made the problem worse.

The following are two half-hour shows that have the same defective
recording problem. They were both recorded using my Ceton card. One
is from May, 2016, and the other is from October 2017.

http://jxenakis.com/gdgraphics/blackish...._100208.ts
http://jxenakis.com/gdgraphics/Brooklyn...._093001.ts

Here's some additional information that seems strange: blackish
recordings in both 5/16 and 10/17 are almost all defective.
Brooklyn99 recordings in 10/17 are almost all defective. In 5/16 and
10/17, there are almost no other defective recordings. Once again,
this indicates to me that, as in the case of "WBZ News at 11," Comcast
is broadcasting these particular programs in a uniquely different way
that has nothing to do with the NPVR scan.

Please check out these two files, and see if they have the same issues
as the latest recordings. If they do, I believe that would isolate
the issue to Comcast's encoding formats.

Thanks,

John

[sub]

That's kind of a big project, and a little scary. I'll try it, but
first I'd like to ask you to check something else out.

It should only take you a few minutes to try that theory. Just make sure you backup the npvr.db3 first, and you can just rename it back when you've finish testing. This will get you back to where you were originally.

What you want to see, is that when you view the 'HDHR' device on the Settings->Devices screen, then hit 'Scan', you want the full list of channels to appear within a couple of seconds. (ie, it wont make its way through scanning different frequencies etc)

[johnsta]

> Your comments indicate that you were using the instructions from
> the non-CableCard section of those instructions (labeled "NextPVR
> Configuration – ATSC/QAM/DVB-T/DVB-C") instead of the CableCard
> section of the instructions (labeled "NextPVR Configuration –
> HDHomeRun PRIME").

> I'd suggest following sub's advice to back up your npvr.db3 file
> and then have it create a new database to test with. But make sure
> that you follow the steps to configure the HDHR Prime
> first. Specifically, steps 5-9:

> 5. On the Tuners tab, set the Signal Source to CableCARD for each
> of your HDHomeRun PRIME tuners.

> 6. On the Tuners tab in HDHomeRun Setup, click on one of the Tuner
> IDs to access your HDHomeRun PRIME’s webpage. This can also be
> done by clicking the link on the Device tab in HDHomeRun Config
> GUI, or by directly navigating to the IP address of your
> HDHomeRun.

> 7. Click on CableCARD Menu. In the CableCARD Status section, you
> will see the current status of the CableCARD in your HDHomeRun
> PRIME. Verify that Card Authentication and Card OOB Lock show
> success. If Card OOB Lock does not show success, this suggests
> that your HDHomeRun PRIME does not have a good cable
> connection. Verify that the TV cable is securely connected to the
> RF in port on your HDHomeRun PRIME and to the wall outlet or
> splitter.

> 8. Follow your cable provider’s directions for validating your
> CableCARD. This normally involves calling the cable company or
> accessing a web page and providing the CableCARD ID and Host ID
> (and if using a Motorola CableCARD, the Data number) listed on
> this page. The validation process can take anywhere from 1-30
> minutes depending on the cable provider. Refresh the Status page
> every few minutes to check to see if the process is complete,
> indicated by the Card Validation status showing success.

> 9. On the CableCARD tab, click Scan to complete a channel
> scan.

> It should only take you a few minutes to try that theory. Just
> make sure you backup the npvr.db3 first, and you can just rename
> it back when you've finish testing. This will get you back to
> where you were originally.

> What you want to see, is that when you view the 'HDHR' device on
> the Settings->Devices screen, then hit 'Scan', you want the full
> list of channels to appear within a couple of seconds. (ie, it
> wont make its way through scanning different frequencies
> etc)

OK, I'll try it tomorrow.

In the meantime, if you want any data from the data base, let me know
and I'll get it. Even better, give me a sql statement and I'll run it
for you.