Directv.exe channel change problem w/ 0.97.9 & DirecTV H10 receiver

[troutct]

I'm having intermittent channel changing problems while using v0.97.9 of GBPVR, the DIRECTV.EXE program and a DirecTV H10 receiver connected via serial cable.

Basically everything works except that sometimes the receiver won't receive all digits of a multiple-digit channel correctly. For example, if I'm viewing live TV in GBVPVR and type 2-3-6 to change to channel 236, GBPVR accepts 236, updates the OSD to show it's now displaying 236 but the box only receives 26 (ie..doesn't get the 3) and trys to change to channel 26. This occurs about 50% of the time. Of course, this also happens when the recording service trys to change channels to capture a recording...as such, I'm missing recordings.

I switched receivers about the same time as upgrading to the new version so I'm not sure if this is related to v0.97.9 or the new receiver. Additionally, I've SWITCHED databases and installed the indexes after doing so.

Cheval,
I've tried a number of different values for DELAY, BOX, etc. and don't see any change when I do so. Have you tested your program with an H10 and, if so, can you offer suggested values for the various parameters ?

Any suggestions/ideas would be greatly appreciated !

[sub]

In this setup, sending the digits to your DirecTV box is the responsibility of DIRECTV.EXE, so it sounds like it is causing your problem in this case.

[troutct]

Thanks Sub...I figured it was a DirecTV.exe problem but have seen other posts noting slow channel changes in the new version so I thought there COULD be something to it.

Hopefully Cheval's still monitoring the site and can shed some lite on this.

Thanks again for a FANTASTIC application (not to mention the timely support !)

[cheval]

Yes. I'm still monitoring.

The H10 is a fairly new receiver type so there may be problems. If you can recreate the problem using the debug code version that may help. Also which decoders are you using.

[nitrogen_widget]

I had a similiar problem on an older machine (750mhz) when recording a program if comskip & comclean were running or basically anything cpu intensive like trying to watch liveTv.

There would be too much of a delay between numbers to hit the right channel.
This was on a DC10? though.

Once I moved up to a multi ghz cpu it's been perfect.

[cheval]

It may be good to know that the problem could be caused by interrupts during the directv.exe program. It would somewhat confirm what I have seen with certain decoders causing problems for me also.

[troutct]

Thanks for responding Cheval....

I'm using an Hauppauge PVR-250 to record and I'm storing as MPEG-2..no translation of any kind and no processing of commercials.

On the playback side, there are 3 installed and it's set to use system default so I'm not sure which that is...here's what is installed:

Intervideo NonCSS Video Decoder for...
Intervideo Video Decoder
MainConcept (Hauppauge) MPEG ....


Here are my current parameters for DirecTV.exe:

-box D10200 -set new -retries 1 -delay 2 #{channel}

I've tried various settings for zero pad or 3-digit channel numbers and they don't seem to make much of a difference.

You refer to the "debug code version"..Where do I get that ?

Thanks in advance for all your help !!

[cheval]

The debug version is on the wiki page at the bottom of the page.

I would suggest that you try to change to decoder to the Intervidea NonCSS one. Thats the one that I seem to have the best luck with.

The three digit or zero pad may not make any difference. I've never tried to see what happens actuallyif you don't have these set since I send and enter/select right after sending the remote commands.

Try the debug code version and there should be instructions on what to do to get some interesting results. Just PM me with the results.

[troutct]

Excellent...thanks Cheval..will give it a try tonight after work and golf

[troutct]

I downloaded the debug version and created a batch program to accept a channel number and pass the appropriate parameters to directv.exe

I then opened GBPVR Live TV in a window and a command prompt in another window. I then ran the batch program passing it a variety of channel #s to see what worked and what didn't work. It worked about 50% - I could see channel #s being received by the receiver (and displaying on the on-screen guide) but it's as if they were received too quickly.

I then found something interesting. Whenever I tried channels ending in 00 (ie, 100, 200, 300, etc) it failed EVERY time...I tried probably 50+ times and every time it left off the last 0, instead changing to channel 20, 30, 40, etc.
Immediately after 200 failed 25+ times, I tried 201 and it worked and then tried 200 again 10 more times and it failed.

I then jumped over to the GBPVR window, tuned to channel 201 , hit down arrow and it changed to channel 20. (you must be sending explicit channel #s in all cases ?). Afterwards I confirmed that channel 200 exists in my channel lineup and then used the DirecTV remote to change to 200 on the receiver...this SHOULD work.

Here's the output of the debug version while trying to change to channel 200:

F:\PROGRA~1\devnz\gbpvr\UTILIT~1\DirecTV\debug>debug 200

F:\PROGRA~1\devnz\gbpvr\UTILIT~1\DirecTV\debug>directv.exe -box D10200 -set new
-retries 1 -delay 2 #200
Setting DSS Box Type: 0 (RCA)
Setting DSS Command Hex Set to: 0 (NEW)
Setting DSS Box Type: 2 (D10200)
Setting DSS Command Hex Set to: 0 (NEW)
Setting Delay: 2
Setting channel: 200 (00-0xc8-0xff-0xff)
Sending Key: 2
Settings:
Port: COM1 Baud: 9600 Box: D10200 Retries: 1 Hex Command Set: NEW
Open port to receiver
Openning Command Start: 0XFA ...SUCCESS
Sending Command: 0XA5 ...SUCCESS
Sending Command Data [00 0X01 0XE2]...(command wrote (3 bytes) status [0x1])...S
UCCESS
Sending Command Complete: 0X0D ...SUCCESS
Reading Reply Status For Command: (valid status [0xf0])...SUCCESS
Expecting to receive In Process Reply For Command: (received [0xf2])SUCCESS
Reading Command Status: ...(read status 0xf4)...SUCCESS
Sending Key: 0
Openning Command Start: 0XFA ...SUCCESS
Sending Command: 0XA5 ...SUCCESS
Sending Command Data [00 0X01 0XE0]...(command wrote (3 bytes) status [0x1])...S
UCCESS
Sending Command Complete: 0X0D ...SUCCESS
Reading Reply Status For Command: (valid status [0xf0])...SUCCESS
Expecting to receive In Process Reply For Command: (received [0xf2])SUCCESS
Reading Command Status: ...(read status 0xf4)...SUCCESS
Sending Key: 0
Openning Command Start: 0XFA ...SUCCESS
Sending Command: 0XA5 ...SUCCESS
Sending Command Data [00 0X01 0XE0]...(command wrote (3 bytes) status [0x1])...S
UCCESS
Sending Command Complete: 0X0D ...SUCCESS
Reading Reply Status For Command: (valid status [0xf0])...SUCCESS
Expecting to receive In Process Reply For Command: (received [0xf2])SUCCESS
Reading Command Status: ...(read status 0xf4)...SUCCESS
Sending Key: select
Openning Command Start: 0XFA ...SUCCESS
Sending Command: 0XA5 ...SUCCESS
Sending Command Data [00 0X01 0XC3]...(command wrote (3 bytes) status [0x1])...S
UCCESS
Sending Command Complete: 0X0D ...SUCCESS
Reading Reply Status For Command: (valid status [0xf0])...SUCCESS
Expecting to receive In Process Reply For Command: (received [0xf2])SUCCESS
Reading Command Status: ...(read status 0xf4)...SUCCESS

F:\PROGRA~1\devnz\gbpvr\UTILIT~1\DirecTV\debug>

While there appears to be a problem with channels containing 00, I DO have problems with other channels but haven't noticed any other patterns.

Let me know if there's anything else you'd like me to try !

Thanks !