trouble updating epg - it crashes

[fluffykeith]

Yes, I think its some difference in the data that GB-PVR is not coping with. There is one stream of EPG listings per mux. A mux is the digital signal on a specific frequency that carries five or so channels.

Having a 200MB or so file would give me about 45 seconds of the full data being transmitted on a mux (epg data + video + audio + meta data etc), allowing me to play it back here and hopefully reproduce the problem.

ok - thanks for the info - I could upload the file to an upload site, eg, http://www.megaupload.com/
200MB will take me a while (1-2 hour!!) to upload as my connection speed is only 0.5Mbps
Would it be possible to use just the end part if I chopped the file?
Anyway tell me how to generate the file and we can go from there.

cheers

Keith

[sub]

The problem is that it is hard to tell where the problem data is in the stream. If you uploaded a full 200MB, it might not contain the problem bit.

If the problem occurs every time for you do an EPG update, then a one minute long transport stream recording of the problem mux should catch it.

Anyway tell me how to generate the file and we can go from there.

You'd have use a utility like DVB Stream Explorer to capture it. Some device manufacturers also provide utilities for capturing transport streams (for example Twinhan). I cant really give you much advice on using DVB Stream Explorer, since I've never used it myself, but I know some users have used that when providing a transport stream.

[fluffykeith]

The problem is that it is hard to tell where the problem data is in the stream. If you uploaded a full 200MB, it might not contain the problem bit.

If the problem occurs every time for you do an EPG update, then a one minute long transport stream recording of the problem mux should catch it.

You'd have use a utility like DVB Stream Explorer ......

Oh - I don't think that will help then as it crashes at different points, so the capture will have to be done at the same time, ie, dumped from your EPG part of the program, otherwise it will be impossible to determine where it crashed given a different data set.

Is the EPG grabbing part a utility or part of the main code?
What's it written in?
Is the source available? I could perhaps debug it here?

cheers

Keith

[sub]

GB-PVR does not record the type of file that would required, and couldnt do it at the same time if it did.

It is part of the main application, so the source code is not available.

[gEd]

to dodge the issue, you could consider switching to downloading your EPG via the web (radio times) using xmltvgui from http://www.birtles.org.uk/

once you have scanned all your channels, select map channels to EPG and match the epg channels to your real channels using the dropdown boxes against each channel.

[fluffykeith]

Hi gED

I had considered that method - in fact that is what I use currently with Meedio however the problem I get with Meedio is that if a channels EPG goes missing the I can longer get view it even though it is only the EPG that goes. It then seems to mess up the channel mapping. Meedio is no longer supported hence I'm looking for a new MPC.

From what I've seen of GBPVR the mapping seems to remain - is that correct? so it is possible to have chanels that you don't have an EPG downloaded for?

The idea of using the over the air EPG is really the neatest approach. I am supprised that the program just crashes and bombs out with a "report to MS" box :eek: . Obviously a bug, some pointer error probably (I'm a programmer too!). At the least it should give some error or better if it recovered.

I like the idea of GBPVR it has some really good bit that make it stand out, like Meedio, I can add my own plug-ins, expand to more than 1 tuner and hopefully client server to. It also does not rely on MCE.
If I can get it set up and working then I will carry in playing with it. By working I mean something that is stable enough for the family to use!

So yep for now I think I will use XMLTV but don't give up looking for the bugs

Keith

[sub]

The idea of using the over the air EPG is really the neatest approach. I am supprised that the program just crashes and bombs out with a "report to MS" box . Obviously a bug, some pointer error probably (I'm a programmer too!). At the least it should give some error or better if it recovered.

For the majority of people the DVB EPG option works just fine, including lots in the UK. GB-PVR does a whole lot of checks to make sure its operating on valid data, but obviously some data unique to your transmitter, or reception problems you're suffering, is causing GB-PVR to encounter something unexpected in the data. Its very difficult for me to guess what that might be without access to the raw data stream.

[fluffykeith]

.....or reception problems you're suffering, is causing GB-PVR to encounter something unexpected in the data. Its very difficult for me to guess what that might be without access to the raw data stream.

It may be reception problems, although it should recover from that sort of thing really. I understand the difficulty I've often had customers and project managers
who say there's a bug but not give any useful info for debugging. Life eh!

For the moment I've used XMLTV which works fine.

I have other questions so see you in another thread ...

cheers

Keith

[sub]

It may be reception problems, although it should recover from that sort of thing really.

It does try to, but there is obviously some specific scenario that I'm missing. Its kind of hard to guess what that scenario is without seeing it myself.