No Audio for some recordings

[dlee65]

I have been having some problems with the audio track not recording for some shows. Below is a timeline of what happened.

Friday 2/18
8:00 pm - recorded channel 17 (changed from 35) audio is ok.
9:00 pm - recorded channel 13 picture is fine but no audio.
10:00 pm - recorded channel 56 picture is fine but no audio.
11:00 pm - recorded another show on channel 56 - audio and picture record fine.
12:00 am - recorded another show on channel 56 - audio and picture record fine.

So with the small sample from Friday, the sound only seems to be an issue if I have been recording and then have to change channels to start a new recording.

Any ideas on what I could do to fix this problem?

System:
AMD Athlon XP-A, 2079 MHz (6.25 x 333) 2800+
nVIDIA nForce2 chipset
512 MB (DDR SDRAM)
nVIDIA MCP2 - Audio Codec Interface
MSI MS-StarForce GeForce4 MX 4000 (NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 4000) (128 MB)
WinXP Home SP2
HardDrive WD80GB drive - 76308 MB (40072 MB free)
Hauppauge WinTV PVR PCI II (26xxx)

[dlee65]

Any ideas? I am not sure where to look to troubleshoot this problem let alone fix it.

[capone]

This may be a glitch I get where 1 in 10-15 starts has no audio. I need to back out ot guide and come back. One of those starts just happened to be a recording recently.

If it's happening a lot w/ recordings, it may be something else.

[capone]

I played around more last night, going from the invervidro 5 to 4.  This time, it lost audio while wacthing, when a new file was made for next program.  I'm now at least sure it's happening when the file is created, and it's just as if the audio decoder never gets a chance to start.

I used to get the occsational freeze at a new file start, so this an improvement in that light.  I'm now wondering if that was the same issue, and it's just resolving it better.

I just switched to the nvidia decoder to see if that helps.  I could switch the renderer from nvidia to realtek, but I'm not sure if the renderer has anything to do w/ the recorder when you're not watching.

In this light, does anyone have any ideas?  I guess the other view is that it's just the file creation and not the codecs at all.

Btw, it looks like you and I have some of the same parts, so it could be a few things.

[Pioneer4x4]

Are you recording via the tuner or AV jacks? If AV jacks, don't rule out your external box. If internal, no idea.

Do the file have sound if played externally (media player)?

[capone]

For me, the time the recording had no audio (like going to live tv), it was just the recording service, so there was no external audio.

I guess I never checked the file on another system for sound...I'll try that next time, just in case.

[capone]

I doubt it's external now.  I just got a freeze at prog change while making a new file using nvidia decoders (which is why I think I gave up on them).  

So nvidia's decoders freeze on program change while watching.  Intervideo's 4 can have audio cut out on program change while watching.  Intervideo's 5 will at worst just start w/o audio once in while, like dlee65.

We have HW in common, so it could be a conflict of some kind, but different decoders can help.

The only two logs that were active when it froze were gbpvr.exe and gbpvrrecordingservice.


The last entires in gbpvr were:
*******
2/24/2005 5:00:26 PM.640 VERBOSE [2] Received event code: 1
2/24/2005 5:00:26 PM.718 VERBOSE [2] Received event code: 14
******

Here is last good entry in recording, and the one it died on:
*******
Audio Firmware Version <<can't read now>>

Model 26052 Rev C185

Serial No: 7599439

Tuner[1]: Model 85 (TCL 2002N_6A)

Decoder: 30

AudioIC: 37

IR

Input Map: C= 0x000f, S= 0x0003

16:11:14.312 VERBOSE getSetting(ListGraphFilters)
16:11:14.312 VERBOSE Graph contains the following filters:
16:11:14.312 VERBOSE - GB-PVR Writer
16:11:14.312 VERBOSE - Encoder
16:11:14.312 VERBOSE - Capture
16:11:14.312 VERBOSE - Hauppauge WinTV PVR PCI II Crossbar
16:11:14.312 VERBOSE - TV Audio
16:11:14.312 VERBOSE - TV Tuner
16:11:14.312 VERBOSE getSetting(SaveGraphFiles)
16:11:14.312 VERBOSE ConexantRecorder::StartRecording() done
17:00:22.578 VERBOSE ConexantRecorder::StopRecording()
17:00:22.718 VERBOSE ConexantRecorder::StartRecording(1, 1, 47, 0)
17:00:22.734 VERBOSE Capture Device is based on BlackBird architecture
17:00:22.734 VERBOSE Capture Device is using Conexant (derived) drivers
17:00:22.734 VERBOSE Loading filter names
17:00:22.734 VERBOSE Found names:
17:00:22.734 VERBOSE Hauppauge WinTV PVR PCI II Crossbar
17:00:22.734 VERBOSE Hauppauge WinTV PVR PCI II Capture
17:00:22.734 VERBOSE Hauppauge WinTV PVR PCI II TvTuner
17:00:22.734 VERBOSE Hauppauge WinTV PVR PCI II TvAudio
17:00:22.750 VERBOSE ConnectPins: 'Analog Audio' to 'TVAudio In'
17:00:22.890 VERBOSE ConnectPins: 'Audio Decoder Out' to 'Analog Audio In'
17:00:22.890 VERBOSE Looking for encoder filter
17:00:22.906 VERBOSE - Hauppauge WinTV PVR PCI II Encoder
17:00:22.906 VERBOSE put_Mode(AMTUNER_MODE_TV)
17:00:22.906 VERBOSE put_CountryCode(1)
17:00:22.906 VERBOSE put_TuningSpace(1)
17:00:22.906 VERBOSE put_InputType(0, 0)
17:00:22.906 VERBOSE put_ConnectInput(0)
17:00:22.906 VERBOSE put_Channel(47, AMTUNER_SUBCHAN_DEFAULT, AMTUNER_SUBCHAN_DEFAULT)
17:00:23.078 VERBOSE get_VideoFrequency() returns 361250000
17:00:23.078 VERBOSE get_CountryCode() returns 1
17:00:23.093 VERBOSE About to query available formats
17:00:23.093 VERBOSE Recorder::SetConfigurationECP()
17:00:23.093 INFO Firmware Version 2.5.32


Audio Firmware Version <<can't read now>>

Model 26052 Rev C185

Serial No: 7599439

Tuner[1]: Model 85 (TCL 2002N_6A)

Decoder: 30

AudioIC: 37

IR

Input Map: C= 0x000f, S= 0x0003

17:00:23.125 VERBOSE getSetting(ListGraphFilters)
17:00:23.125 VERBOSE Graph contains the following filters:
17:00:23.125 VERBOSE - GB-PVR Writer
17:00:23.125 VERBOSE - Encoder
17:00:23.125 VERBOSE - Capture
17:00:23.125 VERBOSE - Hauppauge WinTV PVR PCI II Crossbar
17:00:23.125 VERBOSE - TV Audio
17:00:23.125 VERBOSE - TV Tuner
17:00:23.125 VERBOSE getSetting(SaveGraphFiles)
17:00:23.125 VERBOSE ConexantRecorder::StartRecording() done

[capone]

I haven't tried, but it's entirely random, so hard to test. It will be just once in so many recordings, going from guide to live, or just a new file generated at start of a new program.

One thing I can say is that it is increasing a little. It seems less rare than before. Switching to Invervideo 5 helped but did not fix.

My next trick was to throw out the Nvidia audio drivers and replace w/ Realtek ones. So far so good, but it's only been a cpl of viewings so far. I was also getting an issue where live files weren't deleting (increasingly, too, so I think the audio glitch may put a read or temp hold on a file), and I am clean at the moment since the new drivers.

Btw, I got a copy of Diskeeper 9 at your recomendation. That's a nice utility.

[capone]

I played w/ the MFT tools a lot and love those. Again, nice call.

The case I have does allow for a new sound card. I had an external on briefly, but returned it (got for another reason). I may try that again. I need to do external since case doesn't have room left for new card.

I'm not sold on the GB board, but this is my only one. I wish now I had done abit or asus, and gone SATA. I think your Intel experences are the difference here.

I didn't know about the db level recording problem. I tried setting down the encode rate but no good. Is it a levels thing? I'd like to know more if you have a link. If it's related to that, maybe a new audio wouln't help.

[capone]

Well, Realtek didn't help. I also had a cleanup backup. This time it was a program change while watching, but audio was fine. It just tided up the one file for no reason it seems. Here is everything that happened in gbpvr.exe around when it happened:

*****
2/24/2005 10:52:57 PM.703 VERBOSE [2] RecordLiveTV: 3
2/24/2005 10:52:59 PM.203 VERBOSE [2] About to play LiveTV File: C:\captv_studio\Live\The First 48_1_20050224_22002300.mpg Channel: 38 ARTS
2/24/2005 10:52:59 PM.203 VERBOSE [2] Before LiveTV Play
2/24/2005 10:53:03 PM.015 VERBOSE [2] After LiveTV Play
2/24/2005 10:53:03 PM.234 VERBOSE [2] getValue cached value: /settings/DefaultSkipSecondsForward : 30
2/24/2005 10:53:03 PM.234 VERBOSE [2] getValue cached value: /settings/DefaultSkipSecondsBack : 30
2/24/2005 10:53:03 PM.234 VERBOSE [2] getValue cached value: /settings/ManualSkipTimebase : Seconds
2/24/2005 10:53:03 PM.359 VERBOSE [2] RecordingFactory.loadSchedule()
2/24/2005 10:53:03 PM.375 VERBOSE [2] - loading: Thomas & Friends status:4 start: 1/1/2001 12:00 AM
2/24/2005 10:53:03 PM.375 VERBOSE [2] - loading: Thomas & Friends status:4 start: 1/1/2001 12:00 AM
2/24/2005 10:53:03 PM.375 VERBOSE [2] - loading: 24 status:4 start: 2/14/2005 9:00 PM
2/24/2005 10:53:03 PM.375 VERBOSE [2] - loading: Cowboy Bebop status:4 start: 2/20/2005 1:30 AM
2/24/2005 10:53:03 PM.375 VERBOSE [2] - loading: Ghost in the Shell status:4 start: 2/20/2005 3:00 AM
2/24/2005 10:53:03 PM.375 VERBOSE [2] - loading: D:\Recorded TV\Robot Chicken\Robot Chicken_20050220_23302345.mpg status:2 start: 2/20/2005 11:30 PM
2/24/2005 10:53:03 PM.375 VERBOSE [2] - loading: D:\Recorded TV\Dirty War\Dirty War_20050223_22000000.mpg status:2 start: 2/23/2005 10:00 PM
2/24/2005 10:53:03 PM.375 VERBOSE [2] Received event code: 14
2/24/2005 11:00:20 PM.703 VERBOSE [2] Received event code: 1
2/24/2005 11:00:20 PM.750 VERBOSE [2] Received event code: 14
2/24/2005 11:00:20 PM.828 VERBOSE [2] Received event code: 14
2/24/2005 11:08:30 PM.906 VERBOSE [2] StopLiveTV()
2/24/2005 11:08:31 PM.046 VERBOSE [2] at aw.j()
2/24/2005 11:08:31 PM.140 VERBOSE [2] Rendering MenuMenuTask
*****

Now here are some snips the native log at same time, that seem to show problems w/ files:
******
21:38:08.937 VERBOSE getSetting(SaveGraphFiles)
21:38:08.953 INFO DirectShowPlayerBase::playFile() done
21:38:08.953 VERBOSE Restoring audio
21:38:10.468 VERBOSE Restoring audio
21:45:59.859 VERBOSE Restoring audio
21:46:20.375 VERBOSE Restoring audio
22:52:59.203 INFO DirectShowPlayerBase::playVideoFile(C:\captv_studio\Live\The First 48_1_20050224_22002300.mpg)
22:52:59.203 VERBOSE File already in use - probably still recording
22:52:59.203 VERBOSE File already in use - probably still recording
[snip]
22:52:59.515 VERBOSE waited: 0 (1109303579 - 1109303579) filesize: 221120
22:52:59.515 VERBOSE Creating new graph
22:52:59.515 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredAudioRenderer)
22:52:59.515 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredAudioDecoder)
22:52:59.515 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredDecoder)
22:52:59.531 VERBOSE FindFilterByName failed to locate filter: default
22:52:59.906 VERBOSE Using GB-PVR Parser
22:52:59.921 VERBOSE Rendering graph
22:53:02.984 VERBOSE getSetting(ListGraphFilters)
22:53:02.984 VERBOSE Graph contains the following filters:
22:53:02.984 VERBOSE - Default DirectSound Device
22:53:02.984 VERBOSE - Video Renderer
22:53:02.984 VERBOSE - ffdshow Audio Decoder 0006
22:53:02.984 VERBOSE - InterVideo NonCSS Video Decoder for Hauppauge
22:53:02.984 VERBOSE - AC3Filter
22:53:02.984 VERBOSE - ffdshow Audio Decoder
22:53:02.984 VERBOSE - GB-PVR Parser
22:53:02.984 VERBOSE - SOURCE
22:53:02.984 VERBOSE getSetting(SaveGraphFiles)
22:53:03.015 INFO DirectShowPlayerBase::playFile() done
23:00:20.703 INFO DirectShowPlayerBase::playVideoFile(C:\captv_studio\Live\Crossing Jordan_1_20050224_23000000.mpg)
23:00:20.703 VERBOSE File already in use - probably still recording
23:00:20.703 VERBOSE File already in use - probably still recording
*****

The Crossing Jordan one (which was just the program after the First 48 I caught end of) was the locked one.