Zero Length Recording Files

[cmattus]

Hello everyone,

I am currently running GB-PVR v1.4.7 with a Hauppauge HVR-1600 using the HVR-1600 BDA recording plugin. I am recording local over-the-air digital broadcasts and all channels have good signal strength. Recently, attempts to record from two of the available channels result in zero length files. Nothing appears to crash or hang. The recording service starts and stops recording at the scheduled times, but the resulting file is empty (zero length). The remaining channels all record just fine. What seems a bit inconsistent is that all channels work just fine when viewing live broadcasts. However, attempting to pause the problematic channels fails (big surprise). The problematic channels are 31.1 and 43.1. The contents of my SCAN-1.cache are shown below:

T:19,0,0~P:1~TSID:1046~V:49~A:52~PMT:48~PCR:49~N:>19.1 WHOI-HD (000(AC3))
T:19,0,0~P:2~TSID:1046~V:65~A:68~PMT:64~PCR:65~N:>19.2 WHOI-CW (000(AC3))
T:25,0,0~P:1~TSID:1049~V:49~A:52~PMT:48~PCR:49~N:>25.1 WEEK-HD (000(AC3))
T:25,0,0~P:2~TSID:1049~V:65~A:68~PMT:64~PCR:65~N:>25.2 WEEK-WX (000(AC3))
T:28,0,0~P:3~TSID:989~V:49~A:52~PMT:48~PCR:49~N:>43.1 WYZZ-DT (000(AC3))
T:30,0,0~P:3~TSID:1051~V:49~A:52~PMT:48~PCR:49~E:T~N:>31.1 WMBD-DT (eng(AC3))
T:39,0,0~P:1~TSID:1055~V:49~A:52~PMT:48~PCR:49~N:>59.1 WAOE-HD (000(AC3))
T:46,0,0~P:3~TSID:1053~V:81~A:84~PMT:80~PCR:81~N:>47.1 WTVP-HD (eng(AC3))
T:46,0,0~P:4~TSID:1053~V:97~A:100~PMT:96~PCR:97~N:>47.2 WTVP-WR (eng(AC3))
T:46,0,0~P:5~TSID:1053~V:113~A:116~PMT:112~PCR:113~N:>47.3 WTVP-CR (eng(AC3))

It may be useful to know that I have been using GB-PVR on the same hardware for about a year and a half now and until fairly recently, all channels recorded without problems. About two months ago I updated GB-PVR to v1.4.7 from v1.2.13 and it appears this is approximately when the problem began occurring. However, it is not clear that the GB-PVR version upgrade is the source of the difficulty. As I recall, I updated GB-PVR because I was having problems re-scanning channels. Over the past few months a number of local over-the-air broadcast signals have “moved”. I believe these changes are occurring to make the more efficient use of the allocated TV spectrum now that former analog broadcasts have been discontinued. At any rate, I suspect that my problems have something to do with a change in the way these two channels are encoded or broadcast. Any help that could be provided in correcting this problem would be greatly appreciated.


I have included my log files in the attached zip archive.

[mvallevand]

The scan seems to match this database for your area http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?mktid=145

Martin

[whurlston]

For 31.1, try removing the "~E:T" from the tuning string. This means that GBPVR detected it as encrypted for some reason. Not sure about 43.1, I'm having trouble locating an attempt to pause it in your logs.

Start PVRx2, tune to 43.1, press pause, exit pvrx2, zip and post the pvrx2.exe.log and pvrx2.exe-native.log

[cmattus]

I removed the "~E:T" from the tuning string for 31.1, opened pvrx2 and attempted to pause both 31.1 and 43.1. Both failed after a few seconds of delay dropping me back at the main menu. Removing the "~E:T" from the tuning string for 31.1 did not seem to have any noticeable effect on tuning 31.1 as I can still view it live. I have included copies of pvrx2.exe.log and pvrx2.exe-native.log in the attached zip archive.

[whurlston]

In Config -> "Playback" tab, try setting your "Live TV pre-play delay (ms)" to 2500 or 3000. This will make it buffer longer before attempting to play the file giving it more time for the file to grow.

[cmattus]

I tried setting the Live TV pre-play delay to 2500 ms and it did not seem to have any effect on the problem. It still fails to pause and kicks me back to the main menu after a few seconds.

[cmattus]

Still no joy. I have 2 channels I can watch live but not record or pause. It was pointed out in an earlier reply that the tuning request string for one of the channels in question contained an argument indicating encryption. As suggested, I tried removing this argument from the tuning string, but this had no effect. I am currently interested in understanding the various arguments found in the tuning request string. My hope is that a better understanding of these details may help me to identify a pattern with the channels that do work and those that don't. Can anyone direct me to more detailed information about the arguments found in the tuning request string?

[whurlston]

See the bottom of this post for an explanation of the parts of the tuning string:

http://forums.gbpvr.com/showpost.php?p=3...stcount=19

[8ace]

Hello - I too have been recording merrily with 0KB file length. I can scan my channels fine and I can see the channel previews fine, but only ONE channel records (KEYEDT).

Here are my logs

http://forums.gbpvr.com/attachment.php?a...1258325443

[8ace]

oh one more thing.

I just installed the full suite of the pinnacle software that was bundled and I can see and record all TV channels just fine.... (I'd previously only installed the pinnacle drivers, not the TV app).

So to sum up: almost all channels record with 0KB file size.

Yet .... they can all preview just fine and view in live TV.