Strange satellite tuning problem

[pds]

I have found a very strange problem with the tuning on NPVR 2.1.5 with patches V2 due to recent channel changes on Eurobird 1.

Several channels were moved to 11307 V and now none of these will directly tune. A channel scan finds them okay, they can tune by going to a channel on a different multiplex first, but from an idle state the tuning request seems to be ignored.

This has not been an issue before the recent channel changes, and I have been using NPVR with satellite for over 6 months.

I have tried several other programs e.g. EPG grabbers and live TV viewers, and all tune properly. If the frequency is tuned by one of the other programs first, NPVR can use it fine. GVPVR 1.4.7 can also tune to it directly, the problem just seems to be with NPVR.

I have tried adjusting the frequency slightly to 11305 since another multplex transmits on 11307 H in case the card was using the wrong polarity, but it did not make any difference.

My setup consists of XP SP3, Core 2 E6300 with a Technisat SkyStar S2.

The supplied LOG shows a recent attempt after changing the frequency to 11305. I tried going straight to one of the channels (Kix!) which failed to lock. I then moved to another multpliex and back to Kix!, which worked and locked the signal. I then stopped the live mode and viewed it again which worked. Then I tuned to another channel, stopped the live mode and tried to watch Kix! again which did not work. An interesting thing to note in the LOG is that the Kix! channel appeared to lock but with the same quality as the channel previously tried.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

[pds]

I have just upgraded to 2.2.6 with patches to see if the tuning problem still exists, which it does. I have also been doing more thorough testing to try and identify the problem better.

I forgot to mention I was using a trimmed satellite channel line up that did not include many frequences. I have enabled several of these other frequences and found the tuning problem covers both vertical and horizontal between about 11300 to 11600.

NPVR 2.1.5 could directly change to one of these frequences in Live or Recording mode from any frequency outside of the problem ones. Version 2.2.6 does not work when this is tried however.

One thing that does seem to work now is viewing a channel (which does not tune correctly), stop the Live mode, and then rewatch the same channel effectivly sending two tuning request for the frequency.

This has in my oppinion one of two possible fixes, slow down the tuning request somehow or send two requests with a small delay.

GBPVR did have an option for sending two tuning requests, does NPVR have a similar option?

[sub]

The application shouldnt need to add delays, or tune multiple times etc. This isnt required for other devices, so sounds like something buggy with the Technisat SkyStar S2 drivers.

That said, with the attached patch, you should be able to add <TuneTwiceOnDigitalChannels>true</TuneTwiceOnDigitalChannels> to the <Recording> section of config.xml, and it'll tune twice every time it needs to submit a tuning request. See if it helps.

[pds]

Thanks sub, that seems to get around the problem.

The Technisat drivers are pretty rubbish. I have had to do a lot of custom things to get basic functionality to work, like a wake up script to restart the device (and restart the computer if it fails) and updating the EPG on wake up only (does not support two locks at once and will crash if recording).

[sub]

Thanks sub, that seems to get around the problem

Great.