DVB-T - failed recording, no data delivered

[NumberFive]

Hi, I've having a bit of a problem (over a period of a year I've been noticing this) that my NOVA-T-500 is sometimes failing to lock a channel when there is a scheduled recording. The result is a failed recording, no data delivered.

I thought I read that the recording service would detect this and try to re-tune the multiplex?

I've attached logs. From a quick glance, it seems in the logs that the recording service notes there is no lock / file size = 0? Mind you, checking other logs seems to suggest this might be normal.

Advice much appreciated.

Code:

2015-05-17 20:27:03.006    [DEBUG][19]    whoosh whoosh
2015-05-17 20:27:03.006    [DEBUG][19]    locked=0, present=0, strength=0, quality=0   (took 0ms to check)
2015-05-17 20:27:03.006    [DEBUG][19]    DigitalRecorderDVBT::Tune@8
2015-05-17 20:27:03.007    [DEBUG][19]    File size is 0
2015-05-17 20:27:03.007    [INFO][19]    DigitalRecorder.StartStream() allocated handle: 0xE
2015-05-17 20:27:03.008    [DEBUG][19]    Temp at 17/05/2015 20:27:13

[sub]

What was the name/time of the recording that failed? Looking in the logs, I can only really see live tv and an EPG update. I can't see a recording.

[NumberFive]

Hi sub,

Sorry, I should have said. Name is "At Your Service", scheduled for 20:30 (3 minute pre-padding), so starts at 20:27.

I've reattached logs now that the recording has finished.

[sub]

Absolutely no sign of problems there, but the device didn't lock onto signal.

Can you ever watch that specific channel these days? ie, is the recordings on that channel failing 'sometimes' or 'all the time'? If failing all the time, it'll likely be an easy fix, and probably just a case of broadcaster changing the frequency or service ID, and can be fixed by rescanning. If it's failing just sometimes, then it's more likely to be marginal signal, and some times the device just isn't reliably locking onto the frequency. In this case, weather or other atmospheric conditions can effect it, causing you to get it sometimes and not at other times.

[NumberFive]

Hi sub,

Actually this is one of my stronger, more robust multiplexes that this is happening on. It's an intermittent problem I think I've seen on most multiplexes at some time or another, but a little more prone on this multiplex. I don't think it's an issue with the signal since if this happens when I'm watching live TV, if I exit live TV (closing the tuner) then select the channel again, nearly every time it will get a lock on the second attempt.

[sub]

Could be a bug with the tuner's driver or something. As far as NextPVR can tell, nothing has gone wrong, but the device delivered no data.

[NumberFive]

Hi sub,

Thanks. I might try the Tune Twice on Digital Channels option and see if it helps.

Am I wrong in thinking that the recording service checks after a few seconds for zero-byte recordings? I thought I read somewhere that it does that to identify if a tuner isn't receiving anything, then try another tuner if available?

[sub]

It only does a second chance recording if something returned an error, like a USB tuner not being available etc.

[gEd]

Just wondering if this is the old wake from standby problem. Does the problem only occur for the first recording after the pc wakes from standby?
http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...00+standby

I guess not as you "keep the PC on 24x7 at the moment"...

[martint123]

Just wondering if this is the old wake from standby problem. Does the problem only occur for the first recording after the pc wakes from standby?
http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...00+standby

Just as an aside - since I changed from a VIA chipset motherboard with XP to Intel with W7 I haven't had the wake from standby problem at all with the nova-t-500.