HDHR-TC H.264 does not play SD channels, only HD.

[B-Murda]

So got this odd issue.
I recently started using H264 to save space since I have the TC tuners but now can only play HD channels in NPVR.

I basically get a black screen and NPVR semi locks up.

I am running Windows 10 using the Microsoft DVD codec.
I can play the channel fine directly in media player (which just uses the same codec) but not NPVR.

If I record something I can play it in Kodi fine but can't live watch in Kodi either with the NPVR plugin's, only recorded things (this is what makes me think it's NPVR, that and other players will stream fine if NPVR not involved).
Almost makes me think is codec but it's not. I installed some others and same issues.

If I turn h264 off on the HDHR everything works fine.
I tried setting H.264 SD/HD and Mpeg2 on the device

I happened to have a VM with the older version of NPVR installed and it had same problem so doesn't seem related to recent version but not sure the cause.
I have the driver set to Default on HDHR software and they are running the latest firmware/SW.

Thoughts?

Also randomly on some HD channels depending on the lighting I get a flickering that occurs. This does not happen in Kodi or other players, even if the other player uses MS DVD codec (I know Kodi uses another one) but was just trying to eliminate something.

[mvallevand]

Logs?

Martin

[B-Murda]

Logs?

Martin

They don't show anything useful from what I looked at.
The stream does stream because i can record with it, just can't actually play in NPVR.

I can randomly get one to work by switching back and forth from the channels. Any other player will play it fine though.

Attached are the logs. Brand new clean install.

Let me know if any different logs I can get get to help.

[sub]

If you do a recording of one of these channels, can you get video when you attempt to play it back?

[B-Murda]

If you do a recording of one of these channels, can you get video when you attempt to play it back?

Ugh it's being so inconsistent. Originally I was finding they would record but not play in NPVR but checking more channels I am finding some that wont even record. the file sits at 0k.

I think the other flickering issue I was seeing is codec related though oddly. So makes me think HDHR last FW screwed something but I had both of these exchanged at the same time I started using h.264 so doesn't help.

Some will record and play back fine. Some will randomly let me live watch but might not show a picture but play sound, others will show picture and sound mess up for 10 seconds or so and than work fine. Others wont play anything and freeze npvr

Such a bummer. Anyone else have the HDHR transcode boxes they can test with too?

I've been using the MS DVD decoder but now starting to wonder if maybe something else might be better because of the odd flicker only seen on a few channels.

Everything also plays fine via DLNA and the HDHR apps. I think that all streams via HTTP though? so maybe HTTP is fine but RTP is having issues?

[sub]

I'm sure there will be a good explanation for it, and totally fixable.

Originally I was finding they would record but not play in NPVR but checking more channels I am finding some that wont even record

I'd stick with testing by recording if that is causing issues (since it's a less complicated scenario than live tv).

When you're attempting to record and it wont record, what exactly happens? If you open the HDHR Config utility while it's attempting one of these failed recordings, does it indicate it's got a good signal lock, and does it indicate it's sending data over rtp?

Anyone else have the HDHR transcode boxes they can test with too?

I dont' have only here, but I know others are successfully using them.

[mvallevand]

I have an HDHR Extend and I can use it with the MS h264 decoder as a client, can't play on the backend. From your logs I suggest you change the default audio decoder to AC3 (can't remember the regedit) and see if that helps. Maybe rescan too, I remember one users logs recently and WESH TV broadcasts were going through some changes. Most of my playback is with Kodi and I am really surprised that isn't working, perhaps upload a debug Kodi.log it may explain some stream problems.

Martin

[B-Murda]

I have an HDHR Extend and I can use it with the MS h264 decoder as a client, can't play on the backend. From your logs I suggest you change the default audio decoder to AC3 (can't remember the regedit) and see if that helps. Maybe rescan too, I remember one users logs recently and WESH TV broadcasts were going through some changes. Most of my playback is with Kodi and I am really surprised that isn't working, perhaps upload a debug Kodi.log it may explain some stream problems.

Martin

What do you mean by "can't play on the backend"? You can't play them in NPVR? What plugin do you play with in Kodi, the built-in NPVR client or the other one that's here that is a bit more enhanced but streams different?

No channels in my area have changed and the scan is only about a month old. The same channels all work perfectly fine if I disable transcoding too. Also if it was an audio decoder issue I'd expect a normal picture and no sound?

I generally don't use Kodi to playback though because it doesn't work properly with Comskip due to HDHR timing issues that are amplified in h.264 where NPVR can work.

[mvallevand]

My backend is a 6 year old headless Vista server so if I play it is via VNC or RDP. I use x-newa in Kodi.

Most of my recordings are from an HDPVR to avoid the h264 comskip issue. but my original testing it is bad but a simple remux did fix it. The audio decoder is not only sound it is also sync and that could easily be your 10 second problem.

Martin

[sub]

What do you mean by "can't play on the backend"? You can't play them in NPVR? What plugin do you play with in Kodi, the built-in NPVR client or the other one that's here that is a bit more enhanced but streams different?

There is no reason your recordings shouldn't playback in NextPVR. H.264 video, like that coming from this device, is very common in a pile of countries, including here in New Zealand, so should play fine for you.

If you've got a recording that wont play in NextPVR, I'd be happy to take a look at a sample file.