Partial Recordings

[jcjefferies]

Recently over two evenings NextPVR only recorded the last 15 minutes of an hour long programme in a particular time slot when it woke to make a later recording. Fortunately on both occasions I happened to see the computer wake and realised it should already be recording, because afterwards NextPVR does not warn about a problem with the recording.

At first sight looking at the System log the computer seems to wake to make the recording then immediately sleeps again which I remember others have seen. However on closer examination of some of the entries I think something slightly different is happening

Previous programme end 18:30 + 3 min padding + 5 min to sleep. Then 20 minute later hibernation. Recording of the next programme should start at 18:57.

18:37:04 System is entering sleep

18:57:29 The system has resumed from sleep
Sleep time 18:57:26
Wake Time 18:57:23

If the “The system has resumed from sleep” entry was a log of the computer waking to make a recording then “Sleep time” would have been listed as 18:37:04. Instead I think it is the log of the computer going from “Sleep” to “Hibernation”. I know from experience with my desktop computer that if you want to use the computer after it starts to go into hibernation there is nothing you can do to get back the use of the computer until the process finishes. Unfortunately I think any Wake command to start a recording in that minute or so time period will also be lost.

The same pattern of recordings has been going on for 2-3 weeks but only 2 were missed so perhaps something such as the time it takes to boot or hibernate has changed slightly. For now my computer goes straight to hibernation so should stop this particular problem but may later cause a problem with a different set of recording times.

[sub]

The app has no knowledge of when you're going to ask the machine to go to sleep, or when your machine will auto-sleep. All it does is asks windows to be awake at the time each recording is due to start. If your description of events is correct, then it sounds like Window's hasn't lived up to it's end of the bargain. There is nothing the app could do about it though - you'd probably have to adjust the time before your machine would auto-sleep to make it less likely, or set it to use standby not hibernate.

[mikeh49]

If you're on Win7, I'd suggest Sleep rather than Hibernate. Sleep has been much more reliable for me, especially on newer MB's. In addition, I would not be surprised if having both Sleep and Hibernate set might confuse Windows. Seven seems to be focused on Sleep, Hibernate is buried pretty deep in the Power Options/Plan Settings menu system. I'd look at the advanced settings there to see if there might be something that could confuse it.

If you're on XP, Hibernate was always better for me.

Bottom line, I'd recommend have only Hibernate or Sleep enabled, not both. I'm not sure you do, but it sounds like that could be an issue from your description.

[pcostanza]

I agree with mikeh49 to stick with sleep. Not sure if you've tried it yet but MCE Standby has helped many people with sleep and wake problems.
And, sometimes just a BIOS update is enough along with checking if you BIOS will allow S3 which is supposed to be better.

[jcjefferies]

I have been using "Sleep" for over a year first on XP then on Vista from about 6 months ago and only just started using "Hibernate" in the last few weeks as a trial but am now back to using "Sleep". The point I was making is that while the computer is in the process of going into Hibernation any Wakeup signals to start a recording will be lost. Some months ago when still using "Sleep", on several occasions I saw logs where the computer had gone to sleep instead performing an overnight reboot at 02:30. It appeared that Windows sometimes ran something at that time which similarly prevented scheduled events running.

[AlanC]

doesn't NPVR do something to stop the machine sleeping when it is recording? It seems to stop the screen blanking when showing a video.

[sub]

Yes, it'll stop a machine going to sleep while it's recording. The OP example didnt get as far as actually being awake to start the recording though.

[AlanC]

I find it difficult to tell when the computer has been to sleep. Attached is text copy of Windows logs (sorry) suggesting the machine woke up and started recording Holby city OK. The NRecord log says that it resumed just before I looked at it and the windows application log shows NPVR reporting resumptions. The recording was 5min and 47 seconds long. Have now installed MCE standby to get a log of the sleeps.

[jcjefferies]

The computer was obviously awake 2 minutes before the start of the programme and it is the System log which would have details of when and possibly why it went to sleep. The log is still there and will be for some days or weeks if you have a search back.

[AlanC]

As you can see, there is nothing in the Windows system log. In fact there is a gap between 19:56 and 20:25, when Windows suddenly announces that two services have entered the running state. NRecord announces that the system starts sleeping at 19:10 and resumes at 19:56. It then sees a resumption at 20:25 but there is no other evidence of a sleep. Maybe Windows was just taking a nap. MCE Standby tells me there is S1, S2, S3 and S4 available. I have now told it to do S3 and its log matches up with the system's "Power-Troubleshooter" events. NRecord however has logged at least one extra resumption message, this time right after a documented one. Maybe that's caused by MCE Standby.....