short files and audio sync issues: tv402u

[mian]

I posted this first at the divx encoders forum.

I've already mentioned that my Divx files sometimes encode only some of the video while encoding all of the audio--although I haven't had that issue recently. Perhaps the driver upgrade/XP SP2 upgrade, GBPVR upgrade addressed that somehow.

Shortly after that report, some of my mpeg (and I just noticed a few avi files) recordings started coming up short. Sometimes 10 minutes short, sometimes it would cut off right after it starts. I have been nearby before, and the 'ready to record' light will shut off before the recording is finished in those instances, but the log files don't indicate that the recording didn't finish.

Here's a gbpvr recording service log from a CSI NY episode that only has 9minutes and 39 seconds recorded:

Code:

9/7/2005 9:00:01 PM.954    INFO    [23]    Found new programme requiring recording: CSI: NY
9/7/2005 9:00:01 PM.954    VERBOSE    [23]    Changing to channel (GBPVR.Backend.Common.NullTunerController): 10
9/7/2005 9:00:01 PM.954    VERBOSE    [23]    Requesting IRecordingSource to start recording: R:\tv\CSI NY\CSI NY_20050907_21002200.mpg
9/7/2005 9:00:01 PM.964    VERBOSE    [23]    Go7007RecordingSource about to start recording  oid:2 channel:10
9/7/2005 9:00:02 PM.364    VERBOSE    [23]    Programme is now recording
9/7/2005 9:00:02 PM.364    VERBOSE    [23]    RecordingFactory.save()
9/7/2005 9:00:02 PM.374    VERBOSE    [23]    Save(): Updated existing scheduled recording
9/7/2005 10:00:00 PM.088    VERBOSE    [23]    Recording has passed endtime+padding. Stopping.
9/7/2005 10:00:00 PM.088    VERBOSE    [23]    Stopping recording oid:2
9/7/2005 10:00:00 PM.689    VERBOSE    [23]    Adding R:\tv\CSI NY\CSI NY_20050907_21002200.avi to commercial detection queue
9/7/2005 10:00:00 PM.689    VERBOSE    [23]    RecordingStatus is now RecordingStatus.RECORDING_COMPETED
9/7/2005 10:00:00 PM.689    VERBOSE    [23]    RecordingFactory.save()
9/7/2005 10:00:00 PM.689    VERBOSE    [23]    getDatabaseConnection() creating new connection
9/7/2005 10:00:00 PM.699    VERBOSE    [23]    Save(): Updated existing scheduled recording
9/7/2005 10:00:00 PM.729    VERBOSE    [23]    RecordingFactory.loadSchedule()
9/7/2005 10:00:00 PM.729    VERBOSE    [23]    getDatabaseConnection() creating new connection
9/7/2005 10:00:00 PM.739    VERBOSE    [23]    checking pending recordings

To me it looks as though it finished, but again, length is 9:39. Other files have cut off only a few minutes, or just after the recording began.

Now, on some (not every) MPEG recordings that do finish, the audio is coming up out of sync (this has not happened to a divx file yet). On the divx forum, someone claimed that syncing issues were the purvue of the software. I'm not sure if that's true or not, is it?

I have XP Pro, SP2, a Pentium M Dothan 715E laptop with 512mb of RAM and no particular drain on it's resources. I'm using GBPVR v09310, and I recently updated to the most recent driver for my TV402U from Plextor's site.

Do any of these issues sound familiar? My searches only revealed someone else who was having trouble with recordings ending early that seemed to solve it by going back to v.91.05. Is there an archive of older versions of gbpvr so that I could try that?

[sub]

Shortly after that report, some of my mpeg (and I just noticed a few avi files) recordings started coming up short. Sometimes 10 minutes short, sometimes it would cut off right after it starts. I have been nearby before, and the 'ready to record' light will shut off before the recording is finished in those instances, but the log files don't indicate that the recording didn't finish.

Sounds like buggy drivers or something to me. GB-PVR tells the Plextor software to start recording, then doesnt interact with again until its time to tell it to stop recording. If its stopping somewhere in between, then the Plextor software is not doing its thing.

Now, on some (not every) MPEG recordings that do finish, the audio is coming up out of sync (this has not happened to a divx file yet). On the divx forum, someone claimed that syncing issues were the purvue of the software. I'm not sure if that's true or not, is it?

GB-PVR doesnt do the playback itself, it relies on decoders already on you machine (MPEG2 decoder, divx decoder etc). All I can suggest is try installing some different decoders and hopefully you'll find a combination that works for you.

[mian]

GB-PVR doesnt do the playback itself, it relies on decoders already on you machine (MPEG2 decoder, divx decoder etc). All I can suggest is try installing some different decoders and hopefully you'll find a combination that works for you.

The issue isn't in the decoding. The files are encoded out of sync. My card does the encoding on hardware, this much I know, but since I'm not too familiar with the ins and outs, I thought I should check and see if there's any involvement on GB-PVR's part in say putting the encoded audio and video together...

Also, just so I know, is there an archive of older gb-pvr builds?

[sub]

I thought I should check and see if there's any involvement on GB-PVR's part in say putting the encoded audio and video together...

Much like GB-PVR doesnt do the playback itself, when recording it just reuses components that came with your Plextor device. Specifically, the intervideo mux filter that came with your Plextor software is responsible for combining the audio and video any associated synchronisation of these during the recording process.

Also, just so I know, is there an archive of older gb-pvr builds?

No. I prefer people dont run old versions.

[mian]

Thanks for the help sub, that gives me a good starting point. I'm off to figure out what a mux filter is and whether I can find a better one.

Also, you probably don't hear this enough, good work on the Program. It's an impressive achievement for a free time project. Actually, it's an impressive achievment period. Thanks.

[mian]

Opps. It appears that I was supposed to have winDVD creator installed. :o

The only reason GB-PVR requires WinDVD Creator to be installed, is because the hardware on the GO7007SB devices produce PCM audio, which is less than desirable and not compatible with the MPEG standard. These WinDVD Creator components are used to “on-the-fly-encode” the audio to MPEG1 Layer II audio, and to mux it back into the MPEG file. There are alternatives to the WinDVD components, as some of the GO7007SB ship with different software which performs the same task. For example, the LifeView TVWalker ships with the HT components.

I was reading up on muxing, and found this in the wiki. Is it still relevant, or does it pertain to old hardware/earlier versions of gbpvr? Now that that's fixed, might it solve the audio sync problem? What might gbpvr have been using in lieu of winDVD's spare parts, and how do I find out? Is there any way not having it installed might have a relation to the aborted programs?

The sync problem was intermittent, so I can't really test it, I'll just have to wait and see.

[sub]

Yes, you still have to have the WinDVD Creator installed.

Now that that's fixed, might it solve the audio sync problem?

Maybe. I dont how anything would have been working without WinDVD Creator installed. GB-PVR uses the Intervideo audio encoder and Intervideo MPEG mux.

Just install it and see how you get on.