Replaced dead HD-PVR...now nothing but trouble

[bigasssuperstar]

I can't get my HD-PVR to run live TV under 4.9.2. I'm getting the ""Sorry, but we were not able to start viewing live tv. The tv feed may be disconnected or tuned to an invalid channel...." error.

I've been going fine [HD-PVR regular flakiness aside] for two and a half years. Box finally died, so I got a new one. F2 model.

Straight swap didn't work. Troubleshooting didn't fix it. So, here's what I've tried.

- all cables are verified to be plugged in properly
- setup wizard works great at every step except channel-changing test -- channel.exe works fine, the registry entry for parameters is fine, BTV even changes the channel fine when I go to watch something from the program guide
- I'll say that again: audio is fine in setup wizard, video is fine, but channel-change test doesn't go
- to be sure it wasn't the lineup, I've deleted and rebuilt the lineup through snapstream.net, allowed guide to repopulate
- even tried building new lineup in setup wizard
- tried fresh drivers; tried reinstalling the Timmmoore STB stuff too
- yes, i'm tuning to channels that exist and are subscribed to
- yes, I've ordered the tuners properly in web admin - QAM, then Analog, (from my 2250), then HD-PVR
- I've ensured my default folder does not have its permissions locked to read-only
- I've ensured my antivirus is excluding my recording folder and the BTV folder recommended at the end of the setup wizard

Here's the process leading to the problem:
- start BTV viewscape
- go to program guide
- pick a channel that'd use the HD-PVR
- select a show to watch
- BTV (via timmmoore firewire STB) changes STB channel correctly
- HD-PVR bling light comes on
- BTV pauses....then gives me the "Sorry...." error
- selecting either yes or no takes me back to the EPG

[Steve-o]

Questions:

• You said BTV version 4.9.2. Is that the same version you had when your old HD-PVR was working?
• I think you said that BTV WILL correctly change the channel even though the channel change test doesn't work...is that right?
• Have you tried making a recording without watching it live, then watching it after it finishes?

This may not be a channel-changing issue at all. I had the same problem but it's something to do with the codecs not being able to play a show while it's recording. I had to use different codecs to get it to work. So try to record a show and watch it after it's finished, let us know if that works, and we'll go from there.

[bigasssuperstar]

Thanks for the reply, Steve-o.
[*]You said BTV version 4.9.2. Is that the same version you had when your old HD-PVR was working?

Correct. I tried 4.9.3 when it came out, but was soured when the Setup Wizard wouldn't work with the HD-PVR -- an acknowledged bug that Snapstream decided never to fix.
[*]I think you said that BTV WILL correctly change the channel even though the channel change test doesn't work...is that right?

Correct.
[*]Have you tried making a recording without watching it live, then watching it after it finishes?

I have, and that works. Scheduling a recording and watching it later works just fine.

[Steve-o]

OK, well that really sounds to me like the same codec issue I had, which is documented in excruciating detail in the "Corrupt File" thread. I have NO idea why this is happening, but here it is:

On my BTV Server (Windows XP SP3): I get the "Cannot play Live TV" error on H.264 recordings with the Snapstream codec AND the ArcSoft codec. If I start a recording, instead of Live TV, and then try to begin playing it while it's still recording, the error changes to "File Missing or Corrupt." But I CAN play H.264 recordings which are not in-progress just fine with either codec. The only way I could get Live TV to work was to download, install, register and select the CoreAVC codec, which costs $12. That solved both problems.

Interestingly, on both my Link clients (Win7), I cannot play Live TV or in-progress recordings with the Snapstream codec, but I CAN with the ArcSoft codec.

This could be a graphics card driver compatibility issue, but, now that I know you began to have this problem after upgrading to a later-generation HD-PVR, I suspect it's related to the firmware on the device. Your only answer may be to get the CoreAVC codec. That's the only thing that worked for me. I only use it for Live TV, because its quality isn't quite as good as ArcSoft's. Also, I read somewhere that ArcSoft's codec needs to be selected in BTV settings for SmartChapters to work, so make sure you switch it back after viewing Live TV if you use SmartChapters.

[bigasssuperstar]

Great tip. That did it.

I flipped over to CoreAVC for Viewscape playback and was able to play live TV from the program guide.

Baffling, and makes no sense....but it worked.

Thanks for the speedy fix!

[Steve-o]

My pleasure. This forum has solved many problems for me over the years; I would have stopped using Beyond TV years ago without it. I'm glad to be able to give back.

[NickHark]

The OP didn't mention that he ran the Hauppauge utility HWClear which removes all references to Hauppauge in the registry. I think this may be the problem because the registry may be pointing to the old HD-PVR when he tries to utilize the installed codecs.

I have had had similar quirks until cleaning out the hauppauge references.

[bigasssuperstar]

Good point there. That didn't occur to me. I'm always reluctant to run the clear program, as I have a 2250 that I'd rather not have to reinstall along with it... but if I find further problems, I'll definitely come back to that option. Thanks!

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by NickHark

The OP didn't mention that he ran the Hauppauge utility HWClear which removes all references to Hauppauge in the registry. I think this may be the problem because the registry may be pointing to the old HD-PVR when he tries to utilize the installed codecs.

I have had had similar quirks until cleaning out the hauppauge references.

That would seem to make sense, but I'm going to say I don't think so because I had exactly the same problems after setting up a new HD-PVR on a system that had never had one before.

[mapleleaf]

Steve-o, how is your CoreAVC configured? I am having different issue. I have installed CoreAVC in hope of getting better playback performance.
I do download a number of TV shows in mp4.
If I set BeyondTV to use CoreAVC as my preferred H.264 decoder it plays video files show-squeezed by BeyondTV just fine but crashes BeyondTV when trying to playback downloaded shows. Switching back to Snapstream decoder will play any file OK.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by mapleleaf

Steve-o, how is your CoreAVC configured? I am having different issue. I have installed CoreAVC in hope of getting better playback performance.
I do download a number of TV shows in mp4.
If I set BeyondTV to use CoreAVC as my preferred H.264 decoder it plays video files show-squeezed by BeyondTV just fine but crashes BeyondTV when trying to playback downloaded shows. Switching back to Snapstream decoder will play any file OK.

Interesting. My CoreAVC has default configuration. As far as I have been able to tell, changing settings in the CoreAVC interface doesn't seem to have any effect with BTV. I haven't tried to play any downloaded shows. It may be a case where we just have to accept having to use different codecs for different purposes.