Two 6.3.x issues - odd

[pseudonym]

Just installed 6.3.2 today. A couple of things to report:

1. I experience intermittent loss of video signal when watching a previously-recorded show (whether SageTV is currently recording or not). This happened with 6.3.1 also. It has never happened with 6.2.10.

I have reported this to support. But I am mentioning this in case anyone else is experiencing this? I am using the current drivers with my video card but have rolled back to two different previous versions, no joy. MSI RX2600XT 512 (Radeon HD2600).

I can and have re-installed 6.2.10 after putting up 6.3.1 or 6.3.2 and don't experience the problem after going back to 6.2.10 version.

When the video signal drops out (it's just as if power was shut off to output signal), the machine is still running in all other respects -- I can still hear the sound of the program I was watching, Sage will record any scheduled programs, I can access shared drives across the network, etc. etc.. But I can't remote desktop or VNC in to the box because there is no video. Since I can't see the screen display, there really isn't anything else I can do except reboot. Which is a shame because everything else is still running.


2. Watching previously recorded show in 6.3.2, click "pause", then "play" -- video barely moves then freezes, no sound -- can click pause/play but video playback will not resume. Have to click "stop", then choose "watch" to resume video playback. Consistent on every pre-recorded show, every time. (I haven't tried watching live tv and pausing/resuming playback, so I don't know if that one has the issue too.)


Is anyone else experiencing either one of these situations?

Thanks and regards,
--pseudonym

[pseudonym]

Originally Posted by pseudonym

2. Watching previously recorded show in 6.3.2, click "pause", then "play" -- video barely moves then freezes, no sound -- can click pause/play but video playback will not resume. Have to click "stop", then choose "watch" to resume video playback. Consistent on every pre-recorded show, every time. (I haven't tried watching live tv and pausing/resuming playback, so I don't know if that one has the issue too.)

Please ignore item #2. I found the problem for that one. It is the sound card and/or drivers I was using. I switched to another sound card and do not experience this with the other card.

[Conejo]

Originally Posted by pseudonym

I can and have re-installed 6.2.10 after putting up 6.3.1 or 6.3.2 and don't experience the problem after going back to 6.2.10 version.

When the video signal drops out (it's just as if power was shut off to output signal), the machine is still running in all other respects -- I can still hear the sound of the program I was watching, Sage will record any scheduled programs, I can access shared drives across the network, etc. etc.. But I can't remote desktop or VNC in to the box because there is no video. Since I can't see the screen display, there really isn't anything else I can do except reboot. Which is a shame because everything else is still running.

You *might* want to set 'Use Full Screen Exclusive Mode' = NO in SageTV Detailed Setup/Advanced. It might be what's preventing the 'mirror' or 'hook' video drivers from seeing any video in your remote access software. At least then you'd be able to remote in and shut down the program smoothly. Windows rarely likes to be yanked off life support by having the plug pulled.

Also, could you please put your SageTV setup in your Forum Signature or Profile so we know what components your working with? From other posts, it looks like your using SageTV, possibly with custom STVs, and SageTV Client?

[pseudonym]

Thanks very much for reply!

Windows rarely likes to be yanked off life support by having the plug pulled.

Fortunately the machine is otherwise running fine, the absence of a video output seems to be the only issue. Blindly I do CTRL-ALT-DELETE, Alt-S, R, and <enter> to do a restart and hope that all apps close gracefully!

I just double-checked, Use Full Screen Exclusive Mode is already set to "no" as reported by by Setup -> Detailed Setup -> Advanced. I think this is the default? As I have not intentionally altered this value.

I am fairly certain the video card is no longer outputting any signal. My monitor otherwise reports "no signal" when the PC is powered off or the video cable is unplugged. Now it also reports "no signal" when the display goes 'black' while watching recordings made by and using SageTV.

The loss of video signal only happens with Sage 6.3.x versions and no other programs or versions (knock on wood). Have done much playback with Sage 6.2.10 and not seen this issue. I can watch the same .mpg files with Winamp, Windows Media Player, and VLC and also have not lost the video signal.

RE: Sage program type. I believe I am using SageTV Media Center. It is not running as a service. I am not running any kind of Sage server software so I am guessing there is no 'client'. Just the one program labeled "SageTV" sitting in the system tray of the PC. (I am a little confused as to correct name, there seems to be some inconsistency when referring to what I think is the same program... SageTV Media Center Edition, SageTV, SageMC. Or are these different programs? Unsure.)

The link I click on to download the betas is below the line "SageTV for Windows" in the beta release thread.

I am running WinXP Pro SP2 plus all postfixes except WMP 11.

I am not running any Sage customizations for the tests of the betas. I backup my entire Sage installation directory, run uninstall on 6.2.10, delete everything in the installation directories except wiz.bin, use CCleaner to clean registry of orphaned entries, and reboot. Then I install the 6.3.x beta for testing.

To revert I backup wiz.bin, uninstall the 6.3.x version, delete the Sage installation directory contents, restore my backup copy of Sage installation directory contents, restore newest wiz.bin, then install 6.2.10 again.

One thing, I did activate the 'hidden extra goodies' in each version of of 6.3.x I have tested, as I am using those features in my 6.2.10 version.

Is there any other info I can provide that would be helpful?

Thanks and regards,
--pseudonym

[Narflex]

Submit a bug report to http://sagetv.com/bugs.html so we can get a log file from you.

[Conejo]

Originally Posted by pseudonym

RE: Sage program type. I believe I am using SageTV Media Center. It is not running as a service. I am not running any kind of Sage server software so I am guessing there is no 'client'. Just the one program labeled "SageTV" sitting in the system tray of the PC. (I am a little confused as to correct name, there seems to be some inconsistency when referring to what I think is the same program... SageTV Media Center Edition, SageTV, SageMC. Or are these different programs? Unsure.)

The forum is a little 'fast and loose' with the product titles. And, yes, sometimes it's hard to follow what people are talking about when just the 'shorthand' name is used.

[EDIT] I 'knew' I should have looked before I typed. I blame this on my not liking the 'Media Center' moniker on any products ...it drives me up the wall. Given GKusnick's admonitions in the next post, I'm editing this post so I can stop feeling bad. This post was meant to be helpful in separating the shorthand but I seem to have failed. I'll know not to do this 'next time'.

Sage = any SageTV LLC product (formally Frey Technologies)
SageTV = 'SageTV Media Center' (not to be confused with 'Media Center Edition', as I already did), or could refer to just the main GUI on any SageTV device.
SageTV server = 'SageTV Media Center' used with 'clients': (SageTV Client, Sage MVP extender, Placeshifter, web interface, etc)
SageMC = the member-written STV: 'SageMC 16x9'

Also, 'SageTV Media Center' is also referred to as 'Sage Server' or 'SageTV Server' since it has 'server' functions build in and is usually the main location from which recordings are stored and streamed and where the encoder hardware normally sits, as opposed to 'clients' that only have the GUI and request files to be streamed to them.

--

It sounds like the SageTV player in the beta version isn't playing nice with your video driver. You might want to try downloading the latest driver version for your video hardware. Then again, technical support might have other plans for you.

[GKusnick]

If you want the official product names, your best bet is to check the download page or the SageTV Store. Note that there is no "SageTV MCE" or "SageTV Media Center Edition"; the actual product name is "SageTV Media Center".

In the same vein, there are no "Frey" products (anymore). The name of the company is SageTV LLC.

[pseudonym]

Originally Posted by Narflex

Submit a bug report to http://sagetv.com/bugs.html so we can get a log file from you.

Thanks very much, I have already opened a report and George has been looking at it with me. No clues so far, he suspected video driver but I am already using the current one. I tried two revisions back as well (as I wrote in my first post in this thread), no joy.

What is odd is that I don't have the video signal loss problem with 6.2.10? Today I watched recorded shows (with 6.2.10) pretty much non-stop for 4 hours and no problems with video signal or anything else. I haven't gone more than 10 minutes before losing the signal, with the 6.3.x betas.

Thanks and regards,
--pseudonym

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by pseudonym

Thanks very much, I have already opened a report and George has been looking at it with me.

Just in case that meant you aren't planning to submit a bug report: submit one. My understanding is that support is geared towards solving issues with a release version, while a bug report goes to someone working on the new beta, so potential bugs in the beta can get checked out.

- Andy

[bialio]

Originally Posted by pseudonym

What is odd is that I don't have the video signal loss problem with 6.2.10? Today I watched recorded shows (with 6.2.10) pretty much non-stop for 4 hours and no problems with video signal or anything else. I haven't gone more than 10 minutes before losing the signal, with the 6.3.x betas.
--pseudonym

Are you using the SageTV MPEG2 Decoder (Detailed Setup -> Video/Audio -> MPEG2 Video Decoder Filter) by any chance? That seems to have changed some from 6.2.10 to 6.3.x - could be the culprit.

btl.

[pseudonym]

Originally Posted by Opus4

Just in case that meant you aren't planning to submit a bug report: submit one. My understanding is that support is geared towards solving issues with a release version, while a bug report goes to someone working on the new beta, so potential bugs in the beta can get checked out.

- Andy

Andy, thanks, yes that is how I should have handled this one. I had already submitted to support for current 6.2.10 release on my other issue (VRM7 not showing background colors) and I mentioned in that report it was suggested (by you, I think) to try the beta and see if the problem was still there. As I could not finish 6.3.1 setup (it wouldn't recognize my tuners) I mentioned this in my report as well.

Bottom line, George responded to my request for support and worked both issues with me. When 6.3.2 came out, we got that one installed.

THIS issue (video signal drop out on playback) is now resolved as well thanks to George. There is a new setup option to use DXVA hardware acceleration, which is a new feature in 6.3 version. This option defaults to "yes" on install. Turning that off took care of my video problem.

George advised me, "Starting in version 6.3 the SageTV decoder was
given DXVA capapbilities. Currently there are some issues with it and we put
that option in there for people that have issues with it."

So if anyone else is experiencing odd video problems during playback, you might turn this off in setup options and see if that is your issue as well.

Thanks to all for help.
--pseudonym

[bialio]

So it WAS the SageTV Decoder! HAZA. I think most people use NVIDIA or Cyberlinks decoder, so that's probably why more people aren't running into this problem.

btl.