TrueHD and HD300 - periodic video/audio dropouts..

[Shield]

I pulled down a .mts file encoded with TRUEHD audio. About every 15-20 minutes or so, the video stutters as well as the audio. If I rewind it doesn't do it in the same spots; it's puzzling. Everything is going via HDMI and I have HDMI control turned off on the AVR.

Any ideas? I don't know if there's a way to turn on logging for the HD-300, but I'll read up on here to find out.

I love my HD300...!

[madpoet]

There is a way to log. Are you on the latest beta firmware?

[Shield]

Originally Posted by madpoet

There is a way to log. Are you on the latest beta firmware?

Yep. How do I log?

[Shield]

Can I add the line:
debug_logging=TRUE
to one of the "001d6a4bfxxx.properties" files located in the "Program Files\SageTV\SageTV\clients" folder?

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by Shield

Can I add the line:
debug_logging=TRUE
to one of the "001d6a4bfxxx.properties" files located in the "Program Files\SageTV\SageTV\clients" folder?

No. You enable it through the standalone mode in the Settings. See the FAQ.

Gerry

[Shield]

Originally Posted by gplasky

No. You enable it through the standalone mode in the Settings. See the FAQ.

Gerry

Thanks. I was trying to get away to doing this remotely. I'll set it up and find out what's going on tonight.

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by Shield

Thanks. I was trying to get away to doing this remotely. I'll set it up and find out what's going on tonight.

To enable debug logging on the STP-HD200/300, both for standalone and extender modes: while in standalone mode (not connected to a SageTV server), do the following:
Go to System Information and enter '5309' to enable the secret extras. When enabled, there will be a light blue dot in the upper left corner of the menu.


Go to Settings -> Advanced Setup -> General, and enable Debug Logging. Do not enable REM or any other logging option unless asked to do so or else the logs will be much larger.


Optional, but highly recommended: go to Settings -> Advanced Setup -> Server, and enable Windows File Server. Set the Workgroup and Network names. (This will make it easier to copy the logs from a PC.)


You should go back through the Setup menu to make sure the changes are saved, then do a hard reboot of the system by disconnecting & reconnecting the power cord.


To enable debug logging while using the STP-HD200/300 as an extender, do the following:
Enable debug logging in standalone mode, as described above.


After restarting the STP-HD200/300, connect to a SageTV server to begin extender mode. Then, enable debug logging in Setup -> Detailed Setup -> Advanced.

Gerry

[Shield]

Out of curiousity, where does it write the log files?

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by Shield

Out of curiousity, where does it write the log files?

Debug Log Locations

In standalone mode, the 'messages' miniclient log and 'sagetv_0.txt' debug log files will be created on the STP-HD200/300.

In extender mode, the 'messages' miniclient log will be created on the STP-HD200/300, while the 'sagetv_0.txt' debug log will be created on the SageTV server.


Retrieve the Debug Logs

You will be able to get the logs created on the STP-HD200/300 by either of these methods:
Copy the file using a file browser on a networked PC if the Windows File Server option has been enabled. The 'messages' miniclient log will be located in the TempLogs\log folder. If in standalone mode, you can get the sagetv_0.txt log from the TempLogs folder.


You can telnet into the HD200/300 via something like Putty to access the 'messages' miniclient log in the /tmp/log directory. If in standalone mode, the sagetv_0.txt log will be in the /tmp directory. Log in as 'root' with no password. There are at least a couple ways to get a copy of the log:
Simply use 'cat' to display the file contents in the Putty window and then copy the contents.
Copy the file to an external USB drive -- the external drives are subdirectories in the /tmp/external directory. Then you can move the USB drive back to your PC (type 'sync' in putty before removing the USB drive to make sure the copied file is actually written).

While using the STP-HD200/300 in extender mode, the sagetv_0.txt debug log will be found in the SageTV installation directory.

Just so you know-these two posts ARE part of the FAQ.

Gerry

[Shield]

Originally Posted by gplasky

While using the STP-HD200/300 in extender mode, the sagetv_0.txt debug log will be found in the SageTV installation directory.
Gerry

But there's already a sagetv_0.txt in the Sage install directory; I enabled logging on the server side a long time ago. I am able to access the "\\Hd300\TempLogs\log\sagetv_0.txt" (I am using this in extender mode) but I don't see anything relating to the playback of the file in question. I called my wife this morning and had her play the file.

Thanks,
Shawn

[madpoet]

Are you wired or wireless? You sure it's not network related?

[Shield]

Originally Posted by madpoet

Are you wired or wireless? You sure it's not network related?

Wired. No, the network is fine.

[Shield]

Well, here's what it's doing when it pauses/stutters. I tried another "TRUEHD" encoded file, and it's showing the same symptoms. It happens almost exactly every 10 minutes. It seems as if it's entering this paused mode...

From the messages file from the HD300:

First dropout:

Nov 6 16:20:49 m: d079 v067 a011 stc 1223195 a 1223244 v 1223305 (1223222)
Nov 6 16:20:49 m: d012 v068 a011 stc 1223793 a 1223845 v 1223889 (1223805)
Nov 6 16:20:50 m: d006 v052 a007 stc 1224424 a 1224479 v 1224556 (1224431)
Nov 6 16:20:51 m: d006 v037 a004 stc 1225030 a 1225082 v 1225140 (1225057)
Nov 6 16:20:51 m: d006 v023 a000 stc 1225599 a 1225644 v 1225724 (1225599)
Nov 6 16:20:51 m: HDMI 1 (change 0)
Nov 6 16:20:52 m: d006 v007 a000 stc 1226204 a 0 v 1226308 (1226225)
Nov 6 16:20:52 m: d006 v000 a000 stc 1226720 a 0 v 1226725 (1226725)
Nov 6 16:20:52 m: audio pts is smaller than stc, entering paused mode
Nov 6 16:20:53 m: d006 v000 a000 stc 1226721 a 0 v 1226808 (1226725)
Nov 6 16:20:53 m: leaving paused mode
Nov 6 16:20:54 m: HDMI 1 (change 0)
Nov 6 16:20:55 m: d006 v000 a000 stc 1228485 a 0 v 1227226 (1227226)
Nov 6 16:20:55 m: audio pts is smaller than stc, entering paused mode
Nov 6 16:20:56 m: d006 v000 a000 stc 1228486 a 0 v 1227392 (1227392)
Nov 6 16:20:56 m: leaving paused mode
Nov 6 16:20:56 m: HDMI 1 (change 0)
Nov 6 16:20:59 m: HDMI 1 (change 0)
Nov 6 16:20:59 m: d006 v001 a000 stc 1231576 a 0 v 1227559 (1227559)
Nov 6 16:20:59 m: audio pts is smaller than stc, entering paused mode
Nov 6 16:21:01 m: d006 v000 a000 stc 1231579 a 0 v 1227726 (1227726)
Nov 6 16:21:01 m: leaving paused mode
Nov 6 16:21:01 m: d006 v007 a000 stc 1232086 a 0 v 1228977 (1228977)
Nov 6 16:21:02 m: HDMI 1 (change 0)
Nov 6 16:21:02 m: d006 v008 a000 stc 1232595 a 0 v 1230229 (1230229)
Nov 6 16:21:02 m: d006 v016 a000 stc 1233105 a 0 v 1231480 (1231480)
Nov 6 16:21:03 m: d006 v024 a000 stc 1233613 a 0 v 1232814 (1232773)


2nd dropout:

Nov 6 16:31:05 m: d006 v023 a001 stc 1835320 a 1835363 v 1835416 (1835291)
Nov 6 16:31:05 m: d006 v008 a000 stc 1835949 a 0 v 1836084 (1835917)
Nov 6 16:31:06 m: d006 v000 a000 stc 1836476 a 0 v 1836417 (1836417)
Nov 6 16:31:06 m: audio pts is smaller than stc, entering paused mode
Nov 6 16:31:06 m: d006 v000 a000 stc 1836477 a 0 v 1836584 (1836459)
Nov 6 16:31:06 m: leaving paused mode
Nov 6 16:31:07 m: d006 v001 a000 stc 1836984 a 0 v 1836835 (1836835)
Nov 6 16:31:07 m: audio pts is smaller than stc, entering paused mode
Nov 6 16:31:07 m: HDMI 1 (change 0)
Nov 6 16:31:08 m: d006 v000 a000 stc 1836987 a 0 v 1837001 (1837001)
Nov 6 16:31:08 m: leaving paused mode
Nov 6 16:31:09 m: HDMI 1 (change 0)
Nov 6 16:31:10 m: d006 v001 a000 stc 1838669 a 0 v 1837085 (1837085)
Nov 6 16:31:10 m: audio pts is smaller than stc, entering paused mode
Nov 6 16:31:11 m: d006 v000 a000 stc 1838672 a 0 v 1837252 (1837252)
Nov 6 16:31:11 m: leaving paused mode
Nov 6 16:31:12 m: HDMI 1 (change 0)
Nov 6 16:31:13 m: d006 v000 a000 stc 1840193 a 0 v 1837418 (1837418)
Nov 6 16:31:13 m: audio pts is smaller than stc, entering paused mode
Nov 6 16:31:13 m: d006 v004 a000 stc 1840196 a 0 v 1838586 (1838503)
Nov 6 16:31:13 m: leaving paused mode
Nov 6 16:31:14 m: decode end using pal 0 and obj -1
Nov 6 16:31:14 m: Empty 3 ready to be displayed at 0
Nov 6 16:31:14 m: Empty picture 3 free 3 (pic 82790833 cur 82831680)
Nov 6 16:31:14 m: d006 v001 a000 stc 1840709 a 0 v 1839754 (1839754)
Nov 6 16:31:14 m: audio pts is smaller than stc, entering paused mode
Nov 6 16:31:14 m: decode end using pal 0 and obj 15
Nov 6 16:31:14 m: Empty 3 ready to be displayed at 0
Nov 6 16:31:14 m: Empty picture 3 free 3 (pic 82798340 cur 82832040)
Nov 6 16:31:14 m: d006 v003 a000 stc 1840712 a 0 v 1840839 (1840713)

[Shield]

Well it's been a fun evening of troubleshooting. Tried to playback the 20GB file in stand alone mode, and it just hung trying to play it back. So I added some import directories (still in stand alone mode) and then was able to play it back ok.
Still had the dropout problem, so that at least isolated my Sage Server configuration. Tried playing it back on the HD-200, still the problem exists.

So, the only thing that is the same - my Yamaha RX-V2065 receiver, and source file server for the file. Next step is moving it to a different server completely and testing it.

I did notice that I had "jumbo frames" enabled on the NIC for the main Sage server; I have since disabled it.

I will report back. I can only watch Wizard of Oz so many times for testing!

[Shield]

Problem solved - flaky network card on the Sage server. It didn't have any problems until the files were above 15GB or so, which is why I never noticed this problem in the past.

So the HD300 was NOT causing the dropouts. Good call on whomever suggested the network....

[Shield]

Actually it was still doing it even with a new NIC.

It was in fact the disk drives on the Sage Server. Hitachi 1TB drives in a Raid5 array on an Adaptec 31205 controller.

The four 2 TB Samsungs on the other channel played back fine.

All is well now.