HD-300 occasional choppy / unwatchable, and worse

[loonsailor]

My HD300 will sometimes go into a mode where it unwatchable. Shows (recorded with HD-PVR or HDHR) keep pausing for 1-3 seconds, sound stutters, etc. Occasionally a "soft" power cycle will fix it (power off-on from the remote) but usually not. Sometimes, the box looks like it's power cycling - the led goes from red to blue and back - but the image on the screen persists! Sometimes, a hard power cycle (pull the plug for a few seconds) fixes it. But usually, it requires a hard reset and a reboot of the server!

I've never seen this happen with either of my hd-200s.

It is running the latest beta firmware. Several times it's had problems with updates, where it updates very slowly and even has frozen and needed to be power cycled during the upgrads So, it's possible something somewhere - the firmware or a config file on the server - is corrupt.

Any suggestions? Is there any way to do a full reset, including server config files?

Thanks, in advance, for any help.

[fidget]

When you see this prolem on your 300, do you also see it on your 200's? I am trying to figure out if the problem is in the server or extender.

[loonsailor]

No, I've never seen it on the hd-200's. In fact, a couple of times I've gotten so frustrated that I went and got an hd-200 from another room and swapped it in to the TV that I wanted to watch - same network port, same TV.

[fidget]

I wasn't asking about same network port, I meant from a different TV while your HD-300 was having problems.

Do you have Native Output Resolution Switching enabled (I assume that you do, so the rest of this is moot)? I have had times where the HD-200 (but never the 300) does not sync correctly with my TV and it causes strange behaviors (but not what you are seeing). What resolution are you using to record the HD-PVR video and what are you playing it back as (assuming you have resolution switching disabled)?

If you have debug logging turned on (Detailed Setup->Advanced->Debug Logging), connect to your server PC and look at the sagetv_0.txt file while it is happening. You will need to send that with your bug report. You can also enable the logs in the HD-300 (http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...671#post375671), and you will want to send that as well.

[loonsailor]

I'm not sure about resolution switching but I'm pretty sure the problem is not TV sync-related. My daughter was watching an hd-200 at the time, with no problems.

Right now, the hd-300 isn't plugged in because I got frustrated with it and swapped in an hd-200. I'll put it back tomorrow, check it's logging and wait till it fails again.

In the mean time, I found this in sagetv_1.txt. Seems anomalous. It's followed by thousands more lines of the same stuff. Mean anything to you?

Fri 12/31 17:37:19.292 [MiniUIServer@11842b0] Dropping old MiniPlayer connection because it's old from:0023a5000655
Fri 12/31 17:37:31.310 [MiniUIServerConnection@167ae90] MiniPlayer is adding to its map:0023a5000655
Fri 12/31 17:38:11.308 [MiniUIServer@11842b0] Dropping old MiniPlayer connection because it's old from:0023a5000655
Fri 12/31 17:38:14.518 [MiniUIServerConnection@167ae90] MiniPlayer is adding to its map:0023a5000655
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.352 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] MiniUI client error9:java.io.IOException: Broken pipe
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.354 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] java.io.IOException: Broken pipe
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.354 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.FileDispatcher.write0(Native Method)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.354 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.SocketDispatcher.write(SocketDispatcher.java:47)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.354 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.IOUtil.writeFromNativeBuffer(IOUtil.java:122)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.354 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.IOUtil.write(IOUtil.java:93)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.354 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.SocketChannelImpl.write(SocketChannelImpl.java:352)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.354 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.o(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.354 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.if(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.354 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.a(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.355 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.a(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.355 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.do(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.355 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.if(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.355 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bs.a(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.355 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bs.new(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.355 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bs$1.run(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.355 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] MiniUI client error9:java.io.IOException: Broken pipe
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.355 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] java.io.IOException: Broken pipe
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.355 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.FileDispatcher.write0(Native Method)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.355 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.SocketDispatcher.write(SocketDispatcher.java:47)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.356 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.IOUtil.writeFromNativeBuffer(IOUtil.java:122)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.356 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.IOUtil.write(IOUtil.java:93)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.356 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.SocketChannelImpl.write(SocketChannelImpl.java:352)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.356 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.o(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.356 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.if(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.356 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.a(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.356 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.a(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.356 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.do(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.356 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.if(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.356 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bs.a(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.356 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bs.new(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.357 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bs$1.run(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.357 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] MiniUI client error9:java.io.IOException: Broken pipe
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.357 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] java.io.IOException: Broken pipe
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.357 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.FileDispatcher.write0(Native Method)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.357 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.SocketDispatcher.write(SocketDispatcher.java:47)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.357 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.IOUtil.writeFromNativeBuffer(IOUtil.java:122)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.357 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.IOUtil.write(IOUtil.java:93)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.357 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.SocketChannelImpl.write(SocketChannelImpl.java:352)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.357 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.o(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.357 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.if(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.358 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.a(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.358 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.a(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.358 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.do(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.358 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.if(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.358 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bs.a(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.358 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bs.new(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.358 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bs$1.run(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.358 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] MiniUI client error9:java.io.IOException: Broken pipe
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.358 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] java.io.IOException: Broken pipe
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.358 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.FileDispatcher.write0(Native Method)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.358 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.SocketDispatcher.write(SocketDispatcher.java:47)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.359 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.IOUtil.writeFromNativeBuffer(IOUtil.java:122)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.359 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.IOUtil.write(IOUtil.java:93)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.359 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.SocketChannelImpl.write(SocketChannelImpl.java:352)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.359 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.o(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.359 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.if(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.359 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.a(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.359 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.a(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.359 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.do(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.359 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.if(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.359 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bs.a(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.359 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bs.new(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.360 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bs$1.run(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.360 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] MiniUI client error9:java.io.IOException: Broken pipe
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.360 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] java.io.IOException: Broken pipe
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.360 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.FileDispatcher.write0(Native Method)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.360 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.SocketDispatcher.write(SocketDispatcher.java:47)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.360 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.IOUtil.writeFromNativeBuffer(IOUtil.java:122)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.360 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.IOUtil.write(IOUtil.java:93)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.360 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sun.nio.ch.SocketChannelImpl.write(SocketChannelImpl.java:352)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.360 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.o(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.360 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.if(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.361 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.a(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.361 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.a(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.361 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.do(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.361 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bp.if(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.361 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bs.a(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.361 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bs.new(Unknown Source)
Fri 12/31 17:38:42.361 [FinalRender-0023a5000655@52f71e] sage.bs$1.run(Unknown Source)

[fidget]

What you need to do is correlate that data with when you have the problem on the HD-300. That way the Sage people will know what to look for in the log.

[loonsailor]

Thanks for the advice. I've plugged my hd300 back in and it's working fine now. I've turned logging on. When it fails again - and it will - I'll have buckets of data to provide.

[rrhorer]

Could you be having a Java heap problem? My memory requirements increased with the HD 300; and, until I increased the Java heap to 1G, I was experiencing a "build-up" to erratic behavior as the memory slowly depleted.

[bjkiller]

rrhorer,

how did you configure 1Gb heap?
do you run 64bit windows 7 version?

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by loonsailor

No, I've never seen it on the hd-200's. In fact, a couple of times I've gotten so frustrated that I went and got an hd-200 from another room and swapped it in to the TV that I wanted to watch - same network port, same TV.

I got a HD300 for xmas and on xmas morning I swapped my hd200 with the hd300 and it was unusable. The menus were sluggish, videos with sutter, etc, but yet the hd200 at the same location was fine. I ended up for xmas day putting the hd200 back, so that we could watch movies.

Turns out I had a bad port on the switch, that was only noticable using the hd300, for some reason. I tried the hd300 at another location and I was blown away by how smooth the UI was.

Someone suggested to me that I look at the networking, so I ended up using another port on the router and it's been fine in my main area. I hooked up the HD200 in another location and I was impressed by how much more responsive it was as well. I used to have issues, even on the hd200, where 30 second skip on HD recordings would introduce a small lag of only about 200ms, but it was enough that when you were skipping 5 or 6 times it would feel really sluggish, you'd overskip, etc. Now, after changing the networking, it's super smooth on both the hd200 and the hd300.

I used the hd200 for a year on a network port that was bad, and it was usable, with some minor annoyances, but it never occurred to me that it could be the network, and I just thought it was normal. I can't explain why the hd300 on the same port was unusable, but I'm glad it was, because it forced me to examine the network, which was the root cause

EDIT: FYI, I run a heap of 784mb, and routinely have 2-3 extenders/placeshifters running at the same time.

[rrhorer]

Originally Posted by bjkiller

how did you configure 1Gb heap?
do you run 64bit windows 7 version?

It is a registry entry. A search for "Java heap" or memory settings should turn up the exact steps required.

do you run 64bit windows 7 version?

I run windows 7 32bit for firewire channel changing. Firewire drivers won't work with 64bit.

Like stuckless, I have also had networking issues with the HD 300; however, my problem was windows network performance throttling. As soon a my wife would turn on the HD 300 in the kitchen, the internet would become unbearably slow on my computer (connected to the LAN but not involved with Sage). Windows sets the throttling index to 10 by default to give preference to media streaming (mp3's, etc.). Apparently, this allowed the HD 300 to become a bandwidth hog. Setting the throttling index (another registry setting) to the hex value of ffffffff turns throttling off. After doing this, the HD 300 still performs smoothly and the internet is responsive again.

[valnar]

I have audio stuttering problems with my HD300 too. My HD200's are fine. I've notified Sage a couple times, but so far no firmware fix.

[AzTech]

A few months ago, I replaced my HD-100 in the living room (which worked perfectly) with a shiny new HD-300 and experienced intermittent stuttering problems. I had changed nothing except swapping out the extenders so I was convinced it was an issue with the HD-300. Sage support told me they suspected it was a network problem and I was absolutely certain they were wrong--the HD-100 worked fine there so why wouldn't the HD-300?? To prove to them they were wrong, I bought a new switch...and voila, the stuttering went away completely.

I guess my point is that I was quick to discount the possibility that it was a network issue. The HD-300 apparently has different networking requirements than other extenders so you can't really treat them as equals when you are troubleshooting.

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by AzTech

A few months ago, I replaced my HD-100 in the living room (which worked perfectly) with a shiny new HD-300 and experienced intermittent stuttering problems. I had changed nothing except swapping out the extenders so I was convinced it was an issue with the HD-300. Sage support told me they suspected it was a network problem and I was absolutely certain they were wrong--the HD-100 worked fine there so why wouldn't the HD-300?? To prove to them they were wrong, I bought a new switch...and voila, the stuttering went away completely.

I guess my point is that I was quick to discount the possibility that it was a network issue. The HD-300 apparently has different networking requirements than other extenders so you can't really treat them as equals when you are troubleshooting.

Ditto for me. I was reluctant to believe it was a networking issue since I've had the hd100 and hd200 at this location, and hd300 was the only unit that give issues.

[Rori]

These issues sound similar to the one I'm having. I've been crawling along with my old MVPs for ages with no issues. Deciding to try all this new-fangledness, I bought an HD300 a few months ago. Man, what an upgrade. Everything worked perfectly.

Then, for Christmas I got a second HD300... and things went south quickly. Now, if both of them are plugged in (one downstairs on the main TV and the other upstairs on the bedroom set), they will stutter to the point where it is completely unwatchable. The network is a powerline networking setup and works flawlessly to stream Netflix (using other appliances) to both TVs at the same time, but something about 2 HD300s causes the whole system to become unstable.

Any thoughts?

[rrhorer]

Rori,
I added a powerline branch to my Lan for just this reason (not by adding a second HD300, but by adding an HD 300 to a lot of other connected devices, including an Hd 100). It helped only marginally, if at all. The answer was to disable windows' network performance throttling (see post 8). You should give this a try since it can be undone very easily if it doesn't help. You can find other posts on the subject. Bottom line is: when you start a task that streams a mutimedia file, you don't want it being given preference (by causing all other network activity to suffer) if it doesn't need the preference in the first place. The HD 300 will work quite well without network performance throttling as long as you have a reasonably modern system.

[Rori]

I'll certainly give it a shot since it can't hurt. It just seems strange that the physical presence of 2 HD300s on the network causes hitching even if only one is actively being used.

I've been trying to see if the second HD300 actively pings even when not being used to see if that could be causing the issue but so far with no luck. I'll turn off throttling and see if that makes it any better.