Workaround for audio loss on Colossus when HDPVR recordings start

[Narflex]

First, I want to say that this issue is NOT due to a bug in SageTV. It is due to a driver bug in Colossus. We confirmed the cause of this with some testing we did today. Hauppauge has been informed of the issue; but we don't have an update from them yet.

The workaround to resolve the problem is easy. Just edit your Sage.properties file while SageTV is not running and make this setting:

mmc/hdpvr_magic=false

There's a very small chance this will lead to increased HDPVR instability....but the 'magic' fix it does isn't something we ever got enough data on to actually believe it helps; so disabling it should be innocuous.

[SWKerr]

mmc/hdpvr_magic=false, I saw this in a post early on and changed it when I had my initial problems with the HD-PVR\Collossus compatability. I have been running with it set to false for 4+ weeks and have never had a problem with the HD-PVR recordings. I have also not noticed any uptick in the HD-PVRs stability.

I have had a few problems with the Colossus recordings but they have been fairly minimal.

Win7-64 server with 1 Colossus (HDMI, DirecTV), 1 HD-PVR, HDHR.

[Narflex]

And I did get an update from Hauppauge on this; they're fairly sure they have fixed this issue on their end and should have the driver with that fix out in a few days.

[jptheripper]

Once again a huge thanks to the amazing Sage support (and product) for listening to its customers (even if we complain loudly) and helping to resolve a problem that in the end was not even Sage's.

Just a testament to why the user community on these forums is both so active and so helpful. We all love the product, we all want it to be the best it can be.

Thank you.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by Narflex

And I did get an update from Hauppauge on this; they're fairly sure they have fixed this issue on their end and should have the driver with that fix out in a few days.

were you feeding BOTH the HD PVR and Colossus with SPDIF optical from your cable/satellite boxes, AND have "component / SPDIF" selected in Sage's tuner setup for BOTH devices?

[Narflex]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

were you feeding BOTH the HD PVR and Colossus with SPDIF optical from your cable/satellite boxes, AND have "component / SPDIF" selected in Sage's tuner setup for BOTH devices?

Yes, that was the test case. It defaults to using the analog audio port; so if you were using that I think you wouldn't have been hit by this driver bug.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by Narflex

Yes, that was the test case. It defaults to using the analog audio port; so if you were using that I think you wouldn't have been hit by this driver bug.

ok...I'll try the fix again. For some reason I tried it and it
didn't work on my system, but it's possible I entered the wrong code. Thanks for trying. Even with analog selected on the Colossus, it stumbles for 5-7 seconds when the HD PVR recording starts. So I end up losing that much of my Colossus recording that's in progress (if there is one under way)

[korben_dallas]

Thanx for the update Jeff!

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by Narflex

Yes, that was the test case. It defaults to using the analog audio port; so if you were using that I think you wouldn't have been hit by this driver bug.

HEY - this time it seems to be working.
You are a god amongst Hauppauge engineers.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by Narflex

Yes, that was the test case. It defaults to using the analog audio port; so if you were using that I think you wouldn't have been hit by this driver bug.

question: why do you think I was one of the very few who had this problem?

[TechBill]

Does this fix applies if you have two Colossus and no HDPVR?


Bill

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by Narflex

First, I want to say that this issue is NOT due to a bug in SageTV. It is due to a driver bug in Colossus. We confirmed the cause of this with some testing we did today. Hauppauge has been informed of the issue; but we don't have an update from them yet.

The workaround to resolve the problem is easy. Just edit your Sage.properties file while SageTV is not running and make this setting:

mmc/hdpvr_magic=false

There's a very small chance this will lead to increased HDPVR instability....but the 'magic' fix it does isn't something we ever got enough data on to actually believe it helps; so disabling it should be innocuous.

I entered this reply in the hardware-Colossus thread as well, since they are intertwined

So, upon receiving the new drivers, I changed back the "magic=false" statement to "true", followed Hauppauge's directions to the letter and installed new drivers for Colossus.
Choppy performance that seems to have corrected itself after two reboots.
However, the 7 second stutter and loss of recording on Colossus STILL occurs when a HD PVR recording fires up.
So, re-edited the Sage.properties file again, re-inserting "magic=false" for the HD PVR, and the recording hiccup with Colossus is now gone, aka when a HD PVR recording starts, the Colossus recording ISN'T trashed.
Apparently, Hauppauge has some work to do still.
Therefore, I have NO IDEA what the new drivers are good for.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by korben_dallas

Mine took 4 - 5 reboots. Since then, every recording has been perfect with no further reboots. EDIT: This is OPTICAL audio.

Haven't had any simultaneous HD PVR + Colossus recordings yet, so verdict is still out on that. EDIT: I have not tampered with MAGIC setting ever.

Cool - let us know what happens when a Colossus recording is in progress and a HD-PVR recording starts up. Note what is happening on the Colossus recording when the HD PVR fires - it's likely you'll lose some time from the Colossus recording.
But let us know anyway

[korben_dallas]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

Cool - let us know what happens when a Colossus recording is in progress and a HD-PVR recording starts up. Note what is happening on the Colossus recording when the HD PVR fires - it's likely you'll lose some time from the Colossus recording.
But let us know anyway

You must have quoted me just prior to me deleting my post. Colossus recordings over the last few days were all fubar.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by korben_dallas

You must have quoted me just prior to me deleting my post. Colossus recordings over the last few days were all fubar.

yeah...literally seconds before...can't see why it would have been deleted. anyway, ALL your Colossus recordings are fubar? using optical? not good