HD-300 - unusual failure symptoms

[timg11]

A couple days ago, my HD-300 stopped working.
Normal steps of restarting the HD-300 and the server didn't help.
The HD-300 would boot to the internal menu, and show my server name in the list, but blanked the video output and become unresponsive when it tried to connect.

I got out my backup HD-300 and hooked it up. Same result exactly. I replaced the HDMI cable thinking a failure there might cause the the video loss at the mode switch into 1080p. No help.

I looked in the HD-300 system information page, and noticed the IP address was 0.0.0.0.
Yet the Sage server was listed as available in the HD-300 menu. Interesting - the server name must be sent with a broadcast packet, and is received even without an IP. Other devices on the network were all fine. Link lights on HD-300 and switch good. Tried other ports on the switch. Swapped the Ethernet cable. Rebooted the DHCP server just in case. Changed the HD-300 to static IP. No effect.

Running out of options, I started thinking of what I hadn't replaced. The HD-300 power supply. It's deeply embedded in the mess of wiring and hard to access so it wasn't my first reaction to change it. I swapped out the 12V 2A wall wart, and everything worked again. Wow!

I've never seen a power supply failure that would exhibit itself by only affecting the networking, but there it is.

I hope this helps someone else.

[Carlton Bale]

I frequently have this problem when the power to my house “flickers”. I do the reset procedure of unplugging ethernet, unplugging power, plugging in power, waiting for SageTV logo, plugging in Ethernet. That resets it every time.

I wonder if a new wall wart would help prevent this from happening.

[fidget]

Without knowing more about your network, it is hard to help with the debugging. What does your DHCP service? Can you connect to that box and get a list of users? Can you watch video from another PC using VLC or Plex? Have you tried connecting the HD-300 at some other point n the network? Directly to the switch?

I’ve seen problems like these when I had a bad switch, but the HD-300 could connect and failed when interacting with the UI..

[Carlton Bale]

Originally Posted by fidget

Without knowing more about your network, it is hard to help with the debugging. What does your DHCP service? Can you connect to that box and get a list of users? Can you watch video from another PC using VLC or Plex? Have you tried connecting the HD-300 at some other point n the network? Directly to the switch?

I’ve seen problems like these when I had a bad switch, but the HD-300 could connect and failed when interacting with the UI..

This has been happening for years. Three different houses, 3 different network configs, none of them complicated. It’s definitely a problem with the HD300. I’m not sure if it’s hardware or firmware, but something causes the Ethernet to stick in a non-self-recoverable state after rapid power loss/recovery.

Original discussion from 2014: https://forums.sagetv.com/forums/sho...41&postcount=9

[fidget]

Originally Posted by Carlton Bale

This has been happening for years. Three different houses, 3 different network configs, none of them complicated. It’s definitely a problem with the HD300. I’m not sure if it’s hardware or firmware, but something causes the Ethernet to stick in a non-self-recoverable state after rapid power loss/recovery.

Original discussion from 2014: https://forums.sagetv.com/forums/sho...41&postcount=9

I was thinking that, too, until you said that your backup HD-300 also had problems. When I had problems, I could connect to the server, but they remote button presses were being dropped and video wouldn’t play. When I took the 4 port switch that was between the wall and my HD-300 out of the loop, the problem went away. Unfortunately, you aren’t getting that far..

Have you tried running Wireshark on the server to see if you see an connect attempt from the HD-300? Go with a hard coded up address and subnet mask just to be safe. Wireshark will show you the connect attempt as well as who might be breaking the connection.

[timg11]

Thanks for the feedback, all. To recap, I did solve the problem with a new power supply. That was the supply with my backup HD-300, so now I need a new power supply for the backup.

Looking on Amazon and elsewhere, it is hard to identify a quality supply. I was thinking about getting an open-frame unit, but even those are questionable quality and unknown suppliers.

Can anyone recommend a quality power supply? I'm thinking if the original was 2A, I want 3A or more to put it under less stress.

[hb4]

I've been having similar problems with my HD-300, where it would connect to the server and display the list of recordings, but not respond to the remote after that. This last time, I rebooted my Netgear extender that provides the hard network connection to the HD300 (didn't fix it) and then changed from static IP to DHCP in the HD-300 'Settings' menu. Once it found a new IP address things started working normally.

Before I changed to DHCP, the HD-300 and the router agreed on the static ip address.

[timg11]

I'm going to try this power supply with the HD-300. I'll let you all know how it works when it arrives.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by timg11

I'm going to try this power supply with the HD-300. I'll let you all know how it works when it arrives.

Indeed let us know - I too have a flaky HD300 or two. Regarding the power supply tip, THIS is the important info?

2.1mm coax plug, center positive. cULus.

[KeithAbbott]

Originally Posted by timg11

I'm going to try this power supply with the HD-300. I'll let you all know how it works when it arrives.

I’m not certain that this power supply will work, according to my notes the HD300 requires a 2.5mm coax plug, this one has a 2.1mm coax plug.

[timg11]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

...The HD300 requires a 2.5mm coax plug, this one has a 2.1mm coax plug.

True enough, but easy to fix!

[tvmaster2]

So, did the new power supply fix the problem?

[timg11]

Yes, it works perfectly.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by timg11

A couple days ago, my HD-300 stopped working.
Normal steps of restarting the HD-300 and the server didn't help.
The HD-300 would boot to the internal menu, and show my server name in the list, but blanked the video output and become unresponsive when it tried to connect.

I got out my backup HD-300 and hooked it up. Same result exactly. I replaced the HDMI cable thinking a failure there might cause the the video loss at the mode switch into 1080p. No help.

I looked in the HD-300 system information page, and noticed the IP address was 0.0.0.0.
Yet the Sage server was listed as available in the HD-300 menu. Interesting - the server name must be sent with a broadcast packet, and is received even without an IP. Other devices on the network were all fine. Link lights on HD-300 and switch good. Tried other ports on the switch. Swapped the Ethernet cable. Rebooted the DHCP server just in case. Changed the HD-300 to static IP. No effect.

Running out of options, I started thinking of what I hadn't replaced. The HD-300 power supply. It's deeply embedded in the mess of wiring and hard to access so it wasn't my first reaction to change it. I swapped out the 12V 2A wall wart, and everything worked again. Wow!

I've never seen a power supply failure that would exhibit itself by only affecting the networking, but there it is.

I hope this helps someone else.

Tell me, was the HD300 having problems connecting to DHCP and getting an address from your router? Mine has exhibited the same sympotms: reading 0.0.0.0 when I try and connect to HDCP. It remembers it's last STATIC IP, but WON'T respond to a NEW, static IP I enter.
And you tried all the usual remedies - pulling power, reset sequence with the BACK button, etc? Only thing that worked was a new power supply?
Can you get a new DHCP address on command now?