Hauppauge Media MVP problem

[tktplz]

I am having some unique problems with my Media MVP - I searched for any applicable threads for the last 3 hours now, and am at my witts end.

First off, here's my setup: : I have a dedicated HTPC and am running SageTV 5.0.4. My PC is an AMD dual-core 2.6gHz, DFI Lan Party NF590 motherboard w/ dual gig ethernet, w/1gb RAM, and 7-500gb Western Digital Caviar SATA drives. My network is a Linksys 802.11b 4-port router, and a 24-port Gigabit Netgear switch. I have all my home PCs hardwired on the switch, and one uplink to the router.

Here are my problems...
1. Any recorded show played back thru Sage on the MVP will "glitch" at 5:25 into the show (any show, any size program), then completely freeze up at 5:35. If I fast-forward 10 seconds to get past the 5:35, then it resumes.
2. Now, recently I have lots of sync issues with the audio and video. In the forums I read about the MVP Optimization and did the registry addition...didn't help. I even downloaded the Hauppauge MVP program to try...Still sync issues. The video will freeze for a split second while the audio keeps playing, then the video plays back at a little faster speed to "catch up" with the audio - This usually happens every 10-20 seconds, and each time takes 3-5 seconds to lose sync and re-sync...Very annoying!

I have used this MVP on 2 systems...My first system was an AMD 2.0gHz, single-core, 512 mb RAM, and then I only had the Linksys 100mbps network. I had absolutely no problems with the MVP! Then when I built this new system, and put in the new Gigabit switch, the MVP didn't like that too well.

Does the faster network somehow screw up the MVP? Is the network traffic the issue? Would switching the MVP to the 100mbps router clear things up? Any ideas?

When I first built this system I trial downloaded the SageTV 6.0, and that still had the problem. I have unplugged the MVP for days and it still doesn't want to behave. Is there a "plugin" available to update the firmware in the MVP so it won't lose sync or to hard-reset the unit? I'll try anything at this point.

Thanks for the support!!

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by tktplz

Does the faster network somehow screw up the MVP? Is the network traffic the issue? Would switching the MVP to the 100mbps router clear things up? Any ideas?

I can't really say on this but if it truely is a problem then I would put a 100MB switch between the MVP and your Gig switch (hopefully you still have one). I have mine this way (for other reasons) and do NOT have the problems you are describing. Sorry I can't be more help but I am NOT a network person.

[jvl711]

Did you set the link speed between you pc and the switch. If you have a smart switch did you set a link speed to the MVP. I believe this has helped people in the past.

[tmiranda]

I had that 5:25 issue with the MVP playing recordings made by the NVidia DualTV. It was fixed in one of the 5.x releases and I have not seen it since. Are you using the DualTV card? Do you have the latest drivers? Are you SURE you unplugged the MVP before installing 6.0 to make sure the new code gets loaded into the MVP?

I'm assuming your Linksys router has 4 100 MB ports so it would not hurt to try plugging the MVP into one of those. I have a similar network topology to yours and plug two MVPs into the 100MB ports on my router ang have the Sage server and NAS on a Netgear GB switch.

You also mentioned your mobo has 2 GB network ports. Do you use both or just one? I'd try using just one and disabling the other in BIOS.

[tktplz]

Thanks for all the guidance...

Yes, I have 2 of the DualTV nVidia cards in the system, and they work perfectly after the 5.9.5.23(XP) upgrade (which allows 2 DualTV cards in one system). Prior to this upgrade SageTV saw the 4 tuners, but would error out when I'd try to install all of them. Then when I did the upgrade SageTV installed all 4 tuners, and they all record nicely.

I tried the 6.0 for only a day, then decided it wasn't a great enough improvement over 5.04 for my needs (and the extra $$), so I uninstalled 6.0, Reg Cleanered the registry, re-booted, and reloaded 5.04...No problems here. The MVP reacquired the 5.04 (menu structure), but still glitched. I have also tried the MVP software from Hauppauge - Still the same problem. Can anyone tell me if they had these sorts of problems, then upgraded to 6.0 and that helped? Is there anything in 6.0 directly related to the performance/features of the MVP?

I have tried running the MVP directly off the router (Linksys BEFW11S4) or off the Netgear JGS524 24-port Gigabit switch...No difference - They both glitch, lose sync, and I still have the 5:25 problem of freezing up. I will also try hooking up a 5-port Netgear 10-100 switch just for the MVP and see if that helps...
The gigabit switch is:
* all ports are 10/100/1000 capable
* port sensing for full/half duplex
* Auto Uplink for straight or cross-over cables
* Unmanaged

Soooooo.....If it's not the network, software, or the MVP itself, this leads me to believe it may have something to do with the Gigabit network adapters on the DFI LanParty NF590 motherboard. They are nVidia adapters, and they can run in full-duplex mode (2 Gbps).

The nVidia software that came with the motherboard has options for Adapter Teaming, meaning combination of the 2 ports for redundancy and lower packet errors. I have tried this both on and off... When the Teaming is on the system only sees one port @ 1gbps. There is also an option for First Packet, meaning priority for certain programs...I have it set for Cable modem (internet) and I have SageTV as a program for prioritization. Lastly, there is an option for TCP/IP hardware acceleration. The recommended setting is "on", which uses hardware to process packets for optimum throughput. Any problems here?

I also tried the "flow control" option in the advanced tab of the network adapters...No difference. What about the "maximize for" - CPU or Throughput options? Or any of the other options that are available?

Thanks again for everyone's help...

[tktplz]

Thank you everyone for the advice... I got it!

I moved the MVP to the 100mbps router, and turned off all the weird nVidia settings for the gigabit ethernet adapters - Teaming, First Packet, and TCP/IP Control. I still have the 5:25 freezing problem, but I can live with that (for now)...At least the audio and video are back in sync! Now I can see if I can move the MVP back to the Gigabit switch...

If anyone has anything that I can do about the 5:25 freeze-up, please let me know - Short of getting rid of the 2 nVidia DualTV cards I have and getting some other cards...Is this a known problem with the nVidia DualTV cards? I have the latest drivers...Anyone else have this problem and fixed it?

Thanks again for all your help and knowledge!

Hey - BobPhoenix - Why do you have your MVPs on a 100mbps switch? You mentioned "for other reasons" - I also have a 4-port Netgear 10/100 mbps switch that I could hook up...

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by tktplz

Hey - BobPhoenix - Why do you have your MVPs on a 100mbps switch? You mentioned "for other reasons" - I also have a 4-port Netgear 10/100 mbps switch that I could hook up...

I was running out of ports on my 5 port Gig Switch so I put all of my 100mb only stuff (2 MVPs and a DSM-520 & DSM-320) on my 8 port 100Mbit switch so that I could use the other 4 ports for other computers and as a bridge between my Sage Server in the basement and my regular computers and 100Mbit stuff that is upstairs. Those are my "Other reasons".

BobP.

[flavius]

I have done quite a bit of recording with my NVidia DualTV and playback by any of my MVP's never had any issues.

[tmiranda]

Per my previous post, the 5:25 issue should be fixed in the latest 5.x release. If it is not you need to file a bug report with Sage. The big difference I see with your setup vs. others is that you are using two DualTVs and the latest drivers.

Can you see if the problem exists using one DualTV and the driver that only supports one card? This way you cna narrow down the problem a little further.

[ke6guj]

Originally Posted by tktplz

The nVidia software that came with the motherboard has options for Adapter Teaming, meaning combination of the 2 ports for redundancy and lower packet errors. I have tried this both on and off... When the Teaming is on the system only sees one port @ 1gbps. There is also an option for First Packet, meaning priority for certain programs...I have it set for Cable modem (internet) and I have SageTV as a program for prioritization. Lastly, there is an option for TCP/IP hardware acceleration. The recommended setting is "on", which uses hardware to process packets for optimum throughput. Any problems here?

I also tried the "flow control" option in the advanced tab of the network adapters...No difference. What about the "maximize for" - CPU or Throughput options? Or any of the other options that are available?

Back when "official" MVP support was introduced in Sage, there was an issue with nForce network adapters. I found that disabling "checksum offload" fixed the issue of the MVP rebooting on play. "TCP/IP hardware acceleration" sounds similar to "checksum offload", you may want to try that to see if it helps.

Otherwise, if you have a spare NIC you can install, try that and see if it helps.