Improved HD PVR Stability with v7?

[bsung]

I've probably been rebooting my computer more often these days but v7 does seem to have improved the stability of HD PVR. Since it came out for public beta, I haven't had a single lock up. Normally, I would have had a lockup by now (normally 1 every week or two). I was curious to hear what others are experiencing before I call this 2 week streak a trend.

[sic0048]

Others have seen mixed results. I had a fairly stable HD-PVR on v6 and still have a fairly stable system under v7. I'm using the older .301 drivers.

What drivers are you using in your current setup?

It has been verified that the Sage team was using the latest HD-PVR drivers when they added the HD-PVR "fixes" into SageTV V7. So there is some speculation as to whether or not the "fixes" work with the older drivers that many of us use, or if we need to update the drivers to the latest version.

I guess no one has really tried to experiment yet. This is understandable given all the problems people have tended to experience when they change HD-PVR driver versions.

[darcilicious]

I'm running the latest drivers and had a lock-up last night in the middle of recording a 2.5 hour movie. Overall, I don't find v7 any more or less stable in my set up than v6 (though I'm keeping an eye on a possible intermittent channel changing problem that I did not have in v6 that I may have now though support has said that nothing in SageTV has changed that would affect my set up in that way).

[DeanONH]

Generally, I think S7 is better with 1 HDPVR, but I am still unable to make my 2nd one reliable and in fact have had to shut the 2nd one down to keep the 1st one reliable. I think it is a driver issue, but am open to any suggestions. Signature has my configuration.

Dean

[Deacon Crusher]

I installed a new NEC based USB2 PCIe card at the same time I went to Sage 7 and all just 3 weeks after I had to start using my HD PVR much more often because comcast turned off all my beautiful QAM channels. Before NEC and 7 and after starting to use hdpvr much more often (3 to 5 shows a day as opposed to less then 1) I'd had my hdpvr crap out every few days. Since then I've had not one failure. Of course I'm writing this from work and I'm sure now that I've written this when I go home tonight it will have hung, but to this point it definitely feels more stable.

[darcilicious]

Originally Posted by Deacon Crusher

I'd had my hdpvr crap out every few days. Since then I've had not one failure.

Which drivers are you using? Is the DCT6200 set to fixed output and if so, what resolution? Also, are you using optical for audio?

[bsung]

On v6 and on v7, I'm using the latest drivers on i7 on a separate nec card with 3 hd pvr's. I had tried using the older driver but it didn't help on v6 so I just stayed with the latest. The only thing I don't think I tried was to compromise on resolution and audio. I was using the optical and didn't lock the resolution. My guess is that I record on average 3 shows per day but it gets used pretty heavily on live tv as well. I just checked and no dreaded error message yet - not even the yellow error message let alone the dreaded red indicator ! If v7 makes the hd pvr stable (I'm still waiting to see it get through a month before I call my system stable), I would have paid for the upgrade just for that alone!

[Deacon Crusher]

1.5.6.1 from hauppauge site.

I believe I unlocked my DCT a while ago so it's doing whatever the show is (usually 720p or 1080i.) and yes, I'm using optical audio and do get AC3 sound recorded with shows. Justified being one of the fiction shows that takes advantage of these features. Sports recordings also do. Also recording Rachel Maddow and the Daily show in HD which I don't believe do AC3.

Originally Posted by darcilicious

Which drivers are you using? Is the DCT6200 set to fixed output and if so, what resolution? Also, are you using optical for audio?

[verdin77]

My HDPVR is working far better than I've seen it work in over a year. Using current drivers and optical sound. I was seeing lockups each day unless I reset and now I'm not.

[DeanONH]

Originally Posted by bsung

On v6 and on v7, I'm using the latest drivers on i7 on a separate nec card with 3 hd pvr's. I had tried using the older driver but it didn't help on v6 so I just stayed with the latest. The only thing I don't think I tried was to compromise on resolution and audio. I was using the optical and didn't lock the resolution. My guess is that I record on average 3 shows per day but it gets used pretty heavily on live tv as well. I just checked and no dreaded error message yet - not even the yellow error message let alone the dreaded red indicator ! If v7 makes the hd pvr stable (I'm still waiting to see it get through a month before I call my system stable), I would have paid for the upgrade just for that alone!

bsung,

I am trying to get 2 HDPVRs running. 1 HDPVR ran OK on ST6 & better on ST7; hasn't locked up yet (knock on wood). I'm running HD component video & SPDIF audio. Both HDPVRs works fine on the Total Media Suite. The 2nd HDPVR won't work at all with ST6 or ST7. I am using different mainboard USB hubs. This is driving me crazy & the WAF is sinking fast.

What USB card are you using?
Are you running HD component & SPDIF on all HDPVRs?
Do you have any suggestions?

TIA,

Dean

[dislecksea]

Not better for me. Was better for about a week but now I am getting about 1 capture playback error per day.

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by dislecksea

Not better for me. Was better for about a week but now I am getting about 1 capture playback error per day.

Are you getting playback or capture errors? Those are two different beasts....

[GollyJer]

I'm using 3 HDPVR's, running drivers 1.5.6.1, hooked to 3 DCT 6200's changing channels via firewire. With SageTV v6 I had to run them via analog audio to eliminate capture errors. It was exciting to read the problems may have been fixed in v7 and I switched over to the digital audio inputs in hopes of enjoying a full HD experience. Sadly, I'm getting lockups when recording with the optical input. Will probably go back to analog audio soon.

[texneus]

1 HDPVR, firewire tuning (no blaster), driver 1.5.6.1, Windows 7. Source is a FIOS QIP6200 w/output fixed at 1080i & TosLink audio. It is plugged into a motherboard USB port (Intel ICH7). All connections are using the cables that came in the box (except the TosLink, which is a cheap no name plastic fiber one I picked up at a local electronic surplus store). The only "voodo" I have done is to cover the IR port on the HDPVR, although I'm not convinced it's really done anything because shortly there after I updated to SageTV 7.

On Sage 6.6 I had about 1 lockup per week. On Sage 7 I have yet to have a single lockup in about 2.5 weeks.

[Rico66]

Originally Posted by texneus

1 HDPVR, firewire tuning (no blaster), driver 1.5.6.1, Windows 7. Source is a FIOS QIP6200 w/output fixed at 1080i & TosLink audio. It is plugged into a motherboard USB port (Intel ICH7). All connections are using the cables that came in the box (except the TosLink, which is a cheap no name plastic fiber one I picked up at a local electronic surplus store). The only "voodo" I have done is to cover the IR port on the HDPVR, although I'm not convinced it's really done anything because shortly there after I updated to SageTV 7.

On Sage 6.6 I had about 1 lockup per week. On Sage 7 I have yet to have a single lockup in about 2.5 weeks.

Maybe what you call vodoo did more than you think. Long time ago this really tamed down my hdpvr. Now I know, it's not the only problem (things like usb connection, heat etc. also play a role), but the IR receiver/blaster can definitely be a problem factor.

I still believe that Sage can't really fix these hdpvr problems (probably only driver or firmware updates might fix them, if at all). What seems to have happened in v7 though is that Sage is more forgiving. It doesn't immediately go into an error mode, once there are capture problems. Instead it tries to reconnect. That way at least temporary capture problems can be overcome.

The downside though is that you don't get any error message, if the hdpvr really locked up.

[sportera]

I run 2 HDPVR's (Rev E1), with latest 1.5.6.1 drivers, connected digitally to 2 Directv H20 receivers (component video and optical audio). I am not using IR Blaster and use Directv Serial control from PC (serial) to DTV receivers (USB). I have the IR windows on the HDPVR's taped with black tape.

I was having occasional lockups (about 1-3 times a week) running Sage v6. I have had only one lockup with v7, and I think I caused that one playing around with overclocking my WHS PC until I got the blue screen of death. Cut back on the overclocking and no lockups since.

[teedublu]

7b10, Win7-64, a brand new HD-PVR, the latest driver, Analog Audio, and, yes trying to use the internal Blaster and IR Port.

Crashes at least once per day, usually when beginning a new recording, but has crashed mid stream.

The IR port (for remote) is painfully slow, others have seen this in Win7-64.

So, I guess I need to pony up for USBIRT (which isn't going to solve the real problem from what I've read).

I've been trying Service mode, so I'm going to try regular mode to see if that helps. Service mode just makes it take longer to restart everything after a crash.

TW

[dead_ferrets]

I know you've read this before but I bet if you tape over the IR receiver your lock-ups will decrease significantly... At least mine did on V6.6. I use the IR blaster and get virtually no lock-ups now.

[QueOnda]

Originally Posted by dead_ferrets

I know you've read this before but I bet if you tape over the IR receiver your lock-ups will decrease significantly... At least mine did on V6.6. I use the IR blaster and get virtually no lock-ups now.

Ok, I just covered mine up. We'll see <fingers crossed>.

[darcilicious]

Originally Posted by dead_ferrets

I know you've read this before but I bet if you tape over the IR receiver your lock-ups will decrease significantly...

I had not manage to read about this before and support just recently recommended the same. I'll know by the end of next week if it helps or not (I don't record a lot so would only get about one lockup every week or so... but now that the hubby has decided to start recording every World Cup match... )