Topic: DVB-T problems [solved] (Read 17662 times)

raym · « **on:** December 28, 2007, 06:25:02 pm »

Here's a crazy one for ya,...

Recently updated my HTPC to build 403. Since then, while watching dvb-t broadcasts, I get digital noise while switching between some (not all) SD to HD channels. I can easily reproduce this. Nothing's changed but to be sure, I did a rescan just in case. No change.

[edit by JimH -- see raym's post below for the solution.]

Now, here's the crazy part: I enabled logging in an attempt to capture the problem. After doing this, I could no longer reproduce the issue!!?? So I went back in to disable logging and sure enough, the problem returned! I've repeated this process a number of times and each time, the digital noise only occurs when logging is disabled.

I'd send you a log of this problem but........

wombat66 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 30, 2007, 02:49:05 am »

Just leave logging enabled. Problem solved!

raym · « **Reply #2 on:** December 30, 2007, 02:59:33 am »

I've just observed other related issues even with logging enabled

. Starting dvb-t playback of a channel, with AC3 audio, stutters badly. Switching back and forth with another SD channel fixes it. It only happens if I start TV with an AC3 channel.

Yaobing, I've sent a log of this to you. I know you've fixed these issues in the past when dvb-t support in MC was first being developed so I'm sure a solution exists.

Thanks.

raym · « **Reply #3 on:** January 04, 2008, 05:28:33 pm »

Both these issues are still occuring in build 406. Yesterday I reverted to an older build and the problem went away.

jmone · « **Reply #4 on:** January 04, 2008, 11:48:25 pm »

Yaobing - I've sent a log that confirms some of Ralf's problems but seems to be the MPEG (non DD) channels cause me problems and the log may also help with my other No Vision problem with non 1080i channels:

1 - Using MS Audio and Video Decoder, tuned as follows:
Ch9 - No Sound or Vision
Ch9 AC3 - Sound, No Vision
Ch9 HD - Sound and Vision
Ch9 - Sound, No Vision (note: sound came back)

Stoped TV and changed Filters

2 - Using nVidia Audio and Video Decoder, tuned as follows:
Ch9 - Digital Noise, No Vision
Ch9 AC3 - Sound, No Vision
Ch9 HD - Sound and Vision
Ch9 - Sound, No Vision (note: sound came back correctly)

Thanks
Nathan

raym · « **Reply #5 on:** January 05, 2008, 03:48:46 am »

Quote from: jmone on January 04, 2008, 11:48:25 pm

Yaobing - I've sent a log that confirms some of Ralf's problems but seems to be the MPEG (non DD) channels cause me problems and the log may also help with my other No Vision problem with non 1080i channels:

There's some definate issues here. On my main PC (with build 406), I'm not getting any video on 1080i channels. Sound is always fine and video is fine on SD channels.

jmone · « **Reply #6 on:** January 05, 2008, 05:39:07 am »

So it seems that:
Nathan = No Video on StdDef & sound probs with MPEG Audio
Ralf = No Video on HighDef & sound probs with DD Audio

Very Odddddddd

Yaobing · « **Reply #7 on:** January 05, 2008, 10:01:28 am »

Quote from: raym on January 04, 2008, 05:28:33 pm

Both these issues are still occuring in build 406. Yesterday I reverted to an older build and the problem went away.

Which older build? With this older build do you have the same/similar issues that Nathan has?

Nathan, have you tried reverting to an older build?

raym · « **Reply #8 on:** January 05, 2008, 05:10:46 pm »

Quote from: Yaobing on January 05, 2008, 10:01:28 am

Which older build? With this older build do you have the same/similar issues that Nathan has?

Build 379 and no, I was having trouble-free DVB-T playback for quite some time prior to upgrading.

jmone · « **Reply #9 on:** January 05, 2008, 07:38:54 pm »

Quote from: Yaobing on January 05, 2008, 10:01:28 am

Nathan, have you tried reverting to an older build?

Tried some older builds from 2mth and 4mth ago but they came back saying it can not load the library as it is newer blah blah blah. Happy to test but need to know of to install an older version without busting my current library.

Thanks
Nathan

raym · « **Reply #10 on:** January 07, 2008, 05:38:26 am »

Yaobing, I reverted back to 406 and if I use the MPV or Intervideo decoders I get HD video fine so something's breaking the Cyberlink ones. On my systems, Cyberlink decoders have always looked the best so I'm hoping to be able to use these again.

For me, the static issue still remains also.

raym · « **Reply #11 on:** January 09, 2008, 05:53:25 am »

More logs sent. I've completely rebuilt my PC. All it has is XP SP2 + updates, MC build 408 (new empty library) and Cyberlink PowerDVD 7. I get the same issues as discussed previously. They are:

1. Digital noise (over SPDIF) when switching TV playback from an SD to an HD/AC3 channel (atually happens regardless of wheather logging is on or off now!)
2. No video (or audio) when starting TV using the Cyberlink decoders for HD channels.

Note1: SD playback is always fine.
Note2: These decoders are the same ones I've successfully used for DVB-T playback in the past and they appear to work fine for other media types inside MC such as DVD and mpegs etc. They have always looked the best IMO too.

I'll leave my PC in this "vanilla" state for a while in case more testing is required.

Life just isn't the same without MCTV

Yaobing · « **Reply #12 on:** January 09, 2008, 09:30:26 am »

I just fixed bug that was introduced in build 394. I do not think it is related. However, just in case there is a connection, can you confirm whether the DVB-T problems started then (i.e. is build 393 good)?

raym · « **Reply #13 on:** January 10, 2008, 07:09:21 am »

Quote from: Yaobing on January 09, 2008, 09:30:26 am

I just fixed bug that was introduced in build 394. I do not think it is related. However, just in case there is a connection, can you confirm whether the DVB-T problems started then (i.e. is build 393 good)?

Same issues in 393. No change.

Were the logs of any use? I won't send anymore if you don't need them?? I've spent the entire day on this and it's doing my head in!

I setup a Vista partition on this PC and DVB-T playback using Cyberlink decoders works fine (mostly). Even under Vista though, I get digital noise every so often when switching between program groups and HD/SD channels. When I go back to XP, no change.

Things seem real hit-and-miss when it comes to codecs for TV now for some reason. For example, in an attempt to get a picture on HD, I tried installing my old intervideo codecs. This worked. I then unistalled them to revert back to the Cyberlink ones. When I went back into MC to play TV again using these codecs, I got no sound at all. I rebooted like 100 times, regardless of what audio codecs I selected, nothing! I reinstalled the Intervideo codecs and bam! There's the sound again. It's like MC was still looking for the Intervideo codecs after they were no longer there.

Like I said, it's doing my head in. I'm off to bed now to try to clear this nightmare from my brain

jmone · « **Reply #14 on:** January 10, 2008, 02:58:44 pm »

Quote from: jmone on January 05, 2008, 07:38:54 pm

Tried some older builds from 2mth and 4mth ago but they came back saying it can not load the library as it is newer blah blah blah. Happy to test but need to know of to install an older version without busting my current library.

Thanks
Nathan

Hi Yaobing, If you want I'll try some really old builds but note sure how to do this with the library now being a different version.
Thanks
Nathan

Yaobing · « **Reply #15 on:** January 10, 2008, 05:59:07 pm »

Nathan,

Build 393 is safe, but Ralf already confirmed it had the same problems. For earlier builds, such as 379, it will not run with newer database. Here is what you can do:

1. Using the latest build, make a manual backup of the library. Exist MC.

2. Rename the "Library" and "Library Backups" folders under your "Application Data\J River\Media Center 12\" to something else so MC will not find them.

3. Install older version of MC and run it. MC will not find the library folders. It will create a new empty library for you to do testing.

4. After finishing testing, delete the "Library" and "Library Backups" subfolders that contain testing library data, and rename the old library folders back to their original names. After that install the latest build.

raym · « **Reply #16 on:** January 10, 2008, 06:17:57 pm »

Yaobing, after thinking about this some more, the lack of video on HD channels could well be a hardware acceleration or EVR vs VMR issue (given that under Vista, it works). While dissapointing that this issue has cropped up now, I do have a workaround for this in the form of other mpeg decoders.

What I don't have a workaround for is the digital noise issue. This is happening uder XP and Vista and with all audio codecs I have at my disposal.

Thanks.

Yaobing · « **Reply #17 on:** January 11, 2008, 05:28:52 pm »

Quote from: raym on January 10, 2008, 06:17:57 pm

Yaobing, after thinking about this some more, the lack of video on HD channels could well be a hardware acceleration or EVR vs VMR issue (given that under Vista, it works). While dissapointing that this issue has cropped up now, I do have a workaround for this in the form of other mpeg decoders.

What I don't have a workaround for is the digital noise issue. This is happening uder XP and Vista and with all audio codecs I have at my disposal.

Thanks.

On digital noise issue, unfortunately I am still in the dark. Nothing is revealed in the log file.

On the issue of no video with Cyberlink video decoder, have you tried disabling "Hardware acceleration" on your Cyberlink decoder?

jmone · « **Reply #18 on:** January 12, 2008, 06:32:26 pm »

I've posted on the other thread about the broken Video on STD Def channels starting with Build V334. FYII also got some transitory (short duration) digital noise when first tunning a SD (MPEG audio) channel over S'PDIF with an early version so these are potentially different issues.
Nathan

raym · « **Reply #19 on:** January 14, 2008, 08:24:21 am »

Quote from: Yaobing on January 11, 2008, 05:28:52 pm

On digital noise issue, unfortunately I am still in the dark. Nothing is revealed in the log file.

On the issue of no video with Cyberlink video decoder, have you tried disabling "Hardware acceleration" on your Cyberlink decoder?

Ok, I've had a busy couple of days and I think I've got my sanity back!! I'm now able to get stutter free, digital noise free, SD/HD/AC3 DVB-T playback again! How did I do it? By installing Vista and applying MS patch KB943195 which addresses an issue of no HD video in mpeg streams. After doing this, I can now use my Cyberlink decoders again

I'll never know what happened to all this under my XP setup though but at this stage, I'm just happy to have DVB-T playback working again. I'll keep a close eye on it and see how we go.

Obviously this is all no help to Nathan's SD playback woes so I guess there's still a genuine issue there and as to when or how it all started, I too am at a loss.

Cheers,
Ralf.

Yaobing · « **Reply #20 on:** January 14, 2008, 08:51:52 am »

Quote from: raym on January 14, 2008, 08:24:21 am

Ok, I've had a busy couple of days and I think I've got my sanity back!! I'm now able to get stutter free, digital noise free, SD/HD/AC3 DVB-T playback again! How did I do it? By installing Vista and applying MS patch KB943195 which addresses an issue of no HD video in mpeg streams. After doing this, I can now use my Cyberlink decoders again

I'll never know what happened to all this under my XP setup though but at this stage, I'm just happy to have DVB-T playback working again. I'll keep a close eye on it and see how we go.

Obviously this is all no help to Nathan's SD playback woes so I guess there's still a genuine issue there and as to when or how it all started, I too am at a loss.

Cheers,
Ralf.

I am glad you got it figured out! Now I can get some of my sanity back!

newsposter · « **Reply #21 on:** January 14, 2008, 12:32:48 pm »

That KB is a patch to the internal VISTA MPEG2 decoder. One wonders if using a different decoder/codec on XP would fix the problem?

raym · « **Reply #22 on:** January 14, 2008, 05:06:27 pm »

Quote from: newsposter on January 14, 2008, 12:32:48 pm

That KB is a patch to the internal VISTA MPEG2 decoder. One wonders if using a different decoder/codec on XP would fix the problem?

Well, I'd tried this and every conceivable variation on this before switching to Vista.

jmone · « **Reply #23 on:** January 16, 2008, 08:51:42 pm »

I tired the patch but found that you still get audio problems on the MPEG channels if you don't first tune to a DD channel.
Thanks
Nathan

raym · « **Reply #24 on:** January 16, 2008, 10:34:42 pm »

Quote from: jmone on January 16, 2008, 08:51:42 pm

I tired the patch but found that you still get audio problems on the MPEG channels if you don't first tune to a DD channel.
Thanks
Nathan

Are you using the MS MPEG2 decoder? I don't have this issue but I'm not saying it doesn't exist. What happens in VMC?

jmone · « **Reply #25 on:** January 16, 2008, 10:57:27 pm »

Yup - in fact the MS decoders (Vista) are my prefered choice for TV as the resultant DVB-T picture is very lifelike. I'm not worried as the DD chanels work fine but like you were reporting the problem is only there if you tune to the MPEG channel first. I've been playing with filters alot recently so who knows what issues I've been causing but basically what I see is the same as my Jan 5 post above:
1) MS Filters = No sound on MPEG Channel unless a DD channel was tuned first
2) Other Filters = Chipmunk noise on MPEG Channel unless a DD channel was tuned first (MC12 may even hang).

Nathan

PS what is VMC?

raym · « **Reply #26 on:** January 17, 2008, 06:24:41 am »

Quote from: jmone on January 16, 2008, 10:57:27 pm

PS what is VMC?

Vista Media Center.

Do you have Aero enabled? I've turned it off because I hate the problems it introduces with Theater View (focus issues, standard view interface flashing when I start a video etc). The trouble with it off though is the PQ seems to go south considerably. Do you experience this? What the heck does Aero have to do with video quality?!?

JimH · « **Reply #27 on:** January 17, 2008, 06:32:34 am »

I've read that a public version of Release Candidate for Vista Service Pack 1 is available now. It might be worth a try.

jmone · « **Reply #28 on:** January 17, 2008, 03:38:39 pm »

Quote from: raym on January 17, 2008, 06:24:41 am

Do you have Aero enabled? I've turned it off because I hate the problems it introduces with Theater View (focus issues, standard view interface flashing when I start a video etc). The trouble with it off though is the PQ seems to go south considerably. Do you experience this? What the heck does Aero have to do with video quality?!?

I leave Aero enabled because as you found the Video quality is MUCH MUCH better and I've learn't till live with the bugs (I've been reporting them for awhile - latest at http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=41852.0).

Thanks
Nathan

PS - I'm not going to config VMC but there is no problems with the Dvico SW.

raym · « **Reply #29 on:** January 18, 2008, 05:06:36 am »

Quote from: jmone on January 17, 2008, 03:38:39 pm

I leave Aero enabled because as you found the Video quality is MUCH MUCH better and I've learn't till live with the bugs (I've been reporting them for awhile - latest at http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=41852.0).

Oh right. I remember now.. So what's the status on that? Is there nothing that can be done in MC to fix those issues?

jmone · « **Reply #30 on:** January 18, 2008, 05:20:32 am »

Quote from: raym on January 18, 2008, 05:06:36 am

Oh right. I remember now.. So what's the status on that? Is there nothing that can be done in MC to fix those issues?

Ralf - try giving that thread a bump with what you see in Vista - another voice can't hurt!
Thanks
Nathan

raym · « **Reply #31 on:** January 18, 2008, 08:31:38 pm »

Build 417 -

On my freshly built XP box, getting no audio on SD channels when I start TV on an HD channel - and visa versa. SPDIF output.

Yaobing, do you want a log of this?

EDIT: I get this issue only when the enable TS checkbox in the TV options is disabled. When enabled and therefore starting TV playback in timeshift mode, I get audio ok on all channel changes.

Yaobing · « **Reply #32 on:** January 18, 2008, 09:31:54 pm »

No. I will ask you for them when I need more. Thanks.

raym · « **Reply #33 on:** January 20, 2008, 01:03:40 am »

Quote from: raym on January 18, 2008, 08:31:38 pm

EDIT: I get this issue only when the enable TS checkbox in the TV options is disabled. When enabled and therefore starting TV playback in timeshift mode, I get audio ok on all channel changes.

EDIT2: It's only happening in XP ? Vista is fine.

INTERACT FORUM

Author Topic: DVB-T problems [solved] (Read 17662 times)