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[stricko]

Hi there, I'm experiencing a few issues when powering up my HTPC which may or may not be MC22 related. It's a Windows 10 Pro 64bit box, with full updates. Graphics is NVIDIA GT730, with latest drivers (21.12.13.7570). Audio is over HDMI via the NVIDIA High Def driver (1.3.34.17). MC22 is at v32, audio device is the WASAPI driver, starts in Theater View. Library is on a separate server. All standard stuff, nothing peculiar.

Power on sequence is always, projector, amp (Harman Kardon AVR171), and then HTPC boot. HTPC is never in standby, as I've had so many problems after system standby/resume that I gave up and accept the overhead of having to press the power button!

So what goes wrong? 20% of the time, the system starts up with no audio output. MC works fine, but there is no audio coming through the amp. Usually fixed by getting MC to restart the HTPC. But for the first time, this week, that fix did not work.

10% of the time, HTPC starts with no video. Black screen. HTPC is on, with flashing disk light etc, but can't tell if MC is actually running. Only reliable fix I have found is to power everything down to standby and then physically switch of the power to the projector (after usual bulb cooling etc.)

Once I've got the system up, I play an audio track to make sure the audio output is actually working. Sometimes (hard to put a number on it, but getting more frequent) the first track will not play. I add track, MC looks like it's trying to play, but there is no dot showing track position (theater view, remember). I go back, add the track again and it plays perfectly.

Finally, I've just started to notice a message flashing up during MC startup. It's only there for a momenet, but I think it says something about Direct3d stopping. Not every time I start up, but every once in a while.

I've lived with the first couple of problems for a long time, maybe a year, but the last 2 are more recent.

I looked around the forum and found some stuff around the NVIDIA drivers which may or may not be related. Unfortunately all of the problems listed are intermittant at worst, so it's hard to log etc.

Any thoughts?

[~OHM~]

how are you sending the Video signal (I would assume HDMI also)

is the powerbox inside the pc capable? failing

try a new HDMI cord, try putting HDMI cord into different sockets. (including the amp) extreme would be to purchase another graphics card and return pc to w7, or 8.1

power on try amp then projector ....

do you have another pc you can load MC on to see if issues continue?

[Fitzcaraldo215]

Not sure if this is helpful.  I used to pull my hair out sometimes getting HDMI audio to work.  It seemed to be related to the HDMI handshake, and my HDMI prepro was often not listed as the default output device in Windows/Sound in the Control Panel.  My problems disappeared after I installed a Gefen HDMI Detective Plus, which makes Windows think HDMI is always on and always ready to receive audio and video.  Previously, I would get video but no audio sometimes with both over the same HDMI connection.  Also, as I recall, JRiver would reset its audio output device to something else (the Windows default audio device) if it could not "find" the HDMI audio connection as the default.  HDMI audio seems to follow separate rules in Windows.

I am guessing that your turn on sequence is right and should establish the audio connection.  But, check the Windows Sound properties and the JRiver audio output device to make sure before playing audio via HDMI.

Fortunately, I now use USB for audio to a Mch DAC.  No problems.  But, the Gefen device was still very useful on my HDMI video feed, overcoming an EDID compatibility problem on my old Sony HDTV.

[stricko]

Thanks guys. I've rechecked the windows audio output settings and disabled everything except the HDMI route. Video is also over HDMI, I've not long updated the power supply in the PC, the spec of the new one is more than enough for the system, and the problems were occuring before the upgrade as well as after. I'll let you know if things get any better.

[blgentry]

The HDMI Detective, or a similar box would probably solve your issue.  Hard to be sure without trying it.

The dead simple solution is to simply leave the HTPC on all the time.  Computers last longer when they are always on.  Plus they don't have nearly as many startup issues, like the one you are experiencing.  (Because you restart them only when necessary)

Brian.

[stricko]

Having spent my entire working career in large systems IT, I'm more than happy to leave some of the PCs in the house switched on pretty much continuously. But, I'm afraid that I've never managed to get a MC client/server setup to behave consistently and predictably when coming out of standby. I've been trying since MC14, I think.

I can deal with the glitches, hanging, etc, but it's a real turn off for wife, kids and grandson who just want to pick up the remote and use the system. It doesn't take much to obliterate hard won confidence.

I'm a huge fan of MC, but I've abandoned it in the past because of similar issues. I thought that this time I had it working just fine, albeit with the compromise of a hard start, but it's starting to fall apart again. The 2 HTPCs in the house are simple, single purpose boxes; nothing complicated. Is it too much to ask for the darn things to power up and just work.

[blgentry]

Having spent my entire working career in large systems IT, I'm more than happy to leave some of the PCs in the house switched on pretty much continuously. But, I'm afraid that I've never managed to get a MC client/server setup to behave consistently and predictably when coming out of standby.

So don't let them go into standby.  Leave them on, fully on, fully booted, all the time.  Problem solved right?

I'm a huge fan of MC, but I've abandoned it in the past because of similar issues. I thought that this time I had it working just fine, albeit with the compromise of a hard start, but it's starting to fall apart again. The 2 HTPCs in the house are simple, single purpose boxes; nothing complicated. Is it too much to ask for the darn things to power up and just work.

As others have suggested, maybe one of the HDMI keep alive devices, like the HDMI Detective, would fix your hard start issue.  I'm not sure as I've never used one.  Just saying this in case you missed the suggestion before.

Good luck!

Brian.

[stricko]

HDMI detective ordered

several days in and numerous start ups (real and test) later, no problems encountered. thanks tor the recommendation .