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[The CasaMan]

These comments leads on from my recent thread headed ‘Crashing’.  Yes, this is solved; it has seemed to stop crashing but……

TV will not source some of the core HD channels (BBC) and EPG does not receive a comprehensive listing; leaving out some of the channels that could do with details.  Programmes that I have been using and recording from in the past now seem to be missing (e.g. D-MAX) and, despite the tuners showing ‘idle’ all the time and seeming to be working fine, the programmes that I have set up to record just do not record (see attached TV Log [particularly 20th June]).  I would dearly like to get it working correctly as I have invested a considerable amount of cash in the PCIe tuner card and all the cabling required, but I confess that I am running out of options.  Why is it a) so complex and b) so quirky?

I don’t get a great deal of time to use MC but I have to confess that I am gradually getting more and more jaded as I seem to spend most of my time trying to find out why it is not working properly.

Am I expecting too much of it?  Is the TV routine meant for ‘enthusiasts’ only, who are happy to be ‘tweaking’ it all the time?  If not, as a comprehensive source of television programmes, it can be most frustrating.

What am I doing wrong?

Tim

[Yaobing]

I would like to see MC logging files ("Log.txt" and "Previous Log.txt").  The file you attached is actually meant to provide info to the user (in Standard Television View, click "TV Logs").  The log files for debugging are "Log.txt" and "Previous Log.txt".  Here is the wiki about logging in MC.

[The CasaMan]

Thank you for being so patient!
I have enabled logging.
Logs attached.  I will send updates as more entries have been struck.
Tim

[The CasaMan]

Here is the 'System Info' as I did not use the zip file.
Tim

[Yaobing]

“Log.txt" file does not contain any useful data this time because you trimmed it. 

Since recording failure was the issue, I would suggest you doing the following:

1. Restart MC.
2. Test playing the channel that you had issue with.  For example, yesterday you got recording failure on channel 4+1.  You can just try playing that channel and see if you can watch the channel live.
3. If you can watch the channel, stop watching it, and try record it.  Recording should start in a few seconds.

If either step 2 or step 3 fails, go to Help > Logging..., and click "Report problem".  MC will create a zip file that will contain three files "Log.txt", "Previous Log.txt", and "System Info.txt".  Post the entire zipped package.  If the file is too large for forum attachment, email it to me.  I am yaobing at jriver dot com

If you did not get any failure above, then schedule a show that is to start today, maybe the one that you normally would want to record.  Restart MC and leave it on for recording the show.  Come back to check whether recording succeeded when the show is supposed to be started.  If recording failed to start, go to Help > Logging... and collect the zip package by clicking "Report problem".  Email me the package.

Here are some general ideas about failures like this:

Is the channel DRM'ed?  MC does not support channels that is encrypted/scrambled.
Is the tuner being used by other application?  A tuner can only be used by one application at any instance.

[The CasaMan]

Channel 4+1 comes up with 'Waiting for signal lock' even though it has programme listings.
The tuners seem to be showing 'Idle' when I look and most channels will play.
Having managed to use the new method of capturing channels, I now have a more comprehensive listing of the HD channels; except, some of them just say 'Waiting for signal lock'.  One step forward and two back!
I'll keep experimenting and sending you logs.
Latest attached

PS: I've just tried to attach the latest log and it tells me it is too big!!  Dear oh dear!

[Yaobing]

Channel 4+1 comes up with 'Waiting for signal lock' even though it has programme listings.

Maybe it is a scrambled channel.  Maybe the satellite was having trouble sending signals, or your antenna was not aiming to the satellite properly.  The latter is unlikely since you are able to receive other channels.

The tuners seem to be showing 'Idle' when I look and most channels will play.

MC can not detect another application using a tuner.  So "idle" only means MC is not using the tuner.

[The CasaMan]

The antenna is fine as the other two feeds source my PVR which works well.
If the tuners are showing 'idle' at least it means that they are there waiting to be used and not unavailable or showing 'error' as they were a few days ago.
The tuners are only being used by MC.
How do I get the log to you if it is now too big to send?
I've just recorded a test programme which was titled "Nile: Earth's Greatest Rivers" and it turned out to be about sewage and building toilets!  I suspect that the EPG has matched some titles to the wrong channels. I will go through and check some of the matching.  It could be a mistake of the auto matching process.  It was BBC Two HD so it should have been correct.

[Yaobing]

If the logs are too big to email, you can try uploading them to your online file service account, such as DropBox, Google Drive, OneDrive, etc. and email me a link.

Regarding EPG error, check if all programs in that channel are wrong.  If so, you can correct it by editing the XMLTVID field of the channel.

[The CasaMan]

I have limited the log to 1GB; problem solved.  My mistake.  I shall not bother you with logs at present as (sound familiar?), MC seems to be making sense again; I would love to think that this will continue.  BBC 2 HD seems to be playing what the EPG says it should.  Quite where the bogus programme came from goodness knows.
Apart for some missing programme information, it is doing what it should.
Is it possible that it needs time to settle once it has been set up?
Thanks again for your continued patience.
Tim

[The CasaMan]

Just to update you.
Log.txt is once more too big to send but I thought the latter part of the TelevisionLog may be of interest.  It still will not record some programmes even though the channel seems to be working fine when I watch it.
It also crashed again so I have attached the Previous Crash.dmp file.
Not expecting any miracle cure but I just feel that I cannot really trust it.  It's always a bit of a lottery as to whether I get my programmes or not. 
Tim

[Yaobing]

Just to update you.
Log.txt is once more too big to send but I thought the latter part of the TelevisionLog may be of interest.  It still will not record some programmes even though the channel seems to be working fine when I watch it.
It also crashed again so I have attached the Previous Crash.dmp file.
Not expecting any miracle cure but I just feel that I cannot really trust it.  It's always a bit of a lottery as to whether I get my programmes or not. 
Tim

Which version of MC were you using when this crash occurred?  Build 68?  Or build 70?  Or an earlier build?  I need to know exact build in order to make sense of the dump file.  This is one of the reasons why it is better to collect log and dump files in a complete zip package.

[The CasaMan]

I am using 25.0.54 and I always update when told to in the Action Centre
I have put the log zip file in the following:

https://app.box.com/s/9lfkh4k3t3sdituzy0dkbmrqw3fupp4z

I will use this folder in future for sending the zip file.
I have not had a successful recording now for three days.

**Update on that!!  I have just looked back at my server and, would you believe, it is now not only recording a programme on one tuner, it is doing an EPG scan on the other!  It is SO quirky!  If it were a person, I'd be tempted to give it a good kick in the rear-end!

On the subject of versions, I notice that you are pushing out 71 and I am on 54.  I update from the prompt given within MC.  Should I continue to do that or should I be updating to the latest version?  I am assuming that the prompt pushes out the latest 'stable' version.

Tim

[JimH]

On the subject of versions, I notice that you are pushing out 71 and I am on 54.  I update from the prompt given within MC.  Should I continue to do that or should I be updating to the latest version?  I am assuming that the prompt pushes out the latest 'stable' version.

Please read this:
https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Updates

[The CasaMan]

Thanks for that.
Still confused.  If I ask MC to check for updates, it tells me that it is up-to-date at 54 but if I go to the Download page, it is distributing 71.  Is 55 to 71 unstable?
Tim

[Yaobing]

It may be just timing (between you checking for update inside MC, and you checking the download page). 

[Matt]

We intentionally haven't updated the XML file yet.

[The CasaMan]

It may be just timing (between you checking for update inside MC, and you checking the download page).

More confused.  There is a big difference between 54 and 71.  I lterally went from one to the other.

[Yaobing]

More confused.  There is a big difference between 54 and 71.  I lterally went from one to the other.

We make many builds, not all of them are deemed stable.  Some are publicized on the MC25 board (as "Latest" builds), only those we deem most stable go to download page.

[JimH]

We intentionally haven't updated the XML file yet.

I think we could now.

[The CasaMan]

Thanks guys.
Having moaned about the TV module so much over the last week or so, I just want to say that if it weren't such a fantastic program, I wouldn't bother.  I couldn't do without it now and I'm just determined to get it running smoothly.  I use all the other features on a daily basis and it gives me much pleasure.  Over 400 CDs on my Media NAS, directories holding many HiDef downloads from the likes of Linn, Hyperion etc. stuff that I have mastered using my DAW and audio interface (I use Audient, fantastic stuff), radio streaming, home videos, you name it.  Indispensable.
So please forgive me if I keep moaning; it's all in a good cause!
Tim

[Yaobing]

Thanks guys.
Having moaned about the TV module so much over the last week or so, I just want to say that if it weren't such a fantastic program, I wouldn't bother.  I couldn't do without it now and I'm just determined to get it running smoothly.  I use all the other features on a daily basis and it gives me much pleasure.  Over 400 CDs on my Media NAS, directories holding many HiDef downloads from the likes of Linn, Hyperion etc. stuff that I have mastered using my DAW and audio interface (I use Audient, fantastic stuff), radio streaming, home videos, you name it.  Indispensable.
So please forgive me if I keep moaning; it's all in a good cause!
Tim

Don't worry about it.  You are very fine.

Regarding the crash, I fixed a little sloppy code which may have an impact.

In the future, if you have crashes again, start up MC, and go to Help > Logging immediately without doing anything else, and click "Report problem...".  Then share the zip file created by MC (on the Desktop by default).  This way we will have everything in the same package, including crash dump (if any), and log files.

[Yaobing]

With regard to recordings that were skipped, I am not sure.  One thing caught my eyes though - your over-the-air EPG scanning takes a long time to complete.  Most of the time, it starts at 3:00 am and finishes at 7:50 am.  If for any reason MC was not running during that period, MC will run EPG scanning as soon as it starts.  That means for almost 4 hours you may have a tuner occupied by EPG scanning and thus not available for recording.  You have only two tuners.

I am not sure if that is the real cause of any recordings missed, but it is a concern.  I don't know why EPG scanning took that long.  Maybe you have a large number of DVB-S channels.  Is in-stream (over-the-air) EPG your primary mode of getting EPG data?  If you have setup an on-line EPG mode, such as mc2xml or PercData, or a generic XMLTV method, you should consider turning off OTA scan.