Random Freezes on a particular channel

[aydin1954]

Hello,

 

recently I have been experiencing random freezes on a particular channel. Is not a program freeze as the program still responds to mouse clicks etc.... but the video and audio freeze. And there is no way to restart it like by changing channel (also at this point the other channels are frozen too) but to restart the program.

 

This seems to happen randomly and only on one channel.

 

The channel signal for this particular channel is fine as I have no problem with two separate set top boxes (Topfield).

 

As requested the support.zip file is attached.

support.zip

[Gioxy]

Hi aydin1954,

 

you can try those workaround:

- check if the faulty channel signal is good also with your card (set top boxes are usually more sensible...) looking for "discontinuities" in "View / Filters / DVB Source" window.

- when DVBViewer freezes, check (and please report here) the "Filter state" in the previous window, then try if "View / Rebuild Graph" can resume playback

- set both Audio & Video in "Settings / Options / DirectX / DVBVierwer filter / TV/Radio Pre-Format Detection" and make some test on the faulty channel

- try some other Video/Audio Renderer/Decoder combination

 

Good luke!

 

[aydin1954]

Thanks for the reply and advice. Will try. I did tick both audio and video checkboxes as you said.

 

And will now watch and see.... in "View / Filters / DVB Source" looks good so far.

 

I do have a suspicion but not based on anything but gut feeling that the problem may be caused by Norton Internet Security 2013 when it does not properly starts after a reboot and needs to be "kicked" doing a LiveUpdated. I discovered this by luck, it is when you do not see the icon in the system tray then you do a LiveUpdate and it appears. This interferes with several things like file sharing and progam installation. Once you do the LiveUpdate these problems are fixed and could be that it interferes with DVBViewer too. But I do not have any proof and unfortunately cannot force this to happen. It just does once in a blue moon at random.

 

My suspect is that when last the freezes were happening this was the case, the NIS did not start properly. But did not notice until I tried to access a shared folder from another PC. Then I did the LiveUpdate thing as I am used. Since then no freezes for now....

[aydin1954]

ok scratch that.... had couple of new freezes and Norton was OK so is not that.

 

It did not show anything under "discontinuities" in "View / Filters / DVB Source" window or did not notice anything under filter state... then "View / Rebuild Graph" does resume playback.

 

Now trying some new combination of Video/Audio Renderer/Decoder.

 

And one question is if there are combinations that better than others?

[QBox User]

For Windows 7, I have always found the Microsoft video decoder to be solid, on both mpeg and H.264. MS is also OK for mpeg audio, but not for AC3. I would make those the choice for "A" then you can try others as "B" options.

[aydin1954]

thank you and which renderer would you advice to use?

[Gioxy]

Too difficult to say, please read Wiki's Options DirectX page to introduce yourself to the topic...

 

[aydin1954]

thanks Gioxy for pointing me out to that page and since it says there:

 

The EVR Custom video renderer is basically the EVR video renderer but does the mixing and displaying itself. This allows better control how the OSD is displayed.

If you use Windows Vista or Windows 7 this is normally the renderer to use.

 

and I do use Win 7 then will go with it and the Microsoft video decoder as QBox User advised and see how it goes.

[aydin1954]

unfortunately not well.... had another freeze and again nothing particular in the View / Filters / DVB Source" window. No errors no discontinuities signaled.

 

Any more suggestions?

[Derrick]

Which particular channel? Scrambled or FTA?

[aydin1954]

FTA it is RSI2 HD the Second Swiss Italian Channel in HD

[Derrick]

How about other programmes on the same frequency? Do you see discontinuities? (view -> filters -> dvb source)

[aydin1954]

nope never checked as I never had any freezes on other programs on the same frequency.

 

I now set my Video B to the Delgato decoder I see if works better.

 

One observation if I may is that the program should deal with such freezes or prevent them if that is possible. Maybe for future versions?

 

Of course I do understand is a rather complex environment with many steps between the TV Signal and the output to the TV.

[Gioxy]

the program should deal with such freezes or prevent them if that is possible

...unfortunately DVBViewer (and AFAIK any other similar sw) can't do anything to deal or prevent DirectX issues, so better don't take your breath and try again... here some other hints:

- your Sisteminfo.txt show:

Elgato Video Decoder:   00200001  
(File is missing)
...
DivX AAC Decoder:   00800000  
(File is missing)
...
Elgato Audio Decoder:   00200001  
(File is missing)

- (in the past) I had many strange problems with DivX suite, so I removed from all my PC...

- a good decoder/suite is LAV filter, but before try please update it to v. 0.58

- pay also attention to Video and Audio decoders combinations, there can be significant difference in reliability and stability

- another possible source of trouble can be the Video card driver, but since a "Rebuild Graph" seem to solve you issue I would try experimeting with it only as a last chance; anyhow if you want a preview on what a mess can be plaiyng with it (...they), have a look in this forum...

 

Good luke and don't give up!

 

[aydin1954]

yeah... as I said I thought that DVBViewer could not do much with this kind of problems.... anyhow

 

I uninstalled DivX from this machine so must be a remnant you know how messy is Windows with uninstalls....

 

about Elgato, strange as it seemed that it was quite OK but need to test it more. And will try the one you said.

 

I use only the AC3 as audio decoder.

 

And video card drivers..... brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr..... had my experiences in the past with NVidia drivers and playing HD videos. For quite some while a given old driver was fine and any newer was bad. But the latest ones are again OK. So once you have one that works fine best is to not update or at least keep a working older one around in case.

[aydin1954]

OK it looks like (so far so good, been using it for two days) the LAV decoder does the trick. If it is fine will go with no news good news meaning no more updates and will consider this problem solved. If it freezes again will be back

[aydin1954]

Darn I jinxed it.... again a freeze. But I may be on something.... it happened when the station (watching the Wimbledon Tennis games) switched to background music while waiting for the next match.

 

So now I switched also to LAV from AC3 for audio.

 

We shall see...

[aydin1954]

update: today it did freeze again. With all LAV decoders. This time I had it on downstairs but was watching it upstairs on a Topfield set top box. I heard sort of a click or similar noise and it "skipped" a fraction of a second suppose due to a disturbance in the signal but it kept going. I run downstairs and on the DVBViewer it was frozen. Again no indication of discontinuities in View / Filters / DVB Source window.

 

So it kinda looks like DVBViewer or the decoders do not react gracefully to "bumps" in the signal.

Edited June 29, 2013 by aydin1954

[aydin1954]

OK I now saw a freeze due to a signal glitch (or two as the DVB Source Filter did show 2 discontinuities) the glitch was very visible with the usual pixelation.

 

Now the question is if there is a way to avoid freezes when this kind of signal glitch happen.

 

Also is there is a way to monitor and record the signal glitches or any other log I can post for the developers to look at?

[Gioxy]

...is there is a way to monitor and record the signal glitches or any other log I can post for the developers to look at?

For sure when recording: check "Settings / Options / Recording / Write log file" in DVBViewer or/and in RS, maybe also in "Debug Mode" (find it's starting icon in "Start / All Program / DVBViewer / Support" folder...).

 

But IMO most probably is (again) a DirectX "failure": some decoder are more "robust" with discontinuity error and after some pixellation will resume gracefully, some other disconnect at all the decoders, stopping (or freezing) DVBViewer... maybe you would dig on the "splitter" your DriectX chain is using, but (if I'm not wrong) you have to use a special tool as you can't see nothing about it in DVBViewer; anyhow a good one (and configurable in detail) is Haali Media Splitter, as often suggested in this forum & in the wiki...