View Full Version : [TIVIAR-ALPHA+] Failed Recordings with zero File Size
Hi, I'm in the UK and I'm recording freesat. I rarely reboot my Tiviar Alpha+ receiver and it's been recording fine for several months. But on the 12th July I got my first failed recording where the filesize was zero. So I can see the video via FTP but the file size is zero. I then immediately tried to record something else on the same channel to test it and that failed to record as well. I restarted my box and recording worked again.
What's weird is that I got 2 failed recordings again the next day on July 13th. The Heights on BBC 1 at 1.35pm failed to record which was an automatic timer I setup to record that channel at that time every week day. Yet another automatic timer later in the day on the same channel but at 7.20pm for EastEnders recorded fine. Any ideas what caused the 3 failed recordings and how can I prevent it happening again? Thanks
Failed Recording: Comedy Years on 12th July 10.10pm on ITV HD.
Failed Recording: Coronation Street 13th July 6.50pm on ITV HD.
Failed Recording: Doctors 13th July 1.35pm on BBC 1 HD.
All automated timers on 13th July always start at the same time every day.
Debug logs attached.
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BrianTheTechieSnail
14-07-20, 02:43
Could be the it couldn't find a signal for the channel for some reason.
Other than that I don't know.
Those debug logs are only showing the box booting up at night time - there is no info for the period of the actual recording (or failed recording)
If you go in to timers, at the end should be completed timers, highlight one that failed and press info. That might give you a clue what happened.
I had some zero length recordings after setting up a new box recently. Logs showed that the timer had started and completed as expected. Upon investigation, I found that one of the satellite cables had separated from the coax connector whilst I was installing, so easily fixed. Check your connections first I would say.
Is there any other log I can provide you or do I just need the info from the timers.xml file?
The following failed to record today and had a zero file size:
20200714 1335 - BBC One HD - The Heights
20200714 0150 - BBC Four HD - The Joy of Painting
I can't press the info button on the failed recordings because automated timers such as the above never appear in my timer's page on my box. Here's the info from the timers.xml file. Doesn't say anything helpful. How come there's a log for everything except to tell you why a programme didn't record?
<log code="15" time="1594387500">record time changed, start prepare is now: Mon Jul 13 13:34:40 2020</log>
<log code="5" time="1594643680">activating state 1</log>
<log code="0" time="1594643680">Found enough free space to record</log>
<log code="0" time="1594643680">Filename calculated as: '/media/hdd/movie/20200713 1335 - BBC One HD - Doctors'</log>
<log code="0" time="1594643680">Filename calculated as: '/media/hdd/movie/20200713 1335 - BBC One HD - The Heights'</log>
<log code="6" time="1594643680">prepare ok, waiting for begin</log>
<log code="5" time="1594643700">activating state 2</log>
<log code="11" time="1594643700">start recording on tuner: B</log>
<log code="5" time="1594646700">activating state 3</log>
<log code="12" time="1594646700">stop recording on tuner: B</log>
<log code="15" time="1594646700">record time changed, start prepare is now: Tue Jul 14 13:34:40 2020</log>
<log code="5" time="1594730080">activating state 1</log>
<log code="0" time="1594730080">Found enough free space to record</log>
<log code="0" time="1594730080">Filename calculated as: '/media/hdd/20200714 1335 - BBC One HD - Doctors'</log>
<log code="0" time="1594730080">Filename calculated as: '/media/hdd/20200714 1335 - BBC One HD - The Heights'</log>
<log code="6" time="1594730080">prepare ok, waiting for begin</log>
<log code="5" time="1594730100">activating state 2</log>
<log code="11" time="1594730100">start recording on tuner: B</log>
<log code="5" time="1594733100">activating state 3</log>
<log code="12" time="1594733100">stop recording on tuner: B</log>
<log code="15" time="1594733100">record time changed, start prepare is now: Wed Jul 15 13:34:40 2020</log>
</timer>
I moved my box recently and disconnected and reconnected the 2 satellite cables that go into the tuners. Turns out that Tuner 1 has an input and output unlike my other box and I put both cables into those, instead of putting 1 of the cables into the Tuner 2 input. Still doesn't explain why when nothing was recording and then 1 show was to record that it didn't record as the Tuner 1 input was connected properly?
The following failed to record today and had a zero file size:
20200714 1335 - BBC One HD - The Heights
20200714 0150 - BBC Four HD - The Joy of Painting
If Joy of Painting is one of your autotimers in the TIMERS list do you have a timer for Wednesday and Thursday?
If not can you post a screenshot of you Autotimers setting for this program as it may give clue as to why no timer is being set.
A programme will not be rcorded if there is no timer. Autotimer is not a timer - it only sets timers. Think of autotimer as a search engine looking through your EPG but only on the channels and times you have asked it to do (the times and days can be disabled if you want the search to be 24/7 each week). When the search finds a matching programme it sets a timer and it is this timer that triggers the record the programme. If the autotimer search has failed to detect the ptogramme then this is why it has failed to record. However. a zero time recording suggests that a timer was generated but possibly no signal was detected.
I moved my box recently and disconnected and reconnected the 2 satellite cables that go into the tuners. Turns out that Tuner 1 has an input and output unlike my other box and I put both cables into those, instead of putting 1 of the cables into the Tuner 2 input. Still doesn't explain why when nothing was recording and then 1 show was to record that it didn't record as the Tuner 1 input was connected properly?
Timers may be set on the number of tuners that you say you have but record based on detecting the actual signal. Was the box set to record two programs at the same time albeit with only a padding overlap?
Joy of Painting wasn't a repeated timer it was just a one-off recording.
This was the only thing that would have been recording at 1.35pm. Nothing else was to be recorded during that time and nothing would overlap with it.
20200714 1335 - BBC One HD - The Heights
I don't know if autotimer is the correct word that I used. In OpenWebIf in my browser I went into the EPG and added a timer. In the timers list I then edited the timer and changed it to record that channel at the same time every day of the week regardless of what show is on at that time. What do you call those types of timers?
Don't think a screenshot of that timers page would help you as it either says a timer is running or it's waiting or completed.
Having a tuner with no cable connected is reason the recordings failed. The box is using tuner B for recording according to the small bit of a log you posted which leaves Tuner A free for viewing. If you have the tuner set up the receiver is going to " believe" that you actually connected the cable. There is nothing unusual in that scenario - this problem is down to user error. Now you can explain to the family why their soaps haven't been recorded.
Joy of Painting wasn't a repeated timer it was just a one-off recording.
This was the only thing that would have been recording at 1.35pm. Nothing else was to be recorded during that time and nothing would overlap with it.
20200714 1335 - BBC One HD - The Heights
I don't know if autotimer is the correct word that I used. In OpenWebIf in my browser I went into the EPG and added a timer. In the timers list I then edited the timer and changed it to record that channel at the same time every day of the week regardless of what show is on at that time. What do you call those types of timers?
Don't think a screenshot of that timers page would help you as it either says a timer is running or it's waiting or completed.
Speculation.......
Menu -> setup -> recordings, playback and timeshift -> recording and playback -> recordings always have priority. Do recordings have priority over live TV? If at one time you only had one tuner connected and you were watching live TV at the time the recording may not have taken place but possibly (speculation again) you would have had a warning message on screen.
also
menu -> setup -> tuners and scanning -> miscellaneous -> Preferred tuner for recordings could this have been set for a tuner with a disconnected input?
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