TVHeadend + xbmc strong artifacts

[C0dR]

Hello,

i have a big problem with my tv setup. I have a tv server running on ubuntu server (12.04 LTS) with tvheadend. The clients use xbmc. But on every channel I get strong artifacts. I already deactivated the idle scan in tvheadend but it didn't help. I think it has something to do with bandwidth or buffer size, because on SD channels the artifacts aren't as strong as on HD channels.
I already tried the card on Windows and there are no artifacts (same softwares used), so it hast do be something with the drivers or linux itself. Setting pci-e speed manually to 100 Mhz didn't help and my bios does have the newest version. All i can say so far is that tvheadend trows out discontinue errors every time artifacts are visible.
I have also attached a screenshot, maybe it might be helpful. (its not always that green, its only the worst case. Most of the artifacts are just some wrong blocks)

[SergioDanielG]

Hi C0rd.
Did you have opportunity to test your satellite connection? Specially signal and quality percent, because your problem like poor signal/quality.
Regards.

[C0dR]

Hi,

sorry i forgot to write, satellite signal is pretty good (quality mostly over 90%, strength mostly around 100%). Well, as i said, i tested everything on windows and i had no artifacts. same hardware, satellite setup etc.

[LubosD]

Just a small note: only PCI speed can be configured, PCIe is not affected. But I am suffering from the same problem and I don't think that the motherboard - as it was previously said - is to blame.

The graphics card or Gb ethernet card are able to transfer huge amounts of data with no corruption, but the DVB-S card cannot? I don't believe it.

[jandenouden]

Hi,

If it's any consolation, I'm suffering from the same problem. Probably you have continuity counter errors in /var/log/syslog, such as:

Jan 22 10:58:07 host2 tvheadend[1725]: TS: 11856V/RTL7 HD: H264 @ #527: Continuity counter error
Jan 22 10:58:07 host2 tvheadend[1725]: TS: 11856V/RTL7 HD: AC3 @ #87: Continuity counter error

I've tried many things to resolve this issue:
- change motherboards (I'm on my fourth one now)
- play with power save settings in the BIOS
- play with PCIe settings in the BIOS
- play with tvheadend adapter full RX/keep FE open settings

Sometimes I think all this experimenting has some effect, but then I get another completely screwed up recording again (exactly like in you screenshot). There are other messages on this forum ("TS discontinuities") from people appearing to have the same issue. If anyone there is anyone on this board who uses TBS6985+TVHeadend and can watch HD channels without problems, please let us know what configuration you are using.

I'm actually convinced now that it is a TBS6985 PCIe DMA hardware problem, or something specific having to do with how the driver accesses the hardware, or how TVHeadend uses the driver.

It's a shame, TBS6985+TVHeadend is an almost perfect set up for IPTV around the house.

Jan

[LubosD]

This is certainly not limited to TvHeadend. VDR produces the same artifacts, it just doesn't complain as loudly.

[BeMax]

I have a similar setup for a new system (Fedora 18) TBS6985 and tested different versions if Tvh....
The errors causes drops...

I have another system with TBS6925 without any problems. Will move the adapter around when I have the time to test...



2014-01-29 23:35:56.330 TS: TurboSight TBS 6985 DVBS/S2 frontend : DVB-S #0/11067V/20800: H264 @ #2306: Continuity counter error, 5 duplicate log lines suppressed

2014-01-29 23:36:02.419 TS: TurboSight TBS 6985 DVBS/S2 frontend : DVB-S #0/11067V/20800: H264 @ #2306: Continuity counter error, 7 duplicate log lines suppressed

2014-01-29 23:36:05.065 TS: TurboSight TBS 6985 DVBS/S2 frontend : DVB-S #0/11067V/20800: MPEG2AUDIO @ #2305: Continuity counter error

2014-01-29 23:36:05.980 TS: TurboSight TBS 6985 DVBS/S2 frontend : DVB-S #0/11067V/20800: H264 @ #2306: Continuity counter error, 9 duplicate log lines suppressed

2014-01-29 23:36:06.774 TS: TurboSight TBS 6985 DVBS/S2 frontend : DVB-S #0/11067V/20800: H264 @ #2306: Continuity counter error, 11 duplicate log lines suppressed

2014-01-29 23:36:08.535 TS: TurboSight TBS 6985 DVBS/S2 frontend : DVB-S #0/11067V/20800: H264 @ #2306: Continuity counter error, 13 duplicate log lines suppressed

2014-01-29 23:36:11.701 TS: TurboSight TBS 6985 DVBS/S2 frontend : DVB-S #0/11067V/20800: MPEG2AUDIO @ #2305: Continuity counter error, 1 duplicate log lines suppressed

2014-01-29 23:36:16.381 TS: TurboSight TBS 6985 DVBS/S2 frontend : DVB-S #0/11067V/20800: H264 @ #2306: Continuity counter error, 15 duplicate log lines suppressed

2014-01-29 23:36:17.344 TS: TurboSight TBS 6985 DVBS/S2 frontend : DVB-S #0/11067V/20800: H264 @ #2306: Continuity counter error, 16 duplicate log lines suppressed

2014-01-29 23:36:25.342 TS: TurboSight TBS 6985 DVBS/S2 frontend : DVB-S #0/11067V/20800: H264 @ #2306: Continuity counter error, 18 duplicate log lines suppressed

2014-01-29 23:36:30.312 TS: TurboSight TBS 6985 DVBS/S2 frontend : DVB-S #0/11067V/20800: H264 @ #2306: Continuity counter error, 20 duplicate log lines suppressed

[angelz]

hello,

I have the same problem with my config
I have tbs6985 and I have a lot of :

Continuity counter error, 1 duplicate log lines suppressed

I have test enable only one dvb on my card and test each of 4 dvb but always the same problem

someone have find a solution ?

[jandenouden]

Hi,

Nobody has come up with a solution yet. I've tried to resolve this with TBS support, but their conclusion was an incompatibility with my motherboard. Meanwhile I've tried 4 different motherboards (both AMD and Intel, both new and a few years old), and I have the problem with all of them. Considering there are others on this board with apparently the same problem, I think it's more like a hardware or linux driver problem.

I haven't heard from anyone yet confirming their TBS6985 operates correctly under linux. I'm looking at buying another card, rather than invest again in another motherboard, but it seems like TBS is the main vendor in this market - perhaps two of their dual tuner cards would work better.

Thanks,
Jan

[BeMax]

Hi,

Nobody has come up with a solution yet. I've tried to resolve this with TBS support, but their conclusion was an incompatibility with my motherboard.

Maybe TBS can recommend a working motherboard when using linux !? I'm using for the "non-working" TBS6985 board in the setup (Fedora 18):
ASUS P7P55D LE, P55, Socket-1156
Intel Core™ i5 Quad Processor i5-750
XFX GeForce GT240 550M 1GB PhysX CUDA

The other machine have (Fedora 16) :
Asus P5E-V HDMI, G35, Socket-775, DDR2
Intel Core™ 2 Duo E8200 2.66GHz
running TBS6284 and TBS6925 without any problems....

When the switch from 1N to 2E is over i will test to swap cards. Now the TBS6985 is logging SNR 24/7.