Can't use more than 1 tuner

[speedyrazor]

Hi, I am using my 6984 with MediaPortal, which I have been using for about 6 years with various different cards, so I am no beginner when it comes to MediaPortal. For some reason with my 6984 card I can't use more than 1 tuner at a time.
If I set a programme to record, and when that starts to record it will freeze the current channel I am watching, this happens on freeview and pay channels. What is the best way to go about fault find this issue, seeing what is at fault, the 6984, the cable, the quad LNB?
Whats best best thing to check first please?

Kind regards.

[speedyrazor]

Hi, OK, I have figured out why my problem is intermittent, the first time I try to use more than 1 tuner at a time after reboot I get the issue, as soon as MP has unsuccessfully used 2 tuners at the same time, then I can use 2 tuners at the same time successfully. As soon as MP has unsuccessfully used 3 tuners at the same time, then I can use 3 tuners at the same time successfully. If I reboot it all then starts again.
I have had this problem for months, but never figured out what was happening.

[steven]

Hi speedyrazor

Would you mind having a look at this topic:
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=8016
Add some delay time for MP after reboot.

Kind Regards

steven

[speedyrazor]

Hi, thanks for the tip, I tried it but unfortunately made no difference.
I have moved the card to another PCI-E slot, plugged it in a power source (connector from the power supply, so a good source) and unfortunately I still havr the same problem.
My motherboard is an Asus P8Z68-V LX with the latest bios, currently in PCI-E slot 1 (PCI-E X1 slot).

I am also posting this issue over on the MediaPortal forum:

http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/threads/tbs-6984-cant-use-more-than-1-tuner.116469/

Kind regards.

[speedyrazor]

I am not getting anywhere with this.
I have tried driver version 1.0.2.3 and 1.0.2.4, same issue.
I start watching BBC1, I then set Channel 5 to record and as soon as Channel 5 starts to record the programme I am watching (BBC1) freezes. Once this has happened if I repeat the same test it then works, no freeze, until I reboot and then it starts again. I have the same issue when recording with tuner C and D as well.
Could it be my motherboard, power supply, cable, LNB?
I really need to get to the bottom of this as I am only able to use 1 tuner.
Please help.

Kind regards.

[speedyrazor]

So I just tried the card in an older PC, with different power supply, and it functioned exactly the same, same issue.
So I dont think it's the motherboard or power supply.
So it's either a problem with the TBS 6984 card, my cable, or the LNB.
I need to find out if the 6984 card is faulty.
Any suggestions as to what to try next?

Regards.

[cody]

based on what you wrote here:

http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/threa ... ost-965911

it seems to me like some MediaPortal bug. actually, i believe that MediaPortal is doing something that cuts the LNB power on the other tuners and that's why for example when you watch one channel and start recoding another the one you watch freezes, as MediaPortal sends instructions to 6984 driver that results in LNB power to be cut to the other tuner.

so, it's up to be investigated by us too, but i believe that is what happens and then it's interesting what difference in MediaPortal what you described here:

http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/threa ... ost-965911

makes and workarounds the problem. maybe MediaPortal need to update their software to do the same initialization every time automatically.

[speedyrazor]

Hi Cody, thanks for your reply.
So is there something I could try to prove it's a MediaPortal problem, another pice of software for example? Something free and easy to use and test with would be good, coz at the moment i'm stuck in limbo.

Cheers.

[speedyrazor]

FIXED!!!!!
I can now watch and record on all 4 tuners at the same time!
In MediaPortal I needed to enable 'Allow this card to be preloaded' in the TV Server\Edit Card Properties (disabled by default).
Once I enabled this setting on each tuner, rebooted, now all works perfectly.
Many thanks for everyones help.

Kind regards