Beyonwiz U4 - Dead USB Tuner

[BazzaG]

It appears that the USB DVB-T TV Stick on my U4 has died. The U4 starts the recording but I end up with a zero byte .TS file.

While I'm still investigating the problem, my question here is:

Is there a change that I can make to my IceTV configuration or my U4 to limit the max. number of concurrent recordings across multiple FTA providers to 3?

TIA
BazzaG...



Ok to answer my own post somewhat ...

* Confirmed that it's the USB DVB-T TV Stick that's not working,
* I've tried replugging in the USB DVB-T TV Stick, changing USB ports ... no change
* I have now set 'Tuner D' to "Nothing Connected"

I presume that IceTV will now alert me when I need a "fourth" tuner? Is that correct?

This doesn't often happen, ATM that's around 8:30pm on a Sunday night.

Will now try to source a replacement....

[prl]

Is there a change that I can make to my IceTV configuration or my U4 to limit the max. number of concurrent recordings across multiple FTA providers to 3?

Shut down the U4. Unplug the USB tuner. Reboot.

However, that will only work for future recordings.

To redo everything, after removing the USB tuner and rebooting, MENU>IceTV>Disable IceTV: If you don't do this, the next step will remove all the current episodes for your recordings from the IceTV server!

Exit back to live TV.

Press TIMER

Use RED Delete to remove all the IceTV timers (those marked with the blue IceTV star).

In your IceTV Web pages, My Account>My Recordings, click on Settings for your U4 device in the list.

Click on Resend all recordings for this device.

On the Beyonwiz,
MENU>IceTV>Enable IceTV
MENU>IceTV>Fetch EPG and update timers now.

Fix up any recording conflicts.

I presume that IceTV will now alert me when I need a "fourth" tuner? Is that correct?

It will send you an email for any timer conflicts the Beyonwiz reports back. The IceTV server doesn't know, or care, how many tuners you have. In My Week in your IceTV Web pages, it will also mark any recordings that failed to be ceated.

Will now try to source a replacement....

It has recently been found that the U4 can actually support 5 tuners, so you might like to think about getting a Hauppauge WinTV-dualHD dual USB tuner. Beyonwiz is showing 9 in stock.

[BazzaG]

Thanks Peter.  I have a number of recordings scheduled for tonight ... some running now.

I'll go through your process later tonight or perhaps tomorrow morning.

As for a replacement, I've added some questions to a post on the Beyonwiz forums:

USB Tuner on U4 fail
https://www.beyonwiz.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=14691

Re: The Hauppauge WinTV-dualHD dual USB tuner ... it would be nice to have 5 tuners but I was hoping for something a bit cheaper. However, there appears to be a dearth of single USB port twin DVB-T tuners.



Just noticed that I received a email from IceTV earlier that ALL my recordings for tonight, for example:

Message from recorder:   Failed to update timer 'Australian Story'

However, that timer is running just fine & the others all look OK as well.

[IanL-S]

At one stage I had 7 tuners on my U4 currently have 5 tuners. Dual tuners tend to be expensive (unless you can pick up a Sony Play TV - i picked up several on eBay for less than $20. Bit bulky but work very well. Only the U4 and V2 support dual USB tuners. Beyonwiz now sell "bluey" USB tuners for about $50; you can pick up the same on eBay for under $30, but you have to be careful that they have the correct chipset. I did a bulk purchase and ended up paying under $25 each.

Ian

[BazzaG]

Shut down the U4. Unplug the USB tuner. Reboot.

However, that will only work for future recordings.

To redo everything, after removing the USB tuner and rebooting, MENU>IceTV>Disable IceTV: If you don't do this, the next step will remove all the current episodes for your recordings from the IceTV server!

Exit back to live TV.

Press TIMER

Use RED Delete to remove all the IceTV timers (those marked with the blue IceTV star).

In your IceTV Web pages, My Account>My Recordings, click on Settings for your U4 device in the list.

Click on Resend all recordings for this device.

On the Beyonwiz,
MENU>IceTV>Enable IceTV
MENU>IceTV>Fetch EPG and update timers now.

Fix up any recording conflicts.

Done. Thanks muchly.

I would have conflicts on Wednesday night but I deleted all the recordings for the ABC channel, leaving various recordings across 3 other channels. I will also have to watch the TV directly & not through the U4 ... will just have to remember to do so!!!!!

[prl]

At one stage I had 7 tuners on my U4 currently have 5 tuners. Dual tuners tend to be expensive.

Have you ever tried the Hauppauge USB dual tuner on the U4? When I tried it I was surprised that while the kernel seemed to detect it and had the correct drivers, it didn't appear in MENU>Information>Devices.

[MD]

As best I know Hauppauge had to modify the firmware in their tuners especially for Beyonwiz...

[prl]

I wasn't aware of that. But I was talking about a Beyonwiz, anyway. Just not a V2 :)

The U4 certainly has drivers for the Hauppauge chipset, and the kernel detects and registers the Hauppauge at startup.

[MD]

I use a U4 for our home, just have a V2 for testing.  My U4 recognised and uses a spare eyeTV diversity tuner i had too!

[BazzaG]

It's a pity that despite the U4 having drivers for the Hauppauge doesn't work. I would certainly buy one if it did.

Hopefully, this can be fixed sometime in the future.

[prl]

I've posted on the parallel discussion on the Beyonwiz forum about the problem of the U4 not recognising the Hauppauge USB tuner.

This is really a Beyonwiz issue, and I'll post any followups on the Beyonwiz forum.

[BazzaG]

This issue has been resolved ... sort of.

I purchased a Sony PS3 PlayTV tuner, it arrived today, it's now installed on my U4, both tuners are working on my U4, but:

* The tuners are only DVB-T1, not T2 tuners. I'm not entirely sure what this means, I've have briefly asked Professor Google...

* Far more importantly, the signal strength is WELL down on the single USB tuner that came with the U4. More than just that the TV signal is internally split to provide.

At this stage, I'm not sure where I'll go from here.

[prl]

* The tuners are only DVB-T1, not T2 tuners. I'm not entirely sure what this means, I've have briefly asked Professor Google...

DVB-T2 is not currently used in Australia, though I understand that it's in widespread use in Europe.

Dr Wikipedia has a table of differences between DVB-T and DVB-T2 (but further research may be needed to understand the table ;)). I understand that the Sony Playstation tuners are oldish (and no longer in production), so I'm not surprised that they're not DVB-T2 capable.

* Far more importantly, the signal strength is WELL down on the single USB tuner that came with the U4. More than just that the TV signal is internally split to provide.

The Beyonwiz signal strength and signal quality indicators can't be reliably used to compare two different tuner models.

[BazzaG]

DVB-T2 is not currently used in Australia, though I understand that it's in widespread use in Europe.

Perhaps yet another example Australia is so far behind "the times".

I understand that the Sony Playstation tuners are oldish (and no longer in production), so I'm not surprised that they're not DVB-T2 capable.

I knew this but as far as I'm aware it's the only dual tuner choice I have, since the Hauppauge dual tuner USB stick doesn't work on the U4. I could have purchased 2 single tuners, but that would have meant an extra splitter and extra cabling.

The Beyonwiz signal strength and signal quality indicators can't be reliably used to compare two different tuner models.

Didn't know that, what I see is top bar (S) only gets to 43%, compared to 90+% on the internal tuners. Meanwhile the 2nd bar (Q) doesn't show anything, ie. zero, whereas the internal tuners get 99%.

[prl]

The Beyonwiz signal strength and signal quality indicators can't be reliably used to compare two different tuner models.

Meanwhile the 2nd bar (Q) doesn't show anything, ie. zero, whereas the internal tuners get 99%.

That's all part of the wonderful diversity of what is reported for signal strength and quality by the devices and their drivers. ;)