72 replies to this topic

[WanWizard]

If it was a change in broadcasting, the problem should happen in all the image. Or that's not the case

 

No, every driver is different, what triggers an issue in one is unlikely to trigger the same issue in another.

 

I am pretty sure that the problem is something related to compatibility between vu+ driver (if it's the only box that have the problem) and something like gstreamer or the way it is played.
That does not mean that something is wrong or bugged in enigma2, but just that something is different or use different part of driver that bring that bug, whereas before it was not using it or not this way.

 

I thought this was about broadcasts?

 

gstreamer is only used for playback of external media, not for broadcasts, and not for playback of recordings, those are directly send to the SoC for processing in hardware, through the drivers.
 

What is most likely is that something is received that triggers some sort of race condition in the drivers (unexpected value, buffer overflow, things like that ) that causes the drivers to break. Something that is in recent broadcasts, and wasn't in broadcasts year(s) ago.

 

It is pointless comparing an OpenPLi 9 with a current broadcast with how OpenPLi 7 behaved 4 years ago, as there are so many things different that makes a comparison pointless..

If you do want to compare, flash OpenPLi 6 or 7, or an old ATV now, and see if you observe the problem.

 

[s3n0]

1.
Couldn't there be a problem in the "combiner" of the audio channels if there are more channels in AC3 that merge into stereo (only 2 channels) ? In each Enigma2 in the sound configuration of the set-top box, this can be set (combination of AC3 multi-channel sound, into stereo, i.e. into 2 channels, which every TV has by default). Maybe it would be good to test, even if not all audio channels will play, to turn off the "combination" of multiple audio channels into stereo.

 

2.
I don't want to confuse the waters... but... I started a similar problem a while back with IPTV. It broadcasts in MPEG-TS audio/video format. When I used playback in userbouquests via service number 4097, it sometimes happened that the sound dropped out, but the video continued to work. I finally eliminated this problem by starting to play MPEG-TS from IPTV, through service number 1 (DVB-Mediasink), instead of 4097 service (Gstreamer multimedia player). So there may indeed be some error in DVB-Mediasink as well. Of course, taking the stream from DVB-S and letting it be decoded via the Gstream player will probably not be possible.

[linus]

 

If it was a change in broadcasting, the problem should happen in all the image. Or that's not the case

 

No, every driver is different, what triggers an issue in one is unlikely to trigger the same issue in another.

 

I am pretty sure that the problem is something related to compatibility between vu+ driver (if it's the only box that have the problem) and something like gstreamer or the way it is played.
That does not mean that something is wrong or bugged in enigma2, but just that something is different or use different part of driver that bring that bug, whereas before it was not using it or not this way.

 

I thought this was about broadcasts?

 

gstreamer is only used for playback of external media, not for broadcasts, and not for playback of recordings, those are directly send to the SoC for processing in hardware, through the drivers.
 

What is most likely is that something is received that triggers some sort of race condition in the drivers (unexpected value, buffer overflow, things like that ) that causes the drivers to break. Something that is in recent broadcasts, and wasn't in broadcasts year(s) ago.

 

It is pointless comparing an OpenPLi 9 with a current broadcast with how OpenPLi 7 behaved 4 years ago, as there are so many things different that makes a comparison pointless..

If you do want to compare, flash OpenPLi 6 or 7, or an old ATV now, and see if you observe the problem.

 

 

 

I am not sure of what you mean.
The problem appear after the migration to openPli 9.0.
Never had the problem on openAtv 5.1 since a lot of year.  And i was on openATV 5.1 until the migration to openpli two weeks ago.
The problem happear twice since the migration of openPli 9.0, and it was a clean install, never had it on OpenAtv 5.1 that i was using since a looooooooot of year.
And it's not an "on demand problem" that i could reproduce on demand. It happen sometimes. (seems to be more in live tv, i dont think it happen once when playing record even recent record, but that does not say it could not happen)

 

You have an other example here with PolarBear4711, that got the problem on openPli 9.0. Roll back to 8.1, and never had the problem again since may. If that was a broadcast and not related to something that change in enigma/openpli, why do he never get it again, whereas over people here with openPli 9.0 get it again on a lot of different channel? 

Not sure that i could roll back to openAtv 5.1.
I will try, but i am totally sure that it will be exactly the same then PolarBear4711, all will work like before with the same TNT channels that crash sound for openPli 9.0.


The usage for me is only: watch live TNT, record live TNT (on an usb disk that is the same then before), and play record. recorded on it No internet or no lan/wan on it when i use it.
So i only play live TNT or recorded TNT.
And from what i know there is no change on the TNT here in France.
 

Edited by linus, 30 October 2024 - 22:35.

[dudule22]

I have also this problem, sometimes, on VU+ DUO 4K. After a reboot, it works fine.

[WanWizard]

1.
Couldn't there be a problem in the "combiner" of the audio channels if there are more channels in AC3 that merge into stereo (only 2 channels) ? In each Enigma2 in the sound configuration of the set-top box, this can be set (combination of AC3 multi-channel sound, into stereo, i.e. into 2 channels, which every TV has by default). Maybe it would be good to test, even if not all audio channels will play, to turn off the "combination" of multiple audio channels into stereo.

 

If you mean "downmix", which converts AC3 to PCM, this is done completely in hardware, by the SoC.

 

Note that the SoC does do try to do a HDMI negotiation with the device connected, so if for example you have downmix switched off, but the device doesn't support AC3, the SoC will enable downmix automatically. If this mechanism fails (due to protocol incompatibilities?), there is no sound.

There are also a lot of digital AV amplifiers with software bugs, where people report audio dropouts, so we have to make sure this is about box connected directly to the TV.

2.
I don't want to confuse the waters... but... I started a similar problem a while back with IPTV. It broadcasts in MPEG-TS audio/video format. When I used playback in userbouquests via service number 4097, it sometimes happened that the sound dropped out, but the video continued to work. I finally eliminated this problem by starting to play MPEG-TS from IPTV, through service number 1 (DVB-Mediasink), instead of 4097 service (Gstreamer multimedia player). So there may indeed be some error in DVB-Mediasink as well. Of course, taking the stream from DVB-S and letting it be decoded via the Gstream player will probably not be possible.

 

The problem I think is reproduction. From what I've read until now, it happens sometimes, and at random.

 

If would be handy if someone had a recording that would trigger the problem reliably, so it could be used for debugging.

 

As I have never ever experienced this problem on my Solo 4K.

[s3n0]

Yep, sorry, I meant the channels "downmix". So... this feature is hardware based. OK... so it shouldn't have an effect then if we try to toggle it.

 

I already tried debugging... but only in the case of OpenATV 7.4. Unfortunately, the problem only appeared once since I started debugging in Enigma2... then the error never appeared again. It's actually OK now, in my case (Vu+ Solo SE V2 @ ATV 7.4), for a good 1 month. However, there was nothing at all in the debug file. Neither before nor after the loss of sound. I also tried to switch the DVB-S channel to another one and also in that case nothing was shown in the debug file when switching channels.

 

I'm starting to worry that the problem is really in the HDMI chip / module (inside the set-top box). Alternatively, there is an error in the adapter - in the power supply of the set bop box.

Again, I will only write my guess... however... it once happened to me that the sound dropped out after I turned on the subwoofer, which is located near (20cm) from my set-top box and at the same time the subwoofer (active subwoofer + with built-in audio amplifier). The subwoofer is plugged into the same 230V/50Hz socket, as well as the set-top box power adapter. That's why I gave the idea once before that this problem of dropped sound could also be related to:

• static electricity in the set-top box
• unstable power supply of the set-top box (worn power adapter to the set-top box)
• with some "soft" ones, i.e. with old ones that with worn capacitors (inside the set-top box)
• with a dirty power connector on the back panel of the set-top box

... or something similar.

 

It doesn't have to be that way. It's just a guess. One of many.

[WanWizard]

Always a pain, debugging an issue that can't be reproduced.

 

The fact something is implemented in hardware unfortunately doesn't mean it is bug free, or that no software (firmware) is involved.

 

I find the "auto-downmix" feature an excellent example. If I disable AC3 downmix on my Solo 4K, it logs

[102310.846885] [AUD]: connected : 1,  7 (Ac3 : 7) is not supported in this hdmi

because my Pioneer Kuro plasma doesn't support AC3, so it will automatically switch to downmix.

 

If however I connect the Samsung 4K TV I have  in the bedroom, there is no (succeful) negotiation, nothing is logged, and there is no sound on AC3 channels unless I manually enable downmix.
 

[linus]

My theory, but it's just a theory is that the problem appear when there is a poor reception, or a glitch in it.

 

My theory is that when there is a case that when there is a pb in the reception, it crash the audio part, whereas before it was doing nothing.

If i say that, it's because i know that in my case, there is channel that depending of the outside conditions i got poor reception (it concern only one TNT emitter and the channel inside). 
The last time the problem appear, my parents where looking one of this channel and the reception was bat this night.
When i have made test, i test this channel and never have the problem but... 

 

But and i precise that, this problem of bad reception was there since a loooooooooooottttttt of year, and never do any problem with the previous rom (openAtv 5.1), when this channel (that are just information channels) are bad, they changed to over and nothing more happen. 

It's just a theory but i wonder as if it does not happen to everybody, not everytime etc, it's not related to quality of reception so related to that.

 

 

I have got a record that made something "surprising" on the vu+ when i read it, will try to upgrade it to the latest 9.0 version to see if somethiing change, and try to send you a link to download to see if you got the same result. But never have such result in a lot of year with openAtv before.
(here it does not lost the audio but when i switch audio langage, it jump to the end of record, this case never happen before)

Edited by linus, 1 November 2024 - 11:14.

[WanWizard]

I would be very interested in that recording.

[linus]

I will get the record and send it to you.
It's the first time i got this, it never happen in the previous rom.

In this record, when i fast forward, after a point it jump near to the end (perhaps after the automatic EPG marker) and i could not quick return from this point.
In this record, when i switch audio langage (to watch it in english) after a point, it jump near to the end (perhaps after the automatic EPG marker) and i could not quick return from this point.

Not sure it is related to the same problem as i do not lost audio in it.

Edited by linus, 1 November 2024 - 12:21.

[WanWizard]

Using fast forward (or reverse) is usually a bad idea, it is poorly implemented in most drivers, as it is very complex to implement due to the compression in MPEG.

 

It is better to use the jump keys, and even that can be flaky. Sudden jumps is a prime example of a compression issue, the driver starts looking for the next MPEG I-frame to skip to, and doesn't find it.

 

Usually the result of compression errors by the provider. It happens sometimes with broadcasts, it happens way more often with IPTV streams, as they use poor compressors, tuned to maximum compression and not to image quality.

[linus]

I could understand that, but as i said, it as never be a problem before, and that's a lot of time we were using the vu+ solo SE V2 with openAtv 5.1.
Never as such result.
How do you jump a part on a record if not with the jump key, or fast forward?

So i got the record, when i open it with vlc, it seems to work but, the "end time" seems to be wrong, it says 18min where as it's more then 2 hour. But it continue to play after.
It does not seems to have problem to read it.

 

I send you an mp for the record.

[WanWizard]

The fact the time information is wrong indicates there is (logical) corruption in the file, as the runtime is calculated based on the MPEG data.

[linus]

Yep i am pretty sure there is a corruption there.
But this is the first time i got this.

And i am not sure it's related to the lost of audio that we got before, because if i only "play" and do not change audio channel or forward etc, nothing happen i could read it.

[WanWizard]

There are several free MPEG packet analyzers available, but they're all Windows - only, so I can't use them.

 

You can also do some of it using ffmpeg:

ffmpeg -v error -i file-to-scan.ts -f null -c copy - 2>error.log

 

[WanWizard]

result:

[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] non-existing PPS 0 referenced
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] decode_slice_header error
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] no frame!
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] mmco: unref short failure
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] number of reference frames (0+5) exceeds max (4; probably corrupt input), discarding one
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] mmco: unref short failure
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] number of reference frames (0+5) exceeds max (4; probably corrupt input), discarding one
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] mmco: unref short failure
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264 @ 0x5633cdadd700] number of reference frames (0+5) exceeds max (4; probably corrupt input), discarding one

 

[WanWizard]

I've now watched about 90 minutes of the recording, with the original audio track, without any issues. The box says the recording is 2:57:57 long. This is on an SF8008 which I have in my office.

 

Which suggest my initial suspicion of the driver not handling the file was correct.

[linus]

Thank you, and if you try to fast forward or change the langage to Original Voice (English) do it jump to the end?

The questions are:
1) is it normal to have such corrupted record? (if it's because of a pb of reception at a time, should it not do that? That should not corrupt the record no?)
2) could it be related to the AC3 pb or not?

 

I will try to read this file on openAtv 5.1 to see what happen, but if it's corrupt and because of what i see on computer, that should not be really suprising that it jump or crash on openAtv to, the question is more why does the record is corrupt whereas it never happen before.
if it's not related to the Audio problem, perhaps i should oppen an other thread not to mix everything here.

Edited by linus, 1 November 2024 - 17:53.

[WanWizard]

Yeah, nothing happens when I change audio track.

 

I'm pretty sure it contains "something" that triggers a race condition in the drivers, which means trying other distro's won't really fix things, as all use the same drivers, and they haven't changed in many years. You'll have to go back to 2018 or so to find an image with other drivers...

[linus]

Is there any changelog somewhere on the openpli 9.0 version?
I am on the build 20240701 of openpli 9.0, is there any lot of things that have been corrected since that date?

I will try to upgrade it to the actual release but not sure that something could have been change in such way.


In fact i have got an other vu + i will try to restore the image of openatv 5.1 that i was using to see if the result is the same with this record.
OpenAtv 5.1 is near 2016 if i am not wrong so old.

Edited by linus, 1 November 2024 - 18:08.