mythTV fails to save recordings

[ricks03]

I have what was a fully-functioning mythtv environment that's been in place for years.

CentOS7, mythtv-0.28-4.el7.nux.x86_64 using a HDHomerun to record shows

Suddenly it's stopped working. The lineup is correct, and recording still "record", but no file is created. If I select the show to watch from the front end, I get an error "The file for this recording cannot be found".

I can see this in the logs:
mythbackend.20191015210808.2407.log:2019-10-15 17:46:29.817269 E [2407/3618] HttpServer72 programinfo.cpp:2594 (GetPlaybackURL) - ProgramInfo(2051_20191015214600.ts): GetPlaybackURL: '2051_20191015214600.ts' should be local, but it can not be found.

The HDHomerun still works (I can view shows on my phone via HDHomerun software). The listings still work (I can view them in the web interface). The scheduled shows still "record" and show up as recorded, but the .ts file isn't created. I can watch liveTV via the mythtv front end.

The tuner shows up in mythtv with the correct IP address (the address for the HDHomerun is set with a DHCP reservation).

The obvious reason would be out of file space, but I still have storage space as well:
/dev/sdb1 2.8T 2.4T 355G 88% /data

I hadn't changed any permissions on the file system any time recently - that system mostly just sits there and works; I don't generally tinker with it.

Mythtv can write to the folder, because the .png files are updated when I try to list the shows (ex:):
-rw-rw-rw- 1 mythtv mythtv 6.8K Oct 15 12:34 2502_20190604165700.ts.-1.100x56.png

Any suggestions

[wmorrison]

So it appears to record, gives no errors or failures, shows the recording in the watch list, but can't find the file when you try to play it?

I assume you've searched your system for the actual .ts file? That it's not created in the expected directory? (Or is created in an unexpected directory?)

Does your available storage space stay the same after a recording, or does it continue to go down? (E.g if it goes down the file is writing somewhere.)

Are you trying to watch immediately after recording (or even during) or is this a day or more after the recording? Could expiration settings be messed up?

No automatic system updates that could change permissions (which you said you didn't change manually?)

You said live tv works, which, since MythTV records to a file and plays it even for live tv, is a good sign. Do you see that file when playing live tv? Do you see it after exiting live tv, up until the expiry time you've set for live recordings? And similarly to scheduled recordings, storage space should go down while watching live tv and stop when you exit.

[ricks03]

Yes, it tries to record, but there's no file created. File space isn't changing.

It's usually some time afterwards, but testing also fails immediately after recording.

Yes, I can see the files for live TV.

I _think_ at this point I've diagnosed the problem. I think the antenna is failing (or for some reason the broadcast strength has decreased). When I tinker with Live TV, it's a channel I don't normally record on. Other channels don't work. I've ordered a new antenna

[mmahn]

Did a new antenna fix your issue? I have the exact same issue. My setup has been running flawlessly for 7+ years. All of a sudden, Myth reports it's recording but nothing is writing to the .ts file. When the recording completes, the .ts file is 375 bytes. I can get some channels to record...just not the ones I care about. My source is cable which I split before the tuner. If an antenna worked for you them maybe I need a powered splitter. Do you have any idea below what signal strength triggers this issue?

[ricks03]

A _much_ better antenna finally solved the issue. It was caused (I'm fairly certain) by a combination of the FCC mandated channel migration(s), and the local affiliates moving their broadcasts to a different (farther) location. If you had to rescan with your TV, that's a good sign the underlying channel moved. Getting the antenna pointed _exactly_ where it needed to be pointed, AND getting it high enough, were also factors.

Flat antennas don't work well when dealing with VHF/UHF migrations. Even when they say they work for both bands, they lie. You might check to see whether the channels you're having problems with are all VHF or UHF, and/or where the broadcast towers are.

https://www.fcc.gov/media/engineering/dtvmaps

[mmahn]

Glad your setup is fixed. I re-scanned just in case but I don't think it will help. If the cable company dropped the signal strength entering my condo then I'll need to install a powered splitter (or not split the signal).

[ricks03]

Rescanning won't fix it, it's just if you had to do it then it's an indicator that channels may have moved from VHF to UHF. The problem wasn't scanning, but that my antenna couldn't find the stations that had been moved to UHF, because it takes a much better antenna to read UHF.

But if you're cable, it's not VHF/UHF. So cable signal could be a problem. Can you view the channels via Myth for Live TV?

[mmahn]

I'm 600 miles from the machine so troubleshooting can be more difficult. There are some channels that record just fine. Other channels finish recording w/ 375 byte files.

[mmahn]

Fox News is one channel that stopped recording. Below are the backend logs when I try to record a show. I called out the entries which look problematic. Any of the experts here have any suggestions?

Sep 3 09:38:27 <server>mythbackend: mythbackend[878]: I Scheduler scheduler.cpp:2267 (HandleReschedule) Reschedule requested for MATCH 167 0 0 - SaveRule America's Newsroom With Bill Hemmer & Dana Perino
Sep 3 09:38:27 <server>mythbackend: mythbackend[878]: I Scheduler mythdbcon.cpp:254 (Reconnect) MySQL reconnected successfully
Sep 3 09:38:27 <server>mythbackend: mythbackend[878]: I Scheduler scheduler.cpp:2380 (HandleReschedule) Scheduled 108 items in 0.1 = 0.02 match + 0.00 check + 0.06 place
Sep 3 09:38:27 <server>mythbackend: mythbackend[878]: I Scheduler mythdbcon.cpp:422 (PurgeIdleConnections) New DB connection, total: 9
Sep 3 09:38:27 <server>mythbackend: mythbackend[878]: I TVRecEvent tv_rec.cpp:1073 (HandleStateChange) TVRec[9]: Changing from None to RecordingOnly
Sep 3 09:38:27 <server>mythbackend: mythbackend[878]: I TVRecEvent mythdbcon.cpp:422 (PurgeIdleConnections) New DB connection, total: 9
Sep 3 09:38:27 <server>mythbackend: mythbackend[878]: I TVRecEvent tv_rec.cpp:3563 (TuningCheckForHWChange) TVRec[9]: HW Tuner: 9->9

The Next 3 entries are suspicious
Sep 3 09:38:27 <server>mythbackend: mythbackend[878]: I TVRecEvent tv_rec.cpp:3685 (TuningFrequency) TVRec[9]: TuningFrequency
Sep 3 09:38:27 <server>mythbackend: mythbackend[878]: I Scheduler scheduler.cpp:2819 (HandleRecordingStatusChange) Tuning recording: "America's Newsroom With Bill Hemmer & Dana Perino": channel 3055 on cardid 9, sourceid 2
Sep 3 09:38:28 <server>mythbackend: mythbackend[878]: C CoreContext programinfo.cpp:351 (ProgramInfo) ProgramInfo(): Failed to find recorded entry for 0.
Sep 3 09:38:28 <server>mythbackend: mythbackend[878]: E HDHRStreamHandler recorders/dtvsignalmonitor.cpp:322 (HandlePAT) DTVSigMon[9](192.168.99.89-0): Program #0 not found in PAT!#012Program Association Section#012 PSIP tableID(0x0) length(13) extension(0x59)#012 version(0) current(1) section(0) last_section(0)#012 tsid(89) programCount(1)#012 program number 3 has PID 0x012c
Sep 3 09:38:28 <server>mythbackend: mythbackend[878]: E HDHRStreamHandler recorders/dtvsignalmonitor.cpp:328 (HandlePAT) DTVSigMon[9](192.168.99.89-0): But there is only one program in the PAT, so we'll just use it[/color][/color]

Sep 3 09:38:28 <server>mythbackend: mythbackend[878]: I TVRecEvent tv_rec.cpp:1610 (HandlePendingRecordings) TVRec[10]: ASK_RECORDING 10 0 0 0
Sep 3 09:38:28 <server>mythbackend: mythbackend[878]: N HDHRStreamHandler recorders/dtvsignalmonitor.cpp:367 (HandlePMT) DTVSigMon[9](192.168.99.89-0): PMT says program 3 is encrypted
Sep 3 09:38:28 <server>mythbackend: mythbackend[878]: I CoreContext scheduler.cpp:725 (UpdateRecStatus) Updating status for "America's Newsroom With Bill Hemmer & Dana Perino" on cardid 9 (Tuning => Recording)

Another suspicious log entry
Sep 3 09:38:28 <server>mythbackend: mythbackend[878]: E HDHRStreamHandler recorders/hdhrstreamhandler.cpp:208 (UpdateFilters) HDHRSH(192.168.99.89-0): UpdateFilters called in wrong tune mode

Sep 3 09:38:28 <server>mythbackend: mythbackend[878]: I TVRecEvent tv_rec.cpp:4215 (TuningNewRecorder) TVRec[9]: rec->GetPathname(): '/var/lib/mythtv/Default/3055_20210903143800.ts'
Sep 3 09:38:28 <server>mythbackend: mythbackend[878]: I TVRecEvent tv_rec.cpp:4247 (TuningNewRecorder) TVRec[9]: TuningNewRecorder - CreateRecorder()

And one more suspicious entry
Sep 3 09:38:28 <server>mythbackend: mythbackend[878]: E TVRecEvent recorders/recorderbase.cpp:229 (SetStrOption) RecBase[9](192.168.99.89-0): SetStrOption(...recordingtype): Option not in profile.

Sep 3 09:38:32 <server>mythbackend: mythbackend[878]: N Update autoexpire.cpp:264 (CalcParams) AutoExpire: CalcParams(): Max required Free Space: 3.0 GB w/freq: 14 min
Sep 3 09:39:24 <server>mythbackend: mythbackend[878]: I Metadata_10059 jobqueue.cpp:2157 (DoMetadataLookupThread) JobQueue: Metadata Lookup Starting for "America's Newsroom With Bill Hemmer & Dana Perino" recorded from channel 3055 at 2021-09-03T14:38:00Z

[kmdewaal]

Looks to me like you need to rescan your channels. I do not know the exact procedure for version 28 but it could be that you need to delete all channels and scan again, or create a new video source, connect the HDHomeRun devices to the new video source and then do a scan.
Note that in version 31 and master a lot of scanning bugs have been fixed so that could be a reason to upgrade.

[mmahn]

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll delete all channels and re-scan tomorrow.

I'm technical but not super technical when it comes to Linux. I run Ubuntu and use the associated MythTv version. If deleting and re-scanning doesn't solve the problem, I'll investigate upgrading MythTv. As I earlier mentioned, I'm 600 miles from the machine and, considering my Linux skill, avoid major changes unless I have physical access to the machine.

[mmahn]

Deleting all channels and re-scanning did not solve the problem I'll now look into upgrading my MythTV version.

[ricks03]

If you're using the HDHomerun, I'd suggest connecting directly to the HDHomerun, and seeing if you can view the channels in question there.

Rick

[kmdewaal]

I do second Rick's suggestion because if the HDHomeRun cannot receive the channel then it is not a MythTV configuration problem.
If the HDHomeRun itself is OK then I do suggest to try creating a new video source, connect the HDHomeRun tuners to the new video source and then do a scan.

[mmahn]

Thanks for the advice. I'm thinking my issue is not with MythTV. I was able to setup tunneling VNC over SSH to run the HDHomeRun Config. I'm able to watch some channels via VLC. However, the majority of channels are showing up as encrypted which I'm guessing is not right. I'm thinking maybe my cable provider disabled my CableCard or something.