Weak Signal kills recording

[jp.briggs]

I know there are other topics close to this, but I've yet to see exactly this or a solution.

WMC with InfiniTV 4. Signal and SNR look within norms whenever I spot check. But seems like I can't get a program to record without a Weak Signal kills the recording.

If it happens while watching live TV and nor recording, I can get it back by changing channels back and forth.

I've addressed heat issues, and installed the special Windows patch suggested by Ceton. Just not sure how else to troubleshoot this!

[mdavej]

http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... 198#p80198

[jp.briggs]

http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... 198#p80198

Thanks for the quick reply. I had my weak signal threshold to 50% (0x32), and even now upped it to 75% (0x4b); still getting the Weak Signal crash.

I went to the URL for the DRM update at M$. Said it ran, and I rebooted; still with the weak signal.

I saw mention of PlayReady. Is that worth uninstalling/reinstalling?

[mdavej]

Yes, you need to run playready again. Not sure if uninstall is necessary.

Also, have you ever run digital cable advisor? If not, do that first.

[erkotz]

If you have any firewall software installed, try removing (not disabling) it. I believe we've seen this with one firewall vendor, even with exceptions in place.

[jp.briggs]

Yes, you need to run playready again. Not sure if uninstall is necessary.

Also, have you ever run digital cable advisor? If not, do that first.

So anytime I try to run the PlayReady update, it fails. I had this issue before. I kept having to delete a file, then run it, and it worked. Is this normal?

[jp.briggs]

If you have any firewall software installed, try removing (not disabling) it. I believe we've seen this with one firewall vendor, even with exceptions in place.

No firewall other than M$'s builtin...

[cwinfield]

Yes, you need to run playready again. Not sure if uninstall is necessary.

Also, have you ever run digital cable advisor? If not, do that first.

So anytime I try to run the PlayReady update, it fails. I had this issue before. I kept having to delete a file, then run it, and it worked. Is this normal?

It happens...

1) Quit Windows Media Center if running.

2) Open a cmd prompt - run as administrator.

3) Run the following commands one at a time:

•net stop ehrecvr
•cd %programdata%\Microsoft\PlayReady
•del *.hds
•rmdir /s Cache
•cd %programdata%\Microsoft\ehome
•del *.hds
•rmdir /s Cache
•net start ehrecvr

4) Run Windows Media Center. Update PlayReady by going through Tasks, Settings, TV, TV Signal, Update PlayReady.

[mdavej]

Yes, you need to run playready again. Not sure if uninstall is necessary.

Also, have you ever run digital cable advisor? If not, do that first.

So anytime I try to run the PlayReady update, it fails. I had this issue before. I kept having to delete a file, then run it, and it worked. Is this normal?

That's what my link was supposed to fix. Silicon Dust forum (applies to Ceton too) has a good list of PlayReady fixes. Until you get PlayReady to pass, you'll get the Weak Signal error. So try all of those (stop service, delete files, etc.). Run the DRM update from my link, then try PlayReady again. Fixing PlayReady will fix your issue.

I don't think the procedure above will fix it permanently. Didn't work for me. The DRM update got PlayReady to pass and fixed the Weak Signal error for me.

[jp.briggs]

Well I'm not exactly sure what the final fix was, but the last few recordings, including a 3 hour baseball game, all recorded their full time. I think I'm out of the woods here! Thanks all!!

[fleanote]

I also read that if you get PlayReady failure messages, leave the error up. Turn your Ceton off (unplug it) then go back to your WMC and click 'Update' or 'retry' it will go thru just fine. Then go back and plug your Ceton back in. Also check out my post on upping your internal bandwidth and enabling 'jumbo frames' - worked well for me.

[mdavej]

I also read that if you get PlayReady failure messages, leave the error up. Turn your Ceton off (unplug it) then go back to your WMC and click 'Update' or 'retry' it will go thru just fine. Then go back and plug your Ceton back in.

Good suggestion. But that was never a permanent solution for me. DRM would always start failing again eventually, even if I faked out PlayReady by that method.

[jp.briggs]

Back in the woods. Not sure what changed, but I'm getting the errors again. I've made sure the NIC doesn't sleep, deleted the play ready files, run that web based updater, this last time I uninstalled play ready and reinstalled. In losing my mind to this stupid thing. Has anyone had success with a definitive procedure?

[Crash2009]

Have you tried a new cableCARD yet?

[jp.briggs]

No. And suddenly it's good again. I just keep deleting the .hds files and cache directories. It fixes the problem. Sometimes the fix lasts for weeks, sometimes it breaks again after 5 minutes.

[Crash2009]

No. And suddenly it's good again. I just keep deleting the .hds files and cache directories. It fixes the problem. Sometimes the fix lasts for weeks, sometimes it breaks again after 5 minutes.

That's a pita, not a fix. Try a new cableCARD.