MRV Freezes and blackouts with: Playback Failed ..." Message

[jimtew]

I'm nervous about being too positive here. I'll be more convinced when my wife comes home and does whatever it is she does to create the "playback failed" freezes and blackouts BUT:

I unplugged every DirecTV device in the house and left for two hours. Came back and plugged them all in again. 'Had to reset the H24 again to get it to recognize the three DVRs.

I'm trying to get it to freeze with trick play and watching/listening for freezes but so far...it's not happening.

 

[wildbill129]

Well that is good news. Hope it works out.

The reason I asked about your cable is because depending on the age of your home, you might have RG59 in your walls. RG59 will not do well with DECA, especially if there is any kind of distance involved.

Since it appears to be working we don't have to have the SWiM splitter vs. SWiM multiswitch conversation.

Hope it works out!

 

[jimtew]

Okay! Perhaps we have lift off! In addition, I also got port forwarding set up in my D-Link DIR-655 so that Network Services works, although I can't say that I see anything really exciting about the TV Apps.

If the house has RG59, i would have had problems years ago with DirtecTV...which I have had since 1995.

So, I've asked my wife to try to get a "playback failed". It is hard for me to believe that unplugging everything for a couple of hours seems to have had an effect. Did have to reset the H24 after to get the MVR recognition back.

 

[jimtew]

Nope! It fails less often, but it still has a "playback failed" (video freeze with audio then total) about every five minutes for 30 to 60 seconds on a recorded FNC show on an HR24 viewed on an H24. It fails more frequently as time goes on. It is a clear testament to the fact that MRV is just not ready for prime time. I so wish I had never invested in this technology!

 

[JAG72]

Just wondering if you also have it connected to your home network via a Deca module? If not could it possibly be that you have a IP address conflict between two of your receivers? If connected to your home network there also might be an IP address conflict between any of your devices.

 

[jimtew]

Yes, the Directv crap is DECA'd to my home network. But, since the D-Link router assigns discreet IP addresses for each device on the network, it's hard to imagine how there could be a conflict.

From examining the router client list I can see no conflict.

As a test we could disconnect the DECA that links to my router since it has nothing at all to do with MRV...but I'm not sure I see the point.

00:26:24:39:09:d0 192.168.0.101 DIRECTV-H24-243909D0 Never Revoke Reserve
00:26:c6:00:ce:f6 192.168.0.102 L01oh0079470BBL 21 Hours 15 Minutes Revoke Reserve
c4:2c:03:6e:14:f4 192.168.0.106 22 Hours 19 Minutes Revoke Reserve
00:50:94:eb:6b:fb 192.168.0.181 Never Revoke Reserve
00:16:6b:1d:ab:f5 192.168.0.183 Never Revoke Reserve
00:24:2c:28:de:08 192.168.0.192 BRW00242C28DE08 19 Hours 45 Minutes Revoke Reserve
00:26:08:66:d0:10 192.168.0.193 Janes-iPhone 22 Hours 19 Minutes Revoke Reserve
00:12:fb:a6:a0:2b 192.168.0.194 22 Hours 32 Minutes Revoke Reserve
00:03:78:36:83:52 192.168.0.196 Never Revoke Reserve
00:14:51:78:7f:59 192.168.0.197 19 Hours 45 Minutes Revoke Reserve
00:17:f2:4e:d3:1d 192.168.0.198 19 Hours 52 Minutes Revoke Reserve
00:17:f2:30:36:4d 192.168.0.199 23 Hours 55 Minutes Revoke Reserve

 

[JAG72]

Does the DECA module that is connected to your home network have a power inserter attached to it?

If you are not sure here is a link that has a photo of one.

DIRECTV DECA Power Supply (PS18DER0) - DIRECTV - PS18DER0 -

 

[jimtew]

Does the DECA module that is connected to your home network have a power inserter attached to it?
Yes. However the DECA which is CAT5d to the D-Link Router provides only two things1) Internet Access for VOD/PPV and Network Services, i.e., TV Apps. Disconnecting that powered DECA would have no impact on MRV since the home network wired and wireless has nothing to do with MRV.

 

[wildbill129]

Nope! It fails less often, but it still has a "playback failed" (video freeze with audio then total) about every five minutes for 30 to 60 seconds on a recorded FNC show on an HR24 viewed on an H24. It fails more frequently as time goes on. It is a clear testament to the fact that MRV is just not ready for prime time. I so wish I had never invested in this technology!

There is something wrong. I have it on four receivers, three of which are DVR's. An HR24, H24, HR20 and HR21. Once i got it set up and working correctly I have had zero issues.

So, let's start from the beginning. Give us a diagram of your system from the dish through the whole house. Include everything that is attached and how.

 

[jimtew]

I've thought since day one that this was a software issue. DTV updated the H24 software this AM at three something. I forced an upgrade on the HR24 yesterday.
This morning, my wife reported virtually no issues, other than some slowness in trick play and occasional slow connection---but no freezes and no "playback failed" messages.
Of course the poor installers aren't kept in the loop.
This whole mess improved in degrees over the past twenty four hours following:

Unplug all DTV devices and leave them alone for a couple of hours.
Force the newest software on the HR24---why it wasn't already there on a brand new HR24 I have no idea, since the date of the latest software precedes the date of the install, albeit by a day.
Receipt of the newest H24 solfware this morning and o-dark-something.

 

[jimtew]

For the record, if you have a D-Link DIR-655 and are having trouble with TV Apps/Network Services, let me know. I've figured that one out.

 

[jimtew]

"So, let's start from the beginning. Give us a diagram of your system from the dish through the whole house. Include everything that is attached and how."

That is probably not going to happen. Fortunately, DirecTV has put an employed senior installer on 90 day standby to ensure that my system works as it should. Since my MRV was literally one of the first two or three in this part of the country, and it is a bunch of new technology, no real surprise that it didn't work as it was intended.

Not having to get the run around on the phone from DTVs inbound "Customer Service" will be refreshing.

The real frustration has been that the problems were primarily between the two newest pieces of equipment installed: the 24's. Now with both of them having software/firmware upgrades, the problem is virtually completely gone.

 

[JAG72]

Does the DECA module that is connected to your home network have a power inserter attached to it?
Yes. However the DECA which is CAT5d to the D-Link Router provides only two things1) Internet Access for VOD/PPV and Network Services, i.e., TV Apps. Disconnecting that powered DECA would have no impact on MRV since the home network wired and wireless has nothing to do with MRV.

You are correct that is only used for those things. I was just not sure if one piece of DECA equipment was acting up if it would have a negative impact on the whole system. As you stated this is all new and pretty much everybody here is just making guesses to help get your situation resolved.

I am also wondering what version of the software you are now running since you stated that it was updated this morning.

 

[jimtew]

I am also wondering what version of the software you are now running since you stated that it was updated this morning.

Different version on different machines the H24 updated with Ox3eo at 3:32 AM.

 

[Davedirectv]

Is the HR24 and H24 coming off the same splitter as the other two receivers? Off the same SWM"multiswitch", not off the same splitter.
***************

what do you mean by this, it doesn't make sense to me. You should have a splitter at some point, even if you do have a swm8 module(multiswitch).

also, you should absolutely make sure you have a green labeled lnb, swm8 modules, all splitters in line with the system. I would check that, it sounds like you might need to start there.

 

[jimtew]

Everything is green tagged. Everything is connected via a discrete Coax from the SWM Module.

You should have a splitter at some point, even if you do have a swm8 module(multiswitch).

To split what? The SWM module has eight outs.

One goes to the H24
One goes to the HR24
One goes to the Deca on the H20
One goes to the DECA on the H21
One goes to the Powered DECA CAT5d to my router.

We are utilizing 1 less than the total possible output of the SWM module.

I ask again: what needs to be split?

 

[jimtew]

"We are utilizing 1 less than the total possible output of the SWM module."

Which is to say, three DVRs and a Receiver = seven signals v. capacity of eight.

 

[Davedirectv]

"We are utilizing 1 less than the total possible output of the SWM module."

Which is to say, three DVRs and a Receiver = seven signals v. capacity of eight.

SWM Module

SWM Splitter

So, if you have the module, you still need something similiar to that splitter.

OR

If you have a swm lnb, then you don't have a swm module, and would still need a splitter.

Either way, you need to have green labels on all the parts listed. Splitters, modules, lnbs.

I would make sure that you do or do not.

 

[jimtew]

We already addressed the Green Labels, they are on everything in the system.

One wire off the Dish...one wire into the power inserter...one wire out of the power inserter and into the SWM Module...one wire to each DirecTV DVR or Receiver and one to the Powered DECA which is cat5d to my router.

WHAT FUNCTION, pray tell, would any sort of splitter have? You've lost me on that one.

I've had DirecTV service to each of these rooms for seven years. With the exception of the location of the HR24 (a new addition) there are at least two cable runs to each location---I say at least two because of the one time need to have locals off OTA.

So, I need 4 cable runs for the receivers/DVRs and one for the powered DECA and I have a surplus.

 

[jimtew]

I have a single wire SWM LNB (ONE LNB) with ONE out from the dish...which ultimately ends up at the 1 in 8 out module after the power inserter.