Linux ZBOX Mini PC Locks up on Live TV
#1
I am running a zbox-ID41 mini PC, which is an Ion PC (Intel Atom with nvidia 9300 video). Software is Linux Mint 14, XBMC 12.2 with MythTV .26. To the best of my knowledge hardware acceleration is enabled. CPU-XBMC is about 37%. I am pushing 720p over the HDMI to the AV equipment. Network is wired. The mythtv backend is stable. I use HDhomerun tuners and an antenna from OTA signal. I can watch live TV on my laptop with XMBC Windows and an Intel HD4000 video card, wireless, without problems while the Linux client is failing.

1) I have all kinds of problems with loud pops and thumps with hdmi handshaking between the zbox and the AV equipment.
2) There is lots of buffering and frozen video (which usually needs a reboot after about 10-20 minutes). It is much worse during bad weather.

I am thinking that either the zbox hdmi hardware is the problem or perhaps Linux drivers.

Suggestions?
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#2
No one can help you unless you post a full debug log.

However I can say that PVR with mythtv backend has worked best for me using openelec 3.0.x. Give it a try, you can run it from a USB stick without changing your PC at all, or make 2 small partitions and dual booting it.
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#3
Sorry, log file is here: http://pastebin.com/1eLR0wZS

I used openelec previously but I needed to stream from a browser and OE doesn't have a browser addon. I could set up a dual boot, but I think OE had the same problems if I remember correctly.
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#4
Where is the buffering occurring ?

I see you refer to the weather worsening things. Sounds like you have a reception problem. Fix your antenna and cabling.
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#5
I don't know where the buffering is coming from. A box pops up in the upper right of the screen saying "buffering 1%...2%....3%." I don't know if that is a xbmc/cmyth message or a mythtv message. But somewhere it is buffering.

Well the antenna and cabling is the first thing I checked and of course if a storm is disrupting reception, then that is not an antenna and cable issue. How can we explain that reception on a normal TV and a windows xbmc laptop is perfect, but the zbox/linux/xbmc box crashes? I even increased the HD ringbuffer on the backend to 49256 to help stability, but that was no help. mythtv is supposed to sustain a disruption in signal and continue on after it is restored. That is happening perfectly on the windows/xbmc laptop, but not the linux box. Both boxes are fed from the same HDhomerun tuner.
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#6
Is everything (except direct reception on the TV) going through the backend?
Quote:mythtv is supposed to sustain a disruption in signal and continue on after it is restored.
I am not entirely sure that this is true.
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