Problems with breakup in recordings
#1
System is Toshiba laptop (2GHz, 2 core), 4GB RAM, 250 GB SSD, W7 32 bit SP1, 2x PCTV 292e receivers on external powered USB hub, Argus TV 2.3, Kodi 15.0. Aerial signal is good (as far as I can tell).

This is really all about problems with Argus, not Kodi, but Kodi has an effect to 'fix' the problem in ways I am trying and failing to understand.

Basically, the problem is simple. If I set up a program - any channel - to record in the Argus TV scheduler or by setting up a Kodi timer, the recorded program will have a lot of dropouts (unusably so). There is nothing obvious in any log to say anything is going wrong.

BUT, if at the time it is recording, Kodi is running - even minimised, not doing anything, the recording will be fine, no breakup at all. I also notice that if VideoLAN player is running, even minimised not doing anything instead of Kodi, same - no break up. But if Argus is just doing the recording with nothing running, unusable recordings due to breakup.

I have noticed the same effect with MediaPortal in place of Argus TV, and with an August DVB-T210 receiver in place of the 292e.

I am assuming that what happens is that something in Windows, in an effort to save power, is 'micro sleeping' or slowing CPU speed and not always recovering fast enough to service data packets from the receiver. When Kodi / VideoLAN is running, those apps have put the machine into some state where this 'micro sleep' / slowdowncannot occur. I have tried all sorts of changes to Windows power options to no avail, and all sorts of changes to the Argus TV buffering settings. Nothing makes any difference except having Kodi or VideoLAN running in the background.

I have also tried contacting the Argus TV forum, but I don't think any development is going on at the moment. No responses.

The workround of having Kodi minimised solves the problem but (a) I'd like to know why and (b) it is not ideal because the machine is usually in standby and comes out of sleep to do the recordings, but will not go back to sleep afterwards with Kodi running. (That in itself is a clue that the machine state is different).

What I am really after is some clue from a software developer as to what state Kodi puts the machine into, and how it did it.
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