HDHomerun Roku APP v. 92 5/17/24 locks up/freezes program streams

[Olaf]

...across all Roku devices in the home. The 2 AMZ Firesticks have no freezing issues, so the problem is yet-again the HDHomerun Roku App code changes not being properly tested before being placed into production. Nickk - please monitor this issue and report back. Thank you. It's appreciated.

[NedS]

Playback happens in the Roku video player code, which we have no access to. It's basically a black box, and our app simply asks the player code "please play this" and hopes for the best. All Roku apps work that way. On the Fire TV we are able to write our own video player code, where we can make tweaks and corrections.

The most common issue with Roku OTA playback is that the Roku video player gets confused with minor signal errors. These errors are so minor that they don't actually show up visually, and most players can just ignore the error and everything looks flawless. With the Roku video player, it sees the error and will panic and stop playback. However, improving reception, even just a little bit, can often be all that is needed to make the Roku video player happy. Let's get some debug information about your current signal quality:

1. Please go to http://hdhomerun.local
2. Click System Status
3. Check the Send diagnostic information box
4. Go back one page
5. Click Channel Lineup
6. Click on Detect Channels

Reply back to this post and provide us the device ID of your HDHomeRun and we will check the logs. You can find the device ID on a label on the bottom of the HDHomeRun itself.

[Olaf]

Hello NedS,


Thank you so much for your assistance. Device ID is: 00:18:DD:0A:7E:99.

In troubleshooting, please note that: signal on the selected program on Roku App v. 89 played flawlessly. Hardware config has not changed, only the HDHomerun App has changed in v. 92 dated 5/17/24. If signal strength is an issue in the HDHomerun hardware and/or Roku App, then possibly a firmware update that sets aside HDHomerun memory, and/or memory in a HDHomerun Roku APP, to serve as a "buffer/cache" could be a means of solving a "signal strength" HDHomerun Roku App "freeze-up" issue. Or something like that. It's basically managing an Input-Process-Output issue.

The Virtual Channel is: 9.1 WGN (Chicago)
Frequency: 503.000MHz
Program Number: 3
Modulation Lock: 8vsb
Signal Strength: 69%
Signal Quality: 100%
Symbol Quality: 100%
Streaming Rate: 5.001 Mbps
Resource Lock: 10.0.0.201

[NedS]

Device ID is 8 digits and should start with 10, 15, or 13.

[Olaf]

10A7E99F

[NedS]

And you did all of the steps like checking the box for "Send diagnostic information"? Our debug server is not getting any data from your unit.

[Olaf]

So? What's your next-step recommendation? 'Don't otherwise know what to tell you. Just following your instructions.

My continuing recommendation to you/your team is that you develop a firmware update to separate and cache available memory to FIFO signals to prevent HDHR-Roku APP signal-contention and to embed this code with every continuing HDHR Roku App update. At some point you please need to respond to that premise, as to whether it makes sense or not, and similarly detailed as to "why".

[NedS]

So? What's your next-step recommendation? 'Don't otherwise know what to tell you. Just following your instructions.

My continuing recommendation to you/your team is that you develop a firmware update to separate and cache available memory to FIFO signals to prevent HDHR-Roku APP signal-contention and to embed this code with every continuing HDHR Roku App update. At some point you please need to respond to that premise, as to whether it makes sense or not, and similarly detailed as to "why".

What you are asking for is not possible on the Roku platform. All that can be done is trying to improve antenna position, or selecting a better antenna. The Roku video player is a black box. Roku controls their platform. There is no way to create any code that will do anything any differently when it comes to video playback.

[NedS]

The sending of debug data still has not been enabled.

[Olaf]

Well, I don't know what to tell you, other than the memory cache idea for the HDHR Roku App is the best choice and like any App it uses device memory for execution, in this case the device is Roku. The HDHR Roku App should be capable of programming to establish a "signal cache" to provide a more constant stream to data to the Roku processor so it doesn't HCF/panic and lock up.

I already indicated above the signal strength data for the troublesome channel. When I first installed the HDHR hardware I ran a channel search 3 times and am satisfied with the results. Antenna is: "Antennas Direct ClearStream 4V TV Antenna, 70+ Mile Range, UHF/Vhf, Multi-Directional, Indoor, Attic, Outdoor, Mast W/Pivoting Base/Hardware/Adjustable Clamp/Sealing Pads, 4K Ready, Black – C4-V-CJM".

I also used my Garmin hand-help GPS compass to properly aim the antenna.

I guess the point I'm making is your HDHR Roku App has constant useability problems that somehow SiliconDust needs to resolve.

[NedS]

A buffer won't smooth out these kinds of errors. The stream is already consistent from the perspective of the Roku video player. The Roku video player will also have issues with a recording that has minor reception errors. Transmission errors are not the only reason why the Roku video player will mess up, either, but it is the most common cause, and about the only thing the end-user can change to improve how the Roku video player behaves.

[SpringerRidge]

I have to agree with OLaf on this issue. I have one station that is a bit week in my area. When I use the Roku HD app the stream occasionally freezes on windy days. However, I also have a Plex server and when I use the Roku Plex app the image may briefly pixelate, but then the stream continues. Why can't the HD app recognize that the signal was lost for a split second and then attempt to reacquire the signal, like the Plex app does? Thank-you for at least trying to address this issue. If this cannot be fixed, I may need to try something other than Roku.

[jasonl]

When you're watching through Plex, the Plex server takes the video and breaks it up into short segments, similar to how web streaming video works (or if transcoding is active, it is exactly the same format as web streaming video). If there is a problem in one of these, it may be able to resume playback in the next file. Doing this work requires a fair amount of processing power and at least some storage, and there are some downsides to it like increased channel change times and higher likelihood of audio/video synchronization problems.