Failed: could not start stream (with Channels DVR)

Help and support for HDHomeRun Tuners, HDHomeRun DVR, and HDHomeRun software for Windows, Mac, Android, XBox, etc.
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KamHouse
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2023 7:04 pm

Failed: could not start stream (with Channels DVR)

Post by KamHouse »

I've been using the HDHomeRun Connect Quatro for years on Channels DVR without any issues. However in the last week it has failed to record a show on the same CBS channel twice. Once on Tuesday and today on Sunday. On Tuesday it was recording three shows in a row and failed to record the first one only. Then tonight, I was only recording one show, but I tried tuning into the same channel about an hour before hand just to see if everything was working, and it seemed fine.

There have been shows recorded on other channels in between without problems, so maybe it is just the CBS channel doing something weird.

Channels DVR is showing the error message:
Failed: could not start stream on channels=[3.1]: HDHomeRun: Tune Failed
I also found a message in the HDHR web interface about a firmware upgrade which I went ahead and installed just now. Is there any other troubleshooting I can do to figure out why it is failing?

NedS
Silicondust
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Re: Failed: could not start stream (with Channels DVR)

Post by NedS »

We would like to get some diagnostic data:
  1. Please go to http://hdhomerun.local
  2. If it tells you that a firmware update is available, please install it
  3. Click System Status
  4. Check the Send diagnostic information box
  5. Go back one page
  6. Click Channel Lineup
  7. 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.

pixelstuff
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Joined: Sun Oct 10, 2010 8:27 am
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Re: Failed: could not start stream (with Channels DVR)

Post by pixelstuff »

Device ID: 10758FFD

Note: The problem doesn't seem predictable. For example last night I recorded a show without issue. Tonight should be a string of shows, so maybe something will glitch again, if it is going to.

jasonl
Silicondust
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Re: Failed: could not start stream (with Channels DVR)

Post by jasonl »

Do you have a way to back down the amplification on the signal? It's borderline problematic.

pixelstuff
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Re: Failed: could not start stream (with Channels DVR)

Post by pixelstuff »

Possibly. It is coming from the Televes SmartKom Antenna Combiner, with automatic gain control. Theoretically it never goes above the default level of 25dBmV. What would be a good level?

jasonl
Silicondust
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Re: Failed: could not start stream (with Channels DVR)

Post by jasonl »

Dropping it 10 or 12dBmV would be good.

pixelstuff
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Re: Failed: could not start stream (with Channels DVR)

Post by pixelstuff »

jasonl wrote: Wed Oct 22, 2025 6:06 pm Dropping it 10 or 12dBmV would be good.
I dropped it from 25 to 13. At thirteen most are still reading 100%, but at 12 most show 98%. So I can drop it to 12 if that would be best.

NOTE: It would be nice if your Windows tuner status utility was available as an Android mobile app and had provided specifics beyond percentages. Things like the channel frequency and dB levels would be nice. Like Wifi scanner apps almost, but for TV.

KeithAbbott
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Re: Failed: could not start stream (with Channels DVR)

Post by KeithAbbott »

pixelstuff wrote: Wed Oct 22, 2025 9:25 pm NOTE: It would be nice if your Windows tuner status utility was available as an Android mobile app and had provided specifics beyond percentages. Things like the channel frequency and dB levels would be nice. Like Wifi scanner apps almost, but for TV.
SiliconDust has a $100 firmware upgrade (http://shop.silicondust.com/shop/produc ... hr5-4k-dev) for some of their devices which will return signal strength values in DBm and DBmV, and signal quality values in DB. The values are returned in .json format. The channel frequencies can be viewed on the tuner status web page for the given tuner, and is also returned in the aforementioned .json results. I created a php script to transform the .json results into a .csv file. I find that capturing and viewing recent historical tuner status values is of greater value than a point-in-time snapshot.

nickk
Silicondust
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Re: Failed: could not start stream (with Channels DVR)

Post by nickk »

pixelstuff wrote: Wed Oct 22, 2025 9:25 pm I dropped it from 25 to 13. At thirteen most are still reading 100%, but at 12 most show 98%. So I can drop it to 12 if that would be best.
Sounds like 12 is perfect.

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