Intermittent gray screens

Channels DVR Server Troubleshooting
#1

I just finished a 2 hour recording and checked it.
Everything looks good, except for the opening text and closing credits, where there are multiple instances of gray screens popping up.

The HDhomerun is hardwired to the server (via 2 switches). I tested the connection before and I can easily stream 30 Mbps over it. The tuner log doesn’t show any issues during that time (open and close)
The CDVR log also doesn’t show any issues. (See below. Sorry, not sure how to format that better.)

Since this only happened during largely black screens with a bit of text on them, I suspect it might be encoding related. But how do I a. confirm that and b. prevent it?

Any thoughts and advice welcome.

(If you suspect PICNIC, I’d be happy to hear that, too. As long as I can fix it, I don’t mind being the culprit. Wouldn’t be the first time…)

2026/08/29 22:00:51.829240 [DVR] Starting job 1788040851-ch44.1 Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears (2020) on ch=[44.1]
2026/08/29 22:00:52.195766 [TNR] Opened connection to 10B30902/0 for ch44.1 WGBX-HD
2026/08/29 22:00:52.196127 [DVR] Recording for job 1788040851-ch44.1 from 10B30902 ch44.1 into "Movies/Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears (2020) 2026-08-29-2200.mpg" for 2h0m8.170687002s
2026/08/29 22:00:53.358649 [IDX] Generating video index for job 1788040851-ch44.1
2026/08/30 00:01:00.012453 [TNR] Closed connection to 10B30902/0 for ch44.1 WGBX-HD
2026/08/30 00:01:00.163386 [SNR] Signal statistics for "Movies/Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears (2020) 2026-08-29-2200.mpg": ss=100% snq=100% seq=100% bps=6813992,747488-14148128 pps=584,80-1211
2026/08/30 00:01:00.338340 [SNR] Buffer statistics for "Movies/Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears (2020) 2026-08-29-2200.mpg": buf=0% drop=0%
2026/08/30 00:01:00.371961 [DVR] Finished job 1788040851-ch44.1 Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears (2020)
2026/08/30 00:01:00.963603 [DVR] Processing file-154: Movies/Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears (2020) 2026-08-29-2200.mpg
2026/08/30 00:01:03.421360 [DVR] Generating fingerprint for file-154: Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears (2020) 2026-08-29-2200.mpg
2026/08/30 00:01:03.971341 [DVR] Running commercial detection on file 154 (Movies/Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears (2020) 2026-08-29-2200.mpg)
2026/08/30 00:03:43.148926 [DVR] Generated fingerprint for file-154 in 2m40s
2026/08/30 00:07:59.178909 [DVR] Commercial detection for Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears (2020) 2026-08-29-2200.mpg finished with 6 markers in 6m55s (2 threads).
#2

HAH

I'm so old I remember when we called it "PEBCAK".
I had to google PICNIC, never heard it in that sense before.

#3

Logs look normal.

What are you using to play the recordings with and is it connected locally (how) or remotely?

Can you provide a screenshot of the "multiple instances of gray screens popping up" and explain where you're seeing them.

#4

If you rewind does it happen again at the same spot?

#5

@tmm1 and @chDVRuser The gray screens are permanent in the recording. They appear regardless of where I watch, and they always appear at the same location. I did a short screen recording, but I can't share that here. So I'm attaching a screenshot of the Commercials editor where you can see them during the opening text. The are another 3 seconds in the middle of the movie that are gray, and then most of the rolling credits at the end have the same issue.

Movie dropouts
Movie dropouts1290×2570 314 KB

#6

Are you using an amplifier with your antenna?

#7

Ahh, possible signal strength (ss=100%) over 100%.

#8

@chDVRuser @tmm1
No amplifier. Clear Stream 2V right next to the HDhomerun.

#9

Are you getting the intermittent gray screens on any channel besides 44.1?

We're thinking the antenna signal is "too hot", overdriving the HDHR tuner input.
The signal strength could be way over 100%, yet the HDHR doesn't display it.
Might need to add attenuators or a splitter to reduce the signal strength to slightly below 100%.

You could also post the issue on the Silicondust Forum and they can view diagnostics from the tuner and make recommendations.

#10

Before I drive everyone (and myself) nuts, I will keep testing this a bit further.
Repeated recordings on this and other channels should provide a bigger sample to narrow in on the issue.
Thank you (and @tmm1 )! I'll post an update here once I know more.

#11

since splitters are relatively easy to find anywhere I just wanted to point out for those that don't know that a splitter does attenuate and most will be labeled how many dB's.

20260831_165207
20260831_1652071080×1862 159 KB

hard to get them to show up in a picture, but 2 ways are usually 3.5dB and 4 ways are usually 7dB.

find the dB that works for you and then you can order the correct one.

2 Likes
#12

Thanks! But I am wondering: if only used as attenuator, doesn’t the open side need to be terminated? (75 Ohm, if I remember correctly?)

#13

An attenuator only has two connectors. They come in different values of db attenuation and looks like this Amazon.com: 6db Attenuator Pad (1 each) : Electronics

You're thinking of a splitter where you want to terminate the unused outputs.
Yes, 75 ohm.

But just for testing you can leave a splitter unterminated.