Sunday's FOX NFL game recorded to TIVO gives an error unable to determine initial clock ...

[r.d.green]

so ...

Monday I got the above error when attempting to open Sunday's NFL game.
This was on the San Francisco Bay area's FOX affiliate KTVU Channel 2.

the log file states:

***** Loading: N:\N F L 2 0 2 0\1002 -- NFL Football - Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers - 9-13-2020 12.59.58 PM.tivo

2020-09-16 17:23:27 H.264, Starting stream open for: N:\N F L 2 0 2 0\1002 -- NFL Football - Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers - 9-13-2020 12.59.58 PM.tivo
2020-09-16 17:23:27 H.264, Opening file: N:\N F L 2 0 2 0\1002 -- NFL Football - Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers - 9-13-2020 12.59.58 PM.tivo, filetype is: H264 PIDs: x11E0 / x11E1
2020-09-16 17:23:34 >>> H264 video buffer: H.264, no clock offset at initial seek, Count: 0, End videoPTS: 200.00
** End of Video buffer, 0 frames, video bytes: 0.000 MB, average bit rate: -0.000 Mbps, buffer allocation: 0.000 MB

2020-09-16 17:23:34 Unable to open file: N:\N F L 2 0 2 0\1002 -- NFL Football - Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers - 9-13-2020 12.59.58 PM.tivo, <Unable to determine initial clock, details in the log file.>


the game was recorded from HD Channels

720
1002

same error on both

I recorded the game on the NFL network's rebroadcast and the recording opens fine

so ...

Comcast doing something new?


Rich

 

[Dan203]

Probably just an error in the stream. First thing to try would be to just increase the value for MBytes to scan at file open. That might allow VRD to read past the error.

If that doesn't work then try QSF. It uses a little different method for opening and might be able to get past the issue.

If that still doesn't work then try Tools->Trim & Copy and set the start MByte to something high, like 200, and then make sure you have the special TiVo option checked to copy the header. That might allow it to chop off enough of the file to make it work.

If that still doesn't work then try downloading the file again but use the decrypt option. If you have a raw .ts file it'll be easier to work with. Try playing that in VLC. Does it work?

 

[r.d.green]

Probably just an error in the stream. First thing to try would be to just increase the value for MBytes to scan at file open. That might allow VRD to read past the error.

If that doesn't work then try QSF. It uses a little different method for opening and might be able to get past the issue.

If that still doesn't work then try Tools->Trim & Copy and set the start MByte to something high, like 200, and then make sure you have the special TiVo option checked to copy the header. That might allow it to chop off enough of the file to make it work.

If that still doesn't work then try downloading the file again but use the decrypt option. If you have a raw .ts file it'll be easier to work with. Try playing that in VLC. Does it work?

this FILE will not open
so there is no option do do a QSF or anything in VRD
this file is downloaded as .ts as it's native format is .MKV and can only be downloaded as a .ts

I tried increasing the MB value from 100 to 200 then 500 with no success
the same error and VRD will not open the file

 

[jmc]

Tools>"QuickStream Fix..."

You do not need to "load" the file.

 

[r.d.green]

Tools>"QuickStream Fix..."

You do not need to "load" the file.

Ok, I did not know this.
However this is nothing more that a different way to open the file to use the QSF tool.
Same result, VRD reports invalid file and cannot open it for the QSF.

 

[musicvid]

Try trimming off the first few frames in another muxer.

 

[r.d.green]

Try trimming off the first few frames in another muxer.

ok, I'll try that
can you recommend anything ?
All I have for video is VRD

 

[Dan203]

Does it play in VLC? if it doesn’t then the file might just be corrupted beyond saving and you'll have to redownload

 

[Fentropic]

That download might have been bit by the TiVo ts sync loss issue.
What program did you use to d/l it from your TiVo and what model TiVo is it?
With a Premiere or Roamio there is a possibility of error free downloads, with a Bolt I would use pyTivo Desktop and set to keep the download with least sync errors.

 

[jmc]

ok, I'll try that
can you recommend anything ?
All I have for video is VRD

Tools>"Trim and copy source file..." can take a file (outside of VRD processing) and cut bits out and or off of the ends.

If that can not handle your file then I imagine the file must have real problems.

Good luck.

 

[r.d.green]

Does it play in VLC? if it doesn’t then the file might just be corrupted beyond saving and you'll have to redownload

my copy of VLC does not PLAY .tivo files
I have no plugins for VLC to enable .tivo files

 

[r.d.green]

That download might have been bit by the TiVo ts sync loss issue.
What program did you use to d/l it from your TiVo and what model TiVo is it?
With a Premiere or Roamio there is a possibility of error free downloads, with a Bolt I would use pyTivo Desktop and set to keep the download with least sync errors.

I'm using the old Roamio Pro
all downloads from all channels except this one Sunday FOX NLF channel are FINE as far as I have determined

I use my own program to download, but if that fails for any reason I'll try the Tivo Webserver page
https://192.168.1.4/nowplaying/index.html

and select the TS option

if that doesn't work I fall back to Tivo Desktop
one of these options will work unless it is corrupted

this Sunday I recorded the FOX affiliate here in the SF Bay Area and again I get the "unable to determine initial clock .. " error
This pretty much eliminates the download error problem.

 

[Dan203]

my copy of VLC does not PLAY .tivo files
I have no plugins for VLC to enable .tivo files

I didn’t realize it was a .tivo. In that case try playing it in Windows Media Player

 

[r.d.green]

I didn’t realize it was a .tivo. In that case try playing it in Windows Media Player

Windows Media Player stopped being useful for playing .tivo files when Comcast out here began encoding most stations in H.264 (.MKV)
years ago. My WMP only plays .MPG encoded .tivo files

 

[Dan203]

Not sure what else to suggest. There are too many variables to determine if this is actually a VideoReDo problem. TiVo files are encrypted. We use the same DirectShow filter included with TiVo Desktop and pyTivo Desktop to decrypt the file for VideoReDo. If that decryption is failing for some reason then we'd get the raw encrypted data in VideoReDo and that would just look corrupted. We need some way to verify the encryption isn’t the issue.

The only suggestions I have now are...

1) Try decrypting the file using the commandline tivolibre included with pyTivo Desktop. (it's in the bin folder)

2) Redownload the file with the decrypt option enabled.

That's the only way to take the encryption out of the equation.

 

[r.d.green]

Not sure what else to suggest. There are too many variables to determine if this is actually a VideoReDo problem. TiVo files are encrypted. We use the same DirectShow filter included with TiVo Desktop and pyTivo Desktop to decrypt the file for VideoReDo. If that decryption is failing for some reason then we'd get the raw encrypted data in VideoReDo and that would just look corrupted. We need some way to verify the encryption isn’t the issue.

The only suggestions I have now are...

1) Try decrypting the file using the commandline tivolibre included with pyTivo Desktop. (it's in the bin folder)

2) Redownload the file with the decrypt option enabled.

That's the only way to take the encryption out of the equation.

Ok, I downloaded pyTivo just now and installed it
very quick and easy.
I ran pyTivo immediately with no settings changes, just as it installs.

First thing I did was to download the latest FOX NFL game I have recorded that was giving me that VRD "unable to determine initial clock" error.
pyTivo's download opens in VRD fine.

Second thing was to download the first FOX NFL game that I recorded .. it gives me the " .. initial clock " error.

Third thing was to download that first recording, two independent recordings, with the decrypt option enabled ... I get the same error on both

so ...

it appears the first recording(s) are somehow corrupt

I never suspected VRD was the culprit just that this local affiliate or Comcast out here had done something to the stream that caused this problem.
Similar to when they switched from MPEG to MKV streams

You guys are the experts, thought I'd give it a shot


thanks for the pyTivo heads up


I'm more confused than before

 

[Dan203]

If you have a decrypted file that produces this error then please email us at support. We'd like to get a sample from you so we can see if it's something we can fix.

 

[r.d.green]

If you have a decrypted file that produces this error then please email us at support. We'd like to get a sample from you so we can see if it's something we can fix.

I've a new download with pyTivo that has been decrypted.
It opens in VLC immediately and plays audio and NO video
this is a 4 hour recording of the NFL game of Sept. 13th and is 11 gigs

I tried opening with VRD and get the same error still

is this file ok for you?

 

[Dan203]

I've a new download with pyTivo that has been decrypted.
It opens in VLC immediately and plays audio and NO video
this is a 4 hour recording of the NFL game of Sept. 13th and is 11 gigs

I tried opening with VRD and get the same error still

is this file ok for you?

No, too big. But you can trim it. Go to VideoReDo and click Tools->Trim & Copy Source. This will open a new dialog. Load the decrypted file into that dialog (it wont actually try to open it), select a name/location for the output file and then set the MBytes to output to 200. Once it's done try opening the new file and make sure it has the same issue. If it does then send us that one.

 

[r.d.green]

No, too big. But you can trim it. Go to VideoReDo and click Tools->Trim & Copy Source. This will open a new dialog. Load the decrypted file into that dialog (it wont actually try to open it), select a name/location for the output file and then set the MBytes to output to 200. Once it's done try opening the new file and make sure it has the same issue. If it does then send us that one.

I took this file and trimmed it to 204,800 KB 4:19 runtime
I tried opening it in VRD and instead of the error VRD hangs (Not Responding) or hangs and crashes (stopped working)


uploading the file now