[GeoffP]

Hi,

This is the second time this has happened with my 2009 Mac Mini.

Had EyeTV running (V3.1 not 3.1.1), a scheduled recording had started.

The screen and audio stuttered for a bit, then the OS crashed.

From the top left of the display (on the TV) the screen did a slow raster paint (top line of pixels from left to right greyed out, then next line of pixels down from left to right greyed out, etc).

When the screen "paint" had finished an error message popped up in the centre of the screen saying the Mac had to be rebooted - can't remember the exact wording.

Is this a kernel Panic? Read about them, not sure if this is one or not.

Here is the crash report generated by OS X after rebooting.

COMMENTS:
I was running EyeTV V3.1.0 - it had started recording a scheduled tv program when the crash occured.

PROBLEM DETAILS:
Thu Apr 23 07:40:32 2009
panic(cpu 1 caller 0x001A9C68): Kernel trap at 0x00198cd6, type 14=page fault, registers:
CR0: 0x80010033, CR2: 0x56aa1000, CR3: 0x01897000, CR4: 0x00000660
EAX: 0x56cf5000, EBX: 0x074e3c00, ECX: 0x00000122, EDX: 0x00000b38
CR2: 0x56aa1000, EBP: 0x56bf3cd8, ESI: 0x56aa1000, EDI: 0x56cf56b0
EFL: 0x00010202, EIP: 0x00198cd6, CS: 0x00000008, DS: 0x07750010
Error code: 0x00000000

Backtrace (CPU 1), Frame : Return Address (4 potential args on stack)
0x56bf3a98 : 0x12b4f3 (0x45b14c 0x56bf3acc 0x1335e4 0x0)
0x56bf3ae8 : 0x1a9c68 (0x464710 0x198cd6 0xe 0x463ec0)
0x56bf3bc8 : 0x1a037d (0x56bf3be0 0x1eb07 0x56bf3cd8 0x198cd6)
0x56bf3bd8 : 0x198cd6 (0xe 0x7750048 0x56bf0010 0x190010)
0x56bf3cd8 : 0xa02812 (0x74e3c00 0x56aa0950 0x56cf5000 0x0)
0x56bf3d28 : 0xa02703 (0x772af00 0x0 0x2ce 0x18146)
0x56bf3d68 : 0xa02455 (0x772af00 0x0 0x56bf3de8 0x2)
0x56bf3de8 : 0x9fdae4 (0x772af00 0x8961d08 0x7cce 0x27f)
0x56bf3e68 : 0x9fd17e (0x8989200 0x7cce 0x27f 0x7371000)
0x56bf3ea8 : 0x43f0b6 (0x8989200 0x7cce 0x27f 0x0)
0x56bf3f08 : 0x198153 (0x56bf3f44 0x0 0x0 0x0)
0x56bf3fc8 : 0x1a0967 (0x82d74c0 0x1 0x1a30b5 0x7f5d3c8)
No mapping exists for frame pointer
Backtrace terminated-invalid frame pointer 0xb2074b58
Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily(1.6.5fc4)@0x9f3000->0xa09fff
dependency: com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib(1.1)@0x9f0000

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: EyeTV

Mac OS version:
9G2030

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 9.6.1: Wed Dec 10 10:38:33 PST 2008; root:xnu-1228.9.75~3/RELEASE_I386
System model name: Macmini3,1 (Mac-F22C86C8)


SYSTEM CONFIGURATION:
Model: Macmini3,1, BootROM MM31.0081.B00, 2 processors, Intel Core 2 Duo, 2 GHz, 4 GB
Graphics: kHW_NVidiaGeForce9400Item, NVIDIA GeForce 9400, sppci_pci_device, 256 MB
Memory Module: BANK 0/DIMM0, 2 GB, DDR3, 1067 MHz
Memory Module: BANK 1/DIMM0, 2 GB, DDR3, 1067 MHz
AirPort: spairport_wireless_card_type_airport_extreme (0x14E4, 0x90), Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (5.10.38.27)
Bluetooth: Version 2.1.4f8, 2 service, 0 devices, 1 incoming serial ports
Network Service: Ethernet, Ethernet, en0
Serial ATA Device: Hitachi HTS543212L9SA02, 111.79 GB
Serial ATA Device: PIONEER DVD-RW DVRTS08
USB Device: NovaT 500Stick, (null) mA
USB Device: Wireless TackBall Keyboard, (null) mA
USB Device: BCM2045B2, (null) mA
USB Device: Bluetooth USB Host Controller, (null) mA
USB Device: IR Receiver, (null) mA
FireWire Device: Oxford ATA Device 00, Newer Technology, Inc., 800mbit_speed

EyeTV is recording to the internal HDD and I am using 6GB HDD space for buffering.

[Rant]

You got a scheduled recording to work? I'm jealous. I've had a few of those 'forget', for no apparent reason, lately. But seriously…

How full is the internal hard drive? I wouldn't let it get less than 20 GB free.

Some people use external FireWire 800 drives for the video and just keep the OS and apps on the internal disk. The HT Guys say a USB drive is sufficient, but I wouldn't be so sure. Sounds fine in theory, but I have my doubts about sustained throughput of those things.

Plus, I have nothing but trouble with my USB and have to unplug the Elgato nearly every day to restore my signal strength.

Otherwise it's Kernal Panic troubleshooting. I recommend rebooting every day or two. How often do you reboot? The only Kernel Panic I've ever had was when I had about 30 Safari tabs open across multiple spaces for days on end, done a few new installs without rebooting… the usual "no-no, I'm juggling way too many things to reboot…"

Or do you have any new/nasty software on there that might be disagreeing? Was the Mini running any other apps at the time?

I do wish Apple would offer a stripped-down media centre install of OS X, just to eliminate extraneous stuff (although media centres tend to use internet and everything else, these days).

The good/bad news about Kernel Panics is that they usually go away, just as mysteriously as they arrive. Reboot?? Reinstall the OS? You didn't use one of those OS strippers did you? I hear only bad things about them.

[GeoffP]

Originally Posted by Rant

You got a scheduled recording to work? I'm jealous. I've had a few of those 'forget', for no apparent reason, lately. But seriously…

How full is the internal hard drive? I wouldn't let it get less than 20 GB free.

Internal drive is about 80GB free.

Originally Posted by Rant

Some people use external FireWire 800 drives for the video and just keep the OS and apps on the internal disk. The HT Guys say a USB drive is sufficient, but I wouldn't be so sure. Sounds fine in theory, but I have my doubts about sustained throughput of those things.

I have an miniStack V3 with a Seagate 1.5TB HDD - use it for my digital media storage and playback using Plex.
I was using it also for my EyeTV buffer, but as explained to me from another thread the data throughput was causing me some problems, hence switching to the internal HDD.

Originally Posted by Rant

Plus, I have nothing but trouble with my USB and have to unplug the Elgato nearly every day to restore my signal strength.

Signal strength is fine, I have the Diversity with two separate antenna connections (from a proper antenna splitter) and can record two programs at the same time with no problem - until last night.

Originally Posted by Rant

Otherwise it's Kernal Panic troubleshooting. I recommend rebooting every day or two. How often do you reboot? The only Kernel Panic I've ever had was when I had about 30 Safari tabs open across multiple spaces for days on end, done a few new installs without rebooting… the usual "no-no, I'm juggling way too many things to reboot…"
Or do you have any new/nasty software on there that might be disagreeing? Was the Mini running any other apps at the time?

Only other running 3rd party apps are iStat Menu plus the normal plugins, Perian, Flip4Mac, etc.

Plex is never running when EyeTV is running.

Originally Posted by Rant

The good/bad news about Kernel Panics is that they usually go away, just as mysteriously as they arrive. Reboot?? Reinstall the OS? You didn't use one of those OS strippers did you? I hear only bad things about them.

The OS has not been re-installed, still the original install from Apple.

So, the screen repainting itself slowly, that is a Kernel Panic?

[Rant]

The Mini's are pretty new. I haven't scanned the Apple Discussions to see if there's any problems with the graphics in them, but given the recent history of Apple and NVIDIA (I seem to recall another 'fix' just released or in the works)… all the way back to the unibody release, there could be a graphics problem. I'll leave you to chase that up.

I don't have much experience with Kernel Panics, but the redraw problem could just be that. Did you answer my question about how often you reboot the Mini?

My signal strength is fine, the Elgato seems to need rebooting to 'recognise' it. Very strange. I thought it was overheating, but I've had the problem when the unit is cold. I suspect it's some weird USB problem on the iMac.

The advice about keeping the buffer on the internal drive is sound. Not because of the speed of the drive or anything, but buffering is kind of 'internal' to the app and certain assumptions may have been made for speed reasons, which might not sit well with an external drive for the buffer.

[GeoffP]

Hi Rant,

I was linked (from Whirlpool) to this thread on the Elgato forums.

Looks like it is a digital audio output problem which has been around for a while.

Haven't finished reading the thread yet.

Mini is normally sleeping - full reboot is only done when required with update (or kernel panic)..

[Rant]

Can't reboot too often.

A friend had a client who claimed they never had any problems with Vista. My friend noticed that they pre-emptively rebooted their Vista machines 7 or more times a day.

If rebooting can make Vista bearable, every day or two for OS X, which let's face it, is 1960s technology, can't hurt.

It's a long shot, but does using PyeTV and FrontRow improve the situation?

[GeoffP]

I have a solution.

Going to buy a Topfield TF7100HDPVRt tomorrow. This will be used solely for HD free to air stuff.

The Mini will be used for the remainder of my digital media.

I will sell the Elgato DTT Diversity PLUS the Elgato Hybrid.

Along with the above problems, the combination of Elgato & Mini doesn't seem to be adequate to handle HD television. I don't think the existing problems will be rectified in the short term at least and I need the wife acceptance factor for the complete home theatre system.

The Good Guys are have the Topfield on special at $699 at the moment, will go down and hassle them tomorrow for a better deal.

I like the Topfield PVR's, the 2009 Mac Mini replaced my Topfield 5000PVRt (twin tuner SD unit) - this has given me a lot of enjoyment over the years (will be selling this to).

Will have to put up a for sale thread over the next few days.

[Rant]

There's guy in the US who reckons the previous model Mini could play uncompressed ripped Blu-rays at full rate 1080p and with HD sound to his receiver.

Personally, I never believed a word of it.

Eye TV is not so hot playing back (1080i) HD while recording HD, even under the best conditions. Sadly, your experience confirms this.

Let us know how the Topfield recording & playing at the same time. Gods forbid Eye TV record 2 HD channels and try to play back an HD programme. I'd love to know if the Topfield can do that.

I love that Eye TV records the broadcast signal, as is. I just wish either it or Macs could do a better job of it. It's definitely the second television of the house option, not the first. Especially if you're playing it along side >40 Mb/s Blu-ray HD.

[GeoffP]

Bought a Topfield 7100PVRt as the PVR solution for our house.

Now using the Mac Mini solely for the remaining digital media - which it does quite well, especially with the latest version of Plex.