Pik TV is a big disappointment and nightmare

[Michelle2]

If you are thinking of getting Pik Tv, don’t Long story short...
1 Year
4 different Pik TV boxes
4 all never worked for me and all Telus did was keep sending me new boxes.
Issues - to get is to work I have to unplug every night and reboot every day to access shows. 2-3 times per week I have to factory reset because Pik TV can’t be accessed. This is the biggest kicker. Telus forces you to access Netflix only using their technology but every time I use Netflix I am forced to factory reset after EVERY use. Needless to say I will be leaving Telus and returning to Shaw

[DanielK]

Managed to capture the crash, thanks for the instructions.

Excerpt:

01-18 22:42:37.012  2969  3193 V Avrcp   : MediaController playback changed: PlaybackState {state=3, position=2022576, buffered position=0, speed=1.0, updated=91277524, actions=570, custom actions=[], active item id=-1, error=null}
01-18 22:42:37.368  6062  6062 I chromium: [6062:6062:INFO:CONSOLE(94)] App ID: CC32E753 " [  0.017s] [cast.receiver.CastReceiverManager] Version: 2.0.0.0078", source: https://www.gstatic.com/cast/sdk/libs/receiver/2.0.0/cast_receiver.js?google_cast_bg=true (94)
01-18 22:42:37.371  6480  6496 I chromium: [6480:6496:INFO:media_capabilities_bindings.cc(323)] CanDisplayType type=video/mp4; codecs=hev1.2.4.L153.B0; eotf=smpte2084 (unsupported eotf: smpte2084) -> false
01-18 22:42:37.371  6480  6496 I chromium: [6480:6496:INFO:media_capabilities_bindings.cc(237)] CanDisplayType type=video/mp4; codecs=dvhe.04.06 (unsupported media format) -> false
01-18 22:42:37.380  6062  6062 I chromium: [6062:6062:INFO:CONSOLE(301)] App ID: CC32E753 "document.registerElement is deprecated and will be removed in M73, around March 2019. Please use window.customElements.define instead. See https://www.chromestatus.com/features/4642138092470272 for more details.", source: https://www.gstatic.com/cast/sdk/libs/receiver/2.0.0/cast_receiver.js?google_cast_bg=true (301)
01-18 22:42:37.527  6480  6496 I v8      : [6480:0xace03b80]      796 ms: Scavenge 1.7 (3.3) -> 1.5 (3.8) MB, 5.2 / 0.1 ms  (average mu = 1.000, current mu = 1.000) allocation failure
01-18 22:42:37.599  6480  6496 I chromium: [6480:6496:INFO:html_media_element.cc(514)] HTMLMediaElement(0x2ac03210)
01-18 22:42:37.622  6062  6062 I chromium: [6062:6062:INFO:CONSOLE(1)] App ID: CC32E753 "[eme_polyfills.tester]", source: https://cast.scdn.co/castless/867e539/main.js?google_cast_bg=true (1)
01-18 22:42:37.682  2476  4507 V PlayReadyDrmFactory: createDrmFactory >>
01-18 22:42:37.682  2476  4507 V PlayReadyDrmFactory: isCryptoSchemeSupported >>
01-18 22:42:37.694  2476  4356 V PlayReadyDrmFactory: createDrmFactory >>
01-18 22:42:37.694  2476  4356 V PlayReadyDrmFactory: isCryptoSchemeSupported >>
01-18 22:42:37.694  2476  4356 I PlayReadyDrmFactory: isContentTypeSupported >> mimeType = video/webm
01-18 22:42:37.694  2476  4356 I PlayReadyDrmFactory: isContentTypeSupported >> mimeType = video/webm Supported
01-18 22:42:37.709  2478 16009 I MediaPlayerService: MediaPlayerService::getOMX
01-18 22:42:37.711  6062  6511 I OMXClient: MuxOMX ctor
01-18 22:42:37.713  2478  3089 I OMXMaster: makeComponentInstance(OMX.broadcom.video_decoder) in mediaserver process
01-18 22:42:37.713  2478  3089 V bomx_android_plugin: OMX_GetHandle(OMX.broadcom.video_decoder)
01-18 22:42:37.716  2478  3089 I bomx_video_decoder: NEXUS_Platform_SetHeapRuntimeSettings(3:0xce07e900, open) on decoder open -> success
01-18 22:42:37.818  2478  3560 W bomx_video_decoder: BinderNotifyDisplay: New frame (22088) arrived but previous frame (22087) hasn't been displayed yet!
01-18 22:42:38.081  2478  3089 I bomx_video_decoder: NEXUS_Platform_SetHeapRuntimeSettings(12:0xceb64000, open) on decoder open -> success
01-18 22:42:38.083  2507  2507 W NEXUS   : nexus_statistics_module: platform[Default] nexus/base/src/nexus_base_scheduler.c:949 251 msec
01-18 22:42:38.083  2507  2507 W NEXUS   : nexus_statistics_module: sage[Default] include/linuxkernel/driver/nexus_driver_body.h:155 354 msec
01-18 22:42:38.088  2507  2507 E NEXUS   : Error at nexus/modules/security/src/nexus_security.c:249
01-18 22:42:38.090  2507  2507 I NEXUS   : nexus_platform_core: Detected SECURE MEMC ARCH violation. Terminating....
01-18 22:42:38.408  2470  2801 I AudioFlinger: BUFFER TIMEOUT: remove(4100) from active list on thread 0xa5283680
01-18 22:42:43.421  2440  2814 E bcm-hwc : [chpt]: time out waiting for 5000 ms
01-18 22:42:43.421  2440  2814 E bcm-hwc : [chpt]: checkpoint error: 10
01-18 22:42:43.421  2440  2814 E bcm-hwc : [ext]:[blit]:18446744072333991520:213703:213702: failure to blit.
01-18 22:42:43.421  2440  2814 E bcm-hwc : [chpt]: checkpoint error: 10
01-18 22:42:43.422  2507  2507 E NEXUS   : Error (0xa) at nexus/modules/graphics2d/src/nexus_graphics2d.c:1329
01-18 22:42:43.422  2507  2507 E NEXUS   : Error (0xa) at nexus/modules/graphics2d/src/nexus_graphics2d.c:1329
01-18 22:42:43.622  2440  2814 E bcm-hwc : [ext]:[frame]:213704:213703:grabbing framebuffer FAILED!

[dominicl]

Thanks for the crash log @DanielK. The log excerpt you posted will likely reboot the whole system (after ~30 seconds). I would like to reproduce this on my box. Can you describe the sequence leading to this?

[DanielK]

yes thats correct, the box then reboots to the pik loading screen.

After booting up, i start netflix, and sign in as necessary. Then i watch a video from anywhere of 1m to 1hr and it will reboot in between. Netflix just launched a new build 2 days ago and I'm testing it now. 

[DanielK]

update: crash hasn't occurred since the new build.

[DanielK]

new update: crashed again on latest netflix build, so the issue is still there and not fixed entirely (or even at all).

[clint17]

Hello dominiol

First thank you so much for this excellent tutorial. I will try it out and see if I can get results, and I will stay in touch with you.

Have a good day

Marcel

[DanielK]

WORKAROUND FOUND.

The solution to the netflix red/gray static issue with freeze/audio and then reboot is to roll back to the last version of Netflix build 2424. The latest build 2440 is causing this issue. As to whether this is Telus or Netflix as the root cause, it's up to them to figure it out.

If you don't want to install from an unknown source like apkmirror.com, then just uninstall the update and it will revert back to the embedded ROM version build 1965.

[DanielK]

Sorry, jumped the gun, build 2424 also crashes. Will try an even earlier build later.

[clint17]

Hello

Same problem here. Newest software version. Since almost two years Pik TV is available on the media box. Actually not really because it's still not working the way I expect it to work. Needs some user action like reset or unplugging at least every second day, goes back into sleep mode after about 90 minutes into a new movie when watching Life TV, etc . Unfortunately I do not know where the real problem is. Being it providing inferior hardware as some people state or being it developers just simply unable to get a software package running without the most basic errors. 

I'm using the box connected through cable, wireless off, static IP and I have no other apps loaded. The pre-installed YouTube app works flawless and so does my ROKU on the same subnet, so I'm leaning towards software that is not capable to handle the task. A company like TELUS should have access to people who can handle a job like error free streaming on an Android TV box.

Clint

[dominicl]

This looks like a defective box. I would recommend to contact support and get it replaced.

[DanielK]

no, this is not hw related. it's a common problem and it occurs on both of my boxes.

[WestCoasterBC]

What version of the PikTV app is currently installed? I don’t have any reboot issues or problems like you stated.