WinTV-PVR250 Image Problem

[Mary H]

I got my Hauppage WinTV-PVR250 installed yesterday, with the SageTV trial (latest version). I started with the drivers that came with the card, and have moved up to the latest drivers, as posted on Hauppage's website. The picture quality is very good, except for the problem below: I've been reading the forum for several days, but haven't seen this problem mentioned.

I've tried different sources: antenna feed from a Winegard 4400 antenna, and s-video from two different satellite receivers. In all cases, I get an excellent signal, except for small, red squares flickering on and off rapidly throughout the image. These are especially visible in mid-tone to dark areas, but if you look closely you can see them in light areas of the image also. They seem to surround areas of mid or dark tones.

I've tried the InterVideo NonCSS Video Decoder for Hauppauage, and the Elecard VIdeo Decoder. I can't see much difference.

My PC also contains a Flyvideo 2000 capture card and a HiPix HDTV card, which both work beautifully. The HiPix has its own YPrPb output to the HDTV via a breakout cable, while all other sources (desktop, dScaler/Flyvideo, Media Jukebox, TheaterTek, PowerDVD, are output from the VGA. The red blocky effect only appears in the WinTV-PVR image, through both SageTV and the WinTV2000 application. It shows up equally in the PC monitor and the HDTV.

The card was originally in the 5th of 6 PCI slots, I've since moved it to the 2nd, but see no difference.

Suggestions? PC Noise? Bad card?

System:
Asus P4PE MB, 1.8a P4 CPU, 512 MB DDR memory
Windows 2000
ATI Radeon 7000, 64k graphics
Output: 856x484p (PowerStrip resolution)
Key Digital VGA-->Component transcoder
46" Mits HDTV.

[pawn]

My setup is somewhat similar and I have never seen this effect and I've played with all kinds of SageTV versions, mpeg filters and driver versions.

[Xleon]

Could it be you have a faulty PVR250? Is it a brand new card?
Do the blocks look like MPEG macro-blocks or something else?

[Mary H]

Yes, it is a new card, from CompUSA. I'm not sure exactly what MPEG macro-blocks look like. (Been lucky, I guess) They're small, rectangular, red, and they don't move, they flicker on and off and there are lots of them. I'll try to get a screenshot after I get home from work today.

[SHS]

Mary can upload short clip to ftp.shspvr.com/imcoming/

[Mary H]

Thanks, SHS! I've uploaded a clip of about 10 seconds that shows the problem pretty well. I hope it's not too big.

It's called mary_h.mpg

[SHS]

Mary I take that clip you upload was a diff name did rec this from TNT?
What I see Red and Blue
Mary if I didn't know better I say you have bad card in fact here a screenshot what I seeing.
http://www.shspvr.com/images_other/mary_screenshot.jpg
I pass this on to hauppauge to see what they had to say about this so give me some time and I have answers for you what could be.

[Xleon]

I agree with SHS, it looks like you have a duff card judging by the layout of the corruption.

[Mary H]

Yes, I was going to change the name of the file, but forgot to. Sometimes Real Life gets in the way... I was rushing to get to work. <g>

Thanks so much for your help! If Hauppauge agrees that the card is bad, then hopefully a new one will solve the problem.

The blue wasn't as visible on my monitor and TV as it is in your screenshot, but obviously it is there.

[Mary H]

Bump...

[SHS]

Mary would you mind email me at shspvr@shspvr.com

[Mary H]

For those who may stumble upon this thread in the future... my defective card was replaced by Hauppauge, and the new card works fine! Many thanks to SHS for his help.