Which HDTV BDA card(s) do you plan on using with SageTV 3.0?

[Ken C]

Originally Posted by stanger89

It's kind of a tossup in this context. The A180 doesn't currently have drivers that can do QAM, but the Fusion can't do QAM outside it's app.

Where did you get the info on QAM ? Everything on the Aver web site only talks about OTA.

Ken C

[stanger89]

I've recorded QAM with mine, it was with a test, and pretty much useless driver.

[wazkaren]

Stanger89, do you have any info on if/when the A180 would have a released driver to support QAM? Since you tried a test driver I'm thinking you might have some inside information. I tried OTA on with the A180 and even though I'm only 7 miles from the tower I can't get a decent signal with my indoor antenna. Not sure my wife would go for a big outdoor antenna when we already get cable.

Also, do you know if there is anyway to get a reading on signal strength witht the A180? I'd be curious to see what % signal strength I am pulling in.

Thanks,
Greg

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by wazkaren

Stanger89, do you have any info on if/when the A180 would have a released driver to support QAM? Since you tried a test driver I'm thinking you might have some inside information. I tried OTA on with the A180 and even though I'm only 7 miles from the tower I can't get a decent signal with my indoor antenna. Not sure my wife would go for a big outdoor antenna when we already get cable.

No idea if/when a QAM capable driver will be released. If you're having trouble that close, it could be multipath issues.

Also, do you know if there is anyway to get a reading on signal strength witht the A180? I'd be curious to see what % signal strength I am pulling in.

If you know anything about graphedit, you can build a graph and look at signal strength in there. I'm not sure how accurate it is, and I'm not sure what the resolution is.

[wazkaren]

Sorry but I'm a relative newbie in the HTPC area (especially HDTV), what is multipath issue?

I'll have to take a look at graphedit. I've never used it but it looks like it's time to learn.

Thanks,
Greg

EDIT:
Looks like I should have done a search before posting this message. Found my own answer:

Multipath, briefly, is a second, reflected signal (an echo) arriving at the antenna slightly (milliseconds) behind the original signal.

[mkanet]

Wazkaren, I might not be the best to explain multipath, but I'll give it a shot....

Digital ATSC OTA tuners are more sensetive to signal reception than analog tuning. Ideally, you want your antenna to have a "line of sight" to the transmitter. If there are any obstructions in between your antenna and the transmitter (IE buildings, hills, trees, etc), the signal may bounce off the obstructions and cause the signal to go different directions. This confuses the tuner when the antenna receives the same broadcast from more than one location. So, it's up to the tuner to figure out which signals are the reflections and which one is the origianal signal; if it tunes into a a reflected signal, the reception will be unstable/unpredictable. An easy way to tell if you have a mutlipath issue is to tune into the analog equivalent of the broadcast. The analog OTA broadcast of the tv channel will have ghosting if you have multipath issues.

As far as the being too close to the transmitter.... I don't think that's a multipath issue, the signal may be completely out of reach to you indoor antenna; going WAY above your home. In other words...

The signal from the transmitter doesn't dip down 7 miles from the transmitter. You might be out of luck, but you can at least try an outdoor antenna placed as high as possible.

[wazkaren]

mkanet, thanks for that explaination. I'm trying a different antenna's and I'm having a little better luck. The first antenna was a Terk HDTVi from Radio Shack and I think it was the wrong antenna for me (I returned that one). I am now using an old set of rabbit ears I had in the basement and I'm getting a better picture. It's still not watchable but I think I'm getting closer. I'm going to see about getting a better antenna and move it around the house and see what happens. I'm trying to avoid an outdoor antenna but I'm thinking that might be inevitable.

Thanks,
Greg

[mkanet]

PS: I confirmed with DIVCO (the makers of Fusion BDA card), they told me that there's absolutely no problems having multiple fusion cards in one PC with the driver I am using under MCE; in fact, it's certified by Microsoft to do so.

I really hope this will be fixed in the next beta release. I've been able to use 1 HDTV card (my good old HiPix card) in one PC since 1999. I think it's about time we're able to have mutlple HDTV card support.

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by mkanet

PS: I confirmed with DIVCO (the makers of Fusion BDA card), they told me that there's absolutely no problems having multiple fusion cards in one PC with the driver I am using under MCE; in fact, it's certified by Microsoft to do so..

A number of people have dual Fusions running under MCE, so I don't think there was any doubt about that.

A question for the Fusion owners. What file formats can you record HD in with the beta software?

[stanger89]

Sage records to a standard TS format with only the selected subchannel.

[Yenko Eric]

Originally Posted by stanger89

It's kind of a tossup in this context. The A180 doesn't currently have drivers that can do QAM, but the Fusion can't do QAM outside it's app.

OK, was is "QAM" ?

[stanger89]

Quadrature Amplitude Modulation, what's used for Digital Cable.

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Sage records to a standard TS format with only the selected subchannel.

Well, this may sound crazy, but I think I'll buy Sage just to try the beta. I was really impressed playing with the free trial version.

I still plan on playing back with my MyHD card. Any reason I can't do that (which was really why I asked the file format issue--I should have just asked directly and avoided a second question).

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Goodspike

Well, this may sound crazy, but I think I'll buy Sage just to try the beta. I was really impressed playing with the free trial version.

It's happened before

I still plan on playing back with my MyHD card. Any reason I can't do that (which was really why I asked the file format issue--I should have just asked directly and avoided a second question).

I would say no, but I haven't actually tried playing any HD recordings (from Sage) with my MyHD.

If I may ask, what video card do you have?

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by stanger89

It's happened before



I would say no, but I haven't actually tried playing any HD recordings (from Sage) with my MyHD.

If I may ask, what video card do you have?

It's just a 9200SE and a 1000 Athlon. Part of the reason I was thinking of popping for the Sage is we need a new computer in the house. I could either buy the wife a $300 computer that would be fine for what she needs, or upgrade the HTPC for considerably more money. I'm actually real happy with playback through the MyHD, so I'm considering Sage over upgrading the HTPC or buying one of the HD Tivos which are getting rediculously cheap assuming you can get a $250 retention credit from DirecTv.

Anyway, if buying Sage would allow me to keep the existing computer, I'd be happy.

[mkanet]

You guys brought up a good topic. I just tried to play .ts files produced by SageTV/DIVCO Fusion 5 Lite via Windows Media Player (Nvidia mpeg2 decoder) and they didn't play. My HiPix .ts files playback very nicely via Windows Mieda Player.

This is a bit of a concern since I need standard .ts files in order to use them for www.orb.com and also for Nero Vision Express.

Can somebody else confirm this?

Originally Posted by stanger89

It's happened before



I would say no, but I haven't actually tried playing any HD recordings (from Sage) with my MyHD.

If I may ask, what video card do you have?

[mikejaner]

I can play .ts files recorded with my A180 in SageTV with media player.

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by mkanet

You guys brought up a good topic. I just tried to play .ts files produced by SageTV/DIVCO Fusion 5 Lite via Windows Media Player (Nvidia mpeg2 decoder) and they didn't play. My HiPix .ts files playback very nicely via Windows Mieda Player.

Doesn't anyone here have a MyHD card?

I know that using the Fusion software, their TS files are sometimes messed up. The MyHD card will play them, but the FF/REW functions don't work and the time doesn't display properly. But that's only on a percentage of the files--sometimes they are fine. Have you tried more than one file?

[paulbeers]

Forgive my Ignorance, but...

Holy cow, I just checked out the MyHD card. That could really be the solution I am looking for. Can it really output 1080i with only a 400mhz Pentium II? I have a celeron 766 in my current box and figured I was going to have to go to a server/client setup to do HDTV, but if this card really does the trick.....One question I have though, is that does the OSD show up when outputting thru this card?

[stanger89]

The MyHD is not supported, and most likely will never be.