MVP Low S-video output fix

[Kev]

Originally Posted by dagar

Was your MVP under warranty? I've had mine for ~1 year and the receipt is destroyed. What did you need to provide to Haup?

I only had mine for ~6-months, but had no reciept or box.... I sent it in inside a shoe box and got the new model back in ten days.

[Kev]

Originally Posted by motylchr

I just got an email back from Hauppauge saying,"The MVP has a consistent brightness that can't be adjusted the only thing you can do is adjust the brightness on the TV itself." I then called tech support and they claimed the same thing. They also said I could send it back but that it would be tested to have a consistent brightness output compared to the models they produce and mine would just be sent back to me. Great TECH Support. I was able to adjust the levels on my capture card to output a brighter file so when its darkened by the MVP it looks much better.

KEV did you notice they had fixed the problem with your new model? Yours came with a digital out? bc they dont have that model listed on thier website. I would prefer a model with a digital out.

Here is the exact process that I went through:
I did it all through the email tech support. There was some questioning first that they went through to decide it was a defective unit and give me a RMA number to send the unit in with.... This is the email trail..

Me: I recently bought a media mvp and the picture is miserable. The colors are very dark and kind of saturated. Is there a fix for this?

Hauppauge Tech Support: Is there any hint of red in the image?
If you alter the brightness/saturation/contrast/hue settings of the TV monitor, does it improve the image?

Me: Yes, it is very red. Pretty severe, would take a major alteration to the TV monitor to make it look almost normal (which I don't care to have to play around with everytime I switch to this input).

Hauppauge Tech Support: Since it is red, this would unfortunately verify that it is a hardware issue with the actual unit. However, it is covered by warranty for 2 years from the purchase date, so it can be sent in for a replacement. Please provide your mailing address & phone information and we can issue you an RMA# for the return.

I gave them my information, they gave me the RMA#, I sent it in without anybox (in a shoe box) or reciept and got a new one back in 10 days.
As a bonus, the one I got back is the new model wich has a digital spdif output. I looked on there website and it is pretty bad, I am surprised they don't advertise the digital sound out, but the unit definately has it. I havn't gotten to test the new unit yet. Unfortunatly I sent the unit in with the remote and power supply (was kind of hoping they would send back a new unit), but got back a new unit without the power supply or remote. I replied to the support guys email, and he got back to me the same day confirming that they are sending me a remote and power supply. I am hoping as an added bonus I end up getting the new style remote out of the deal too. So I havn't been able to test the new unit yet, but from my research the darkness issue is fixed in the new ones.

I really have to compliment there support up to now, from my experience anyhow. It is the way it should be.. when you buy something that doesn't function the way it was advertised to, they should either fix it/ replace it/ or give you your money back. Hauppauge did unlike Sage who wants me to pay for version 6 to fix the audio bugs they admit to having in version 5. If version 6 is is a paid upgrade, then they also need to support version 5 for free.

[PGPfan]

Originally Posted by Kev

Hauppauge did unlike Sage who wants me to pay for version 6 to fix the audio bugs they admit to having in version 5. If version 6 is is a paid upgrade, then they also need to support version 5 for free.

Kev,

Did you buy Sage 'before' version 5? If not (version 5 is the first version you bought) then your complaint with Sage is moot as the upgrade from v.5-to-v.6.x is FREE.

-PGPfan

[Kev]

Thanks for the advice pgpfan, but unfortunately I bought Sage around March (all of 8-mos ago) when it was version 4, so I am not covered. I have already complained in other threads so it is probably not appropriate to complain here anymore... I guess I just feel like we are being screwed to be expected to pay for bug fixes and am having a hard time dropping it.
Anyway, on a positive note, I already recieved my new remote and power supply from hauppauge. I really have to say they were outstanding with the entire process. It was just yesterday I replied back about them not sending back my remote and today it was at my step, and as another bonus it was the new style remote.

[tomfisk]

And how does the replaced MVP work?

[stevech]

Sage should expect users to pay for major upgrades no more than once a year. This is not the case for 4->5->6, is it?

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by stevech

Sage should expect users to pay for major upgrades no more than once a year. This is not the case for 4->5->6, is it?

How can you make that a rule of thumb like that if someone purchases Sage a week before the new version comes out? Or 2 months? There's not a software package out there that does that.

Gerry

[Kev]

The new MVP is much better. I reset all of the tv tuner color defaults to nominal and the picture looks good. I can still tell a slight difference if I flip back and fourth between the live feed and sage, but it is much better. It is also better then I get watching the video on the computer screen.
As far as the upgrade policy, I will probably get reprimanded for bringing this into a thread that it doesn't belong in, but since we have a couple of people who commented.... I don't mind being asked to pay for upgrades, but I do mind being asked to pay to fix bugs. If version 6 is a payed upgrade then you need to also support version 5, and though they claim that they will, from experience they really do NOT (there reply to my bug reports were to buy version 6).
Back on the subjet though, if any of you have the old MVP's with the really bad dark and red output, contact hauppauge and hopefully it will work out for you like it did for me.

[blade]

Originally Posted by gplasky

How can you make that a rule of thumb like that if someone purchases Sage a week before the new version comes out? Or 2 months? There's not a software package out there that does that.

Gerry

Exactly, I don't see why people keep trying to make that argument.

Also the amount of time between past releases doesn't mean jack because all past upgrades were free. Who cares if the amount of time between 4->5->6 was less than a year because there was no difference if you purchased v2 or v5, both could use v5. What matters is how it's handled from here on out.

I also think it's foolish to say Sage shouldn't charge for an upgrade more than once a year. They have said they're going to charge for new features. If that is actually going what they do then I don't care how often they charge for an upgrade as long as the new features warrant the price.

I don't think Sage would do it, but a company could put out a few minor releases and hold off on anything major and charge for several big new features after one year has passed to keep the complainers quiet or they could continue to roll out new features and ask for a smaller premium a little more often. Either way you'd end up paying the same money for the same features it would just determine when you got the new goodies.

[blackbeltdbz]

I did an RMA with Hauppauge and they sent me a replacement MVP. The replacement MVP had video as dark as the bad one I sent back. I decided to try and remove these two resistors per this guide. Removing the resistors seemed to have no visible effect whatsoever. The video I played to test this was one that was over exposed to compensate for dark video. It still looked too dark. Couldn't tell a difference between the unit with or without those two resistors. When I play the same video on my computer, the video is so overexposed it's difficult to watch, especially watching a hockey game (the ice).

[Kev]

I am surprised to hear the new unit didn't work for you. I guess I would try there support again. My old one had that horrilble saturated and dark picture, but the new one is very good. I guess I would recomend following through with hauppauge again. Even if you don't want to have to send it back again, just see if they have any recomendations.

[joe123]

Originally Posted by Kev

Thanks for the advice pgpfan, but unfortunately I bought Sage around March (all of 8-mos ago) when it was version 4, so I am not covered. I have already complained in other threads so it is probably not appropriate to complain here anymore... I guess I just feel like we are being screwed to be expected to pay for bug fixes and am having a hard time dropping it.
.

Same here brother. I bought my at the same time as yours and I am screwed too for buying faulty equipment.

[derelicte1]

Originally Posted by blackbeltdbz

I did an RMA with Hauppauge and they sent me a replacement MVP. The replacement MVP had video as dark as the bad one I sent back. I decided to try and remove these two resistors per this guide. Removing the resistors seemed to have no visible effect whatsoever. The video I played to test this was one that was over exposed to compensate for dark video. It still looked too dark. Couldn't tell a difference between the unit with or without those two resistors. When I play the same video on my computer, the video is so overexposed it's difficult to watch, especially watching a hockey game (the ice).

same thing here with me. the picture on my mvp was unwatchable because it was too dark. I sent it in and they sent me back the same model mvp that I sent them (4803) without the digital audio out. It just came back today.

It has the same video problem.

I'll try calling them again on monday and see what they save to say.

I was going to try the resistor fix, but it looks like it might not be worth it.

The first time I called they claimed there was no known issue with the video and there was no guarantee that a replacement unit would fix the problem. Well, if you send me back a broken one, of course it won't be fixed!

[Kev]

Don't know if it will help you at all, but this is the email address I was comunicating through, and everything worked out well for me;
bvoccia@hauppauge.com

[stevech]

what product revision / model or serial number series applies to where Hauppauge corrected the design error causing low video output level?

[derelicte1]

I did call hauppauge about the replacement mvp I received and they said they would take care of it, so I sent it back to them.

I'll keep you updated.

[derelicte1]

Update:

I received my second replacement mvp last night and the video output is _much_ better. It is actually usable!

So it seems that hauppauge will fix your mvp if you know what to tell them. When I called the second time, I (nicely) explained that I have an older mvp that has a very dim video output. Additionally I said that I have talked to others with the same version mvp (d3a) that had the same problem that were replaced with a newer version that solves the video output problem. He asked which version I had, and put me on hold. When he came back, he said that he talked to engineering and they said there was a problem with my version and they would replace it with a newer one.

The version they sent me is a h3.

Good luck!

[stevech]

so it's a crap-shoot as to what version you get from retailer x?

[hemicuda]

I've noticed with mine recently that I'll get 'flickers' of normal brightness levels then it'll go back to being 'dark.' I've got the TV turned way up so these instances really jump out during a show.

Rev H2 Lot 1506

[derelicte1]

Originally Posted by hemicuda

I've noticed with mine recently that I'll get 'flickers' of normal brightness levels then it'll go back to being 'dark.' I've got the TV turned way up so these instances really jump out during a show.

Rev H2 Lot 1506

interesting. does yours have the digital audio output?