MVP Video Quality: Darks are too dark! Please Fix!

[blade]

Originally Posted by dynamix

I have changed the drivers, changed the motherboard, changed the version of windows... None of which fixed my issues with the PVR-350.

That's because it is a driver issue with the 350. Changing to a different version isn't going to help because all the drivers for it are busted. This has been discussed at length in numerous threads on the forum. I believe all 3rd party apps have trouble with it. If you bother to check out some other product's forums you'll see they have the same issues with the 350.

Sage didn't make the MVP, but they developed their software to run on it. As it stands, the MVP is deeply flawed. Why they developed Sage.tv to run on the MVP is a mystery...

Many people were already using the MVP via Matt's client before Sage added official support. People had been begging for an official (cheap) extender. It only makes sense that Sage would offer support for the extender that the most users already owned instead of adding support for something that no one owned. Not to mention no one was complaining about the brightness or PQ at the time.

The MVP is probably one of the most popular media extenders available. It's extremely cheap, small and quiet. Sage isn't the only one to try and develop their software to run on it. I've seen numerous people switch from other programs to Sage because the support for the MVP was better with Sage.

No offense to anyone, but you get what you pay for. You could pick one up at radio shack not long ago for $39. Expecting perfection out of a client that costs less than what many spend on a remote is asking a little much IMO. I think the MVP is great for what it is, a low cost extender.

[blade]

Originally Posted by blackbeltdbz

Is it not technically possible to add some sort of video output calibration in the sagetv menu that is specific to the individual mvp?

It doesn't appear so. I believe Sage has looked in to it and I think other PVR apps have as well. So far no one has come up with a way. I guess since it's a hardware decoder there isn't much of a way to adjust it via software.

[stevech]

a plug-in video amp might solve this without a soldering iron.
it'd need adjustable gain.

Hard to find one for single channel or dual channel, cheap.

Maybe one of those "VCR stabilizer/clarifier" products - they normalize the output video to eliminate the so-called copy-guard on VHS tapes - which as I recall is just some sine wave distortion added to the Vert. synch pulses.

http://www.facetvideo.com/xcart/cust...p?productid=83

Need to find one much cheaper.

[_Demo_]

I have uploaded a new alpha that should improve dark areas, let me know if it helps.


http://download.sagetv.com/~jeanfrancois/alpha/mvp.bin

Thanks

_Demo_

[blackbeltdbz]

Tried it, unfortunately no luck. Thanks for working on it though!

[AngelofDeth]

Originally Posted by blade

That's because it is a driver issue with the 350. Changing to a different version isn't going to help because all the drivers for it are busted. This has been discussed at length in numerous threads on the forum. I believe all 3rd party apps have trouble with it. If you bother to check out some other product's forums you'll see they have the same issues with the 350.



Many people were already using the MVP via Matt's client before Sage added official support. People had been begging for an official (cheap) extender. It only makes sense that Sage would offer support for the extender that the most users already owned instead of adding support for something that no one owned. Not to mention no one was complaining about the brightness or PQ at the time.

The MVP is probably one of the most popular media extenders available. It's extremely cheap, small and quiet. Sage isn't the only one to try and develop their software to run on it. I've seen numerous people switch from other programs to Sage because the support for the MVP was better with Sage.

No offense to anyone, but you get what you pay for. You could pick one up at radio shack not long ago for $39. Expecting perfection out of a client that costs less than what many spend on a remote is asking a little much IMO. I think the MVP is great for what it is, a low cost extender.

I've never seen the output of the Xcard or PVR350, but I've never seen output comparable to the MVP out of a PC(SDTV) ... It looks almost as good as direct output of the STB after bumping the contrast up on the encoding. If only widescreen .avi's played properly on my 4:3 TV. Letterboxed content seems to play properly though. Actually, downloaded content (avis or MPGs) don't seem nearly as dark, I am wondering if the "default" encoding settings for the Hauppage cards isn't set a bit lower than it should be.

[blade]

Originally Posted by AngelofDeth

I am wondering if the "default" encoding settings for the Hauppage cards isn't set a bit lower than it should be.

The default brightness on the Hauppauge cards is a little too dark. When I calibrated my capture cards I don't remember the exact amount, but I had to increase the brightness by around 10-20%.

[Deadbolt]

Originally Posted by _Demo_

I have uploaded a new alpha that should improve dark areas, let me know if it helps.


http://download.sagetv.com/~jeanfrancois/alpha/mvp.bin

Thanks

_Demo_

_Demo_, is this the same file as the one for solving the wireless MVP connection issues?

Thanks!

[_Demo_]

Yes, that's the latest version of the file that also fix wireless issues.

_Demo_

[AngelofDeth]

Originally Posted by blade

The default brightness on the Hauppauge cards is a little too dark. When I calibrated my capture cards I don't remember the exact amount, but I had to increase the brightness by around 10-20%.

I'd be curious to know what you have your brightness setting set to in Sage if you don't mind me asking, and also the other settings if you have changed them.

[blade]

Originally Posted by AngelofDeth

I'd be curious to know what you have your brightness setting set to in Sage if you don't mind me asking, and also the other settings if you have changed them.

I don't recall the exact settings, but the proper level is going to vary for everyone depending on the source and possibly the card itself. This guide walks you through calibrating your capture card. All of my settings are at default except brightness and I increased the saturation some as well because the captures were a little washed out after increasing the brightness.

[MrD]

Originally Posted by blade

The default brightness on the Hauppauge cards is a little too dark. When I calibrated my capture cards I don't remember the exact amount, but I had to increase the brightness by around 10-20%.

Did you tune the capture card via the histogram process or via visual test patterns?

If using visual test patterns what display did you was for the tuning process (i.e. pc or tv)? How was the display tuned?

-MrD

[blade]

Originally Posted by MrD

Did you tune the capture card via the histogram process or via visual test patterns?

If using visual test patterns what display did you was for the tuning process (i.e. pc or tv)? How was the display tuned?

-MrD

I calibrated my capture card brightness and contrast with the histogram. I've calibrated my display with various test patterns and videos.

Once I had both calibrated, I used PIP to display the same video from Sage and the tuner in the TV side by side. I then adjusted the saturation of the capture card a little so that it matched straight cable into the TV's tuner. I know everything isn't reproduced with 100% accuracy, but there is very little difference between live TV and Sage.

The idea that you're going to have 100% perfection when dealing with TV is nuts anyway. Color and brightness can vary greatly from show to show and network to network. I have two NBC stations that show the same prime time lineup and one is typically 20-30% darker than the other one. I don't know if this holds true when using DTV and HDTV, but I know it is for analog cable.

[blackbeltdbz]

Maybe we could all share settings I'm sure someone has come up with a great combination.

I got my settings just by playing around... (no histogram or anything). They aren't perfect, but they are MUCH better than the default values. The card is a PVR150

Bright 150
Cont 145
Sat 131
Hue 128
Sharp 63

[AngelofDeth]

Originally Posted by blackbeltdbz

Maybe we could all share settings I'm sure someone has come up with a great combination.

I got my settings just by playing around... (no histogram or anything). They aren't perfect, but they are MUCH better than the default values. The card is a PVR150

Bright 150
Cont 145
Sat 131
Hue 128
Sharp 63

I find scenes with bright white backgrounds tend to overpower the whole scene... Not just with these settings, but in general. Maybe the default settings don't do that, but even directly from the stb these scenes look pretty bad. Garbage in, garbage out. (directv SDTV)

[Kev]

The dark video output with the old MVP's is an MVP hardware issue. Fortunately they have a 2-year warranty. I had great success with getting my unit replaced. I didn't have a receipt or box or anything. It worked out for me by conctacting the hauppauge email support.

[malbec]

Does anybody know if this issue is specific to a particular model number?

[FidgetyRat]

I will have to go look at my MVP.. Running a E3a. I am very happy with it so far. I am a little shocked to see people treating the MVP like a piece of hi-fi equipment. Its a cheap little extender!

[AngelofDeth]

Originally Posted by FidgetyRat

I will have to go look at my MVP.. Running a E3a. I am very happy with it so far. I am a little shocked to see people treating the MVP like a piece of hi-fi equipment. Its a cheap little extender!

The video quality of the "bad" units straight to the TV is unacceptable imo... I don't expect hi-fi, but definetly something watchable. Perhaps something comparable to a $20 DVD player.

[Kev]

The picture quality of a non-defective MVP is actually very good for SDTV. It is as good or better then a high quality video card s-video output, due to its hardware decoder. I have been very happy with my new MVP. The super dark and red (unwatchable) output of some units are due to a defect, contact Hauppauge for warranty replacement.