SETUP WinTV HVR-1600 with QAM

[sixdoubleo]

Originally Posted by visiontim

OK, I got this to work but struggled with the remapping. Let me help you so you don't waste time like I did.

1. Setup the regular cable tuner first.
   
2. Now setup your QAM tuner.
   
3. Choose a different, but close program guide for your QAM tuner. Do not choose the guide that you use for your standard channels! For example, if you subscribe to premium cable, choose basic for your QAM.
   
4. Scan for channels.
   
5. View the channels found and write down what they are (just the ones you want to watch/use though).
   
6. Remap to physical channel. Search through and find the call sign for that channel and select it. Write down the channel number they display too.
   
7. Remap to logical channel number. Use the channel number you wrote down in the last step.
   
8. Last and the most important step that kept screwing me up...
   
   Go to the channel setup of your regular cable tuner and deselect the channel that you are going to watch digital version of. For example, deselect ABC, NBC and CBS.

What this last step does is it allows your remapped channels to show up in the guide and replaces the standard def versions. This way when you go to watch NBC, you'll get the HD version through your QAM tuner.

I hope this helps because while the directions posted at the top of this thread were helpful, the last step kept screwing me up because I just didn't think to do this.

What if I want BOTH the SD version and the HD version of a channel? I only have one HD tuner, but 2 SD tuners. I don't want to limit NBC to ONLY HD, because if the HD tuner is busy recording something else, I would have no other way to record NBC. Know what I mean?

How do I keep both the SD (via PVR-250) and HD (via HVR-1600) versions of the same channel?

[sixdoubleo]

And just for clarification, what is the word on the "QAM_FRQ_CACHE.ENABLE" file? Is it needed in Sage 6.2.10 or not?

[Conejo]

Originally Posted by sixdoubleo

What if I want BOTH the SD version and the HD version of a channel? I only have one HD tuner, but 2 SD tuners. I don't want to limit NBC to ONLY HD, because if the HD tuner is busy recording something else, I would have no other way to record NBC. Know what I mean?

How do I keep both the SD (via PVR-250) and HD (via HVR-1600) versions of the same channel?

Yes, you can keep all the channels.

Normally, you would keep ALL of the channels from your ANALOG SD tuner, and ENABLE only the DIGITAL HD channels found on your additional ATSC or QAM tuner.

People have found that their local OTA stations or cable operator also provide them with duplicate DIGITAL SD programming of some ANALOG SD channels. Since digital is preferred some people enable these DIGITAL SD channels and disable the ANALOG versions. Though you can keep them all enabled.

Just remember, if a station is available from multiple tuners on different channels, SageTV will nominate ONE CHANNEL to represent them all in the EPG (even though sage will use all channels as possible candidates to record the program).

[sixdoubleo]

Originally Posted by Conejo

Yes, you can keep all the channels.

Normally, you would keep ALL of the channels from your ANALOG SD tuner, and ENABLE only the DIGITAL HD channels found on your additional ATSC or QAM tuner.

People have found that their local OTA stations or cable operator also provide them with duplicate DIGITAL SD programming of some ANALOG SD channels. Since digital is preferred some people enable these DIGITAL SD channels and disable the ANALOG versions. Though you can keep them all enabled.

Just remember, if a station is available from multiple tuners on different channels, SageTV will nominate ONE CHANNEL to represent them all in the EPG (even though sage will use all channels as possible candidates to record the program).

Kinda confused. Those instructions indicated that you need to DISABLE your SD versions so the HD version(s) would work.

If both SD and HD versions of a channel are "mapped" to a logical program guide entry, how does Sage know "I want the HD version"? Given a channel 3 with SD and HD versions, it almost seems like there needs to be "Channel 3" and "Channel 3-1". I would prefer that SD and HD channels be different channel numbers so I can specify channel preferences for favorites...Furthermore there may be cases where I want to record both the SD and HD versions of the exact same show.

Is there something that explains the channel mapping features in more detail because I'm fairly confused on that part of it.

[sixdoubleo]

(Preface: Been a user and loyal advocate for Sage since 1.4. For the first time ever I am cursing Sage)

Not 100% positive on this...maybe 97%.....but it seems like for any given Program Guide (i.e. Comcast Stockton)...that if I have scanned for QAM channels once, Sage will never again find any channels.

In other words, the FIRST time I selected "Comcast Stockton" it found all 56 channels on QAM. But if I went BACK, removing the source and restarting Sage (to start over) it would find 0 channels.

At that point, I'd pick a different ZIP code and city (say Comcast Modesto) and again, it would find all 56 channels the first time, but never again.

I am running out of nearby cities. Short of starting with a brand new sage.properties file (or whatever it uses), how can I truly "start over".

The reason I have to keep starting over is because I am trying to figure out how the channel mapping works (due to a lack of documentation on the feature).

Excuse me for saying....but it doesn't seem as if Sage and QAM is really ready for prime time. I couldn't imagine a "regular" user doing all this.

Anybody else notice this where a 2nd or 3rd attempt at scanning for channels on the same program data yields 0 channels discovered?

[Djc208]

I didn't have that issue when I set mine up. Rescanning would find all the channels again.

I do know what you mean about the channel mapping though. I had to re-scan about 4 times (and we all know how slow QAM scanning is) and look around on the forums and in the users manual before I managed to figure out I had it all backwards.
Can't say it's the most intuitive thing, but I've done enough user interfaces to know what makes sense to the designer doesn't always make sense to the users.

[Conejo]

Originally Posted by sixdoubleo

Kinda confused. Those instructions indicated that you need to DISABLE your SD versions so the HD version(s) would work.

Everything can be ENABLED if they are a tunable transmission source.

If both SD and HD versions of a channel are "mapped" to a logical program guide entry, how does Sage know "I want the HD version"? Given a channel 3 with SD and HD versions, it almost seems like there needs to be "Channel 3" and "Channel 3-1". I would prefer that SD and HD channels be different channel numbers so I can specify channel preferences for favorites...Furthermore there may be cases where I want to record both the SD and HD versions of the exact same show.

SageTV deals with channels by their STATION CALL LETTERS, not their channel numbers.

If you look at most EPG lineups, you'll see exactly what you're talking about. Each SD and HD channel have their own separate lineup, even when the content is duplicated, because each has a different call sign.

The over-the-air guide for Stockton from Zap2it shows:

KCRA ch 3 [contains NTSC broadcast of NBC programming]
KCRADT ch 3.1 [contains NTSC broadcast converted to HD, or partial and full HD programming of NBC programming]
KCRADT2 ch 3.2 [contains their weather channel, sometimes local news]

On a Cable System, these same channels might appear as this:

KCRA ch 3
KCRADT ch 703
KCRADT2 ch 187

Each of these 'channels' have a 'different call sign', so each gets a place in the SageTV EPG lineup.

If a Cable System simulcast the ANALOG KCRA ch 3 broadcast in Digital QAM (ex: as KCRA ch 143) then that broadcast would be available to you from two sources (analog tuner and QAM tuner) but because its station ID is the same it would only show up in the guide once. SageTV will pick which one gets recorded based on merit and conflict.

By the way, eventually all Over-The-Air broadcasts of NTSC programming will go away by 2009. KCRA channel 3 will probably get dropped on cable system, having been replaced by KCRADT.

[sixdoubleo]

Originally Posted by Conejo

Everything can be ENABLED if they are a tunable transmission source.



SageTV deals with channels by their STATION CALL LETTERS, not their channel numbers.

If you look at most EPG lineups, you'll see exactly what you're talking about. Each SD and HD channel have their own separate lineup, even when the content is duplicated, because each has a different call sign.

The over-the-air guide for Stockton from Zap2it shows:

KCRA ch 3 [contains NTSC broadcast of NBC programming]
KCRADT ch 3.1 [contains NTSC broadcast converted to HD, or partial and full HD programming of NBC programming]
KCRADT2 ch 3.2 [contains their weather channel, sometimes local news]

On a Cable System, these same channels might appear as this:

KCRA ch 3
KCRADT ch 703
KCRADT2 ch 187

Each of these 'channels' have a 'different call sign', so each gets a place in the SageTV EPG lineup.

If a Cable System simulcast the ANALOG KCRA ch 3 broadcast in Digital QAM (ex: as KCRA ch 143) then that broadcast would be available to you from two sources (analog tuner and QAM tuner) but because its station ID is the same it would only show up in the guide once. SageTV will pick which one gets recorded based on merit and conflict.

By the way, eventually all Over-The-Air broadcasts of NTSC programming will go away by 2009. KCRA channel 3 will probably get dropped on cable system, having been replaced by KCRADT.

Gotcha. Thanks for the explanation...it's making sense now.

What I did was leave channel 3 (KCRA) assigned to the analog Channel 3. Then I picked channel 903 (which is KCRAHD) and mapped it to physical channel 88-3-1, which is the QAM HD version of KCRA. Seems to work the way I envisioned it now.

[Conejo]

Originally Posted by sixdoubleo

Excuse me for saying....but it doesn't seem as if Sage and QAM is really ready for prime time. I couldn't imagine a "regular" user doing all this.

Anybody else notice this where a 2nd or 3rd attempt at scanning for channels on the same program data yields 0 channels discovered?

I wouldn't be so quick to fault SageTV on this issue. The 3rd party hardware companies are the ones who developed their 'workarounds' to the QAM vs Driver vs Tuner vs OS shortcoming. There is no 'unified' method. That's what you're dealing with now.

'Scan Channels' in SageTV isn't an absolute command. In the HDHR world the command scans a file created by the HDHR Setup/remap application. It will never 'discover' additional channels not already discovered by the HDHR Setup/remap application. The same thing may be happening here.

[sixdoubleo]

Originally Posted by Conejo

I wouldn't be so quick to fault SageTV on this issue. The 3rd party hardware companies are the ones who developed their 'workarounds' to the QAM vs Driver vs Tuner vs OS shortcoming. There is no 'unified' method. That's what you're dealing with now.

Well, I was referring more to QAM in general and its integration into Sage. It still seems like the whole process is very much experimental...and true it's not the fault of Sage. It sure did have me pulling my hair out though.

I found that if I manually deleted the frq file from the Sage directory, and then deleted the cache enable file, that it would then scan again properly.

[chrisc983]

I have been trying to get this to work now for about a week. I am able to get my local QAM channels through my Sharp LCD but using the same cable connected to my computer using a compatible 1600 with the latest drivers, I am not able to pick up any QAM channels through WinTV or Sage. I have tried all of the fixes and updates and methods recommended in this thread but with no luck. SD channels come in fine with Sage but look pretty back when played back on the LCD TV.

Is there anything else that I could try or is there something that I am doing wrong? It would be great if I could get this to work with Sage.

[chrisc983]

looks I finally got it to work. I upgraded to 6.3.5 and it detected about 50 QAM channels. Now to remap them.

[gblinckmann]

Originally Posted by chrisc983

looks I finally got it to work. I upgraded to 6.3.5 and it detected about 50 QAM channels. Now to remap them.

Did you do something other than just upgrading to 6.3.5 to make it work, or was something else the key? (I'm already at 6.3.5 and working QAM is still eluding me.)

[chrisc983]

I also switched out my splitters I was using to the ones made by Monster. I dont know if that improved the signal. I was still not able to get it to work with WinTV but all that matters to me is that it works with Sage.

Also when I first created the QAM_FRQ_CACHE.ENABLE file I was only renaming the text file (thats what I get for working on it after I get off of work late) instead of changing the file type itself.

I open my SageTV root Directory (Default: C:ProgramFiles\SageTV\SageTV)
Go to File>New>Text Document
Folder Options>View> Uncheck Hide extensions for known file types
Rename text document to QAM_FRQ_CACHE.ENABLE

other than that I didn't change any settings on Sage. Also what was weird is that when I first remapped the QAM channels it wouldn't download the program guide for those channels even it I tried to force an update. Went to work and when I got back home it updated.

Playback on live TV and Recordings is very clear with no stutter

[Ericft]

I have been mucking around with qAM for over a month now. i have gone back and forth with OTA signals?( never fully getting all local channels and even when I do, they are choppy in signal). Now with 6.3.5 i revisited the QAM tuner concept. with conventional cable and splitters I was able to get occasional on demand channels but only abc/nbc/CWW as HD channels. I have scanned multiple times and pooled several frq runs and still I am unable to get the other channels like fox/abc/pbs that should be available via QAM(i know coz i've connected a qam tuner TV in that past)
I am using a hcr 1600, the appropriate version number, and now I'm trying an amplifier (radioshack 1-4 bidirectional) and RG-6 wire from my wall cable input into the amplifier and now I get even fewer channels. I am extremely frustrated http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/imag...onbanghead.gif

with the QAM stuff coz i seems to be such a simple thing to set up(easy on TV) but so difficult in sage.
Is there any way to input freq number into the file to manually load other stations that the sage channel search did not find??

ALSO, DOES ANYONE IN THE PROVIDENCE AREA USING COX HAVE A LIST OF THEIR QAM CHANNELS, EITHER VIA SAGE OR REGULAR TV TUNER?? THANKS http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/imag...s/confused.gif

[chrisc983]

Yeah I found that with the amplifier I didn't pick up as much signal as well. I switched to Monster splitters even though they were pricier because they stated they went up to 2Ghz and my old splitters went up to only 1GHz. And Im using all rg-6 cables

[blade]

I have a HDHomeRun setup to use QAM and have just ordered a HVR-1600 and plan to use it for QAM as well. I'm running v6.3.5 and was wondering what the setup process is for the HVR-1600 in my situation? I just don't want to muck anything up.

[Ricklesgolf]

I am setting up a Sage system and am using a Windows Vista Basic 2.4 ghz dual core processor. I have a WinTv 1600.

My HDTV recieves all the cable channels and QAM channels fine. The WinTV 1600 picks up the analog cable channels fine when I run the WinTV software.

The problem is that I cannot get Sage to pick up any channels. I just get "No Signal". I thought I followed the advise in this post but I Guess I am missing something.

Any help woud be appreciated.

Thanks!!!

[gblinckmann]

Originally Posted by Ricklesgolf

I am setting up a Sage system and am using a Windows Vista Basic 2.4 ghz dual core processor. I have a WinTv 1600.

My HDTV recieves all the cable channels and QAM channels fine. The WinTV 1600 picks up the analog cable channels fine when I run the WinTV software.

The problem is that I cannot get Sage to pick up any channels. I just get "No Signal". I thought I followed the advise in this post but I Guess I am missing something.

Any help woud be appreciated.

Thanks!!!

I'm in the same boat, with the same symptoms. I, too, just get "no signal". I'm using an HVR-1800, model 78521 Rev C1E9, sn 4029361250, with driver version 1.19.25159.0 running on Vista Home Premium on an HP Pavilion m8200n.

I don't know if any of that might be helpful to anyone, but I figured that it can't hurt. The only thing I keep coming back to is a driver problem. Does anyone use a different (or newer) driver to make this work?

[gblinckmann]

My TV lists a few QAM channels that I can get, such as these:

18-8 WXXA-DT
18-10 WTEN-DT
19-13 WNYT-DT

I've tried entering these into Sage, so that Sage reads like this:

1808 - WXXADT - [18-08]
WXXADT (WXXA-DT) Albany-Schenectady-Troy

I still get no signal like this, even though my TV finds the QAM channels. Sage doesn't find any of them when it scans.

I'm I entering the numbers right? Or is QAM just plain not working on the HVR-1800's?