HD-PVR Setup Stories

[rgreenpc]

Thanks for that...

Does the enchanced renderer support look to be coming to Sage?

I really am looking at picking 2 of these up to compliment my 2 OTA cards when I make my move to Sage.

[ProAm500]

I'm having a hell of a time just getting my HDPVR to work more than 5 minutes..I have a c2 unti I've had for about 3 days. I tried every mpeg2 decoder there is that I have installed in my system and the picture quality looks terrible. Its grainy, washed out, and hardly any color. I have a STB connected via s-video to my HDPVR. Also, sometime the picture will just add the 16x9 widescreen bars when I change a channel out the blue with a very choppy picture. It will also take the picture center as if there is a possible overscan issue. I have a SD 27 inch TV. When I change a channel it takes sometime up to a minute for a picture and sound to come up, and most times, it will just freeze Sage all together. I know its just frustration but I'm almost ready to give up on this unit......any help is appreciated....

[Shield]

Well, I've made significant progress tonight. I still have to pause / unpause when changing channels with live TV.
I have 2 Directv HR21-700 boxes (dual HD DVR's) and one is basically used to record 2 baseball games every night and nothing else. So I'm just going to dedicate it as the STB. Things are looking up. I think changing channels a lot heats these boxes up; I've had to reset mine a few times.
Anyway, the pass-through looks great.
I basically had to re-install the software a few times.

What I have learned - if you get the "IR BLASTER NOT FOUND" message, it's because the SAGE service or SageTV client is running. Once I stopped the service on my server I was able to make changes.

I compared the amount of IR blast coming from the Hauppage device compared to my URC-250 remote RF/IR converter, and the Hauppage is very, very weak.

Since I don't have a firewire or serial port on my Directv box, I'm going with the USBUIRT I suppose.

The problem is if I get a new dedicated Directv receiver (100$) I'll also have to pony up for a 4x8 multi-switch ($150) and an extra $5 fee. I just have to remind myself not to schedule anything to record while baseball is on. But, since I'm using the passthough, I still have full functionality viewing and controlling that HR21-700.

You guys know what broke my heart somewhat? There's no guide for the MLBEI package from Directv! Kind of one of my early ideas; get 2 HD-PVR's and archive some of my baseball teams. And here I have that SRE working perfectly and all.

Thanks for everyone's help- this product gets my tech side really spinning - I just sit around and think of things with component out that I can now capture! I recorded about 10 minutes of HDV camcorder footage and it looked great. No DVD's are safe now either!



Other thoughts you guys might want to try.

I have the COREAVC decoder installed, and loaded the filter into graphedit. I unchecked the "H.264" box as the ArcSoft wouldn't play some of my 1080p .mkv files. I'm using 1.5 CoreAVC I think. So ArcSoft plays all the H264 .ts files, and COREAVC plays the mkv files. It's working great, very smooth.

[ProAm500]

Can anyone provide insight?

I'm not sure if its an overscan issue, or possible a decoder problem my the display from the HDPVR but I have a 4:3 CRt TV using s-video out from my ati 3450 video card. All the drivers are up to date. I have a a 4250 stb set at 480i via s-video cable to my hdpvr. I'm using the Arcsoft decoder in Sage. All the settings are correct for my display. For some reason I'm getting the 16x9 widescreen bars on my display. I'm also getting what I'm guessing is an overscan issue becuase along with the bars my my picture is way off center, slid down to one corner. I'm pulling my hair out.....can anyone provide any help on what I'm doing wrong?

[bcjenkins]

Originally Posted by Shield

Since I don't have a firewire or serial port on my Directv box, I'm going with the USBUIRT I suppose.

DirecTV boxes contain a serial port. USB == Universal Serial Bus. Use a TVTranslator from http://www.patersontech.com to control.

B

[Twinkle]

Originally Posted by bcjenkins

DirecTV boxes contain a serial port. USB == Universal Serial Bus. Use a TVTranslator from http://www.patersontech.com to control.

B

Alternately, you can use an IOGear GUC232A Serial/USB adapter with a null modem if you have a serial port - or two IOGear adapters with a null modem if you don't have a serial port.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by sleonard

I didn't have any problems setting up 2 HD-PVR's but when I added the third one Sage changed the numbering of all of them. HD-PVR #1 connected to STB 1 and using Zone 1 on the USB-UIRT became HD-PVR #2. HD-PVR #2 connected to STB #2 and using Zone 2 became HD-PVR #3. The third one added became HD-PVR #1.

This really made it difficult since now all three HD-PVR's were connected to the wrong STB's and using the wrong zones.

I'm curious: were any of the HD-PVRs moved from one USB port to another while this was going on? Or, were any off while the next one was added?

I noticed that after sending in one HD-PVR for replacement, the other one's USB info must have gotten changed, so I had to reconfigure it the next time I restarted SageTV.

- Andy

[sleonard]

Originally Posted by Opus4

I'm curious: were any of the HD-PVRs moved from one USB port to another while this was going on? Or, were any off while the next one was added?

I noticed that after sending in one HD-PVR for replacement, the other one's USB info must have gotten changed, so I had to reconfigure it the next time I restarted SageTV.

- Andy

No, I did not change the USB ports. I connected everything up except power to the PVR's. I then connected the power to PVR 1 and set it up in Sage then #2, then #3. Once power was connected I left it connected. Upon connecting #3 all three were renumbered in Sage.

S

[ghostlobster]

OK, so my HD-PVR showed up today. The last 4 hours have been absolute hell!
I followed the setup huide included with the device, and had all kinds of IR Blaster issues. Rather than try to work those out immediately, I wanted to see how the video was. This turned out to be horrible. It stutters BAD! HD channels are horribly jerky. I've done the following
Went into ArcSoft Total Media theater, enabled 3d accelleration, then disabled it after that did nothing.
I tried the Cyberlink PowerDVD 7 encoders, and the arcsoft encoders, still no love.
I've uninstalled everything, ran HWclear, rebooted, and my 2 PVR150s were automatically readded before the HD PVR. The stutter and jerkiness is only half the problem. anytime I change channels when viewing a jerky HD channel (Yes, I worked out the IR Blaster issues) Sage locks up completely.

The basics of my system are:
AMD 4600 x2
2 GB RAM
ATI HD2600XT video card

Aside from wiping out the system and rebuilding from the ground up (OS and all!) has anyone got any ideas on what to do to improve the performance of the HD-PVR?

[Shield]

Make sure you're using the Arcsoft decoders. Also, use Overlay instead of VMR9.

[Brent]

Originally Posted by ghostlobster

OK, so my HD-PVR showed up today. The last 4 hours have been absolute hell!
I followed the setup huide included with the device, and had all kinds of IR Blaster issues. Rather than try to work those out immediately, I wanted to see how the video was. This turned out to be horrible. It stutters BAD! HD channels are horribly jerky. I've done the following
Went into ArcSoft Total Media theater, enabled 3d accelleration, then disabled it after that did nothing.
I tried the Cyberlink PowerDVD 7 encoders, and the arcsoft encoders, still no love.
I've uninstalled everything, ran HWclear, rebooted, and my 2 PVR150s were automatically readded before the HD PVR. The stutter and jerkiness is only half the problem. anytime I change channels when viewing a jerky HD channel (Yes, I worked out the IR Blaster issues) Sage locks up completely.

The basics of my system are:
AMD 4600 x2
2 GB RAM
ATI HD2600XT video card

Aside from wiping out the system and rebuilding from the ground up (OS and all!) has anyone got any ideas on what to do to improve the performance of the HD-PVR?

Ghostlobster,
First, glad to see you got the IR Blaster issues worked out - thats a start.
Do not go nuclear here and reinstall your OS or anything crazy. Here's the basics I remember from setting up my HD-PVR (minus the IR blaster thing)

• Use at least a dual-processor CPU on the playback machine - the more power the better since it's very CPU intensive to playback these h.264 files. (looks like you have this covered)
• Use a high-powered video card - see Hauppauge's support page for ideas on this - (again looks like you have this covered also)
• Install all of software (at least the TMC player) that comes with the HD-PVR onto each PC that will be doing the playback. This is required to get the proper codec.
• On each playback PC force it to use the ArcSoft Decoder. Close SageTV, Edit SageTV Properties and insert the following line

  videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=ArcSoft Video Decoder

  then save and restart SageTV

Let me know if any of the above helps at all.

[ghostlobster]

Originally Posted by Brent

Ghostlobster,
First, glad to see you got the IR Blaster issues worked out - thats a start.
Do not go nuclear here and reinstall your OS or anything crazy. Here's the basics I remember from setting up my HD-PVR (minus the IR blaster thing)

• Use at least a dual-processor CPU on the playback machine - the more power the better since it's very CPU intensive to playback these h.264 files. (looks like you have this covered)
• Use a high-powered video card - see Hauppauge's support page for ideas on this - (again looks like you have this covered also)
• Install all of software (at least the TMC player) that comes with the HD-PVR onto each PC that will be doing the playback. This is required to get the proper codec.
• On each playback PC force it to use the ArcSoft Decoder. Close SageTV, Edit SageTV Properties and insert the following line
  then save and restart SageTV

Let me know if any of the above helps at all.

Brent,
OK, the only missing piece here is the line in the properties file. I'll give that a shot tomorrow...right now, Mrs. Lobster has custody of the TV.

Question for you, though. Does the SageTV crash during channel changing sound familiar? I did not see anything along those lines in any posts.

Also, I saw a few posts here where people had success when they deleted all sources from Sage, did an HWclear, shutdown, ripped out all Hauppauge cards, installed the HDPVR, configured it, got it working, and then put the other Hauppauge cards back in. That seems a bit extreme to me, and I'm having a very tough time understanding how that particular process could make a difference. However, if someone can say it works, I'll go that direction if adding the line in the props file does not handle it.

[Brent]

Originally Posted by ghostlobster

Brent,
OK, the only missing piece here is the line in the properties file. I'll give that a shot tomorrow...right now, Mrs. Lobster has custody of the TV.

Totally understand that situation. My wife grabs control of the Media Center and no more "playing" with the server for me....

Question for you, though. Does the SageTV crash during channel changing sound familiar? I did not see anything along those lines in any posts.

No it doesn't sound familiar. Is that happening with any tuners or just the HD-PVR? Wondering if it has something to do with the IR blaster somehow.

Also, I saw a few posts here where people had success when they deleted all sources from Sage, did an HWclear, shutdown, ripped out all Hauppauge cards, installed the HDPVR, configured it, got it working, and then put the other Hauppauge cards back in. That seems a bit extreme to me, and I'm having a very tough time understanding how that particular process could make a difference.

It is extreme, and its an issue with Hauppauge for sure. I had actually forgotten about that step as its been a while now. What is happening is the HD-PVR driver seems to "take over" any other Hauppauge drivers in your setup including your other Hauppauge cards. I can't remember if that was due to the IR blaster or the actual tuner drivers themselves. Regardless I think its okay that you did that.
Just be sure you reinstalled the ArcSoft Total Media Extreme software on the computer (or any computer) being used for playback. Then add that line in the Sage.properties (or SageClient.properties for the client PC if using server mode) and report back.

Just curious, were you able to get video from the ArcSoft TME software at all or did you only try through SageTV?

[sic0048]

I've been trying to get my HD-PVR IR issues taken care of. Still haven't gotten it right, and I removed the HD-PVR from the Video set up and tried to re-add it. When I try to add it, I see it under the tuners and I can select it, but as soon as I select Component or Component/Digital Audio Sage quits. If I try to add the tuner with S-Video or composite, it move on. One time it tried to load the preview under component for about 10 seconds before crapping out. So it sounds like I have a heat issue now.

I'm pretty much had it with the HD-PVR. I've e-mailed Sage to see about returning it. I think I'll pay $100 more and get the R5000 kit to modify my VIP211.

[ProAm500]

Originally Posted by Brent

Totally understand that situation. My wife grabs control of the Media Center and no more "playing" with the server for me....


No it doesn't sound familiar. Is that happening with any tuners or just the HD-PVR? Wondering if it has something to do with the IR blaster somehow.


It is extreme, and its an issue with Hauppauge for sure. I had actually forgotten about that step as its been a while now. What is happening is the HD-PVR driver seems to "take over" any other Hauppauge drivers in your setup including your other Hauppauge cards. I can't remember if that was due to the IR blaster or the actual tuner drivers themselves. Regardless I think its okay that you did that.
Just be sure you reinstalled the ArcSoft Total Media Extreme software on the computer (or any computer) being used for playback. Then add that line in the Sage.properties (or SageClient.properties for the client PC if using server mode) and report back.

Just curious, were you able to get video from the ArcSoft TME software at all or did you only try through SageTV?

Can you elaborate a little more of where and what line should be added in the properties file?

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by ProAm500

Can you elaborate a little more of where and what line should be added in the properties file?

videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=ArcSoft Video Decoder


Gerry

[ProAm500]

Originally Posted by gplasky

videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=ArcSoft Video Decoder


Gerry

Thanks a lot....Can that line go anywhere in the properties file?

[gplasky]

I believe so-but they are listed in the file in alphabetical order.

Gerry

[Steve52]

Just wondered if anyone has gotten the HD PVR to work correctly with a single core processor (AMD 3700+ or less)?

[Brent]

Originally Posted by Steve52

Just wondered if anyone has gotten the HD PVR to work correctly with a single core processor (AMD 3700+ or less)?

I can get some video playback on my single core PC, but it's very choppy and doesn't really work well. On my dual-core everything works fine.

I would NOT recommend running HD-PVR playback on a single core based on my experience and what I've read from others. It's worth it to upgrade the CPU or buy an HD extender from SageTV.