HD PVR

[TechBill]

i been running SageTV for 5+ years and ready to move from standard to HD recording on SageTV.

I am aware of Hauppage HD-PVR but wonder if that the only thing avaliable and read about overheating issue in this forum some years ago that why I never switch to HD recording just yet.


Or did Hauppage release a newer better design HD PVR? Is there a certain model number I should keep an eye for and get it?


Also Direct TV serviceman is coming tomorrow to install the HD recievers and do they still have compoments output on them?



Thank for your inputs

Bill

[darcilicious]

The Hauppauge HD-PVR is the only full 1080i / full HD recording device that works with SageTV. There's an AverMedia product (only does stereo, no spdif/5.1) but it is not currently support by SageTV.

I'm fairly certain that most if not all my overheating issues were actually with my set-top box (QIP6200 from Verizon) and not with my HD-PVR but I too have read people that have opened up and/or have fans pointed at the these annoying little suckers.

There have been hardware "revisions" to the original HD-PVR but I believe they have been very minor (or basically non-existent) -- I have a rev E1 purchased a little over a year ago. Long story short, it's been much more stable after having:

1) removed all other USB devices from the SageTV system/server
2) taped over the IR receiver on the HD-PVR
3) upgraded to SageTV v7

I get about one "halt detected" per week now (have NO idea what that's about but I suspect a temporarily flaky signal from the set-top box is at fault) where the recording might be missing a second or two when this happens so it's actually tolerable -- but there haven't been any hard lock-ups (HD-PVR stops recording/responding, requiring me to reboot the computer to restore full functionality) in over a couple of months now.

I get just less than one mis-tuned channel a week (seems to miss the leading 5 of a 3-digit channel when it does this) with the HD-PVR blaster and I'm debating if getting a USB-UIRT is worth it -- it would be my last step to fine tune my single HD-PVR set-up.

SageTV introduced some kind of work-around for lock-ups I believe with v7 that seems to have solved a lot of problems. And a lot folks have a rock-solid set up so it can be done. I guess my best advice is to purchase one and be ready to RMA if you get any lock-ups or even missing seconds in your recordings if perfection is your goal.

(Now I'm just waiting for Spectrum to come along and chime in )

[michelkenny]

My two HD-PVRs have been rock solid, but only with an older driver (1.0.5.301). The newer ones crash constantly for me.

[Qusix]

I have two HDPVRs on v7 that have been flawless for the last 3 months. I used to get a halt about once every two weeks using 1.0.5.301. I updgraded to the latest drivers as sage recommended and it has been perfect since then.


Using SPIDF and Cable box is set to 720p.

[PLUCKYHD]

I will throw mine in here. I have been using one for over a month now (brother has 2 he has used for over 1 year). Very rarely do I or he have an issue. Make sure the box is set to a stable resolution 720p no native switching and I would recomend sage v7 if you are not already using it.

Also with directv i believe you can use the serial tuning option if not I recommend the usuirt has worked flawless for me.

[paulbeers]

I've used an HDPVR since they were first released (ordered directly from Hauppauge to get one). I think it is a C1 or C2 and I have never really had a problem. Mine sits in our basement (which means its about 5-10 degrees F cooler than the rest of the house) so that might help. I also only use analog audio solely because it works and I am lazy! Recently I added another one to my server and have not had any issues (also updated from the 1.0.5.3 drivers to the new 1.5.7 at the same time). On very rare occassions (maybe once a month?) it would have a problem, but I use QAM/OTA for capturing my locals so the only thing the HDPVR is for cable shows (which are usually shown 3-4x a night so if it fails it just grabs a later showing). I am still running 6.6.2 on my production server until I get my new server up and running at which I will switch to V7.

Yes, the early revisions were plagued by issues (luckily I never had any problems), but it really appears that the newest revisions and the newest drivers have really made some serious improvement as I see less and less complaints.

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by TechBill

Also Direct TV serviceman is coming tomorrow to install the HD recievers and do they still have compoments output on them?

The new H24 receivers don't have optical outputs for DD 5.1 but do have coax DD outputs, previous HD receivers do have optical. The DVRs from DirecTV do have optical outs still on the new series.

EDIT: Component outputs still abound.

[Spectrum]

Originally Posted by darcilicious

(Now I'm just waiting for Spectrum to come along and chime in )

Think everyone made all the salient points so I don't have anything to add. I haven't been on the forums in 12+ hours (oh noooooooo) I'll have to be be sure to not stay away so long next time

[TechBill]

thank you for all your inputs!

I am considering just taking my old HTPC (look at my signature for CPU info) and run it as a recording server only then get one of them Sage HT300 to do the playbacks to lessen the load on the computer itself if I did my research correctly.


I am currently running a PVR500 and older HDTV DirectTV with serial channel changing but want to move a newer HDTV boxes since they are smaller and the menu flys on those boxes too. It seem to run cooler too.

I probably start with 2 first and need to get 2 HDPVR but I hope my current HTPC can handle 2 HDPVR for now if I get one of them Sage HT300 and I don't plan on doing any comskip either.



Bill

[joe123]

Originally Posted by PLUCKYHD

Make sure the box is set to a stable resolution 720p no native switching and I would recomend sage v7 if you are not already using it.

Ok, I will bite. The whole reason of going with the HDPVR is to get High Def recordings. So why not set it to 1080i as the default instead of 720p?

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by joe123

Ok, I will bite. The whole reason of going with the HDPVR is to get High Def recordings. So why not set it to 1080i as the default instead of 720p?

I think people recommend 720p because there seem to be less issues reported using that, as opposed to 1080i. However, from what I've gathered, those people having issues tend to be using a cable company STB, whereas DirecTV users (myself included) generally don't have issues with 1080i. So, for the OP, he should be fine setting his STB to output 1080i.

[Rico66]

Originally Posted by Skirge01

I think people recommend 720p because there seem to be less issues reported using that, as opposed to 1080i. However, from what I've gathered, those people having issues tend to be using a cable company STB, whereas DirecTV users (myself included) generally don't have issues with 1080i. So, for the OP, he should be fine setting his STB to output 1080i.

I don't think there's really a difference from the side of the hdpvr whether you record 720p or 1080i. On the playback side though 720p is typically causing less issues since you avoid the deinterlacing.
I'd say if your stb outputs (mainly) 1080i signals and your tv's native resolution is 1080i or 1080p then you should go for 1080i. If your tv is 720p and the source is 1080i, then it's a coin toss.

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by Rico66

I don't think there's really a difference from the side of the hdpvr whether you record 720p or 1080i. On the playback side though 720p is typically causing less issues since you avoid the deinterlacing.
I'd say if your stb outputs (mainly) 1080i signals and your tv's native resolution is 1080i or 1080p then you should go for 1080i. If your tv is 720p and the source is 1080i, then it's a coin toss.

I guess I wasn't as clear as I thought. You're absolutely right. The HDPVR couldn't care less what resolution you feed it. The problem generally seems to point to the person's STB not outputting the signal "nicely". I can't say what exactly the STB does which causes the problems, though. It could be something we wouldn't even notice if we were watching it live. However, I'll say again that I think people with DirecTV tend to have fewer (or no) problems.

[Rico66]

Originally Posted by Skirge01

I guess I wasn't as clear as I thought. You're absolutely right. The HDPVR couldn't care less what resolution you feed it. The problem generally seems to point to the person's STB not outputting the signal "nicely". I can't say what exactly the STB does which causes the problems, though. It could be something we wouldn't even notice if we were watching it live. However, I'll say again that I think people with DirecTV tend to have fewer (or no) problems.

Yes, there can indeed be problems related to the source signal, though I'm not sure if that's really only about 720p vs 1080i.
Some time ago I had problems with the audio of one specific channel, which sounded very distorted. This reproduced only via the HDPVR (spdif), it wasn't a problem listening directly through the stb. The issue lasted for a couple of months, but at some day it went away.

[joe123]

Originally Posted by Skirge01

I think people recommend 720p because there seem to be less issues reported using that, as opposed to 1080i. However, from what I've gathered, those people having issues tend to be using a cable company STB, whereas DirecTV users (myself included) generally don't have issues with 1080i. So, for the OP, he should be fine setting his STB to output 1080i.

I will second that. My Time Warner HD Box was outputing at 480i, 720p and 1080i. It was causing lock-ups on my HDPVR at least once a day.

I changed my STB (Time Warner box) to ouput only 1080i and it has been weeks of recording without a single lockup of my HDPVR. Looks like a contant stream type keeps the HDPVR happy.

Getting back to 720p verses 1080i, I got a heache reading this thread, but it looks like 1080i is better than 720p. Others here agree or disagree?

[paulbeers]

Last I checked, you can't use placeshifter with 1080i h.264 videos though, so if you want to use placeshifter or you have an old MediaMVP, you basically have to use 720P.

Edit: Supposedly this is fixed in V7, but I haven't tried it yet.....

[TechBill]

Originally Posted by HelenWeathers

The new H24 receivers don't have optical outputs for DD 5.1 but do have coax DD outputs, previous HD receivers do have optical. The DVRs from DirecTV do have optical outs still on the new series.

EDIT: Component outputs still abound.

Yeah no optical output on the new DirecTV new recievers so I am gonna have to get digital to optical convertors.

Bill

[EnterNoEscape]

Originally Posted by paulbeers

Edit: Supposedly this is fixed in V7, but I haven't tried it yet.....

I can confirm that I have been able to placeshift 1080i content smoothly. I had to reduce the recording quality a little for my CPU to be able to keep up, but it works and it didn't work before at any quality on v6.