dumb easy question

[lamejames]

i am running the rc3 with a 350 for my output.

is it possible to run the output to the tv only and not on the computer?

thanks

[mlbdude]

Exit Sage completely and modify the properties file.

videoframe/disable_sw_decoding - true/fales to completely disable software decoding when using a hardware

[Narflex]

You can also do that in Detailed Setup->Multimedia.

TIP: Minimize the SageTV window on the PC while the PVR350 OSD is running to improve performance of the PVR350 OSD by not having to render the SageTV window on the desktop also.

[lamejames]

thanks guys.

i did minimize it, and im not having any video lag or anything. i just want to be able to watch tv on the tv and listen to music on my computer at the same time. so i'm trying to completely turn off the audio/video output for sage to my monitor. is that possible?

edit: ok, i figured out that i can mute the one on my monitor, so that helps the audio. but when i minimize the video it doesnt allow my remote to work anymore. if anyone has an easy fix that'd be cool, otherwise i'll just mess around with it until i figure something out.

thanks again

[Opus4]

Originally posted by lamejames
when i minimize the video it doesnt allow my remote to work anymore. if anyone has an easy fix that'd be cool, otherwise i'll just mess around with it until i figure something out.

That's an issue using the Hauppauge remote: so far, it can only send commands to the window with the focus. You will run into the same thing when it isn't minimized but doesn't have focus. If you absolutely have to have it run in the background, I think I would suggest something that can send commands to any window, like Girder.

- Andy

[Karen0302]

lamejames,

Opus4 is entirely correct. I ran into the same problem. What is happening is that when you minimize SageTV it loses focus. The Haupauge remote program is only written to send input to the application with current focus and it doesn't care which one it is. I had some really interesting things happen to me in Netscape when my husband was playing with the remote control before I realized what was going on.

The solution to the problem is to download and install a program called Girder. It will completely replace the Haupauge remote control program and with it you can cause the translations of the IR remote codes to be sent to a specifc window. I've been running with it for 5 days now and have had no problems.

BTW, how did you manage to mute the audio on your monitor so you could listen to music?

Karen

[lamejames]

thanks again for the replies everyone. i will give Girder a try tonight and see how that goes. i've also had a couple of lock-ups so i will be adding a case fan near the 350 to cool it down.

karen- i just hit mute on the remote and it muted the sagetv on my monitor but not on the tv. i'm not sure if its supposed to work that way, but it did. then i just used wmp to play music.

[lamejames]

also, while we're talking about remotes, is there a way to extend the length of the hauppauge remote cable? it looks like a standard 1/8" end, so i can i just buy an extension cable meant for headphones and plug that in? i'd like to point my remote in the tv's direction rather than the computer's.

thanks.

[Opus4]

The Hauppauge IR receiver's cable seems to be a 2.5mm stereo plug, not 3.5mm -- same as a standard phone headset plug. Questions have been asked in the past regarding finding an extension cable for it, but I still don't recall whether anyone found one.

- Andy

[Karen0302]

Yep, that is exactly what I had my husband do. I needed the Haupauge remote detector to be 50' from the system it is connected to. Took him about 30 minutes and it works fine.

Karen

[lamejames]

so it was just a headphone extension cable Karen? or does it need a special size?


ok, hopefully this is my last dumb question. i got the tv to look fine on my television. its 4:3 and both horizontal and vertical at 100%. the menu however hangs off the top and sides. the program title is too high and the sagetv logo hangs off the left and the clock is off the right. i couldnt find anywhere to scale down the menu, is that possible?

thanks again everyone.

[Karen0302]

I just checked with my husband and he said he used headphone extension cable that he got at a local Radio Shack.

Once you get the IR detector working. Use your remote control to go into Detailed Setup and then adjust the Overscan Setting. I found the procedure very easy and it allowed me to resize the OSD so everything is clearly visible.

Karen

[lamejames]

cool, Karen, thanks for checking, i appreciate it. it sounds like i have quite a few things to try out tonight.

also Narflex, i noticed you're in RB too. so howdy neighbor.

[Opus4]

Does the 350 IR cable use a different connector size than the 250's cable? Simply take the original cable with you to make sure you buy the correct size. Like I said, my cable matches my telephone headset jack (2.5mm), not any of the stereo headphones (3.5mm?) that I have. Maybe your headphones or IR cable is different from mine.

- Andy

[Hector]

Originally posted by Opus4
Does the 350 IR cable use a different connector size than the 250's cable? Simply take the original cable with you to make sure you buy the correct size. Like I said, my cable matches my telephone headset jack (2.5mm), not any of the stereo headphones (3.5mm?) that I have. Maybe your headphones or IR cable is different from mine.

- Andy

I have the 350 and its the tiny 2.5mm connector as well.

I've not seen a 50 extenstion cable or anything like it although maybe it could be done with 3.5mm to 2.5mm adapters. Someone on SHS's pvr-350 board suggested Sony makes one.

Anyway if there is a simple Radio Shack solution I would sure like to know the RS part # because my sorry @#$# one denies having it.

[Karen0302]

Hector,

Sorry, but I don't have the Radio Shack part number in front of me. My husband just went there and bought 2 packages of 20' headphone extension cable. That combined with the intial length of the IR detector gave me about 45' which was enough.

Karen

[lamejames]

i'll try to make it there tonight and see what i can find out. i'll report back with part numbers and what not.

also, what's with all the cat avatars? am i gonna be ousted for not being a cat lover?

[Karen0302]

Well, I saw everyone else doing it and thought 'What a great forum!' <g>. I don't think you'll get kicked off for not having one <G>, but if you want to fit in I'll be happy to send you some of my cat photos! <G>

Karen

[Hector]

Originally posted by Karen0302
Hector,

Sorry, but I don't have the Radio Shack part number in front of me. My husband just went there and bought 2 packages of 20' headphone extension cable. That combined with the intial length of the IR detector gave me about 45' which was enough.

Karen

Thanks replying Karen, that's exactly what I want to do. Can you tell if there is an adapter on the end that's plugging into the pvr-350? Or on the end that the original IR dectector plugs into the extension?

I guess what I am trying to find out is do you have-

- a true 2.5mm extension cable

- adapters to make a 3.5mm extension work

- or is your PVR-350/IR sensor using a different jack than mine and opus'.

I would think the latter is unlikely unless a change was made in the card very recently.

I've just been putting off having a custom cable made since my soldering skills are poor to non-existent and mostly because others have expressed some concern that the extra length might not work so you've addressed that issue as well.

Thanks for sharing.

peace . . .

[Opus4]

Originally posted by lamejames
also, what's with all the cat avatars? am i gonna be ousted for not being a cat lover?

For more info & a great thread on that subject, check out: Cat avatars - what's the deal???

- Andy