Windows 10 and firewire STB channel changing

[gdippel]

I have been using firewire to change STB channels on my sage windows 7 server. I recently tried to upgrade to Windows 10 32 bit (32 bit due to firewire drivers.) Windows 10 didn't automatically recognize my STBs but I was able to manually install the drivers. I have two HDPVRs connected to two STBs. I can change channels on the first box but when I attempted to change channels on the second box I got a BSOD. BTW, the boxes are daisy chained to my firewire card.

Has anyone gotten firewire channel changing to work on Windows 10?

[UgaData]

When I last used firewire with Windows 7, I seem to remember needing to load the Legacy Firewire driver for the OS in order for things to work properly. It maybe the same in Windows 10, not sure what worked for Windows 8/8.1

The legacy driver is for the OS, it is not the Firewire capture drivers by Timmoore and modified by others.

[gdippel]

Apparently Windows 10 renumbered one of the STB's panel devices. I made the change to to the EXEMultiTuner plugin and now both boxes can change channels via Firewire.

[andre5006]

Good to hear. Still running Win7 on my Sage Server with the SageChannel version of Timmore installation. Some day Win10 will find its way onto the box.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by gdippel

Apparently Windows 10 renumbered one of the STB's panel devices. I made the change to to the EXEMultiTuner plugin and now both boxes can change channels via Firewire.

and this is with 32 bit Windows 10, correct? Have you heard any mumblings about this 1394 driver EVER being updated to work with 64 bit systems?

[gdippel]

Yes this is with windows 10 32 bit. No 64 bit drivers are available and I doubt they will ever be.

[dstanley]

I upgraded my SageTV server to Windows 10 32-bit quite some time ago and my Firewire Channel changing is working for three of my STB's.
I use an USB-IRT on the fourth box because there is only one firewire connector on this box and it has a different connector. When I tried to use firewire on this stb I don't think it was very reliable.

[wayner]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

and this is with 32 bit Windows 10, correct? Have you heard any mumblings about this 1394 driver EVER being updated to work with 64 bit systems?

I doubt this will ever happen - I have given up and my new server is 64 bit so I bought a new USB-UIRT for channel changing.

[wayner]

Originally Posted by gdippel

Apparently Windows 10 renumbered one of the STB's panel devices. I made the change to to the EXEMultiTuner plugin and now both boxes can change channels via Firewire.

I always think you should use UniqueIDs, if you can, rather than the panel number. There are some threads on here about this - my boxes were/are Scientific Atlanta (now Cisco) SA3250HDs and SA4250HDs and you did have to be careful what driver you used to not get a BSOD or other issue.

[smaug_ca]

Any updates on this from anyone? HAs anyone been able to get the 64 bit version of Windows 10 to use Firewire? There are 64 bit drivers for firewire from Microsoft for Windows 8.1. Should these not work for W10 x64?
Anyone tried it?

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...ndows-8-1-or-w

[waynedunham]

Originally Posted by smaug_ca

Any updates on this from anyone? HAs anyone been able to get the 64 bit version of Windows 10 to use Firewire? There are 64 bit drivers for firewire from Microsoft for Windows 8.1. Should these not work for W10 x64?
Anyone tried it?

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...ndows-8-1-or-w

I have noticed this too, but am still on WIn10-32bit to ensure my FW tuning is retained.
I have also noticed there are also FW cards that DO have 64 bit drivers, so obviously FW does work with Win10-64 bit.

So is the issue the whole Timmoore implementation needing the specific legacy drivers on even 32 bit to work so that even if I do find a 64 bit compatible driver or card/driver FW channel changing still won't work in 64 bit?

[UgaData]

Originally Posted by waynedunham

So is the issue the whole Timmoore implementation needing the specific legacy drivers on even 32 bit to work so that even if I do find a 64 bit compatible driver or card/driver FW channel changing still won't work in 64 bit?

That is correct. The issue isn't so much weather Windows 10 x64 can use firewire; it is the capture/tuning driver that is needed that will most likely never-ever be updated to 64 bit.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by waynedunham

I have noticed this too, but am still on WIn10-32bit to ensure my FW tuning is retained.
I have also noticed there are also FW cards that DO have 64 bit drivers, so obviously FW does work with Win10-64 bit.

So is the issue the whole Timmoore implementation needing the specific legacy drivers on even 32 bit to work so that even if I do find a 64 bit compatible driver or card/driver FW channel changing still won't work in 64 bit?

That’s my understanding: the Tim Moore involvement. It’s sad people are ditching cable for (ugh) streaming, since cable set-top boxes are the likely recipient of a 1394 channel change. Someone recently took over the MiniClient and has done some great things - maybe a Firewire hero will still appear...

[UgaData]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

That’s my understanding: the Tim Moore involvement. It’s sad people are ditching cable for (ugh) streaming, since cable set-top boxes are the likely recipient of a 1394 channel change. Someone recently took over the MiniClient and has done some great things - maybe a Firewire hero will still appear...

Someone did make an attempt at updating/creating 64 bit Firewire Capture driver. There some indication that they were having some success ............................ And then they just disappeared. I think, if you look through the "firewire capture" thread there is reference to another forum about this attempt.

Firewire is a dead technology. It has been replaced by ThunderBolt (and maybe USB3). IMHO, using the ethernet port or even USB would be a better choice for capture and/or tuning.

[wayner]

Originally Posted by UgaData

That is correct. The issue isn't so much weather Windows 10 x64 can use firewire; it is the capture/tuning driver that is needed that will most likely never-ever be updated to 64 bit.

I think that waiting for a 64 bit firewire channel changer is like Linus waiting for the Great Pumpkin - it is futile.

The 32 bit Windows drivers by Tim Moore were a hack and were never official. This seems very tricky to do and if it was going to happen it would have happened a decade ago as (1) firewire is dying, and (2) cable boxes with firewire are dying, not to mention (3) linear TV is losing lots of subscribers.

That being said, unRAID linux is 64 bit and firewire works perfectly well to change channels without a lot of futzing around.

[gdippel]

In the four years since my last post in this thread I switched from housing my Sage server on Windows 32 bit to 64 bit Ubuntu which has firewire drivers for my STBs. I'm pretty sure they'll discover proof of Bigfoot and the Loc Ness Monster before there are 64 bit Windows firewire drivers for STBs.

[wayner]

Originally Posted by gdippel

I'm pretty sure they'll discover proof of Bigfoot and the Loc Ness Monster before there are 64 bit Windows firewire drivers for STBs.

They're called Samsquanches!

[andre5006]

Originally Posted by UgaData

...
Firewire is a dead technology. It has been replaced by ThunderBolt (and maybe USB3). IMHO, using the ethernet port or even USB would be a better choice for capture and/or tuning.

Beyond the driver problem, moving forward is the problem that STB's have Fire-wire ports (FCC required?) and getting STB's to utilize Thunderbolt or USB/Ethernet (for non-proprietary use) is probably on the list with those other mythological animals mentioned.

Andre "Still running SageChanger on Win10 32bit"

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by andre5006

Beyond the driver problem, moving forward is the problem that STB's have Fire-wire ports (FCC required?) and getting STB's to utilize Thunderbolt or USB/Ethernet (for non-proprietary use) is probably on the list with those other mythological animals mentioned.

Andre "Still running SageChanger on Win10 32bit"

Yup. FCC is all that counts. My Cisco Cox box is new, and 1394 ready. And, component outputs. Those still work too
Don’t worry, Hollywood will eventually find a way to eliminate ANY form of recording (like when all cable companies killed Qqam). But I guess it’s time to start finding other methods. Not being as much of a nerd as I’d like to be, Linux has avoided me. Maybe it’s worth a look...

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by gdippel

In the four years since my last post in this thread I switched from housing my Sage server on Windows 32 bit to 64 bit Ubuntu which has firewire drivers for my STBs. I'm pretty sure they'll discover proof of Bigfoot and the Loc Ness Monster before there are 64 bit Windows firewire drivers for STBs.

Cool. Your four years have been productive. So let's say I wanted to do what you've done - what's your advice? aka what version of Ubuntu does one install to run a SageTV server? How much horsepower, boot drive space etc.
Seems like a plan.