Hauppauge PVR-350 Silver Remote conflicts with PVR-150MCE

[ke6guj]

For a datapoint, I've got a retail 150 along with 2 500MCE's, and the remote works fine using the IR receiver plugged into the 150. I haven't messed with the blaster yet, so that may not work.

[ckron]

I too have a 350 and a full retail 150 w/IR. I have been using the 150's IR, but it does not seem to work nearly as well as the 350 did. I get alot of missed button presses and double responses to single button presses. Therefore, I would love to go back to using the IR on the 350. I will try the peek-a-boo method to get the 350 working again.

Hauppauge should really fix these things. It is these little things that make my WAF go in the toilet. I can't expect my wife and kids to be able to execute this peek-a-boo trick if the PC needs to be rebooted. Fortunately, that has not been necessary too often since I switched MB away from a newer Intel chipset.

[oconnorstp]

I've followed this conversation, and several others, and have come up with a different approach that I want to try out on you folks. I have failed at getting the PVR150 to play nice with the 350 and have thrown in the sponge on that project.

I really like the PVR 350 so I don't want to tinker with that at all, but I'm thinking of getting a different brand/model card for the "additional" tuners. I figure that way I won't run into the driver conflicts with the remote. I also hope to avoid some of the apparent video-quality/static/pixilation problems that people have mentioned with multiple Hauppaugh cards in the same box.

I've been looking into the AVermedia 1500MCE (or M150) as my "additional-tuner" card of choice. My reasoning is;

- no remote, so it shouldn't stomp on the PVR 350

- different driver, so it shouldn't stomp on the PVR 350

- similar encoding chipset so the quality ought to be comparable

I'm curious if other people have gone this way, and if so, which cards worked the best.

I'm also wondering; have people had card-conflicts when using multiple AVerMedia cards in their machines.

[rbarr110]

Originally Posted by Opus4

rbarr110: If both your 350 + 150 have IR ports (non-MCE 150, so you mean it has an IR port, right?), simply plug the IR receiver into the card that the IR software recognizes and don't worry about forcing it to use a specific card.

- Andy

Hmmm, that must mean I DO have the MCE version, I thought the 150 with the IR was the MCE version.

So, no I cant plug the IR into the 150 since mine does not have that feature. Also here is a quote from a Hauppauge rep via email:

"Hello

We don't support multiple tuners cards with our software so we don't test
this normally but if you want to use the PVR-350 IR software only you need
to install the PVR-350 first with all the software and drivers and make sure
WinTV and remote its all good and working. After that install the PVR-150
but only the base driver only and not the entire software.

Since you are obviously going to use both boards in another application all
you need is the base driver to get them recognized."

When I get a chance I will try to reconfigure, unisntall and install all my stuff to see if it works.

[ckron]

UPDATE!!!

Peek-a-boo method worked, but I had to reboot after disabling the 150 for it to release from the IR software and I had restart the SageTV service after re-enabling the 150 for it to be seen in Sage.

My remote works well again, Just like before. Any ideas on why the remote works so poorly with the 150?

P.S. Thanks goes to those who created the new irremote.ini file for the new 45 button remote. That made it so easy for me to get those new buttons working.

[rbarr110]

Found a solution to the remote hardware problems with two Hauppauge tuners...

Buy a USB-UIRT and toss the Hauppauge remote and IR sensor in a river.

Ok, so not really a solution to get it working, but a solution to the pain in the ass remote problem.

[jlabrue]

Here's my 2cents on this issue if anyone is still interested. Since Hauppauge has been unable and/or unwilling to fix the problem, I have found a way to correctly load the IR driver through batch files. This does not fix the issue and may not work for everyone but it is a workaround. I have a PVR350 and two PVR500mce's. I took a lot of the tips posted here and elsewhere and wrote a simple batch script to get it working. This is placed in the StartUp folder and runs after Windows logs in. It relies on the following

1. Installing the cards in the right order - Hauppauge had wonderful words of wisdom on how installing the cards in a certain order would "fix" the problem Install all cards other than the 350 first. The 350 must be installed last. This was all they said to do but it doesn't work. However, it does assist in the final steps since I had issues with this unless I did that.

2. Get a hold of a copy of MIcrosoft's "devcon.exe" utility and also the "timeout.exe" resource kit utility. Devcon is used to disable/enable the cards and timeout is used to delay the batch processing so cards/apps can finish loading.

3. Identify the hardware ID of each of your cards. You can get this in Device Manager on the properties of each of the tuners. You can also use "devcon hwids *" w/o quotes to do this.

4. Set the machine to Autologon using TweakUI or registry hack

5. Finally, latest version of all drivers and the IR software

What this batch file does is
- Kills all applications (SageTV, IR, etcc...) that are using the Hauppauge cards THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT IN ORDER TO AVOID REBOOTING TO RE-ENABLE
- Disables all Hauppage cards (Using devcon)
- Enables the PVR350
- Starts the IR software
- Enables the other PVR's
- Restarts other apps including SageTV. I use the shortcuts (*.lnk)to do this because sometimes it seemed to hang processing the batch files when using the .exe. The .lnk files point to the true location of the executible

Here is a copy of my batch. The hardware ID'd will possibly/probably be different for your cards. All utilities and shortcuts, other than taskkill, are stored in a folder on my C: drive called C:\Command\IR. Taskkill.exe is an operating system/Support Tools utility and is installed in the %system%\System32 folder.


"C:\Program Files\WinTV\Ir.exe" /QUIT
taskkill.exe /F /IM LCDSmartie.exe
taskkill.exe /F /IM SageTV.exe
taskkill.exe /F /IM SageTVClient.exe

%systemdrive%
cd\
cd Commands\IR

rem Stop all tuners. This stops all 4 tuners on both 500's
devcon disable "PCI\VEN_4444&DEV_0803&SUBSYS_40000070&REV_01"
devcon disable "PCI\VEN_4444&DEV_0016&SUBSYS_E8070070&REV_01"
devcon disable "PCI\VEN_4444&DEV_0016&SUBSYS_E8170070&REV_01"

rem Start PVR 350
devcon enable "PCI\VEN_4444&DEV_0803&SUBSYS_40000070&REV_01"

rem Start IR driver
"C:\Commands\IR\AutoStart IR.lnk"
"C:\Commands\IR\timeout.exe" 10

rem Start remaining tuners
devcon enable "PCI\VEN_4444&DEV_0016&SUBSYS_E8070070&REV_01"
devcon enable "PCI\VEN_4444&DEV_0016&SUBSYS_E8170070&REV_01"

rem Start Sage MVP Clients and server

"C:\Commands\IR\1StartMVPClient.lnk"
"C:\Commands\IR\2StartMVPClient2.lnk"

"C:\Commands\IR\timeout.exe" 10

"C:\Commands\IR\3SageTV.lnk"

"C:\Commands\IR\timeout.exe" 15

"C:\Commands\IR\LCD Smartie.lnk"

quit


Let me know how this works. I have only been able to test it on my setup so I'm not sure it will work for everyone but it's worth a shot.

[yapaus]

I have PVR-350 with remote and PRV-500 working in my system. However I got the error message (Failed to initialize infrared Remote Hardware.) every time it reboots. This happens because ir.exe confuses where to look for IR device since there are a few PVR devices. It can easily fixed by

1. stop Ir.exe
2. disabling the PVR-500 card from the Device Manager
3. restarting the Ir.exe, and re-enable the PVR-500.
4. start SageTv.exe

There is a useful tool Devcon.exe (You may be able to find it on the web) because
Devcon.exe can disable & enable hardware from the command line. From here you can write a batch file for this. And can be call every time you reboot the system.

[rowyourboot]

Disable & enable doesn’t work for me
Can I use another program to control the Hauppauge remote.

[Stu8080]

Finally a result!

Im running a PVR-350 and a PVR-150 MCE and was baffled as to why the remote stopped working. After reading a few posts realised there was no straightforward fix, but that the above method worked well.

Jlabrue your batch file works a treat, with a few tweaks to make it relavant to my software/set-up, thanks very much.

people might want to look here if they want to know how to find their hardware id's:
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;Q304514

Thanks again for the fix

[MattHelm]

I just installed a PVR500, and the remote no longer works. (just had a PVR250 before) I get an error message saying the IR hardware isn't working. When I OK that, I get a memory error.

Any guesses on fixing that???

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by MattHelm

I just installed a PVR500, and the remote no longer works. (just had a PVR250 before) I get an error message saying the IR hardware isn't working. When I OK that, I get a memory error.

Any guesses on fixing that???

I merged your question into this thread. See above for the known problem and perhaps a work-around.

- Andy

[jusjoken]

Originally Posted by MattHelm

I just installed a PVR500, and the remote no longer works. (just had a PVR250 before) I get an error message saying the IR hardware isn't working. When I OK that, I get a memory error.

Any guesses on fixing that???

I had the same issue when I added the PVR500 to my system that had only a PVR350 (with remote). The only way I could get the remote to work again was to create a batch file that disabled the PVR500 tuners (through a command that disables Device Manager devices), started the remote software, then waited for a delay period and then started the PVR500 devices again... then start Sage.

Hope this helps... I got the advice through a post on this site... can't remember where though.

[MattHelm]

Well, believe it or not, it's now working. (used the instruction from the Hauppauge page to install the PVR250 and IR Remote control application, while canceling the install of the PVR500 software)

BTW, backup your irremote.ini file before doing these steps!!!

http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/suppo...#remotecontrol

1. I donwloaded the latest XP (not MCE) drivers for the PVR250 and IR Remote control application.

2. Used the hcwclear software to remove ALL the Hauppauge drivers.

3. Rebooted.

4. Only installed the PVR250 drivers.

5. Patched the PVR250 drivers.

6. Installed the latest IR Remote control application.

7. Rebooted.

8. (no irremote error!) and installed the PVR500 drivers.

9. Recover the irremote.ini file from an old .gho file, as one of the steps overwrote the old one.

All are working fine now. Hopes this helps someone else!

[ARMYB77]

Does anyone know if there is a way to get the IR blaster to work using the .bat file? I have a PVR-150& 2 PVR-250s I have noticed that I can get the remote to work for the 150 with the .bat file but I can't get the Blaster to work?? I was able to get the blaster to work in the Blastcfg file with no problems I just added

"C:\Command\IR\BlastCfg.lnk"
Right after I enabled the 150 card and it recognizes fine as long as the program remains on. However once it is closed the I back to the no IR Hardware found.

Sage can't us the IR Blaster because sage has to be already on while the 150 is the only card enabled. THe only problem with this is now the other card once enabled isn't recognized by sage.


Does anyone have any suggestions besides buying an IR Blaster? The only reason I got the card was for the blaster, I had 3 tuner capabilities using 2 PVR-250s and an E-Home.

I can't take the stupid thing back either because I alterd the IR cable to mount inside my pc case.

thanks
Armyb77

[sabre]

ARMYB77,

Did you find any solution to this-getting the blaster to work? I am having the same issue w/ a 150 and 250. --In fact, I do not use the IR receiver since I am using MVP units.

[kuch68]

I am having a similar, however different problem than above. I have gone through great lengths to get both my PVR150 retail and PVR150MCE working togther in my HTPC. They are finally both recording after this procedure (I couldn't get video on the retail card before):
1. Uninstall everything
2. Only install the PVR-150 retail and install the original driver that came with the CD 2.2A (the new version on the website gives me a blank screen)
3. Install the new MPG SW decoder, Win2kTV, Sage.
4. Install the PVR-150MCE and use same drivers as before.

My hauppauge 45 button remote works fine when the system boots up and I can control Sage with no problem. The isssue occurs when the TV has been sitting idle for more than 15 minutes and loses focus. I get no more functionality from the remote. I had this issue before I got the second card and was able to make the necessary adjustments to the irremote.ini file to send commands to sage when it is not in focus. These changes are in, but it still does not work. On top of this, when I try to restart the happauge IR program it gives me the failed to initialize hardware error that can only be fixed by a restart. Any suggestions?

I have recently updated hardware and here are the specs:
BFG nVidia nForce ATX MB w/ 1Gig Crucial Mem
AMD Athlon 64 3700+
PCIe16 - PNY Geforce 6600
2nd PCI slot - PVR-150MCE
3rd PCI slot - PVR-150 retail
Nvidia PureVideo Decoders
45 button Hauppauge remote

thanks

[hemicuda]

finally stumbled on this thread after looking for quite a while. anyway, I wrote a .bat file and put it in the Startup folder. My only question is how to get sagetvservice.exe to start back up w/o having to wait for the service recovery to kick in. I tried using "C:\Program Files\SageTV\SageTV\sagetvservice.exe" but that doesn't seem to do the trick. At least now I don't get the error when IR.exe fires up

When I get brave I'm going to disable tuners one at a time to see for sure if I have the merit settings right to favor the 350.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by hemicuda

My only question is how to get sagetvservice.exe to start back up w/o having to wait for the service recovery to kick in.

SageTVService.exe has 2 command line parameters to control starting or stopping the service: -install and -remove.

- Andy

[hemicuda]

Cool, I must have missed that in the manual. I'll add it to the .BAT file and see what happens.

ok... the "-remove" popped up a 'success' message box that paused the .bat and "-install" gave the error "Cannot CreateService." It seems the -remove option sets the service to disabled in the Services listing. I just tried to set it to Automatic and M$ says it's been marked for deletion. Looks like a reboot is in order.

I'll dig into it more when I get back in front of that box. RDP is giving me grief; it's locked up at the moment. At least I don't have any recordings scheduled for the rest of the week.