PVR-500 reboot with VIA chipset

[gtallan]

Just set up SageTV on my HTPC, a several-years-old Shuttle SK41G (Athlon with VIA chipset). Until now have been using ATI MMC with AIW Radeon 7500, but have switched to SageTV out of ongoing frustration with that!

So I bought and installed a PVR-500MCE, now only using the AIW 7500 for its TV-out. Everything works fine just as during the SageTV trial period (DVD, video library) apart from using the PVR-500 itself. Within 30 seconds to a few minutes of watching TV, the system will spontaneously reboot!

This is with a fresh WinXP installation, SP2 and all other patches, current ATI drivers, current PVR-500MCE drivers, current SageTV, current Java.

I sent a message to SageTV support, but since then searching the forum, this thread: http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10400 mentions reboots with a PVR-500 and VIA chipset, I guess only resolved by replacing the system board. Wonder if anyone else has seen this? I may see if I can borrow a different system (Intel chipset) to see if it behaves differently...

Graham

[DIBU]

Originally Posted by gtallan

Just set up SageTV on my HTPC, a several-years-old Shuttle SK41G (Athlon with VIA chipset). Until now have been using ATI MMC with AIW Radeon 7500, but have switched to SageTV out of ongoing frustration with that!

So I bought and installed a PVR-500MCE, now only using the AIW 7500 for its TV-out. Everything works fine just as during the SageTV trial period (DVD, video library) apart from using the PVR-500 itself. Within 30 seconds to a few minutes of watching TV, the system will spontaneously reboot!

This is with a fresh WinXP installation, SP2 and all other patches, current ATI drivers, current PVR-500MCE drivers, current SageTV, current Java.

I sent a message to SageTV support, but since then searching the forum, this thread: http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10400 mentions reboots with a PVR-500 and VIA chipset, I guess only resolved by replacing the system board. Wonder if anyone else has seen this? I may see if I can borrow a different system (Intel chipset) to see if it behaves differently...

Graham

i have the same, but when i switch the ram to other ram's the server is stabil. i have this with some servers (not only with the via) and i thin this this the ram and not sage (i think it comes from java)

[dagar]

Did you install the Hyperion 4-in-1 drivers from Viaarena?

[Crashless]

I believe the probelms with the PVR500 and via chipsets are fairly well discussed around the net. I can't remember exactly what the issue is, but it's a hauppauge problem, not sage.

Frankly I'm surprised your system even boots. The systems I've seen that tried this didn't work at all. Check google for specifics.

Sorry to be the bringer of bad news...

[Boolah]

I had the same problem with a PVR-150 (essentially the same card as the 500) and an older VIA chipset (8235) board. I contacted both SageTV and Hauppauge back in October 2004 and Hauppauge said they were aware of problems with specific older VIA chipsets and the PVR-150/500 cards. They did not list the chipsets that were affected, but they said they were working on a fix.

The last correspondence I had with Hauppauge was in March, 2005. They had sent me numerous beta builds for new drivers for the 150, but none of them solved the problem. So, I bought another board (Intel 865 chipset this time) and have been using my 150 card flawlessly since then.

On a side note, I had no problems running my 3 PVR-250's in the VIA board, it only choked on the 150.

[gtallan]

Thanks for all the feedback, all good information.

I haven't installed the Via 4in1 drivers, though I had thought about it. Probably worth a try though now having searched google, perhaps they don't add much hope. The system uses the KM-266 chipset, which I am sure qualifies as "older" by now...

The system seems quite stable until the PVR-500 is actually used. As it has worked pretty well for several years with the ATI MMC, I doubt any hardware is bad.

I can lay my hands on an Intel 845-based system so I'll test out the PVR-500 and other components in that if the Athlon/VIA system remains unstable.

Graham

[Boolah]

Originally Posted by gtallan

The system uses the KM-266 chipset, which I am sure qualifies as "older" by now...

Sorry - I noticed I only mentioned the southbridge chipset in my previous post. The northbridge chipset I was having problems with was also KM-266 (P4M266A). Throw your 500 into that 845 chipset board and it should work without any problems. Good luck!

[gtallan]

Another thing I never thought of before now - from reading more, it sounds like the problem is associated with PVR-500 with VIA with AGP. The SK41G does have onboard video with S-video TV-out - so removing the ATI AIW7500 and using onboard video may be another option. Although I would guess the onboard video probably isn't very good!

[dagar]

It's craptularity surpasses Intel GMA :P The integrated sound is a close second I have add-in cards for both situations. On a happier note it is, besides the crappy PSU, a good box. And it will support the latest AXP-M procs too. I run a 2500M in mine.

[RedR]

Heya,

I had this problem with a K7VTA3 board. Found the same results as you, ended up getting a nForce2 board. Solved my problem. In the end I am much happier with this MSI board vs the ECS anyway.

[x[corwyn]]

I had the same problem with the exact same chipset. After not being able to get any help with it from anyone, I basically upgraded to a P4 SIS chipset and gave that a shot. It was cheap and it worked out quite well. Also have a RAID card and an xCard in tthat same server and it works quite well.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by gtallan

The system seems quite stable until the PVR-500 is actually used. As it has worked pretty well for several years with the ATI MMC, I doubt any hardware is bad.

Most VIA chipset based boards are stable till you start throwing PCI devices in them.

I long ago gave up buying anything with a VIA chipset since VIA seems incapable of correctly implimenting PCI. I mean, even if there's some issue with Hauppauge's cards, Intel and nVidia (for sure, probably SiS and AMD also) impliment trouble free PCI. What really burns me is that there's basically no improvement from one VIA chipset to the next.

[src666]

VIA has a long history of trouble with high data rate transfers across the PCI bus, especially if the data stream lasts any length of time. Even their network interfaces can crap out if you try to push large high-speed transfers (such as copying a couple of gig from one computer to another).

I've totally given up on VIA as a chipset. It's great for tweakers, but for serious use find something else.

[gtallan]

Just to followup. Found a Shuttle SB51G (Intel 845 chipset), and reinstalled the same hardware in that, fresh Windows install, etc, and it works perfectly. Has been rock-solid since Thursday evening, apart from the ATI Remote Wonder app bombing out a couple of times (maybe i should go back to an older version of the RW software, that the plugin was written for). Pretty impressed so far; makes me wonder how I tolerated the ATI MMC for som long...