Help with setting up HVR 1600

[Nate1148]

Hi,

I have reviewed other posts, but it hasent seemed to help me.

I have installed the above card into a server (Windows Home Server) and am able to get the analogue channels working fine through SageTV Client. (I have had even less luck through the home server as it does not have a sound card and creates additional errors). I cannot get any digital signal with the digital and HD channels.

What I want to do is have access to all of my digital and HD content that I am currently getting through my settop box with my provider.

In the back of the card, I have 2 cables going in. 1 to ATSC and 1 to NTSC. Both cables are comming off an ampd splitter.

At first, I configured "Capture TV Tuner card" (ATSC I think) with the "tuner" not "digital tuner" selection, then extended basic and it works.

When I try to add new source and configure the TS Capture Digital TV Tuner, this is where it stops working. It immediatly selects "Digital Tuner" for me, then I select "Tuner on Capture Card to tune Cable TV", then "US, Canada, or XMLTV Data with this source", "Cable or Satellite", "Postal Code/Zip Code", then "Providers Digital Service" (Rogers Digital).

It downloads the channel lineup ok, then I select Basic Service (I have also tried Extended Basic Service), yes to scan for channels now and it says scanning channel 1, 2, 3, etc, found 0. Once completed (or stopped at the beginning), it says Signal Strength 0%. No Signal. It does see all the channels in the guide, just none work.

I have a dedicated external USB 2.0 250 Gig drive formated to 64kb.

I know that others have posted that it is very finiky setup and that any step wrong will cause it to not work, but I can think of what I havent tried.

Do I have to have 2 lines going into the back of the card? One for ATSC and one for NTSC.

Does it have to go into a cable box first or can it run direct off the house cable. (I have it running directly in)

I have no other software on the server that should be confilicing with this.

help.

Thx in advance,

Nate

[SprDtyF350]

Are you running the latest drivers for the card from Hauppauge? And are you sure you have the right version of the card? What you are doing should be working as long as you are using the right driver, and have the right card version.. Oh yeah, you need to be running the Beta version of Sage right now to get the HVR-1600 to receive unencrypted QAM channels. (The ones from your cable company). The release version will only let you get digital channels from an antenna.
It's not really finicky to setup. Just have to be using the right combination of stuff...

[Nate1148]

Thx for replying.

I forgot to mention the drivers. At first I downloaded the current drivers 3.4D from Hauppage into the Windows Home Server. It wasn't working through WHS so I called tech support and they instructed me to download the beta drivers for the HVR-950 3.4B.

So that is what I have been using so far...

So, now after you said to check the drivers, I have re-downloaded and installed the current 3.4d drivers for the 1600.

I am still getting the analogue signal, but still no digital.

There is something new now tho. When I try to tune a digital station after exented Basic Service, there is an error box that says:

There was a playback error in playback. Details "sage.playbackexception" Error (-4,0x80040266): There was a problem rendering the video portion of the content for playback.

Digital strength still says 0%.

Perhaps the error message is what you are talking about without the beta drivers. I guess I should re-install them now seeing as it is still not working.

[SprDtyF350]

Originally Posted by Nate1148

Thx for replying.

I forgot to mention the drivers. At first I downloaded the current drivers 3.4D from Hauppage into the Windows Home Server. It wasn't working through WHS so I called tech support and they instructed me to download the beta drivers for the HVR-950 3.4B.

So that is what I have been using so far...

So, now after you said to check the drivers, I have re-downloaded and installed the current 3.4d drivers for the 1600.

I am still getting the analogue signal, but still no digital.

There is something new now tho. When I try to tune a digital station after exented Basic Service, there is an error box that says:

There was a playback error in playback. Details "sage.playbackexception" Error (-4,0x80040266): There was a problem rendering the video portion of the content for playback.

Digital strength still says 0%.

Perhaps the error message is what you are talking about with the beta drivers. I guess I should re-install them now seeing as it is still not working.

I am using the driver located here http://hauppauge.com/pages/support/support_hvr1600.html
Make sure your card is one of the 2 listed as being QAM capable. Has to be either product code 74021, or 74041. The number is listed on the card. I have a 74021.

You also need to use the latest Sage Beta located here http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26862

Randy

[SprDtyF350]

Originally Posted by Nate1148

Thx for replying.

I forgot to mention the drivers. At first I downloaded the current drivers 3.4D from Hauppage into the Windows Home Server. It wasn't working through WHS so I called tech support and they instructed me to download the beta drivers for the HVR-950 3.4B.

I noticed that you are using Windows Home Server. I am not but in case you don't notice there is a Sage version at the Beta page I listed specifically for WHS..

[Nate1148]

Thanks for the replys.

I am using 74021. I have read all the threads, etc. I am now getting that error code all the time "sage.playbackexception" Error (-4,0x80040266): There was a problem rendering the video portion of the content for playback.
when trying to tune with Digital. The analogue still works fine.

All my drivers are in order, WHS add in is there.

I dont want to think about how many hours I have invested in what I thought was going to be an easy upgrade to my home network.

I am still getting Signal Strenth 0%.

What else I find interesting is that on the thread http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...47&postcount=1 and http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...playback+error there are lots of people who are still having trouble getting their basic stations working.

Maybe I will have to return it and try again in 6 months when the bugs are ironed out. What I wanted is to have down the line a total of 4 HD tuners and a number of media extenders that could PVR tv from each room and also have access to stored music, movies, etc.

This looked like the right option, but not yet I dont think.

[snipeman]

Originally Posted by Nate1148

What I want to do is have access to all of my digital and HD content that I am currently getting through my settop box with my provider.

I think it is important to note even if you got the Haup 1600 working it wouldn't do what you want. It will tune HD over an antenna for free, or un-encrypted QAM over your cable. Usually this means the network channels, PBS stuff and if you are lucky another stray channel or two.

You won't be getting this card to record HBO etc from QAM cable.

The most common problem people seem to have with QAM and this card is the signal strength coming in their cable. Many report removing some splitters on their cable line solves the problem. If you can, just have your main cable TV cable run right into the digital input on the 1600 unsplit and see what happens. The amp might even be your problem. And of course it must always say Input Type: Digital TV Tuner

[Nate1148]

Thx for your reply again.

Is there a product that you know off that can do what I want to do? The thing that I liked about Sage is the fact that they sell those extenders. I have also looked at the NetGear EVA8000 and the Dlink DSM 510 and also Buffalo. They have good reviews for playback and such of movies and music, but I really wanted to incorporate HD channel recording, channels ofcourse that I subscribe to through the provider and not OTA.

Thx again for all your replies.

Nate

[snipeman]

I believe firewire solutions for DirectTV or cable boxes are your only way to record HD premium channels. I'm fuzzy on some of the details as I don't do this myself, but some people modify a DirectTV sat box to have a firewire output. Read some threads on this hardware forum for more details. I only wanted to point out that even if you get the 1600 working, it won't record all the channels for you.

Good luck!

Originally Posted by Nate1148

Thx for your reply again.

Is there a product that you know off that can do what I want to do? The thing that I liked about Sage is the fact that they sell those extenders. I have also looked at the NetGear EVA8000 and the Dlink DSM 510 and also Buffalo. They have good reviews for playback and such of movies and music, but I really wanted to incorporate HD channel recording, channels ofcourse that I subscribe to through the provider and not OTA.

Thx again for all your replies.

Nate

[Nate1148]

Thx Snipeman.

[Cabalsan]

Nate

Any new info on your missing digital signal problem??

Thanks

-Cab