6.2 QAM and UIRT both chaning channels

[sting7777]

I am having an issue that when I change channels with my QAM tuner - the UIRT also tries to change to the same channel on the cable box.

HVR-1600 QAM uses Comcast Ext Basic lineup
ATI 650 with USBUIRT uses Comcast Digital lineup

If I go to the guide and pick an HD channel - they both change. QAM usually wins - but I dont want the cable box to change.

Any ideas?

[Protoman]

I also have Comcast. The first thing I would look at is the lineup for the ATI 650. For me the HD channels are around channel number 230 - 250. If I remember correctly the default Comcast Digital Lineup includes the HD channels.

I just checked the default for me, and Comcast Digital - Extended does in fact include the HD channels. The Basic does not.
Hope that helps,
Protoman

[sting7777]

I don't understand. If I use two different lineups - why would it matter?

[Protoman]

What I mean is make sure that the ATI 650 Lineup does not have the HD channels listed under Channel Setup. Without editing that lineup will have the HD channels (as least it did for me, as well as some other channels I did not have), and if you are not using Comcast's HD Set Top Box you will not be able to see the HD channels as it is.

The other thing you might want to consider is using encoding_merit in the Sage.properties or Sageclient.properties file.

The way I have encoding_merit setup is as follows:
HVR-1800 QAM #1 encoding_merit= 3
HVR-1800 QAM #2 encoding_merit= 3
HVR-1800 Analog S-Video (STB) #1 encoding_merit= 2
HVR-1800 Analog S-Video (STB) #2 encoding_merit= 2
PVR-500 Analog Cable #1 encoding_merit= 1
PVR-500 Analog Cable #2 encoding_merit= 1

This uses my HD tuners first if the channel is setup for them, then my Set Top Boxes, and then just analog cable. The best way to find the encoding_merit is doing a Ctrl-F and look for merit. About 10 lines down from the merit is the TV Tuner it is associated with.

The way I would setup your merit is:
HVR-1600 QAM = 3
ATI 650 = 2
HVR-1600 Analog = 1

Note that when using encoding_merit the confusing part is the number to assign. At least I was confused at first. The setup I mentioned. HVR-1600 QAM will be used first, then ATI 650 will be used second. The higher the merit number the sooner the card will be used. The reason I want my QAM tuners to always record first if possible is the quality is awesome compared to my PVR-500, but the downside is diskspace is used up faster due to recording SD content in HD format, i.e. The Simpsons (30 Minute show) takes up 3 GB, as opposed to about 1 GB.

Hope this helps,
Protoman

[CollinR]

Edit your remote file to add zone controls to the existing boxes. That way if you change channels it won't botch recordings on the other devices.

Quick and dirty but I don't know why Sage is even attempting to use external tuning for QAM on an HVR1600. You might submit this as a potental bug.


EDIT: I see what Protoman was getting at. If you are not in reality using the QAM tuner but a different tuner is being assigned. If this is the case you should not get the right video feed.

[sting7777]

Let me re-state this (as it happened on a recording now)

Using QAM - the cable box changes - that should not happen. The schedule is very clear that it shouls use the QAM tuner not the box - but Heroes last night was recorded via the cable box and s-video.

I could disable HD channels on the cable tuner - but then I can't record two HD channels at the same time. One would be QAM true HD and the other via S-Video that I can zoom and crop etc.

Disabling the channels kind of defeats the purpose of having two tuners...

Anyone?

[CollinR]

You should disable the HD channels on the HVR-1600 Analog, you bought a single HD tuner card. You will need 2 to record 2 HD shows at the same time. You disable them because you can't actually get HD from that input.


Aside from that setup zones in the USBUIRT and it won't do what you are talking about.


Set your encoder merit so the QAM ONLY gets used for HD content, that will minimize how often it delegates it to another input.


SageTV has no clue you have connected an HD STB to an analog input, get another QAM tuner if you want 2 at a time.

[visiontim]

You didn't map your channels right I think. If you want to use the HD channels all the time, disable the channel in the standard tuners channel setup. If you remapped your HD channels correctly, you will still see a listing for NBC in its usual spot - it will just use QAM all the time for that channel. Check the hardware section for more info.