HD PVR Story

[rileydogmi]

Maybe my experience will help some others who are struggling to get the Hauppauge HD PVR + Sage + DirecTV working - my struggles started in October and only now do I think my chronic problems are solved. I spent no fewer than 100 hours pouring over posts, rebuilding systems and configuring. The system works great, finally.

Lessons learned:

a) Anything over rev C2 will work

I spent many hours with Hauppauge (HP) trying to convince them that their product doesn't work with SPDIF - the tech had me run tests in Arcsoft (the included software with the HD PVR) and there were no problems. The tech said it is Sage and not HP ("We don't have Sage here and don't test it"). Sure enough, he was right. If you have a C1 unit then you do need to get an exchange but C2's work great.

b) Latest drivers are key

I updated my ATI software to the latest from the ATI site - I think the latest is 9.1 - I also updated Arcsoft, the HD PVR drivers (1.053) and of course Sage to 6.5.9.

c) Settings within Sage

I had to use overlay - I couldn't get VRM9 to work at all. I also set the audio delay to 20 mili seconds. I set my decoders to Arcsoft.

d) DirecTV settings

I think this is the big one because after I did this, it seems everything started working well! On my DirecTV receiver, go to HDTV settings and only check ONE resolution - I chose 720p - I unchecked 480i/480p/1080i -- I tried to only check 1080i and had all sorts of problems in Sage (stuttering, video chatter) -- 720p works perfect. This will not prevent you from watching SD content.

e) Uninstall everything you do not need

We all know how much garbage is on a "standard" windows machine - I removed all those extras that I could - I didn't get too agressive, just the low hanging fruit.

f) I gave up on the enclosed remote

I ended up buying the StreamZap remote and have that connected to a Global Cache GC-100 unit so I can send IR commands to Sage via StreamZap throughout the house. I setup a scene on my remote software (MainLobby) to send IR commands and it rocks.

The result?

After 3 months of rebuilds (so bad, I had to call Microsoft 5 times to re-authorize my Windows XP serial number because they thought fraud) - many betas, phone calls, blue screens, struggles, it is flawless - not even a stutter at all changing channels, 5.1 recording the works. And, it passes the wife test.

My configuration:

Sage 6.5.9
HD PVR 1.053 drivers
Arcsoft suite
Streamzap remote
Intel Quad Core 2.33
Asus Maximum II board
2GB RAM
3TB RAID 5 (using on board RAID), 64kb blocks - dedicated to recordings
320GB drive for the OS/software
ATI HD4850 video card - dual monitor mode, 1 to my rack mount Dell LCD display and 1 to my Borrego video matrix, component video, mirrored and set to 720p
Windows XP SP3 + all the latest updates
HD PVR C2 using SPDIF
DirecTV H10 HD receiver (circa 2006) controlled with HP blaster

[bhyman1]

Just a quick question, it's something I've been curious about.

Which USB port do you have the HD-PVR plugged in to?

I have a theory that when you plug it in to a USB physically attached direct to the motherboard PCB it makes an HD-PVR install go smoothly.

I've installed 6 so far, 2 for 3 separate servers. On each server, each HD-PVR was plugged into a separate USB header, but each USB header were ones physically attached to the motherbaords PCB. Each time, I had no problems, other than needing to power cycle the HD-PVR, and even that was only on maybe two of the HD-PVR units.

All the HD-PVR's are C2 or newer revs.

[simonen]

I would not go as far to say that C2 or higher are the only ones that work. I have a C1 that has worked perfectly since the day I installed it. I am also using SPDIF as well.

[rileydogmi]

As for the C1 issue - that was from the Hauppauge tech rep - he said they know of issues with C1 and SPDIF - I didn't go into detail because I had a C2 but if that works for others than maybe it has nothing to do with C1's and Sage.

I have my HD PVR hooked into the motherboard USB - the usb off the back of the unit by the ethernet port...

[rcl]

I bought my HDPVR about a month ago and immediately noticed that SPDIF did not work. I got into a friendly 1-2 week conversation with a Hauppage tech support person and as a result swapped my C2 unit for a D2 unit. It worked out of the box. So indeed, it seems that any unit newer than C2 will work ok. I had to pay for a new unit, but those costs will be refunded to me once my old C2 unit is returned to Hauppage.

[phlucas]

Originally Posted by rcl

I bought my HDPVR about a month ago and immediately noticed that SPDIF did not work. I got into a friendly 1-2 week conversation with a Hauppage tech support person and as a result swapped my C2 unit for a D2 unit. It worked out of the box. So indeed, it seems that any unit newer than C2 will work ok. I had to pay for a new unit, but those costs will be refunded to me once my old C2 unit is returned to Hauppage.

Hello,

I noticed the SPDIF pass through are software dependant. It means it will not work out of the box if you just plug in the optical cables (in and out), and switch on the unit. You have the specify either in SageTV or Arcsoft that your setup is component + SPDIF. Then the SPDIF pass through will work.
Hope it helps...

Philippe