Looking for a new tuner

[rgroves]

Ok, I need a new tuner for my WHS. I bought a Hauppage HVR-2250 many, many months ago and after putting it in I started getting BSOD's on a very regular basis. I found a thread that said to reduce my RAM to 2GB to stop the erorrs for now and all was well. I recently found another thread ( http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46074 ), that had a fix to the problem... basically add the "/execute /NOPAE" string to the boot.ini and add the RAM back to the system. Well..... it didn't help and the system continues to BSOD with the new config and I'm sick of it.

I need a dual tuner card tuner that can do both clear QAM as well as analog recording. I would like a PCI Express 1x card, if possible.

And of course compatible with SageTV WHS (I'm on SageTV6 , an upgrade to SageTV 7 will be later this year, after a mobo upgrade that's being postponed because of this stinkin tuner issue).

[rrhorer]

I recommend going for your upgrade to Sage 7 first. Most likely, it will resolve your problems with the HVR 2250, which works very well for most who use it. There have been betas and versions of SageTV that have had problems with the HVR 2250. I believe it tends to be very finicky with either too little or too much signal strength; however, this is not my area of expertise. I only know that several of the betas specifically addressed problems with the HVR 2250 and the release version works very well with it. YMMV. Good luck.

[corwiniii]

I bought the 2250 to STOP the RAM limitations of my previous card (500MCE). I have 4GB memory in my box and everything runs smooth. I never had a problem with the card and V6 or now with V7. I have Windows 7 64bit Enterprise. I just use the latest drivers for everything. Check the Hauppauge site if you haven't already for drivers.

Do you get a BSOD without the 2250 in, but with all 4GB of RAM? Either way, I would run MEMTEST on the RAM. Taking out 2GB and then NOT getting a BSOD might indicate it's the RAM, not the 2250.

[rgroves]

I've also read that the Gigbyte board I'm using in my server has some issues (why didn't I find these things out BEFORE i bought the board), but they don't specifically mention SageTV or the HVR-2250. Just that this mobo sometimes will BSOD with the same error.... however it only does it to me with the HVR-2250 AND the 4GB RAM installed.

I'm just so frustrated at this point. Also the issues are really dropping the WAF to very low levels right now. I want this fixed, I want my SageTV WHS to run, and I want it to not crash all the time.

I'll buy SageTV 7, if it WILL fix my issues, but I want more information and feedback from those with the HVR-2250, more than 2GB RAM, and SageTV WHS v7.

[gplasky]

The HVR-2250 doesn't have thoise RAM limitations like the older boards did. I think you need to dig deeper for any mb issues without that card installed. Also WHS is an 8 year old OS. (Which I also run but don't have the HVR-2250.) You may actually have better luck running Win 7 for your server. The issues you are having probably aren't Sage-related so don't bet on an upgrade fixing a BSOD. That's usually indicative of a hardware issue.

Gerry

[rgroves]

Originally Posted by gplasky

The HVR-2250 doesn't have thoise RAM limitations like the older boards did. I think you need to dig deeper for any mb issues without that card installed. Also WHS is an 8 year old OS. (Which I also run but don't have the HVR-2250.) You may actually have better luck running Win 7 for your server. The issues you are having probably aren't Sage-related so don't bet on an upgrade fixing a BSOD. That's usually indicative of a hardware issue.

Gerry

I don't want to run Windows 7 as my SageTV server. One, I already own a license of WHS, and do not have any extra licenses of Win7.

I'm still on the fence with the mobo and card. Like you said, I doubt a Sage upgrade will fix the BSOD's.... it's a driver and/or mobo issue. I do have a similar board (MicroATX version of the one in the server) that is runnig Win7 I can try the car in, but for a very limited time since the 2250 is my only tuner card besides my HDHR, and the Win7 machine is my wife's.

I thought about installing WHS on a second machine with SageTV6, and the 2250 and see if the problem follows. If it doesn't then I can rule out Sage and the 2250, and replace the mobo. However, if it does follow to the test box, then it's a problem with the card and/or WHS.


I still want to hear from those with WHS, SageTV6 (or 7), and a 2250 with more than 2GB of RAM to see if they had the issue or not. Also, to find out what CPU, RAM, and mobo they run for posibilities of upgrades to the server.


Eventually I was wanting to replace the mobo with newer AM2+ board. This way I can keep the RAM and CPU for now. Another reason is to get a board with 6 SATA ports so I can upgrade the OS drive to SATA and add a SATA DVD drive. I don't mind having to replace the mobo now, but want to make sure I get the right board that hopefully someone else has working with a 2250 without issues.


Anyway enough rambling for now. I'll wait for others to reply.

[rgroves]

Ok, I'm back and still have issues with my 2250 on WHS with 4GB RAM.

I installed a new system board. Asus M4A785-M and AMD 5000+ black CPU, 4GB ADATA RAM(2x2gb), Blur-Ray drive, and 5 SATA HDD's. The mobo and RAM are NEW!!! Everything else was in my previous WHS.

The server crashes with a 0x000000A stop error after any recording made using the Analog tuners on the 2250.

What other dual-tuner analog tuners options are out there? It can have QAM tuners as well, I just have to have analog tuners (I have an HDHomeRun for QAM channels).

I'm tired of the 2250, I just want to be rid of the damned thing. It's been a P.I.M.A. for the last many months. And I want it gone. Once I have a replacement, look for mine to go on-sale somewhere.

[jptheripper]

I am not sure this helps but:

I run a 2250 on a gigabyte board with 4gb ram, no problems. Vista.

Have you tried the board in Wintv? if it errors there you might have a defective board that you could RMA.

if not, i would be happy to find a home for it for you

[jptheripper]

Looks like your primary other option is the Avermedia a188

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...highlight=A188

[Fuzzy]

The colossus HD-PVR is now available... only single tuner per card, but HD, so you could move up that way... not sure on WHS drivers though.

[rgroves]

Originally Posted by jptheripper

Looks like your primary other option is the Avermedia a188

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...highlight=A188

According to that thread, the A188 DOES NOT have Analog tuners. That's what I need.... 2 ANALOG TUNERS. I already have an HDHR for Clear QAM. I'd like to have two more Clear QAM tuners, but NEED 2 Analog tuners.

The system has 1 PCIe x16, 1PCIe x1, and 2 PCI slots. What other tuner options are out there?

[jptheripper]

ohhh my bad.

well the hauppauge pvr-500 is dual analog only.

I believe there is also the nvidia dualtv but its ancient.

[rgroves]

Hmmm, I HAD a PVR-500, but it started to die and would not record anything.

I guess I could try to fine another one. THANKS.

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by jptheripper

ohhh my bad.

well the hauppauge pvr-500 is dual analog only.

I believe there is also the nvidia dualtv but its ancient.

It may be ancient but I've always liked the results better than my PVR-500s. I switched from PVR-500s to the DualTVs so I think the PVR-500 is even more ancient. I also found 64bit drivers for my DualTVs but I don't remember where I got them.

[rgroves]

Interesting turn of events last night.

I removed the Digital tuners for the 2250 from SageTV and last night my server did not crash and burn when trying to record a single analog channel. I'm going to setup some other analog recordings this weekend in an attempt to see if this was a fluke or I'm on to something. If it's stable, then I'm going to back the drivers down to the ones posted in this thread. http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40844 Even thought it says the fix is for two analog records. My has always crashed while recording one channel (no one else watching TV via a client or extender).

Also, If none of that helps I'm going to try and dust off my old PVR-500 and see if it's useable or if it was going bad.

[rgroves]

Well, I'm back to BSOD's. I'm going to try the older driver and see what blows up.





ARGH!!! The older drivers from this thread http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40844 Do not install for me on WHS. They say "no compatible product found".

OMG, can this get any more complicated or frustrating for me right now?

Ok, any suggestions for analog cable tuners? They can be single tuners or a dual tuner? I'm begging for some end to my issues and headaches.

[Fuzzy]

Win7?

[rgroves]

Windows Home Server and SageTv for WHS.

And NO, I'm changing it to Win7 just for compatability. I'm sticking with WHS until Microsoft no longer supports it.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by rgroves

Windows Home Server and SageTv for WHS.

And NO, I'm changing it to Win7 just for compatability. I'm sticking with WHS until Microsoft no longer supports it.

Well, Hauppauge supports win7.. ;-)

[rgroves]

What part of my last post did you not understand? I'm on WHS, and I'm not changing that.

Please, I'm not in the mood for jokes and snide/smart@ss comments. I have a SERIOUS problem right now and I need to get it fixed !!!!