SageTV 2.1 <usually> doesn't work

[Ctrl-Z]

I have a supported TV tuner (WinTV PVR USB2) running under XP SP2 and the native Hauppauge WinTV2000 with current drivers works fine. I just installed the trial version of SageTV 2.1 and it typically does not display the TV. That is to say if I go into LiveTV I see my proper listings but if choose any channel and choose "Watch Now" I usually get a split second of audio and a frozen SageTV display with the program detail displayed and a black screen where the video should be. I must then use Task Manager to kill the SageTV process. I haven't yet tried any other SageTV features except DVD playing (works fine).

BUT this does not happen all the time! 3 times I have had it work just fine. The first time I got it to work was after I shut down all the running processes I could. Then after a reboot and with all processes running again, SageTV worked again! I shut SageTV down and restarted it and now it did not work. Many, many failed attempts followed. And just now I tried it again and it works. I changed NOTHING from the last time I tried. What a frustrating confusing mess this has become.

I have installed the updated DShowCapture.dll mentioned elsewhere and it did not appear to help. I am not able to install the updated WinTV 250 drivers as my card is a USB2 model. I have not tried any beta version yet but perhaps they might help? Thanks for any advice.

[foolio]

sounds like me.. I have the same problem with "WATCH NOW" -

which STV are you using? Does it work if you channel surf without going to the detail info screen and pressing "WATCH NOW"?

My problem only happens with SAGEMC - and only happens when I go to the detail screen and use "WATCH NOW". If instead, I go directly to the show, it works fine. also, if I channel surf with up/down channel or the mini-guide, it works fine.

[Ctrl-Z]

Sorry, as I have just very recently used SageTV, I am not familiar with many of its functions. By STV, I assume you mean SageTV version? I am using v2.1 along with a SageTV EPG Plugin for use in Canada. How do you go directly to a channel without using "Watch Now"?

I know I've got to do a lot of reading about this program. When it works it is very very good.

[Opus4]

foolio: I'm not sure this has anything to do with it, but did you get this error when the preview window is turned off?

If not, then Ctrl-Z: try using the Options command on the main menu (or Setup -> Detailed Setup -> Video Menu Options) and set Display Video on Menus to Never for the time being.

- Andy

[foolio]

hi opus:

with preview window off, no random crashes.

[Ctrl-Z]

Originally Posted by Opus4

foolio: I'm not sure this has anything to do with it, but did you get this error when the preview window is turned off?

If not, then Ctrl-Z: try using the Options command on the main menu (or Setup -> Detailed Setup -> Video Menu Options) and set Display Video on Menus to Never for the time being.

- Andy

Thanks - though I must be blind...there's a "Video" setting under detailed setup but it does not contain a "Display Video on Menus" entry nor can I find it anywhere else.

However SageTV is now working much better in that I can reliably get it to work again after it freezes. It will consistently freeze if I minimize it or put it into sleep mode. (I'm using an ATI 9700 with current drivers and a 2 monitor setup)

[stanger89]

The video menu control is available via the "Options" command IIRC. Esc on the keyboard is one way to get there.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by Ctrl-Z

Thanks - though I must be blind...there's a "Video" setting under detailed setup but it does not contain a "Display Video on Menus" entry nor can I find it anywhere else.

That's because I typed too fast. I forgot to include the part about going to one of the tabs in Detailed Setup to get to the Video Menu Options choice. But, you can change it from the Main Menu or nearly any other menu by using the Options command (Like stanger89 said: default is Esc or Ctrl-o) to get to those options in a pop-up menu.

- Andy

[PaulG]

Ctrl-Z,

I had this problem when I installed 2.2.2 ( I also had the same problem periodically with 2.1) I solved it by replacing the quartz.dll (directx 9c undocumented feature)

have a look at.... http://forums.freytechnologies.com/f...ead.php?t=8831 for the details & the file.

HTH

[Ctrl-Z]

Thanks for the ideas. For some unknown reason, SageTV seems to be getting progressively more stable. It does not seem to be affected for better or worse by changing the "Display Video on Menus" option but I have made a number of other changes to detailed settings so perhaps something I've done there has helped. It still will 100% of the time provide me no video output if I minimize and restore the application. Not a big problem but does this happen to others? I'm now able to go into sleep mode and restore it successfully so that's a big improvement. I just don't really trust it yet ;-)

I'll give the quartz.dll substitution a try. Thanks.

[Ctrl-Z]

Update: I believe I have identified the condition (or one of the conditions) which causes SageTV to lockup. If the SageTV window opens on the secondary monitor (I have a two monitor setup with an ATI 9700), it will at least occassionally lockup. When this happens I can "fix" it only by temporarily disabling the secondary monitor to force the application to open on the primary. Are there any known issues with running a dual monitor setup?

[korben_dallas]

I had a horrible experience with Sage and extended desktop on my Radeon, but cloned theater mode worked fine using Overlay as the renderer.. except my remote won't work if Sage does not have focus.