DVB-T one channel black screen

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Des

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#222917 4-Sep-2017 06:32

Hi there, I've been using WMC with DVBLink for Sky TV from the very early days (and everything's still working nicely). A friend has been using TiVo, which is being decommissioned in the coming months. So I decided to throw together an HTPC for him to try. It has a DVB-T USB tuner, which finds all the Freeview channels including Prime TV. But for some reason, most of the time, Prime is just a black screen (it did play a couple of times). I have virtually no experience with DVB-T, so I'm not really sure what the possibilities are or how to trouble shoot them.

I have a splitter providing both the TiVo and the HTPC with a connection to the aerial, but

TiVo tunes Prime
Prime is still black when the splitter is bypassed

I'm not sure how to troubleshoot the problem. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated!

sbiddle

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#1857811 4-Sep-2017 07:05

What software is he using? What codec?

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Des

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#1857831 4-Sep-2017 07:37

Windows Media Centre. I'm not sure about Codec? I haven't installed any codecs

sbiddle

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#1857832 4-Sep-2017 07:44

There isn't much I can offer in the way of advice. WMC is such an old legacy product now it wouldn't surprise me that there are issues.

Why not use something more modern such as NextPVR which will save you having to use 3rd party hacks for things like the EPG?

MikeB4

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#1857833 4-Sep-2017 07:46

What is the signal strength of Prime on the TiVo when the splitter is disengaged and what is the signal strength when engaged.

Des

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Master Geek

#1857842 4-Sep-2017 08:02

With regards WMC, I'm still using it in W10 at home, and it's had zero issues. I haven't found any alternatives with a UI that, in my opinion, compare. I'll look into NextPVR tho.

And thanks for the suggestion for checking signal strength. I wasn't sure if it's possible to do on PC, but didn't think to use the TiVo. Will check that out

sbiddle

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#1857845 4-Sep-2017 08:13

I highly doubt signal strength is the cause. If it was all channels on the same MUX would be affected.

I recall their being something unique about the H.264 encoding rate that Prime used. Can you view it yourself using DVB-T on your WMC setup?

Des

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Master Geek

#1857880 4-Sep-2017 09:33

I don't have a DVB-T tuner at home (or even an aerial hook up), only satellite unfortunately. I also don't have another tuner to try there. I could perhaps try tuning it with another piece of software

MikeB4

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#1857881 4-Sep-2017 09:39

sbiddle:

I highly doubt signal strength is the cause. If it was all channels on the same MUX would be affected.

I recall their being something unique about the H.264 encoding rate that Prime used. Can you view it yourself using DVB-T on your WMC setup?

I have found often that Prime can be the most troublesome channel to lock in. I don't know if its by design or what.

sbiddle

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#1857944 4-Sep-2017 10:24

MikeB4:

sbiddle:

I highly doubt signal strength is the cause. If it was all channels on the same MUX would be affected.

I recall their being something unique about the H.264 encoding rate that Prime used. Can you view it yourself using DVB-T on your WMC setup?

I have found often that Prime can be the most troublesome channel to lock in. I don't know if its by design or what.

Prime itself isn't the issue per se - Prime is only one on a number of channels on the K1 (Kordia) or J1 (JDA) MUX. Many people had issues in the early says picking up the channels on this MUX because the frequency it used in a number of regions incl Wellington and Auckland was a lot higher than the TVNZ and Mediaworks MUXs. Some people with a dodgy aerial or were in a low coverage area found they could pick the other 2 MUXs up, but due to the cliff effect would find they could get nothing on the Kordia MUX.

Satch

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#1858867 5-Sep-2017 12:30

sbiddle:

There isn't much I can offer in the way of advice. WMC is such an old legacy product now it wouldn't surprise me that there are issues.

Why not use something more modern such as NextPVR which will save you having to use 3rd party hacks for things like the EPG?

I doubt the issue has anything to do with WMC as DVBLink is doing all the grunt work. But I too have issues with Prime with the same setup as the OP (although I got rid of Sky a couple of years ago - leaving one less thing to go wrong in the DVBLink/WMC equation. I find that it will play after the second attempt, but you have to wait a while before the black screen turns to a picture. I wish I knew what was wrong too, but in saying that, I've not had any time to play around with it (and realised I don't actually watch Prime that much anyway!).