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dale77

294 posts

Ultimate Geek


#38235 26-Jul-2009 21:54
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I posted earlier about my live-tv issues on my AMD 780G based HTPC.

Now, I'm pretty happy with the system. Blu-ray has always worked very well with pdvd 7.3. Freeview-HD Live-tv looks great in mediaportal, and music sounds great mixed to 5.1 via mediaportal. Dvd's show best using Powercinema 6, which also provides the HA h.264 codec for mediaportal. I use the imon software in conjunction with the logitech 525 for a smooth remote experience which works the same way in pdvd/mediaportal/powercinema. The only mediaportal plugin I use is OneButtonMusic, which is great for random evening listening. I use AC3Filter in mediaportal for 5.1 AC3 with HD TV.

I purposely tried to set up a system without a discrete video card, and my system seems to work fine in this respect. Not having to resort to the Nvidia tax for TV/blu-ray is nice. For those that care, Catalyst 9.7 works fine on my system, given three days of use. That said, 8.12, 9.1 and 9.5 all worked fine as well, given a capable codec.

Niggles remaining:

1. I tried S3 sleep mode for poweroff once. It seemed to cause an issue with mediaportal TVserver on wake-up, so now I pay the OS reboot tax. Low priority to fix, probably just a software config.
2. Signal issues from the aerial. Only fixable (if at all) with a new aerial or roof meter work. Medium priority, as issues are fairly rare, but a glitch in hidef is annoying. $$ required for aerial and/or technician wi meter.
3. Find a working solution for non-downsampled blu-ray audio for ALC889. PDVD9 should support this, but it doesn't work on my system. Medium priority, I want downsampling gone. $ for pdvd upgrade.
4. 1080p TV. High priority, $$$$ for new TV.
5. Backup software, to preserve the system to avoid terminal WAF damage. $ for TrueImage
6. Still no  Prime on Freeview - Edit: Prime now on Freeview, 17 August 2009

All in all, the HTPC experience has been fun, and the result is great, but there are an awful lot of moving parts in the software solution. Having shelled out for Vista, I am very reluctant to buy Windows 7 to get a working freeviewhd windows media center, so it looks like I'll be on Mediaportal for a while.

Now, if I can just resist tinkering...




HTPC: Antec Fusion 430, Intel i3, Gigabyte 1050, Corsair 4x1Gb,   Hauppauge WinTv, Logitech z-5500, Logitech Harmony 525, Yamaha Rx-v6a, Samsung KS8000 4k, Windows 10, Mediaportal 1.30, BLU-RAY: Panasonic UB820


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richms
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  #239466 27-Jul-2009 21:04
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So its working ok with the new drivers?

May have to swap hardware around again to get the 780g on the HTPC - its a faster machine so has been my desktop since it was useless for freeview...




Richard rich.ms



dale77

294 posts

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  #239474 27-Jul-2009 21:19
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richms: So its working ok with the new drivers?.


Yup, it is is working well, bar those "niggles" above. The new 9.7 drivers were not necessary for "working fine". I just prefer to keep drivers up-to-date for a while after a new build.




HTPC: Antec Fusion 430, Intel i3, Gigabyte 1050, Corsair 4x1Gb,   Hauppauge WinTv, Logitech z-5500, Logitech Harmony 525, Yamaha Rx-v6a, Samsung KS8000 4k, Windows 10, Mediaportal 1.30, BLU-RAY: Panasonic UB820


chrisjwilliams
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  #239498 27-Jul-2009 22:54
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Interesting that you suspect you glitches to be recption issues. I thought I was having codec / driver issues. Damb it. Now I have to call the aerial tech to confirm my signal :(



dale77

294 posts

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  #239501 27-Jul-2009 23:09
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chrisjwilliams: Interesting that you suspect you glitches to be recption issues. I thought I was having codec / driver issues. Damb it. Now I have to call the aerial tech to confirm my signal :(


I could be wrong of course, but my glitches are most evident in 720p signals, which should be the easiest to process. TV3 at 1080i is the best signal I get.

Also, the system plays bluray from disk flawlessly so it can certainly handle the h264 video side.

And, some days you can go an hour without seeing a glitch at all on 720p.

And ScanChannelsBDA_UK shows 100% quality with very occasional big dips down to 30% or lower. Perhaps you should try this before going to the aerial guy.






HTPC: Antec Fusion 430, Intel i3, Gigabyte 1050, Corsair 4x1Gb,   Hauppauge WinTv, Logitech z-5500, Logitech Harmony 525, Yamaha Rx-v6a, Samsung KS8000 4k, Windows 10, Mediaportal 1.30, BLU-RAY: Panasonic UB820


chrisjwilliams
14 posts

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  #239665 28-Jul-2009 12:24
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I was using WIN TV 7 that came with the hauppauge card. It has an application for signal testing as well.

Thanks for the link for scan channels. I'll try that tonight. Cheers.

kiwijunglist
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  #241266 1-Aug-2009 18:48
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S3 sleep issue -> you might want to try google-ing "MST MCE Standby tool"




HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.


chrisjwilliams
14 posts

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  #241447 2-Aug-2009 15:31
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The Scan Channels gives me 99% on all channels. Has to be codec related. Will be trying WIN 7 Build 7600 very shortly.

 
 
 

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dale77

294 posts

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  #242075 3-Aug-2009 22:36
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Is anyone else impressed with how good the TV3 1080i, 5.1 surround movie experience is? Just watched the end of X-Men, last stand. Hard to believe this is free-to-air TV...




HTPC: Antec Fusion 430, Intel i3, Gigabyte 1050, Corsair 4x1Gb,   Hauppauge WinTv, Logitech z-5500, Logitech Harmony 525, Yamaha Rx-v6a, Samsung KS8000 4k, Windows 10, Mediaportal 1.30, BLU-RAY: Panasonic UB820


chrisjwilliams
14 posts

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  #242575 4-Aug-2009 18:21
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Just got Hauppage WIN TV 1.1F. Will be trying later tonight. See if that helps...

dale77

294 posts

Ultimate Geek


  #242674 4-Aug-2009 20:56
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chrisjwilliams: The Scan Channels gives me 99% on all channels. Has to be codec related. Will be trying WIN 7 Build 7600 very shortly.


I generally get 100% quality, but the average drops to say 97% because of big dips to 30% and below. This is the source of the occasional glitches I see, possibly caused by some interference being picked up by the aerial, or just plain old bad reception.




HTPC: Antec Fusion 430, Intel i3, Gigabyte 1050, Corsair 4x1Gb,   Hauppauge WinTv, Logitech z-5500, Logitech Harmony 525, Yamaha Rx-v6a, Samsung KS8000 4k, Windows 10, Mediaportal 1.30, BLU-RAY: Panasonic UB820


chrisjwilliams
14 posts

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  #243138 5-Aug-2009 17:40
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I'm about to throw in the towel. Fresh build Win7 64bit 7600 RTM. Latest 9.7 catalyst driver. Lastest 1.1f from Hauppauge, and I'm back to square 1 with no picture :(
I'm gonna buy an Nvidia card and see what happens...
Anyone want to buy a very slightly used Gigabyte board? :)

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