New HVR-2200 setup, help please.

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BruceeNZ

18 posts

Geek

#34043 16-May-2009 20:32

Hi,

Long time reader, first time poster. I'm after some help/advice with a new HTPC DVB-T setup please.

Machine is a G43 board (current Intel chipset and video drivers), E2180 CPU, 2GB RAM, Vista Ultimate SP1. Card is a new HVR-2200, drivers and WinTV are from WinTV7_CD_1.1b.exe on Hauppauge's web site.

Aerial is an existing Sky UHF. We are in north Hamilton (Flagstaff), and don't have an existing TV (analog or Freeview) with which to compare.

H264 codec has been none, PowerDVD, or ffdshow.

I can play analogue stations using both WinTV and MediaPortal (more with WinTV though - I get good reception on Maori TV and Trackside). Reception seems to be pretty good on most stations, and MediaPortal's "signal level" and "signal quality" both have lots of green (all the way to the right each time).

I can't get anything on the digital channels though. Again, WinTV & MediaPortal can each find 19 stations (3x radio, 16 television) with "Te Aroha" selected, but I can't actually watch them. Curiously, MediaPortal's "signal level" and "signal quality" didn't move at all when tuning - I'm not sure if this is significant or not?

MediaPortal has been configured pretty much as per cranznz's guide, although I'm guessing for some of the differences in the newer release.

I'm starting to suspect the aerial or tuner card. MediaPortal configuration seems OK (and analog channels are picked up fine), but I'm wondering if I'm doing anything wrong with the digital side of things? Hauppauge's Signal monitor apps show lots of green for #1 (SNR either 27.7 or 30), but red on #2.

Any advice appreciated. Is there a problem using the G43 built-in video (yes I intend to install a proper viedo card at some stage, the current system is a proof-of-concept)? Did I kook the MediaPortal tuner group configurations (if so, does that affect WinTV)? Should I be using a different release of Hauppauge's software? I'm starting to run out of hair now....

Thanks,
BruceeNZ

1 | 2

242 posts

Master Geek

#215297 16-May-2009 21:20

One quick way to test the card/reception would be to download Transedit MMC from http://www.dvbviewer.com/en/index.php?page=downloads It is reasonably straight forward to setup. It's been a while since I used it though and I am not sure how dependant on codecs etc it is.

Honestly though why bother with Mediaportal. If what you want mostly is a PVR type setup with music and basic movies I would highly reccomend you download the Windows 7 RC and use that - so much easier.

BruceeNZ

18 posts

Geek

#215305 16-May-2009 22:26

Mattv: One quick way to test the card/reception would be to download Transedit MMC from http://www.dvbviewer.com/en/index.php?page=downloads It is reasonably straight forward to setup. It's been a while since I used it though and I am not sure how dependant on codecs etc it is.

Thanks for the suggestion - done. It shows me the same 19 channels (3 radio, 16 TV) as I get through WinTV & MediaPortal.

Honestly though why bother with Mediaportal. If what you want mostly is a PVR type setup with music and basic movies I would highly reccomend you download the Windows 7 RC and use that - so much easier.

I may yet do that - but first I have to get some basic functionality working!

BruceeNZ

Nety

2584 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#215318 17-May-2009 08:44

I think the point is you are going to get basic functionality working off the bat with W7. No codec's or stuffing about required. Just install the OS install drivers and setup media centre. Done.

Media centre PC - Case Silverstone LC16M with 2 X 80mm AcoustiFan DustPROOF, MOBO Gigabyte MA785GT-UD3H, CPU AMD X2 240 under volted, RAM 4 Gig DDR3 1033, HDD 120Gig System/512Gig data, Tuners 2 X Hauppauge HVR-3000, 1 X HVR-2200, Video Palit GT 220, Sound Realtek 886A HD (onboard), Optical LiteOn DH-401S Blue-ray using TotalMedia Theatre Power Corsair VX Series, 450W ATX PSU OS Windows 7 x64

dale77

294 posts

Ultimate Geek

#215319 17-May-2009 08:49

I use the MPC Video Decoder with media portal. Perhaps that might work for you. See bullet 4 in the install recommended codecs section of the AVS forum install guide.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1092168

[Edit] My success with MPC seemed to rely on also having the Powercinema 6 codecs installed. FYI. Now I no longer have MPC installed, I just use the PCM codecs from Powercinema in mediaportal 1.0.2.

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

Mattv

242 posts

Master Geek

#215329 17-May-2009 10:16

BruceeNZ: Thanks for the suggestion - done. It shows me the same 19 channels (3 radio, 16 TV) as I get through WinTV & MediaPortal.

Were you able to preview the channels at all? I kind of think it is some sort of codec thing rather than a card or aerial problem hence the Windows 7 suggestion. As Nety says it is so simple to set up and it just works. The only tricky thing is getting a 7 Day EPG but there are solutions to that and they are no more difficult than getting an EPG into MediaPortal etc.

limegreen

103 posts

Master Geek

#215331 17-May-2009 10:32

I had a Dead-On-Arrival HVR-2200, but it wouldn't play analogue OR digital, and the errors I was receiving were well reported around teh web.

I can only further support the opinions here. Windows 7 is SO straightforward, that it is surely the easiest way to check. You don't even have to install the drivers for HVR-2200, Windows 7 has them. In fact, I could watch TV after ONLY installing Windows 7 (no additional drivers for any hardware, no codecs, no nothing). It seems most ISPs have it cached locally, so at least for me on Xnet, it wasn't even bandwidth I had to pay for.

eXDee

4032 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#215333 17-May-2009 10:42

ScanchannelsBDA-UK - http://www.wintvcd.co.uk/tools/ScanChannelsBDA_UK.exe

Run that and select scrolling - do average after.

Bandwidth is 8mhz. Frequencies are 706000 for Kordia, 674000 for TVNZ and 690000 for Mediaworks (from memory)

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BruceeNZ

18 posts

Geek

#215341 17-May-2009 12:19

Mattv:
BruceeNZ: Thanks for the suggestion - done. It shows me the same 19 channels (3 radio, 16 TV) as I get through WinTV & MediaPortal.

Were you able to preview the channels at all? I kind of think it is some sort of codec thing rather than a card or aerial problem hence the Windows 7 suggestion.

Nope, no preview at all.

Windows 7 RC is going on now - will let you know if that changes anything.

Cheers guys,
BruceeNZ

BruceeNZ

18 posts

Geek

#215368 17-May-2009 15:00

BruceeNZ: Windows 7 RC is going on now - will let you know if that changes anything.

That did the trick - Win 7 RC, then configured media center, and now we have all sorts of analog and digital TV goodness. Some slightly dodgy reception on some digital channels (intermittent blocks of moving pixels is how I'd describe it), but at least we know we're a fair part of the way there!

Thanks guys,
BruceeNZ

borgia

101 posts

Master Geek

#225171 15-Jun-2009 10:19

Before I screw my perfectly functioning DVB-T windows 7 setup, can I get analogue as well? I am keen to get analogue PRIME for the delayed rugger. Do I just add another tuner in setup?

Thanks

limegreen

103 posts

Master Geek

#225188 15-Jun-2009 10:52

You've already got the HVR2200, so it's really just a matter of setting up the analogue tuners -- works for me in GB-PVR on 64bit RC1

dale77

294 posts

Ultimate Geek

#225210 15-Jun-2009 12:18

borgia: Before I screw my perfectly functioning DVB-T windows 7 setup, can I get analogue as well? I am keen to get analogue PRIME for the delayed rugger. Do I just add another tuner in setup?

Thanks

I'm not sure how it works in windows 7 for the hybrid dual tuners on the HVR-2200.

In mediaportal the software shows four tuners, digital 1 and 2 and analog 1 and 2. You can't use digital 1 and analog 1 at the same time, so you must set up digital 1 and analog 1 in a "hybrid" group so that MP does not try to use these tuners simultaneously.

Perhaps there is a similar concept in win7?

FYI, digital + analog (delayed rugger) works fine for me in mediaportal with this card.

Nety

2584 posts

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Retired Mod

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#225217 15-Jun-2009 12:36

There is. But it just works it out itself. You can happily setup the "4" tuners and W7 knows not to use the analogue and digital at the same time on each turner.

dale77

294 posts

Ultimate Geek

#225271 15-Jun-2009 15:55

Nety: There is. But it just works it out itself. You can happily setup the "4" tuners and W7 knows not to use the analogue and digital at the same time on each turner.

Nice. Chalk up another point for Win7.

borgia

101 posts

Master Geek

#225331 15-Jun-2009 18:51

How do ypu get this to work. I ghet W7 to recognise I have 2 dvb-t and two analogue tuners. It scan, and finds digital channels fine. It does not find any anlogue, or is not scanning them. I know I get them, as the tv was on analogue not so long ago. I have a VHF and UHF aerial going into a masthead amp/combiner. borgia

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