Sweetspot - No image

I am trying to use the PluggedIn.tv Sweetspot grabber-card, which should now be natively supported by MP. But, with no luck...

All I get is a black picture...
I have installed the latest WDM driver, and confirmed that it works by both grabbing and previewing through VirtualDub. Windows Movie Maker grabs OK, but does not preview.

I have connected a S-VHS source, a composite and a component source at once. Neither CVBS1, CVBS2, SVHS or RGB givesme any sign of picture (btw, how can I select SVHS2? And RGB, is that RGB or Component?)

Any tips on what to try? I am kind of stuck here...

[KevL]

Hi

I have sweetspot working on my setup.

Check that you have mapped sweetspot channels to sweetspot card in config.

Hopefully you will then find that you get a picture on sweetspot via selected input.

RGB input is RGB format signal (rather than component YUV)

You might find that picture quality is poor (it is on my setup)

You will not be able to record and view at the same time as sweetspot is a software card.


Hope this helps.



Kev

Hi,

I have the same problem with my sweetspot card,
i use it to get video from RVBs signal.

I have installed the WDM drivers, works fine with virtualvcr or other.
But I get nothing with mediaportal.

Could you tell us how to map channels ? Where are the configurations files ?

Thanks

[KevL]

run config program
Select Television
Select Channels
Hit button marked "add CVBS/SVHS channels"
This should then add 2 composite, 1 SVHS and 1 RGB channels to the channel list

Then go to the cards tab of the channels dialog and add RGB and whatever other inputs you require to the PMS sweetspot capature card.

Should then work I think. You might want to create a group to put the sweetspot inputs in for ease of finding them among other channels. Use the adjacent tab on channels to create a group etc.

I would be interested in your views on picture quality.


Hope this helps


Kev

Thank you for these informations,
I will try this evening ...

to be continued...

ChM

My way of setting up the Sweetspot is exactly the way KevL describes his way. I cannot get any picture whatsoever...

I guess we're not supposed to do a complete clean install of the MP for each upgrade? In case this could be a clue, please give me a hint

I have now spent so many hours trying to get Sweetspot up and running in MP, that I have given up on MP/Sweetspot unless some tricks shows up. Guess I'll be looking for another media software. Maybe some that can handle DScale natively (if there are any).

[KevL]

don't give up. These things can often take some adjusting.

Have you got dScaler installed on your pc?

If so check you can get a picture on it via sweetspot. Remember that for RGBs you also need to put in a composite sync on one of the composite inputs of the sweetspot. If it is present you will also get a colour picture by selecting composite 1 (though not as sharp as RGB)

If your HT system is anything like mine then it is really easy to not have all the leads in the correct holes. When I first got a sweetspot it didnt work simply because I had plugged the sweetspot inputs into the INPUT of my AV8 preamp. This also gave me a black picture. :-)

myHTPC can be made to run dscaler as output device. Picture is superb but it is very limited compared to MP.

Kev

[KevL]

@elc

Just a thought.

check that you have selected the correct capture card profile for sweetspot

settings should be


PMS sweetspot PDI delux capture (General S/W encoding card)

and on settings for card.

check that framesize = 720x576 (for Pal)

and framerate =25 (for pal)


Kev

Thank you Kev,

It works fine, i can now watch TV using RGBs entries of my
sweetspot card in MP.
The image is so much better than composite.

I have reinstalled drivers :
the last Btinstaller.exe ( v5.3.8) from sourceforge at :

http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/b...8.zip?download

then the sweetspot_wdm_driver.exe ( v5.3.8 )

from http://www.pluggedin.tv/sweetspot/su...wdm_driver.exe

and no it works fine.


I have an other problem now : I can't record with MP. The record button has no effect, have you the same problem ?


ChM

[KevL]

I think I can record from sweetspot. I tried in the past and seem to remember producing a file which I could then play. Im currently concentrating on picture quality at the moment. I havent even bothered connecting in an audio feed yet.



I followed instructions on the forum which recommended the Morgan MJPEG codec for recording from sw cards.

Do a search for morgan and give it a try.

Kev