ABC1 Channel Problem........? (1 Viewer)

[skywalker1981]

Hi I have been using Media Portal for a while now and ive never really had a problem with...except this one!

Ive recently retuned in order to update my channel list, and my card (ADS Tech Instant DVB-T PCI) automatically finds the channels. Now im having a problem with the channel ABC1. It is automatically found and listed under the Tv Channels section but when i try to view the channel in Media Portal nothing happens, no picture and no sound (just to make you aware that ABC1 has never worked for me, so its not a case of it used to work)! Ive tried retuning, and again it is found but I just cant view the channel, it just wont seem to work.

To help im living in the Wembley, London area and I am using the ADS Tech Instant DVB-T PCI card and all other channels are working normally. Below is the image of the ABC1 DVB-T settings.

Any suggestions?

Any help would be very much appreciated.

 

[Taipan]

The values for the "Audio PID" and the "Video PID" should be non-zero.

It is odd that these values were not determined during the Autotune - can you find out what they should be and manually enter them? Also, check that the frequency (562000) is correct - if this is incorrect it could explain the zero values for the PIDs....

 

[skywalker1981]

Thats what I thought. So i looked at this website:

http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/freeviewstream.html

Which shows the details of freeview channels broadcast off the Crystal Palace Transmitter. I tried both variations of abc1 but nothing worked.

Anybody have an idea what the audio and video ids should be?

Kind Regards, Luke

 

[Taipan]

OK, it looks like my suggestion that:-

The values for the "Audio PID" and the "Video PID" should be non-zero.

is not correct, as I see that they are listed in the chart as zero!

Anyway, I noticed a couple of other inconsistencies:-
1. the PMT PID is listed in the chart as 262, but MP shows it as 260
2. with the video and audio PIDs as 0, the PCR PID should be 2304

try these changes to see if it helps...

Also, delete the ".dat" file in the Database\PMT folder that relates to ABC1 to make sure your changes are accepted, before you try to view the channel.

 

[skywalker1981]

Yeah i noticed the differences and have tried all the variations. I also deleted the file you suggested before making changes and starting Media Portal, however it still does not work!

Its weird that the channel is found but also very weird that there is no audio or video pid in the channel details. Also very weird that all other channels work as normal!

Any other suggestions?

Thanks again for your support.

 

[Taipan]

You are right - this is weird...

Does the TV viewing software that came with your ADS Tech Instant DVB-T card display ABC1 correctly?

What does the MediaPortal.log file show at the point where you select ABC1 to view - maybe that will give us a clue to the problem?

 

[skywalker1981]

Ok!

Last night I unistalled the card and reintalled it again and to day I tried ABC1 and I got sound straight away! I left it and I get static pictures occasionally of ABC1. Basically sound seems to be pretty fluent with the odd occasional stutter (maybe a signal problem) but with the picture I get a static picture of say a part of a show then that picture wil stay for a while and then may be a minute or two later I will get another still of another part of the show.

So ive made progress but its not working totally! Having made some progress I then proceded to revert to the original settings the tuner received,i.e. the one in the picture I sent on this topic, but the same problem occurs.

OK so now im thinking this could be a signal problem but the audio seems to be working pretty much perfectly its just the video thats seems to be having a problem!

Ok next step was to install the original pvr software that came with the card and scanned for channels. First thing I did was look at the properties of the abc1 channel - it showed PMT at 6385, audio as 6385 and video as 6386, just like the setting from the crystal palace transmitter! Anyways tested abc1 channel and audio and picture work but the video and audio is quite jerky, not really watchable. So would this mean a signal problem, although all other channels are working normally?

Any suggestions?

Thanks again

 

[Taipan]

the video and audio is quite jerky, not really watchable. So would this mean a signal problem, although all other channels are working normally?

Yes, that is almost certainly due to marginal signal - the signal quality is at the point where the error rate is too high for smooth video and audio.

Any suggestions?

You need to improve the signal level to the tuner and there are several things that you could try - some that are relatively easy, and some that could be expensive. Some suggestions are - check that your antenna is aimed at the transmitter accurately, raise the height of your antenna, use a higher gain antenna, install a mast-head amplifier, install quad-shielded cable, minimise or eliminate signal splitters......its going to be a "suck it and see" solution. I ended up doing all of the above, and I still, very occasionally, get hiccups in the signal.

I assume that you have an outdoor antenna - the first thing I would do is check that it is in perfect condition and confirm that it is aimed correctly.

Good luck.....

 

[skywalker1981]

Thanks for all your help and I will give evrything a go! I do have an outdoor aerial so we will see what the future holds for my signal!

Thanks again, Luke