AverMedia TVT5 M779 (1 Viewer)

[Martin Langley]

Guys

I have an AverMedia TVT5 M779 (Ex Dell) installed in my Dimension 5150. When used with my external arial and Windows Media Centre it gives me lots of digital TV channels without a problem. The drivers are fine.

What I'm trying to do is use the card's analog functions to connect with my (analog) VCR to record old videotapes. The VCR is a nice Sharp model
which can deliver signals via composite video or the RF interface.

Have tried several software packages, WMC, NPVR, MerdiaPortal to acquire the VCR output, so far with no success.

Anybody have a simple suggestion for software which may enable me to grab these old but treasured videos?

Attached are log files from Mediaportal and Mediaportal TV server respectively

Thanks as ever

 

[mm1352000]

Hello and welcome Martin

What I'm trying to do is use the card's analog functions to connect with my (analog) VCR to record old videotapes.

Sure thing. MediaPortal isn't designed for doing this (you may get better results with AVer software?), but it's definitely possible.

Have tried several software packages, WMC, NPVR, MerdiaPortal to acquire the VCR output, so far with no success.

Okay, I can only help with MediaPortal.

From the log files it looks like TV Server was able to load your card. That can often be a significant hurdle with analog tuners/inputs, so it's good to know that works. There seem to be 2 sticking points:

1. First and most important: if you're wanting to use the composite input (...which is strongly recommended, because it will give slightly better quality than the RF/coax input), don't scan for channels. You were close, but that's not the right thing to do. Instead click the "add s-video channels" button as described in the wiki (manual). That will add one channel per input (composite, s-video etc.) into the channels list found in TV Server Configuration -> TV Channels section. You can then view and/or record from the appropriate input by recording the corresponding channel in exactly the same way as if it were a regular channel. I expect if you use the composite input, the channel you'll be looking for will be named "CVBS#1 on 3" (meaning: composite input 1 on tuner 3). There are many ways to start a recording. It'll probably be simplest to just use manual recordings as explained in the wiki here.

2. From the log file, at times it looks like TV Server fails to get control of your card. This can happen for several reasons. Two tips:
--> 1) You must fully close and stop WMC, NPVR and any other software you've installed for the card in order to enable TV Server to use the card. To be very clear: you can't have WMC recording digital TV channels from your aerial at the same time as TV Server is trying to record from the composite input. That flat out won't work.
--> 2) Please check the following configuration is correct:

1. Open TV Server Configuration.
2. Go to the tuners list under the "Servers" section.
3. Select the "M779 PCIe TV-Tuner 1" analog tuner.
4. Click "edit".
5. Ensure "when card enters idle state..." is set to "stop card".
6. Click "save" .
7. Close TV Server Configuration.

Finally, a tip...
To get the best results, you should definitely make sure the frame size and rate settings match the output from your VCR. You may also want to experiment with the video proc amp (brighness, contrast, hue, sharpness etc.) and encoder quality (bit-rate) settings. You can find all of these settings in TV Server configuration in pretty much the same place where you found the scanning function for your card. Just flick over to the other tabs ("settings", "videoprocamp", "quality control"):
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_...guration/02_TV_Servers/7_Scan_Analog#Settings
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_.../02_TV_Servers/7_Scan_Analog#Video_Parameters
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_...n/02_TV_Servers/7_Scan_Analog#Quality_Control


I hope that helps you get started. Don't hesitate to ask if you get stuck or have further questions. Specific questions are easier to answer, so please try to be specific. Log files and screenshots also make it much easier to help you.

Kind regards,
mm

 

[Martin Langley]

Really helpful, - Am now well on the way to having my old videos on hard drive!

Best regards

ML

 

[mm1352000]

Wonderful!
Don't hesitate to ask if you have further questions.
Otherwise, see you around...

 

[Martin Langley]

Hi guys, - back again I'm 'fraid.

After using the software for some weeks have now run into trouble again. Thought it was down to changed IP address but have changed back and experimented with updating in the database with no joy.

What happens when I start the TV - server configuration tool is a window opens with an error (sorry its long and I cannot copy it) along the lines of, -

"Failed to startup tvserviceSystem.NullReferenceException: Object Reference not set to an instance of an object.

Server Stack Trace:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Exception rethrown at [0]:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"

?Look familiar to anybody?

Thanks again

Martin

 

[mm1352000]

Hi Martin

Thought it was down to changed IP address...

Could well be.

...but have changed back and experimented with updating in the database with no joy.

If you change the IP address of a system which TV Server is installed on, you must check/update:

1. The TV Server database, Server table, hostName column.
2. The database connection configuration in c:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal TV Server\gentle.config
3. The streaming server IP address setting in TV Server Configuration -> streaming server section.
   
4. For any system on which MediaPortal (the client) is installed:
   1. The server IP address or hostname in MediaPortal Configuration -> TV/radio section.
      
   2. The database connection configuration in c:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\gentle.config

Order is also important:

1. Close MediaPortal and stop the TV service.
2. Change the IP address.
3. Check/update the config described above, excluding (3).
4. Start the TV service.
5. Check/update (3) above.
6. Restart the TV service again.

You're likely to run into problems/confusion if you change the IP address while TV Server is still running or fail to update one or more of the config sources.

sorry its long and I cannot copy it

You could take a screenshot of the error message and attach the screenshot.
(I'd also suggest that you attach full log files, just in case it proves necessary to check them too.)

Look familiar to anybody?

No, unfortunately you've missed some of the important distinguishing details. A null reference exception is generic and non-specific. The screenshot will be needed.

Regards,
mm

 

[Martin Langley]

Have established that the card is working correctly so any further problems clearly down to Media software. Suspect IP related. Have repeatedly de-installed the Mediaportal software and e-installed taking care not to change the IP address in the meantime.

Still no progress, I keep getting the IP related error message attached. Perhaps someone knows why.

Thanks again

Martin

 

[mm1352000]

Suspect IP related.

Almost certainly. The screenshot is consistent with that.
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_...figuration_Fails_To_Start_-_get_Cards()_error

Have repeatedly de-installed the Mediaportal software and e-installed...

That will not help unless you get rid of the TV Server database (=> lose all settings, channels, schedules etc.)

...taking care not to change the IP address in the meantime.

TV Server will fail to start (as per the error message) until the system's name and/or IP address are changed back to what they were when you originally installed MediaPortal.

 

[Martin Langley]

Sorted again! Was so desperate this time actually resorted to reading the manual!

Things worked just like it said it would, - miraculous

ML

 

[Martin Langley]

Back into full production now but one small point. Is there a way to set up Mediaportal to record video whilst in a
window as opposed to using the full screen. I'd like to get on with other stuff during recording.

Ta

M