Best setup for Hauppauge 2250 (1 Viewer)

[CloFan]

TV-Server Version: 1.0.2.0
MediaPortal Version: 1.0.2.0
MediaPortal Skin: BlueWide
Windows Version: Vista Enterprise (Business) SP1
CPU Type: Intel E5200 2.5Ghz Dual Core
HDD: Western Digital 1tb, Western Digital 40gb
Memory: 2gb Kingston DDR2 800
Motherboard: GA-E7AUM-DS2H
Video Card: Nvidia 9400 (onboard)
Video Card Driver: 7.15.11.8250
1. TV Card: Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250
1. TV Card Type: analog, ATSC
1. TV Card Driver: 7.6.1.27118
Satelite/CableTV Provider: Suddenlink Communications
HTPC Case: IN WIN IW-BT611T.300SL
Cooling: Stock HSF, extra quiet case fan
Power Supply: Supplied with case
Remote: Logitech Harmony 760
TV: Envision L32W761
TV - HTPC Connection: HDMI


I'm looking for the best setup for my HTPC to act as a DVR. I've a Hauppauge 2250, which has 4 tuners on it, 2 ATSC and 2 Analog, which are actually 2 hybrids on one card.

First of all, it's impossible to tell which cards are together when setting up a hybrid:

So it's really just a trial and error, which is hard to keep straight, especially because MediaPortal freezes instead of just giving an error while trying to use the same card for both connections, go figure. Also I'd like to know the optimal priority settings for this.

Also, is there any way to have MediaPortal alternate cards it uses for analog channels, so that it can make channel loadings times faster? As it is it uses the same card if you go from any channel to another, which sometimes has the effect of freezing the computer.

Specifically for this card, what is the best Mpeg2 codec? Right now I'm using the PowerDVD codec from SAF, and while it works (unlike some others), the quality isn't great (blacks are grey).

One last question about recording, how does it work when I'm recording one program directly after another? Say, a show comes on at 9:30, and I want to record that and the show at 10:00. Is it smart enough to use the same tuner and just continue recording, or does it use my second tuner to start 1 minute before the program starts, while the first tuner is recording 2 minutes after the program ends? Sorry if that's confusing- if you don't understand, ask, and I'll try to clarify.

 

[hoborg]

Specifically for this card, what is the best Mpeg2 codec? Right now I'm using the PowerDVD codec from SAF, and while it works (unlike some others), the quality isn't great (blacks are grey).

You have some options:
-If you are using SAF - in install procedure, select software decoding - this will alow change brightnes, but you will loose hardware deinterlacing.
-Use Elecard MPEG-2 decoder wich alow DXVA + brightness corection, but you will face "blocking" when jumping thrue video and broken DVD playback.
-get digital TV instead of analog.

NOTE: there is basic MPEG2 decoder comparison on SAF first page (on end of first post)

 

[CloFan]

Thanks for the info, Hoborg. I knew about your comparison, I just wanted to see if I was experiencing a common issue with this card. I'll try out software decoding; I don't mind about hardware deinterlacing, I don't guess. The brightness problem is way more noticable I think, and I"m not even sure if the hardware deinterlacing is working properly.

So I figured something out, but don't know how to fix it.

When I'm recording something on a Digital channel, it records properly. BUT, when I go to watch something on another digital channel, it displays the analog version, even though I have both ATSC cards set to higher priorities, and the ATSC card is free. Watching two analog channels works correctly. Another thing of note, while I was watching an analog channel, a recording on a digital channel was supposed to start, but didn't. I had to stop my liveTV and view the digital channel in order to get it to work. After that it recorded fine and I could go back to my analog show.

Any idea on how to fix this? It seems like mediaportal is wary of activating the two cards at once, without some prodding.