Dual Analogue Card with 2 settop boxes (1 Viewer)

Heina

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    'ello

    I have a Hauppauge HVR 2200 of which I only (want to) use the dual analogue not the DVB-T. Connected to the TV Card I have 2x AV Cable set attachments (Hauppauge Computer Works Web Store) which give me 2xCVBS RCA inputs that connects to 2 identical settop boxes

    What I need is for the one encoder to always use CVBS#1 and the other encoder to always use CVBS#2, but I can not seem to do this and it seems like the only place I can select the video source is on the channel, but the channel could be on either one of the video sources depending on the availability of the encoder.

    IRSS already blasts the settopboxes correctly depending on the encoder being used, now if I could only get the correct video feed to play in mediaportal...

    I hope i have explained my problem properly...

    Thanx
    Hein
     

    Heina

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    'ello Rekenaar

    Do you mean I should physically create 2 channels eg a M-Net 1 using CVBS#1 mapped to encoder #1 & M-Net 2 using CVBS#2 mapped to encoder 2? wouldn't that create duplicate TV Guide nightmare?

    Or do you mean adding a 'Tuning Details ' in the channel properties? (which is what combining channels seems to do) 'cuz that is what I tried but there is no way to tell it to which analogue encoder to link to which specific video source?


    I must say, my old 2xPVR150 were a lot easier to get working. At this rate I'm just thinking of screwing it all and just getting another HVR2200 (but then that is such a waste)

    PS: I just did a quick check on one channel.

    Creating 2 different channels one using CVBS#1 the other using CVBS#2 each mapped to a different encoder and then combining them is exactly the same as just adding a tuning detail in the channel properties and having that same channel mapped to both encoders. No way to tell TV Server which video source goes with which encoder.
     

    mm1352000

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    Hi again Hein

    From my perspective what you're trying to do seems a little counter-intuitive, but perhaps I haven't understood correctly. I take it that you receive the same channels from each STB and you're using the HVR-2200 so that you can record/view two channels simultaneously? If that is the case then I would hope that doing what you want would be quite straightforward.

    The HVR-2200 has 2 encoders as you know. From an MP perspective if you want to use one encoder for the first STB and another encoder for the second STB then it really would be best to use the same input on both encoders. In other words, you need to connect the first STB to CVBS #1 (example) on the first encoder and the second STB to CVBS #1 on the second encoder. If you can't do that then I'm sorry to say that no amount of combining or adding of tuning details (which is basically the same thing) will help you - you would have to put up with having two MP channels per M-Net channel. The reason for that is that when you map a channel to a tuner it tells MP that it can use that tuner with any/all of the tuning details supported by that tuner to tune that channel.

    Example: if you map a channel with two different analog tuning details (maybe one with video source CVBS #1 and the other with video source CVBS #2) to two tuners then TV Server will think it can use either/both tuning details to tune the channel on *both* tuners. In reality you might want to make TV Server use the CVBS #1 tuning detail only for the first tuner and the CVBS #2 tuning detail for the second tuner, but that is not possible. Normally TV Server would try each tuning detail in turn until tuning succeeds. Tuning a video source such as CVBS or s-video will always succeed (if the input is not connected then the video will just be blank) so TV Server will always use one tuning detail (the first one), which is a problem for you.

    Hopefully that makes sense.

    I don't have an HVR-2200 so I'm not entirely sure about this but I would guess that each encoder should have its own "CVBS #1". The question would be whether they are both available as plugs on the card. You might have to do some experimentation to figure out which inputs are linked to each tuner and which TV Server input selections can be used to select the input. You may find that SVHS #1 will work with the external s-video connector and the s-video from one of the internal white connectors. In that case you'd be best to use s-video instead of composite connections to your STB.

    mm
     

    Heina

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    'ello mm1352000

    I also hoped what I wanted to do would be straightforward, unfortunately it does not seem to be and it does not seem to be possible to what I want to do... :(

    CVBS (or SVHS) #1, #2 & #3 seems to map directly to a input on the HVR2200 itself and is not specific to the encoders. If I only use CVBS#1 both encoders will get the same video signal from a single STB. So if I watch a channel and start recording on it it will work correctly. Then if I change the channel, IRSS will correctly blast the other STB correctly, but the channel I'm watching stays the same since the second encoder is now getting its video from the incorrect source.

    As I said, It makes me sad that Mediaportal does not support dual analogue tuners in the way that I use it, but obviously there is not a lot of people that have multiple STBs conncected using CVBS/SVHS. I'm just going to have to get another HVR2200.

    What really makes me sad is how well my old HTPC used to work. I used to have 2xPVR150s, but the CPU was an ancient AMD, so when I upgraded I could not find a microATX that supported 2xPCI & besides I thought, the PVR150 have an issue with more than 4GB of RAM, so I got a HVR2200, thinking that it much newer tech AND can support both my STBs in one card... Now I can't actually use it with both my STB's and I very occasionally and randomly get a horrible grainy image.

    I miss my PVR150s :)
     

    mm1352000

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    Hi again

    CVBS (or SVHS) #1, #2 & #3 seems to map directly to a input on the HVR2200 itself and is not specific to the encoders.
    Well that is not the case from a code perspective. When you look in the video source field in the channel tuning details the values listed there are all possible options that *each* tuner can have. In other words, both tuners on the HVR-2200 could have a CVBS #1 input, and those inputs could be connected to two different STBs (which I think is what you want).

    Maybe an example would help. I have a Pinnacle 7010ix which has two analog tuners as well. The crossbar inputs for the first tuner are:

    2011-12-03 19:30:29.880969 [(13)]: analog: AddCrossBarFilter try:7162 BDA Analog Xbar 0
    2011-12-03 19:30:29.986969 [(13)]: crossbar pin:0 type:Video_Tuner, related:1
    2011-12-03 19:30:29.987969 [(13)]: crossbar pin:1 type:Audio_Tuner, related:0

    The crossbar inputs for the second tuner are:

    2011-12-03 19:27:10.778969 [(5)]: analog: AddCrossBarFilter try:7162 BDA Analog Xbar 1
    2011-12-03 19:27:10.883969 [(5)]: crossbar pin:0 type:Video_Tuner, related:1
    2011-12-03 19:27:10.883969 [(5)]: crossbar pin:1 type:Audio_Tuner, related:0
    2011-12-03 19:27:10.883969 [(5)]: crossbar pin:2 type:Video_Composite, related:3
    2011-12-03 19:27:10.884969 [(5)]: crossbar pin:3 type:Audio_Line, related:2
    2011-12-03 19:27:10.884969 [(5)]: crossbar pin:4 type:Video_SVideo, related:3
    2011-12-03 19:27:10.884969 [(5)]: crossbar pin:5 type:Video_Composite, related:6
    2011-12-03 19:27:10.885969 [(5)]: crossbar pin:6 type:Audio_Line, related:5
    2011-12-03 19:27:10.886969 [(5)]: crossbar pin:7 type:Video_SVideo, related:6

    So in my case you can see that the first tuner does not support any external inputs - there is only a tuner connection. The second tuner is a different story. It has 2 composite (CVBS) and 2 s-video (SVHS) inputs as well as the tuner input. My card would not support what you want to do unless I used two RF connections between the STB and the PC since all the external inputs are tied to the second tuner.

    If you want to know whether your HVR-2200 is capable of doing what you want to do then please post the files in C:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal TV Server\AnalogCard (note: that is a hidden folder, so paste the path into the address bar in Windows explorer).

    If I only use CVBS#1 both encoders will get the same video signal from a single STB.
    That is not true from a code perspective. In my example above, if the first tuner also had a composite input then there would be a CVBS #1 for both tuners and I could connect them to different sources without any problem.

    So if I watch a channel and start recording on it it will work correctly. Then if I change the channel, IRSS will correctly blast the other STB correctly, but the channel I'm watching stays the same since the second encoder is now getting its video from the incorrect source.
    I'm sorry I don't understand. Best to post logs if possible.

    As I said, It makes me sad that Mediaportal does not support dual analogue tuners in the way that I use it, but obviously there is not a lot of people that have multiple STBs conncected using CVBS/SVHS. I'm just going to have to get another HVR2200.
    I think MP is capable, but there might be a hardware limitation here. I could confirm that if you can post the files and logs mentioned above...

    I miss my PVR150s :)
    :)
    Give the HVR-2200 one more chance - it may yet do what you want. We know about the grainy image driver issue and we can't help that but at least lets see if you can get the two STBs working. Even if composite connections don't work it could be possible to use RF connections. However, perhaps you intend to use the DVB-T tuners in the future?

    mm
     

    rekenaar

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    In other words, both tuners on the HVR-2200 could have a CVBS #1 input, and those inputs could be connected to two different STBs (which I think is what you want).

    So if I understand that correctly, you will have STB-1 feed into the AV input cable:
    hvr2250_av-input-cable_diagram-m.jpg


    and then have a separate AV cable for getting the input from STB-2
    hauppauge-av-cable-for-hvr2200mce~6003763.jpg

    and hopefully (cross fingers) both will be seen as cvbs#1 on the different encoders.
     

    Heina

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    'ello

    I have 2xAV Addons as per the second picture above. STB 1 connects to the one using RCA & STB 2 connects to the other using RCA. (Thus I'm avoiding having to convert my composite to svideo & the 2 sound RCA to a stereo jack - its just cleaner)

    OK, so just had a couple of hours to do some thorough tests. I also removed 4TR out of the equation.

    CVBS1 does not return a signal - I always get the no signal blue screen. (This used to work, and is the setting I used before I got the AV Addons & only had one STB Connected directly to the card)

    the results of my tests using CVBS2 are:
    Change to channel 1: Primary Decoder gets blasted, Channel 1 is shown on TV
    Change to channel 2: Primary Decoder gets Blasted, Channel 2 is shown on TV
    Record current program: Primary Decoder gets Blasted, Channel 2 is shown on TV and is being recorded
    Change to channel 1: Secondary Decoder gets blasted correctly because the other decoder is in use, Channel 2 from Primary Decoder is incorrectly displayed

    Now with CVBS3 things get really weird:
    Change to channel 1: Primary Decoder gets blasted, Channel 1 is shown on TV (no sound though)
    Change to channel 2: Both Decoders gets Blasted???, Channel 2 is shown on TV (no sound though)
    Record current program: Both Decoder gets Blasted (blasting is repeated every 10 seconds or so), A frozen frame is being displayed on the TV
    Change to channel 1: Both decoders gets blasted, Displays an error message - unable to start timeshifting & the previous channel gets repeatedly blasted again.

    Attached are my TV Server Logs

    Thanx
     

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    • AnalogCard.rar
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    mm1352000

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    Hi again

    Thanks for the detailed info and sorry for the delayed response - my computer is still in pieces so I'm staying late at work to keep up appearances here. :)

    So from the configuration files I can see that each tuner/encoder has the same inputs:

    1. Tuner
    2. CVBS #1
    3. CVBS #2
    4. S-video #1
    5. S-video #2

    The first thing that you should notice is that there is no CVBS #3 input. MP shows all possible options in both the video sources and audio sources fields but that obviously doesn't mean that they are all available on all cards (eg. your cards don't have 3 HDMI inputs ;)). Don't use CVBS #3 because it doesn't exist on your card and that is why you had the errors and strange things happening when you tried to test with it. If you prefer CVBS over s-video (s-video actually has better video quality) then use either CVBS #1 or CVBS #2.

    Now about the results with CVBS #2. To me it looks like you haven't set up the blaster correctly because it seems like you're blasting to the "default" port. I'm no IRSS expert but shouldn't you be blasting to different ports for the two tuners/encoders? If I'm wrong and the encoders share the physical inputs then it should be relatively easy to debug. Manually set the channels on the STBs (choose different channels for each STB), disable the blaster plugin, and then start a recording on CVBS #2 on each card. If the recordings show the same channels then you have a hardware limitation that doesn't work so well for MP.

    mm
     

    Heina

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    'ello

    Thanx for the response, no worries about the wait :) You must be a very busy man :)

    Anyway, my STB can be set up to for different remotes, so the one is set up to receive one remote and the other is set up to receive from a different remote. Then in IRSS I captured the 2 different remote codes and assigned them to the encoders. This is tested and I'm 100% sure it is set up correctly (as it was working fine when I had 2 distinct capture cards) also as I said the correct STBs gets blasted as expected (if using CVBS#1 & 2)

    I will run the tests again using SVHS. I just chose CVBS because my STBs actually output only composite and that is how they are connected to the HVR2200

    Thanx again for your help
    Hein
     

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