DVB-T playback (1 Viewer)

[fangio99]

I've just rebuilt my htpc and added DVB-S and DVB-T cards TBS6281 and TBS6982. The system is all working well except for playback on DVB-T. The video is unwatchable blocky, pixelated, jerky but the audio is fine. The channels work perfectly if I use preview in the TVServer config but are unusable to watch in MediaPortal.

Any help greatly appreciated????

Thanks,

Fangio

 

[CyberSimian]

The video is unwatchable blocky, pixelated, jerky but the audio is fine. The channels work perfectly if I use preview in the TVServer config but are unusable to watch in MediaPortal.

My first thought is that the TV signal is too weak for reliable reception. A signal that is too weak gives pixelated video.

You say that preview in "TV Server Config" works OK, but did you test the same channels that you tried when using the MP client?

DVB-T/T2 TV channels are grouped into MUXes, each MUX containing perhaps 15 channels. At any particular location, you may be able to receive more than one MUX, but the MUXes may not be broadcast with identical power. For example, at my location (Rowridge transmitter) there are:

• 3 MUXes broadcast at 200 kWatt,
• 3 MUXes broadcast at 50 kWatt,
• 1 MUX broadcast at 20 kWatt.

If you viewed a 200 kWatt channel in "TV Server Config", but tried to view a 20 kWatt channel in the MP client, that might explain the result that you found. So it is important that you test the same channels in "TV Server Config" and in the MP client.

Try to identify the MUXes that are available at your location, and see what power they are broadcast with. For testing, choose channels in the MUX that has the largest broadcast power.

In the MP client, if you view live TV and press the INFO button on the remote control, the pop-up OSD should display the signal strength and signal quality of the signal being received. My TBS 6284 shows level=54% and quality=67% when receiving "BBC2 HD", and that does not suffer from pixelation.

Depending on how far away the transmitter is, you should expect to have to use an external roof-mounted aerial, or (possibly) an internal loft-mounted aerial. A set-top aerial in the TV room is unlikely to provide an adequate signal.

Finally, you should change the log level in both "MP Config" and "TV Server Config" to DEBUG, and then repeat your tests. Use the log collector to gather all of the logs into a zip file, and then attach the zip file to this thread. However, MP no longer has anyone who is expert in the TV support, so I am not sure that the logs will be of much use (but provide them anyway).

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

 

[fangio99]

So I checked the signal levels.
Level = 87
Quality = 100

I checked again, the preview in TVServer config is fine motion wise but not when in the main program. I've tried MadVR and EVR renderers to no avail. I've reinstalled the latest MadVR and LAV filters. It's quite weird. The output from the DVB-T card goes to the TV aerial input and the channels are perfect on the TV but I can't watch them in MP 1.33 X86.

 

[CyberSimian]

So I checked the signal levels.
Level = 87
Quality = 100

Those signal numbers look fine.
Unfortunately, I don't have any other suggestions as to the possible cause of your problem.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK