Hauppauge HD-PVR & Colossus Support (1 Viewer)

[srr037]

Thank you guys; you saved my life. I have the HD-PVR that I bought to utilize with SageTV and my Dish Network STB. I was in the trial period and I was up and running in Sage in less than an hour, having only problems getting the remote to work right. Then it was gobbled up by Google and I decided not to spend the money activating it. So I settled on MP and have been tearing my hair out trying to figure MP out to get the HD-PVR to be recognized by the TVserver and the Schedules Direct Dish channel Guide to load up. I think this thread and another guide on here saved me from slitting my wrists. I'm still having two issues (haven't even started on the ir remote blaster yet): (1) I was trying to install your audio fix file, and for some strange reason it would keep giving me a message that the files I was trying to replace were in use. Since I'm just using my TV's audio for the present, I don't think this will be an issue for me, but it was strange, since all programs were closed and nothing showed up as running in the Task Manager. (2) Most important for me now, the TVserver with plugin you referenced contacted Schedules Direct, and the TV log showed that the channels and content were downloaded from Schedules Direct. But now they don't show up in the channel guide of my skin. One problem may be is that I downloaded the StreamedMP skin before I ran across your guide here that is utilizing MP 1.2 beta and had to update it to a new compatible version after I downloaded the SD info. I've stopped and started the programs, the TVserver service, and my computer, but still nothing. I don't see an option for reloading the SD guide again. I'm probably doing some really stupid newb thing, but I'm stumped, if you or anyone has any suggestions.

 

[mm1352000]

Hi and welcome srr037

(1) I was trying to install your audio fix file, and for some strange reason it would keep giving me a message that the files I was trying to replace were in use.

Probably because TV Server is a service that runs in the background (tvservice.exe). You'd need to stop the service either via the Windows service control mechanism (right click on My Computer -> manage -> services... somewhere in there, there is a list of services, and you should see a TV service) or in the "manual control" section of TV Server configuration. If you do it in TV Server configuration *you have to also close TV Server configuration*, because TV Server configuration uses some of the files.

(2) Most important for me now, the TVserver with plugin you referenced contacted Schedules Direct, and the TV log showed that the channels and content were downloaded from Schedules Direct. But now they don't show up in the channel guide of my skin.

Have you created the channels in TV Server? In other words, are there channels in the "TV Channels" section of TV Server configuration? If not then you have your answer - you can't see guide information in MediaPortal unless you have channels in TV Server. You need to associate each channel in the guide data provided by SchedulesDirect with a channel in TV Server.

mm

 

[David Abineri]

WileECoyote, I am very new to Media Portal and I wonder if you might be able to fill in some details for me in setting up the Colossus system I now have?

I have installed MP 1.2.0 as instructed.

I have downloaded the All_Colossus_HDPVR_Patch and extracted the files. When I run the SetupTV app it encounters an error and stops.

I have downloaded the Colossus 29168 Driver Patch and DLL but how do I apply this patch?

I am sure it is something I am missing but if you can point me in the right direction I would appreciate the help. Perhaps there is an FAQ that describes the setting up of Colossus?

Thanks, Dave

 

[mm1352000]

Hi again David

I'm sorry to hear that you're still struggling with the complexity - these problems should go away after 1.2.0rc is released (which should hopefully happen very soon).

I notice that you addressed your queries to WileECoyote, and I'm happy to let him answer if you specifically want answers from him. I'm just aware that he seems to be very busy these days so with that in mind, here are a few comments...

From the very top:
0. Install the latest Colossus driver, but do not install the MC plugin - people have reported that it can cause problems. If you've already installed that then you may need to uninstall and reinstall the driver.
1. Install 1.2.0b.
2. Stop the TV Server (tvservice.exe) - you can do this by opening TV Server configuration, going to the "manual control" section, and then clicking "stop service". After that, be sure to close TV Server configuration.
3. Download the All_Colossus_HDPVR_Patch linked in the first post. Ensure you have version 2 - All_Colossus_HDPVR_Patch(v2).zip.
4. Copy the files into the appropriate folders as instructed in the post where you download the patch. MediaPortal, MediaPortal configuration and TV Server configuration should all be closed at this point.
5. Download the Colossus 29168 Driver Patch attached to the first post. Copy the TVLibrary.dll into the TV Server install folder. To be extremely clear, you are now replacing the TVLibrary.dll from All_Colossus_HDPVR_Patch.
6. At this point you should be able to start TV Server configuration again (click "yes" to start the service if asked).
7. Navigate to the tuner list within TV Server configuration - expand the "TV Servers" node then select your TV Server.
8. You should see a Colossus crossbar device in the list.

If you can't open TV Server configuration or you don't see the Colossus in the tuner list then there is a problem with your setup and there is no point proceeding any further until you have that sorted. If you're in that situation then please let me know and I will ask for further information, otherwise just confirm that you can see the Colossus and I'll provide further directions.

mm

 

[David Abineri]

Thanks mm, I am pleased to have you respond and will work my way through this list.

My understanding is that Colossus does not tune (is not a tuner) but is just a capture card. Is this correct? Yet you noted that it shows up in a tuner list?

What is the MC plugin?

Can you help me in conceptualizing the MP system briefly. What does the TV Server do? Are there other 'pieces' of the system I should be aware of?

Thanks for your help, yet again. Dave

 

[mm1352000]

My understanding is that Colossus does not tune (is not a tuner) but is just a capture card. Is this correct? Yet you noted that it shows up in a tuner list?

You are correct - the Colossus and HDPVR are the only capture devices that we support at present. I guess I should learn to refer to that list as a device list in the future.

What is the MC plugin?

I'm told that Hauppauge have released a plugin to allow the Colossus to be used in Windows Media Center. It may be installed by default with the latest drivers...

Can you help me in conceptualizing the MP system briefly. What does the TV Server do? Are there other 'pieces' of the system I should be aware of?

There are bits and pieces of information scattered throughout our wiki that describe how things work. In short, TV Server is responsible for all TV functions in MP. There are a few components in the MP-TV Server system, the most important of which are:
1. TsWriter and MPFileWriter - receive the data streams from tuners and capture devices. These components enable channel scanning, EPG grabbing, timeshifting and recording. Primarily they receive bunches of channels and copy the stream from the channels that you want to watch or record into TS files on your hard drive.
2. TV library - knows how to control tuners and capture devices. In particular it knows how to tell them to tune to specific channels. This component controls TsWriter and MPFileWriter as required.
3. TV engine/scheduler - the core of TV Server. It controls the TV library and is responsible for high level management like ensuring recordings happen when you schedule them to occur, starting timeshifting (choosing a tuner, telling TV library to tell the tuner to tune etc.) when you want to watch TV, scheduling EPG grabbing.
3. TV plugin - the TV and radio screens in MediaPortal itself, including the TV and radio home and EPG screens.
4. TsReader - reads the files created by TsWriter and MPFileWriter and splits them into audio, video and subtitle streams that can in turn be actually decoded by codecs that understand the audio, video and subtitle formats.
5. Codecs (3rd party software) - these are specific bits of software that know how to decode particular media formats, for example MP3, MPEG, Dolby Digital, or h.264.
6. MediaPortal - controls TsReader, connecting the appropriate codecs between TsReader and renderers (which are basically the drivers for your video card and sound card).

That is probably as simple as I can make it. TV Server itself is always running in the background so you don't have to have MP running when you want recordings to take place - TV Server can handle them without you even knowing that they are happening. Communication between the TV plugin in MediaPortal and the other parts of the TV Server (in particular the TV engine) allows TV Server and MediaPortal to be installed on separate computers. Multiple computers can have MediaPortal installed on them and receive TV from a single TV Server. This is what we refer to when we talk about multi-seat and single seat installations - wiki info.

mm

 

[srr037]

Thanks mm for the welcome and for your generous help. The channels were all there in the server, but they were not "mapped" to any card (I thought this was a newb problem). I mapped them all to the Hauppauge card, but they are still not showing up in the skin. I think I can figure things out from here, though. One thing that puzzles me still. I only have one card, but in the server there are two listed, one apparently generated by MP. Do I just ignore this?

 

[mm1352000]

srr037
Yes, it is a "virtual" card for receiving DVB-IP streams - thats internet TV in certain formats. You can ignore it.

 

[srr037]

Hate to keep bothering you with these noob problems. I got the skin to display the channel guide (the For the Record plugin was interfering). The channel guide info is correct, but when I click on a channel that I know is playing, after a few seconds I get a channel or program not found message. In the log it appears that the server is finding my HD PVR and the channel, then there is a message that says something about Menu associated with Hauppauge being false. I've attached the whole log, but I did a click on a channel at the end starting at about 11:54 so you don't have to wade through a lot. When I fire up the ArcSoft Total Media Extreme software that came the HDPVR, it is displaying the video through the HDPVR with no problem, so it seems like some kind of handshaking problem between MP and the HDPVR. In an earlier post about a member not getting live video, you suggested that he click the stop when idle button in the Hauppauge edit. I did that, but I think my problem is something different, since that poster could record and play back, but not view live tv. I can't get any signal at all, not live or recorded.

 

[mm1352000]

Hi again srr037

What happens if you revert to using the TVLibrary.dll provided with the All_Colossus_HDPVR_Patch(v2).zip?

mm