Hauppauge HD-PVR & Colossus Support (5 Viewers)

[jmvaughn]

The Colossus does indeed have an IR transmitter. However, it will only work if you have one HD-PVR/Colossus. Since I had more than one, I got the USB-UIRT (which supports two IR leads per USB-UIRT device). If you plan to get a second Colossus eventually, you may want to consider getting the USB-UIRT now, just so you don't have to hassle with the IR setup twice.

 

[nzdreamer55]

The Colossus does indeed have an IR transmitter. However, it will only work if you have one HD-PVR/Colossus. Since I had more than one, I got the USB-UIRT (which supports two IR leads per USB-UIRT device). If you plan to get a second Colossus eventually, you may want to consider getting the USB-UIRT now, just so you don't have to hassle with the IR setup twice.

Got it. That makes sense. I only have 1 STB at this time so I will only be able to capture 1 channel (I'm in the USA using US Cable box, not satalite) at a time. I can see how you could watch one channel and record another with two devices, but I am looking to mostly capture shows that we are not around to watch and or cannot find on the P2P network.

 

[BKCH]

Hi guys,

I have been a HD-PVR user since they were released - I've just switched to Colossus and have a Component input from my STB (Foxtel in Australia) to the colossus. The feed is working quite well but the quality is "ok" but not "great". With my HD-PVR I had pretty great video quality... Any ideas where I should start the trouble shooting? (I don't think I can use the HDMI capture on the card because of HDCP).

I'm using the latest driver (29361) and am using the SAF codecs.

I've tried setting the quality in my TV server configuration - I've tried both "high" and "custom" (set to 100%)

I have a suspicion that it could be aspect ratio related - for some reason my foxtel is outputting 16:9 but my MP (set to "normal" in TV zoom) displays it as a 4:3 video (so I have to use "stretch" to have the video displayed in the correct aspect ration.

Any ideas guys? Thanks very much.

 

[kilik360]

Hi BKCH
The bitrate settings for the colossus is in Arcsoft Showbiz ( on the colossus CD )
Play with that and tell us if it's better.

 

[joshuasdad]

On post one in configuring each channel for the pin configuration.

Do you need to edit each channel or can you apply to all?

Thanks

 

[kilik360]

For now, there is no solution for apply to all, so yes you have to edit each channel, this is the fun part.

 

[luci5r]

Guys,

How do you set the Format Settings in MediaPortal for anything you record from TV? I thought the Format Settings that you declare in ArcSoft Showbiz also applies to any recordings done with the Colossus through MediaPortal! But that's not happening in my case.

For example, I have set the Format Settings in ArcSoft ShowBiz for Colossus Capture Card to 17.0 mbps bit rate, 20.0 mbps Peak Bit Rate, and .M2TS as the extension. If I capture using ShowBiz, I do get these settings implemented. I just tried recording a movie that was playing in HD on HBO. After checking it in MediaInfo, I had 20.0 mbps overall bit rate, 1920 X 1080 resoution and 6 Channel AC3 audio.

I went back into MediaPortal and hit record - same movie, same station, same broadcast.

Checked this recording in MediaInfo and I have a dismal 5176 kbps bit rate & 2 Channel 194 kbps audio!!! Why is the video & audio quality so poor through MediaPortal? What am I missing or not setting?

Thanks!!

 

[kilik360]

Hi luci5r, sad to ear that this does not work for you. In ShowBiz, instead of m2ts try TS (Playstation 3 if I remember) maybe it's just that.

 

[BKCH]

Hi BKCH
The bitrate settings for the colossus is in Arcsoft Showbiz ( on the colossus CD )
Play with that and tell us if it's better.

Hi kilik360 - Thanks very for the post - I tried this last night and I can see that I'm not controlling the quality in showbiz (I had assumed that the "Check" button in MP config was confirming that quality control would work within MP - anyway, problem number 1 now solved!! Specifically, I *think* the quality is a little better and aspect ratio issue is now solved.

Problem number #2 - my (stupid!) cable provider - Foxtel - seem to have "downgraded" their STB h/w and the new HD IQ2 doesn't support 1080 via component - only 720 - so I think that's the reason that my quality isn't great.

After a bit of research it seems a HDFury IV is the answer - it will take a 1080P HDMI signal and convert it to component or - interestingly - it can strip the HDCP and output on HDMI...

So - I know have 3 questions for the group....:

1. Has anyone tried a HDFury? Any feedback on the results?
2. Has anyone tried using the HDMI capture on the Colossus in MP? Does it work or should I stick with Component??

(slightly different tangent)

3. What IR Blaster h/w and s/w are most people using?? In my last setup I was using USB-UIRT with IRSS but I'd love to reduce the number of moving parts so if ServerBlaster works well with the Colossus card blaster then maybe I'll go that way - any thoughts??

Thanks heaps guys - I really appreciate all the help

 

[joshuasdad]

where do you configure this?

Inputs:

We recommend that you configure all channels with the correct video *and* audio inputs. This information about inputs may be helpful to you.

Colossus:

pin 0 = Video_SerialDigital = HDMI #1 = HDMI video (note that you need MP 1.2.0rc or better for this to work)
pin 1 = Video_YRYBY = YRYBY #1 = Component video (red + blue + green RCA plugs)
pin 2 = Video_Composite = CVBS #1 = Composite video (yellow RCA plug)
pin 3 = Video_SVideo = SVHS #1 = S-video (multi-pin round DIN plug)
pin 4 = Video_YRYBY = YRYBY #2 = Component loop output (do not use)
pin 5 = Video_Composite = CVBS #2 = Composite loop output (do not use)
pin 6 = Video_SVideo = SVHS #2 = S-video loop output (do not use)
pin 7 = Audio_SPDIFDigital = SPDIF In #1 = HDMI audio
pin 8 = Audio_Line = Line In #1 = RCA L/R audio (white and red RCA plugs)
pin 9 = Audio_SPDIFDigital = SPDIF In #2 = S/PDIF audio
pin 10 = Audio_Line = Line In #2 = RCA L/R audio loop output (do not use)

HD-PVR:

pin 0 = Video_YRYBY = YRYBY #1 = Component video (red + blue + green RCA plugs)
pin 1 = Video_SVideo = SVHS #1 = S-video (multi-pin round DIN plug)
pin 2 = Video_Composite = CVBS #1 = Composite video (yellow RCA plug)
pin 3 = Audio_SPDIFDigital = SPDIF In #1 = S/PDIF audio
pin 4 = Audio_Line = Line In #1 = RCA L/R audio (white and red RCA plugs)
pin 5 = Audio_AUX = Aux In #1 = ???