Hauppauge HD-PVR & Colossus Support (6 Viewers)

[kilik360]

Hi guys, come in my thread to answer the poll.

https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/threads/plugin-idea.109527/

thanks

 

[luci5r]

Guys,

I have a quick question. I've been running my Hauppauge Colossus with my Comcast Set top box for well over an year now; everything's been running & recording great. No problems.

Recently I had to swap out my Cable Box and they gave me a newer box - the Motorola DCX3200-M set top box. I hooked it in the exact same way that I had the previous box hooked in -- Component to AV IN, Optical to Audio In. However, I'm not getting any picture - any signal at all!! I don't understand this. I haven't change anything at all --- I simply swapped the old Comcast box with this new model Comcast box and hooked up the connections exactly as they were. HDMI goes straight to my TV. Component goes into my Colossus. But there's no signal - no picture - nothing!

Does anyone know anything about this? Is there something about the new DCX3200-M Set Top boxes from Comcast? Or am I doing something wrong?

Thanks!

OK I got this one (got to give back to the community since so many have helped me). Most set top boxes (STB) (and I am not sure if it is new verses old) will only allow 1 output to work at one time. Usually if the HDMI is hooked fromthe STB to a TV or other device (DVR) then the STB turns off the component out. My STB, a cissco explorer 4660, is this way. To get it to the output I want, I have to unplug it from the power source, wait about 1-2 minutes, hook up which ever output I want to use then plug the STB back into the wall for power. It communicated with the cable company to know which shows I get and will pick which output to use.

On mine if I do this then the component works, BUT if I plug in the HDMI while the box is hot, The box will change to the HDMI and I lose the component. I have to go though the hoops of getting the component working again. Because of all the setup issues I have, I have chosen to use the stereo out of my STB instead of the Toskey link (optical). I suspect that if the STB is hooked to the HDMI that the box would shut off the Toskey link because digital audio can be sent over the HDMI.

I would try to hook up your STB directly to you TV via the components after restarting your STB like I do and if you get signal, you can then plug into the HDMI (don't unplug the component) to your TV and see if you lose the component but gain the HDMI or if you don't get HDMI. This will confirm the single output theory. From there you get to swear up a storm at those who created the HDMI and your wonderful cable provider for all that they are doing to make your legal recording of TV shows so easy.

There is one more thing to consider, the box itself may need to be told which output to use (I suspect though you will only get one at a time) so maybe in the boxes settings (sometimes you can find a manual on line on how to get to it and you will need the remote that the cable company supplied) you will have to set where the output goes to (I'm crossing my fingers for you)

Hope this help as lots of people here have helped me
-S

Thank you so much for responding with such detail; this has been very helpful and I have to admit - you hit it BANG on target. I pulled the manual for the Motoroal DCX3200-M Settop box and it does appear indeed that this cable box DOES NOT transmit video on both Component & HDMI simultaneously. It's a shame but you have to choose one.

I must add to your post for the sake of others; my experience tells me this is the case (Single Output) with mostly "newer" cable boxes and not the older ones. This I say because I have used 2 Video Outputs simultaneously with 3 different set top boxes in the past - all old models now - and none had an issue. This DCX3200-M is newer then all older boxes I have used and seems to have this crippling feature.

In my particular case - I do need the box to output on BOTH video outputs and not just one; because we watch cable on the box and record programs on the HTPC with the same box. Very FORTUNATELY for me, I have 4 set top boxes in the house for 4 different bedrooms. Only this one is the newer box - all other 3 are older boxes which support simultaneous video & audio output on all outputs including HDMI, Component & TOSLink (Optical). I'm going to pull one of the older boxes and swap out the newer box with the older one - basically swap boxes between two rooms - that will solve my issue.

Since I hadn't dealt with a Single Output settop box before - I never knew this limitation existed and kept thinking I was doing something wrong. I'm extremely thankful to you for bringing this to my attention so I can put this to rest.

Thanks.

 

[rspierenburg]

Hi. I was wondering if someone could offer some insight. I finally have everything setup to work with my digital cable STB. The only hiccup I have is when changing channels. I'm not sure if this a bug / incorrect setting / or limitation of the hardware, but when I change channels the Audio seems to change rather quickly but the original channel video freezes for around 5-10 seconds and then finally there is a stutter and the audio and video both work correctly.

I've attached log files in case there is something I missed or perhaps need to change.

Thanks,
Rob

 

[omnipitus]

I am looking for some set-up help and have spent a while in the set-up instructions and trolling this forum with no luck (it doesn't mean it isn't there, just that I haven't found it).

I have wintvv7 working just fine as an initial test set-up. Then when I went in to configure Mediaportal I can only get IR blasting and video working but not the audio. I tried randomly changing TV audio codec's in the hopes that it would suddenly just work and not had any luck.

I am using component and SPDIF from a STB (Bell ExpressVu 6131 in Canada). I never had a problem with 2 past set-ups using cable tuner cards and so I am frustrated by my lack of ability to get this working.

Has anyone else experienced this problem of no audio coming through and are you able to help me out with a couple tips or a good link?

 

[kilik360]

Hi omnipitus, you just had to do like in the first post:

Inputs:

We recommend that you configure all channels (in TVserver configuration) 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 = ???

 

[rspierenburg]

Just wondering if anyone had any hints to my issue above?

 

[mm1352000]

Just wondering if anyone had any hints to my issue above?

It is not so easy for me to correlate your description of the symptoms with what I see in the logs. You might be better to start a new thread and hope that Tony (Owlsroost) has a chance to have a look. Before you do that though, since you're using MP 1.2.3 it would be good if you could try the improved version of the TsReader from MP 1.3a. Get it from here (v59c). To test:
1. Close MP.
2. Take a backup of the TsReader.ax file in your MP install folder (C:\Program Files (x86)\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\).
3. Download and extract the replacement linked above into the same folder.

You might also try other video codecs like the Microsoft DTV/DVD video codec.

mm

 

[rspierenburg]

Thanks for the tip. I've tried other codecs and they all seem to do the same thing. Its almost as if the audio changes almost instantaneously from channel to channel but the video takes a few seconds. Like I said, I'm new to the HDPVR so everything might be running the way its meant to. I've also noticed that while switching channels the blue recording light (Bling light) turns off and then back on again, I'm assuming from this that the Tv-Server stops timeshifting in between channel changes? Which I suppose would be make sense if using a TV Tuner card. Just curious more than anything. In any case I will definitely try the new TsReader you suggested above. Thanks for taking a look for me.

Rob

 

[kilik360]

Hi respierenburg, I had a HDPVR 1 year ago and I remember this issue. The 7-8 sec channel change. That's why I bought a colossus. I have a 3 sec channel change now. For the bluelight I don't remember because I deactivate it.

You should test your channel change with their software ( totalmedia extreme if I remember) and you'll be fixed

 

[mm1352000]

Its almost as if the audio changes almost instantaneously from channel to channel but the video takes a few seconds.

Video processing is much more intensive, so this wouldn't surprise me. Tweaking encoding quality options may have an effect here.

I've also noticed that while switching channels the blue recording light (Bling light) turns off and then back on again, I'm assuming from this that the Tv-Server stops timeshifting in between channel changes?

It doesn't fully stop timeshifting unless you actually stop watching TV. To use a technical description: the DirectShow graphs may be paused temporarily, but not stopped. I think the bling light is more likely to be indicating how long it takes for the STB to change channels (ie. it indicates when the HD-PVR is receiving video/audio).

TV Server itself should not and does not take 5+ seconds. From "go" to "whoa" on the TV Server side, the channel changes are roughly taking 1.5 - 2 seconds (including service "tuner" selection and blasting):

2012-07-25 20:18:05.762611 [(20)]: Controller: TimeShiftingWouldUseCard 53 TSN 897
2012-07-25 20:18:05.762611 [(20)]: Controller: find free card for channel 53 TSN
2012-07-25 20:18:05.762611 [(20)]: Controller: find card for channel 53 TSN
2012-07-25 20:18:05.763611 [(20)]: Controller: got 1 tuning details for 53 TSN
2012-07-25 20:18:05.763611 [(20)]: Controller: channel #1 tv:53 TSN Freq:0 Channel:53 Country:Canada Tuner:Cable Video:YRYBYInput1 AudioPDIFInput1

2012-07-25 20:18:06.311642 [(20)]: card: WaitForTimeShiftFile - waiting _eventAudio & _eventVideo
2012-07-25 20:18:06.365645 [(18)]: PID seen - type = Audio
2012-07-25 20:18:06.366645 [(18)]: audioVideoEventHandler Audio
2012-07-25 20:18:06.366645 [(18)]: audio last seen at 7/25/2012 8:18:06 PM
2012-07-25 20:18:06.366645 [(18)]: audio last seen at 7/25/2012 8:18:06 PM
2012-07-25 20:18:06.366645 [(18)]: audio last seen at 7/25/2012 8:18:06 PM
2012-07-25 20:18:06.366645 [(18)]: audio last seen at 7/25/2012 8:18:06 PM
2012-07-25 20:18:06.367645 [(18)]: audio last seen at 7/25/2012 8:18:06 PM
2012-07-25 20:18:06.367645 [(18)]: PID seen - type = Video
2012-07-25 20:18:06.367645 [(18)]: audioVideoEventHandler Video
2012-07-25 20:18:06.368645 [(20)]: card: WaitForTimeShiftFile - video and audio are seen after 0.0560032 seconds
2012-07-25 20:18:06.368645 [(18)]: video last seen at 7/25/2012 8:18:06 PM
2012-07-25 20:18:06.368645 [(18)]: video last seen at 7/25/2012 8:18:06 PM
2012-07-25 20:18:06.368645 [(18)]: video last seen at 7/25/2012 8:18:06 PM
2012-07-25 20:18:06.368645 [(18)]: video last seen at 7/25/2012 8:18:06 PM
2012-07-25 20:18:06.369645 [(18)]: video last seen at 7/25/2012 8:18:06 PM
2012-07-25 20:18:06.369645 [(20)]: Controller: StartTimeShifting started on card:2 to C:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal TV Server\timeshiftbuffer\live2-0.ts
2012-07-25 20:18:06.481652 [ProcessExternalChannel(19)]: TV3BlasterPlugin: ProcessExternalCommand("Blast: 3|Port_2", 3, 53)
2012-07-25 20:18:06.481652 [ProcessExternalChannel(19)]: TV3BlasterPlugin - BlastIR(): C:\ProgramData\IR Server Suite\IR Commands\3.IR, Port_2
2012-07-25 20:18:06.536655 [GenericPCQueue(13)]: TV3BlasterPlugin: Received Message "BlastIR"
2012-07-25 20:18:06.536655 [GenericPCQueue(13)]: TV3BlasterPlugin: Blast successful
2012-07-25 20:18:06.731666 [ProcessExternalChannel(19)]: TV3BlasterPlugin: ProcessExternalCommand("Blast: Select|Port_2", -1, 53)
2012-07-25 20:18:06.731666 [ProcessExternalChannel(19)]: TV3BlasterPlugin - BlastIR(): C:\ProgramData\IR Server Suite\IR Commands\Select.IR, Port_2
2012-07-25 20:18:06.841672 [GenericPCQueue(13)]: TV3BlasterPlugin: Received Message "BlastIR"
2012-07-25 20:18:06.841672 [GenericPCQueue(13)]: TV3BlasterPlugin: Blast successful
2012-07-25 20:18:07.146690 [GenericPCQueue(13)]: TV3BlasterPlugin: Received Message "BlastIR"
2012-07-25 20:18:07.146690 [GenericPCQueue(13)]: TV3BlasterPlugin: Blast successful

If you ignore the blaster then it is even faster than that - in the order of 0.5 - 1 second. Note that the above is one of the slower channel change example in your logs. Other examples take only 1 second. Also note that I'm not sure when the blaster command is actually sent so you may have a cumulative delay effect:
- 0.5s for TV Server
- 1s for blaster
- 2s for STB
- ??? for MP front end

mm