Hauppauge HVR-1300MCE - All DVB-T channels scrambled? (1 Viewer)

[8bit]

Hi, I'm very new to PC TV tuners, digital terrestrial TV in the UK and Media Portal so please go easy on me!

I got a Hauppauge HVR-1300MCE Kit today which doesn't come with any software, just MCE drivers. Now I'm using XP Pro and I'd heard of Media Portal and thought I could use that instead.

The autoscan during the MP setup wizard found ten channels, however when I go into My TV in MP and try to watch the channel it says "TV Channel is scrambled!" on a black screen. I occasionally hear brief flashes of sound but that's it. Can anyone tell me where I'm going wrong?

Also, I have a Playstation2 plugged into the S-Video input and L+R Audio input jacks on the Hauppauge card, can anyone tell me how to get that working?

MTIA
8bit

 

[amaysin]

I got a HVR-1100 and I experienced a similar problem to yourself, with the scrambled TV channels. It turned out that I had used a normal aerial splitter to split the arial to another freeview box. I bought an aerial distribution amp and never had a problem since.
I don't know about the video input.

 

[8bit]

thanks for the response!

hmm I don't have any other freeview boxes and the aerial on the card is linked directly to the wall socket. I found it strange how it picks up that the channels are there but can't display them. Even FTA like Grampian and Channel 4 say scrambled.

That said, when using the same roof aerial with an analog TV tuner the picture quality was fairly poor, anyone know if I can get a booster of some sort that might help with DVB-T?

 

[8bit]

I got a HVR-1100 and I experienced a similar problem to yourself, with the scrambled TV channels. It turned out that I had used a normal aerial splitter to split the arial to another freeview box. I bought an aerial distribution amp and never had a problem since.
I don't know about the video input.

amaysin, can you tell me (if you're in the UK) what kind of amp you got and where you got it? Think I'm going to try that...

TIA
8bit

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

8bit

if youve got poor analogue reception you ain't going to get digital, ask locally if area receives digital or go to the Freeview.co.uk website and search on postcode maybe an aerial/cable upgrade needed to get quality signal but worth it in the long run

Rayuk

 

[amaysin]

amaysin wrote:
I got a HVR-1100 and I experienced a similar problem to yourself, with the scrambled TV channels. It turned out that I had used a normal aerial splitter to split the arial to another freeview box. I bought an aerial distribution amp and never had a problem since.
I don't know about the video input.

amaysin, can you tell me (if you're in the UK) what kind of amp you got and where you got it? Think I'm going to try that...
TIA
8bit

I went into Homebase and got a 1 to 4 way amp. It was fairly cheap, about £13 if I remember correctly.
As Paranoid Delusion said, I'm not sure how much it will help you as my reception was ok when I plugged my aerial (pre amp) directly into the card. I only had a problem when I split the aerial, and hence the need for a distribution amplifier (although it has boosted the reception, for a few channels that were occasionally flakey).
Sounds like you maybe better off investing in a new aerial or a combination of both.

 

[SiLenTYL]

im using a different dvb card , a Dvico DVB-T USB2 ...
however i get the same "Scrambled" message when the reception is not high enough...usually i have to jiggle the antenna cable and its fine

after the "scrambled" message comes up...i find i must reboot before i get any channels back

 

[8bit]

Hmm thanks guys, worth noting is that I tried another free PVR package and it couldn't find any channels either so I think it's aerial or otherwise signal related.

I also put my postcode into the freeview website and it told me that I could get freeview although I would probably need a new aerial as it's a different transmitter for freeview apparently.

Problem is that I live in a shared block of flats with 5 other flats, mine is rented so I guess I'll have to speak to the other tenants and see if they have freeview already.

 

[5teve]

it may be worth a nip down to maplins also to try one of their 27db masthead amplifiers... im not sure how much use putting it down at the socket end would be as they are designed, as their name suggests, to be up near the antenna.

one thing about digital is that you either get watchable tv or no tv... analogue tv just has a worse and worse picture until its unwatchable.

I had to get a new aerial and masthead amp... i do get 100% signal on all channels now... but i still get the odd jump.. mainly on itv/channel4 channels

if your signal was good you should be picking up around 54 tv channels

Thanks

Steve

 

[8bit]

thanks folks - when I went out today I had a look up at the roof and it looks like the aerial has been blown off the chimney stack, it's lying on its side partway down the roof tiles... think I'll need to see if I can get it remounted again, that would probably explain the crappy signal.

Cheers all!