Hauppauge PVR-500 (2 Viewers)

[StaticMan]

Does TV3 support dual tuner cards?

My Hauppauge PVR-500 works fine as a single tuner. When I record and then try to watch a second channel, I just get a black screen.

 

[Mew]

Hi StaticMan

I have certainly had this working in TV Engine 3 (I have not used TV Engine 2 on my HTPC that I built in April). My WinTV HVR-4000 was recording on DVB-S, my WinTV PVR-500 was also recording and it also let me view a channel on the WinTV PVR-500.

This was a number of SVNs ago and I now have a second HVR-4000 for DVB-S so the scenario is less likely to arise. I have also probably updated the Hauppauge drivers to v3.41a and MCE v2.1 since so I cannot say if it would still work (I would think it should though).

 

[geov]

Hi Mew

If I might ask, do you use the composite inputs on your PVR500, or the areal input?

I'm asking because I'm having a few problems setting mine up using the composite inputs on TV3 where TV2 has no problems.

Cheers
GeoV

 

[Mew]

Hi GeoV

I am using the aerial input so I am afraid I can't help with the composite one as I haven't needed to try it.

I bought the card because 2 out of what were our 5 main channels in the UK (Channel 4 and Five) are Free To View at present (they need a card to decrypt) on Satellite and not Free To Air. While the WinTV HVR-4000 is supposed to receive analogue it is software based decoding only (which is not so good for CPU) and reports on the forums say that it doesn't work in TV3.

 

[geov]

Thanks Mew, I'll continue my search for a solution....

Cheers
GeoV

 

[StaticMan]

Sorry I forgot to add that detail. I'm using set top boxes, so I'm wondering if TVS supports (or if anyone has it working) using both S-Videos ins (2 sat receivers) on a PVR-500

 

[MSMP]

StaticMan,

The same here, using Bell express/Starchoice stb.
TVS3 seems to be able to timeshift and the client can view stream.
however I can't manage to do the IR blaster thing.
in MP_0.2 however, it worked fine.
Using MP 0.2.3 RC1 and NO TV3Server seems to have same problem. Can't get the IR blaster to work and change channels.

 

[StaticMan]

MSMP,

I think you've got a different issue than me.
To get blasting working on both tuners just use the "IR Blaster Suite" software.
I can change channels on both STBs without problem.

My problem is that within MP/TV3 only the first tuner works. I can watch and record, but if I try to watch a second stream (2nd tuner) its a black screen with no audio. Maybe my channel config is wrong. I grab the data from the zap2it plugin and channels are added to SvhsInput1. What's your config?

 

[MSMP]

HI staticman,

I was trying (not successful) to have 2 star choice STB's to be the source for my HTPC. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to get the second one to work, neither on MP 2.3.3RC1 nor TV3. There is a dual problem for me:

1. IR blaster server doing weird (can't start IR server anymore and I don't know why. I have reinstalled it few times with same result. Never got it to work well at all.)

2. One STB is SVHS other is Composite. Seems in MP/TV2 that is an issue. Mixed inputs seem not to work only with some weird settings I manage to get signal on composite input.
What I do is using the first with SVHS as an external controlled STB with IR blaster. The second one as one channel only (CVBS1) this will read the Composite signal. (Don’t as why, just trial on error and I know; it doesn't make sense at all) I will have to manually switch channels on this box, as there is no IR blaster on an internal input. However, I can use it to see another channel while recording a show on my first one. And with manual record I can record a second show (unfortunately no recording info)

My hope was that TV3 could solve this issue, but wasn’t successful using the Server blaster. (Didn’t know about IR server suite yet at time of setup. I might try again once I get the IR server suite working again.)

IR server suite is definitely the way to go but I never got to use it as during configuration it crapped out and I can’t even load the software now. (Not going to reinstall the whole XP on this one either, so hoping the Great Aaron can find a solution for me. LOL)

Even with some Upgrade pains and beta testing for the new upcoming release, I still like MP over any other available (free and payable). The .Net environment was the right choice.

We have bigger fish to fry in the near future though. Zap2It is discontinuing the service for free. Actually won’t even do it if you pay them (I’ve offered to pay for the service, even offered to put up a commercial licence and extract on a secure connection data to my server and then redistribute to the MP community. But nope no answer)
I don’t believe it has to do with abuse and bandwidth, to me it is all about politics and protecting the content (cable/satellite) providers (their customers).

Sorry got site tracked and off topic.

 

[StaticMan]

MSMP,

I use IR Server Suite for channel changing, it works perfect on both STB.
I'll try what you mentioned, just making one SVHS channel for my second tuner. Do you then map all the channels on tuner 1 to SVHS on tuner 2? How does MP/TV3 know to switch over.

I can't believe this isn't easier to do. I would have guessed there's a ton of people who have multiple tuners w/ identical STBs.

I'm stuck with MCE until I can figure this out.