Mediaportal crashed unexpectedly!! (1 Viewer)

[shah]

TV-Server Version: 1.0.0.0 RC1
MediaPortal Version: 1.0.0.0 RC1
MediaPortal Skin:
Windows Version: XP Pro SP2
CPU Type: Intel and AMD Athlon 64 x2 6400+(crashes on both)
HDD: 100 GB
Memory: 2 GB
Motherboard: AM2 for AMD, don't know for Intel
Video Card: Integrated NVIDIA GeForce 6100 Graphics for AM2 board, don't know about the Intel
Video Card Driver:
Sound Card: On board HD 7.1 CH Audio CODEC for AM2 board, don't know about the Intel
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card: USB key based TV Tuner (But I haven't even hooked it up yet)
1. TV Card Type:
1. TV Card Driver:
2. TV Card:
2. TV Card Type:
2. TV Card Driver:
3. TV Card:
3. TV Card Type:
3. TV Card Driver:
4. TV Card:
4. TV Card Type:
4. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec:
MPEG2 Audio Codec:
h.264 Video Codec:
Satelite/CableTV Provider:
HTPC Case:
Cooling:
Power Supply:
Remote:
TV:
TV - HTPC Connection:

I have a USB TV Tuner card that I have been using with the software that it came with to watch TV and record it. And it works great. But I started thinking that it would be great if I could locate some software that would allow me to serve the TV channel stream over my home network so that I can watch TV on any computer I want. It did not take too long of a research that I came across MediaPortal having this capability, and wolla, it was free. I was so glad.

I downloaded it on my laptop - HP nw8200, running Windows XP Pro SP2. It installed with no problems. I chose the TV server option (of course). No issues whatsoever during installation. I was happy. But the feeling did not last too long when it crashed first time I invoked it. I tried it again and the same thing happened. It always says "Mediaportal crashed unexpectedly" and then automatically runs the Test Tool. I did the step 3 (the other buttons corresponding to step 1 and 2 are grayed out!! Is that normal???) and it created a bunch of logs.

I looked at the logs, I could not see anything suspicious. I don't have the logs right now, I will post them a little later.

So I thought, never mind. I will install it on my desktop - a custom built AMD Athlon 64 x2 4600+ processor based computer. Again the installation went fine. Ran it. EXACT SAME PROBLEM. (just don't have enough emoticons to express the feeling). The Mediaportal crashed unexpectedly.

I searched the forums and I found several threads about this dating as far as Sept 2007. But I don't see any of them having any satisfactory solution. I am surprised that 2 out of 2 installations failed!!! Is this such a crapy piece of software. Is anybody else using it with TV server at all, or everyone using it only to watch videos and play MP3s!!!

Is there anyone out there who had the same problem and got it fixed?? Please let me know. Any help would be really appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

Mediaportal needs graphics with 256mb of memory, set this in your Bios, do not leave on auto.

What playback you are liable to get with a 6100, just may struggle as MP quite DX9 intensive.

ps. if you want help, comments like "Is this such a crapy piece of software.", never instill people to help you.

 

[shah]

Thanks for the reply.

I am attaching the zip file generated by the test tool. I don't see anything particular here. May be you or someone else can see something in there.

By the way, I installed it on my other laptop - a Core 2 Duo 1.8 GHz running Windows Vista, and the same thing happened. I now wonder if there is anyone out there even using this software. I haven't tried uninstalling it and installing it with TV server turned off. I don't think I will get any different result since the I don't think it is even getting to where it would start the TV server yet (there are no logs corresponding to TV server), but I will give it a shot.

Thanks for your help.

 

[shah]

Ok, finally I was able to figure out the mystery behind the crashes!

For the record, all you need to do is to start the MediaPortal Configuration, and then click on Television, and then click on TV Client. You will see a text box for Hostname. Enter the name of your computer here. That's it. Close the window by clicking OK. Now run MediaPortal and it should run perfectly. Looks like it tries to establish some sort of connection to the host mentioned in this text box and it crashes because there is no string there.

Developers: It is nice to validate the values before using them, particularly if it is a user input. Better yet, if this text box can be populated with the computer name by default.

Alas! It runs now, but it does not detect/support my TV tuner USB key!! I guess I am stuck once more. The GUI is really impressive though.

Thanks for your help.