Need Help, found then lost QAM channels, cannot pull straight video signal via card (1 Viewer)

[RGPFX]

Hi,
Newcomer here. I just found media portal as I've been looking for a PC based alternative to my now sadly non-functional Panasonic DVR.

I set up the Media Portal that I downloaded a week ago. When I first set up the TV configurator, I ran the QAM scan and got a bunch of channels. Since then, in trying to get the direct video feed from my cable (i.e. see the signal playing back, even from the cable in-built DVR) I have messed up somehow. I deleted the QAM assortment and then tried to reload them but scan finds nothing, regardless of which QAM method I try.

I cannot see the video feed as mentioned above. I have a Hauppauge card 1255 that was pre-installed in my computer, but doesn't include the WinTV software that Hauppauge includes with the boxed cards.

The system is an HP with I7 processor with 9 GB RAM running Win 7 64.

Using Win MCE, I can see the live feed signal, although the quality standard def is not great. Win MCE cannot tune QAM any longer.

Using Media portal, I cannot get the live feed. At first I was getting errors that there were no software encoders. I downloaded ATI's encoders since I have an ATI HD6XXX card, and now I don't get that message, but I do get a black picture with a green bar at the bottom.

I'm totally confused. Please help.

 

[mm1352000]

Hello and welcome RGPFX

Lets take one thing at a time.
So you have a few clear QAM local channels, right? As you've seen, you should be able to receive those channels with MediaPortal. Your tuner can only be used in MP or WMC, not both at the same time... and after you've used the tuner in WMC you'd need to restart the MediaPortal TV service.

What I'd suggest you do is:

1. Close WMC.
2. Open TV Server configuration and delete any channels in the "TV Servers" section.
3. Go to the "manual control" section and click "stop service"... then "start service".
4. Go to the scanning section and rescan using the channel plan that got you your channels last time. In most cases "QAM Standard" will be the one to use; otherwise "QAM HRC" is the next most likely.

Let me know once you've got that sorted.
If the scan doesn't find your channels please post log files so we can help you track down the problem.

1. In TV Server configuration, click "open log directory" in the top left corner.
2. Zip up all the files you find there.
3. Post/attach the zip file here.

Thanks,
mm

 

[RGPFX]

Hi mm,

Thanks for the response. I ran 1-4 above, but no dice, for any of the five QAM option scans.
I tried to zip up the files in the log directory, but I get an error

! C:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal TV Server\log.zip: Cannot open log\TVService-Error.log
The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.
! C:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal TV Server\log.zip: Cannot open log\TVService.log
The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.
I tried rebooting and doing the zip first thing, but still the same response, so I cannot post these files.
Options?

Also, ideas for getting the live source to work?

Thanks.

 

[mm1352000]

I tried rebooting and doing the zip first thing, but still the same response, so I cannot post these files.

Options?

Yep, try this:
1. Open TV Server configuration.
2. Go to the manual control section and click "stop service".

3. Now grab the log files as per the second set of instructions above.

If that still doesn't work, copy the log files to a new folder and zip from there.

Also, ideas for getting the live source to work?

I do have some ideas, but let's take one thing at a time. Your log files will probably tell me what is going on with the live source too.

mm

 

[RGPFX]

Done! (I think)

 

[mm1352000]

Thanks
Okay, so nothing seems obviously wrong with the QAM scans. Unfortunately most of your old files from the successful scan have been wiped.

One key thing to keep in mind: your tuner is a hybrid tuner. That means you can only use it to receive the live source or the QAM channels, not both at once. That restriction applies for all software including WMC and MP. In MP such cards should be configured according to the instructions here:
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_...rver_Configuration/02_TV_Servers/Hybrid_Cards

When you do that, MP allows you to switch seamlessly between the QAM and live sources.

When you scan QAM, make sure you haven't been viewing the live source in WMC. If you have, close WMC and restart the MP TV service (the "manual control" thing). Then please try this:
1. Open TV Server configuration.
2. Navigate to the tuner list, select the QAM tuner "Hauppauge WinTV 885 BDA Tuner/Demod", then click "edit":
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_...nfiguration/02_TV_Servers#Edit_Tuner_Settings
3. Set preferred network provider to ATSC.
4. Save and OK.
5. Rescan QAM standard.

Regarding the live source...
Presumably you're adding the sources via the analog scanning page and clicking "add s-video channels"? If not, that is how you want to do it. While you're there you should check out this section:
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_...guration/02_TV_Servers/5_Scan_Analog#Settings
Since you're based in the US, values should probably be NTSC_M, 720x480, and 29.97 fps. Setting the right values here should fix the green bar. After you change these settings, restart the TV service again just to be certain they take effect.

When you do click that "add s-video channels" button, it will probably add more than one channel in the TV Channels section. You can find these channels by searching for #. CVBS#X on Y channels are the composite (yellow) RCA/banana inputs; S-Video#X on Y channels are the s-video inputs. You'll need to use a process of trial and error to figure out which of these channels shows the video and audio from the live feed.

Finally, I see MP is picking up and using a Cyberlink video encoder and the ATI audio encoder for the live source. I'd recommend having a look here:
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_...onfiguration/06_General#Software_Encoders_Tab

Make sure the ATI encoders are at the top of each list. If they're not, use the up/down buttons to move 'em up.

Hope that helps...
mm

 

[RGPFX]

I'm OK with a single source at a time. Later I want to build a home PC as a dedicated DVR but right now, I'm just trying to catch up with what I have.

OK. Split the two Hauppauge tuners each off as a hybrid card. Restarted TV service. Set the tuner demod to ATSC. Scanned again in the ATSC but still nothing.

Just for good measure, I scanned the analog tuner too, it found the live source as channel 3. Media portal now tunes it, but the aspect ratio seems stretched horizontally. Still, a nice step up.

Still no QAM though.

 

[mm1352000]

I'm OK with a single source at a time. Later I want to build a home PC as a dedicated DVR but right now, I'm just trying to catch up with what I have.

Right, okay.

OK. Split the two Hauppauge tuners each off as a hybrid card. Restarted TV service. Set the tuner demod to ATSC. Scanned again in the ATSC...

Great.

...but still nothing.

Hmmm. Something is not right here.

Just for good measure, I scanned the analog tuner too, it found the live source as channel 3. Media portal now tunes it, but the aspect ratio seems stretched horizontally. Still, a nice step up.

Hang on a moment. If you found the live source by scanning with the analog tuner (ie. literally scanning rather than using "add s-video channels")... what is your live source? In other words, what have you hooked up to the card and how have you done it? I suspect the answer to this question will be the answer to why you're not getting QAM channels anymore.

 

[RGPFX]

I'm hooked up to the feed from the cable box,, split off from the box before the TV. Is there a specific channel that I should tune to get the QAM? Aren't the QAM underlaid on the main signal?
Feed is via the standard Coax, using extra cable-company coax left over from a previous install.

 

[mm1352000]

I'm hooked up to the feed from the cable box,, split off from the box before the TV.

Ahhhh, so you're using the RF/coax out on the cable box. That explains it.

Is there a specific channel that I should tune to get the QAM? Aren't the QAM underlaid on the main signal?

The QAM channels are not mixed with the cable box output, so with the way you've hooked things up right now you're only going to get the live feed of whatever the cable box is decoding. When you change channels on the cable box, the live feed will also change.

To be clear: this approach will only give you one "channel" which is the cable box output.

If you want to receive the QAM channels you'll almost certainly have to take the feed that you normally plug into the cable box.
In order to receive the QAM channels as well as a live feed from the cable box you'll need to split the signal before the cable box and hook one split into the cable box and the other split into the PC. Then depending on what outputs your cable box has, you may be able to hook one up to the TV and the other to the PC.

The coax that you've been using is the lowest quality link method. Don't use it unless you can avoid it. S-video would be the first choice for the PC card. HDMI or component (R+G+B) would be the first choice for the TV... then s-video, then composite (yellow)... then finally RF/coax.

If you could list the available outputs on the cable box and link to a picture of the exact PC card model you have then I could make more specific recommendations...