PVR500MCE problems. Help! (1 Viewer)

[Shurik]

MediaPortal Version: 0.2.2.0
MediaPortal Skin: Blue Two Wide
Windows Version: Win XP SP2 WMP11
CPU Type: P4 3Ghz
HDD: 2x300Gb, 20Gb
Memory: 1Gb PC3200 ECC
Motherboard: MSI
Motherboard Bios: Award
Video Card: Radeon 9600 Pro 256Mb
Video Card Driver: Latest Catalyst
Sound Card: Built-in on the MB (SoundMax)
1. TV Card: Hauppauge PVR500 MCE
1. TV Card Type: analog
MPEG2 Video Codec:
MPEG2 Audio Codec:
Satelite/CableTV Provider: Shaw Cable
HTPC Case: SilverStone LC20
Power Supply: Antec
Remote: MCE
TV: LCD Daytek 32"
TV - HTPC Connection: DVI

I just got PVR500 instead of 150 - wanted to have a dual tuner card to use it with two inputs - STB and direct cable connection. So, put the card into the slot, attached secondary input panel to 'connection 2' on the card and put the cables in - direct cable from the wall into cable socket on the card and RCA cables to the secondary panel. Now, want to set up channels for the cards.

#1 problem. Somehow both cards in the list (a, b) pick up signal from cable - so no matter what card I select in Setup, I can try to autotune to channels and both card autotune to the same channels via cable, which should not happen, should it? When I had PVR150 and it was connected via RCA I couldn't autotune.

#2. Not sure if this is a problem, but both cards in Television -> Capture Cards share the same list of radio stations. Is this normal?

#3. TV quality over cable connection is awful! My TV directly displays way better picture. I tried different decoders, but nothing helped.

#4. Not really TV engine issue, but still - for some reason Zap2It plugin doesn't get EPG anymore.... So I don't have a list of channels for my STB to try to play with tuners by assigning them different channels.

Hope that someone can help me with this..

 

[dcwp]

Have you tested your PVR 500 outside of MediaPortal? These cards have a notoriously high defect rate. I went through two bad ones before abandoning them altogether and returning to the 150. As I understand it the problems have to do with poor tuners (some cards have different manufacturers) and an inefficient PCI to PCI bridge. The NVidia dualtuner cards apparently suffer from neither of these problems.

#2 I believe that each PVR 500 MCE has only one FM tuner so you are seeing the same tuner on both cards. Or do you still have the 150 installed also?

#3 Removing the FM antenna is known to improve the TV reception. Also make sure you have the latest drivers. Check out the support forums at Hauppauge, they are full of people with similar problems and a number of workarounds.

Good luck. My experience with the PVR 500 MCE was absolutely terrible. The tech support is very helpful if you can ever get them on the phone, but I don't think I'll ever buy one of their products again.

 

[Phoeniks]

Regarding #3

Because the MCE500 has 2 tuners, the incoming signal is split into 2 signals. One for each tuner. So maybe, the splitted signal is too weak for the tuner. Amplyfing the signal before it enters the MCE500 might help.

Personnally, I have no issues with the MCE500. Works great but since my MCE500 is the European PAL version, it is not really a reference versus your NTSC version of the MCE500.

Regards
Phoeniks

 

[quiller]

There's a known problem with the PVR500 series. Hauppauge switched the manufacturer of the tuners, and the new ones are horrible. If you call them direct they'll issue an RMA.