Software Encoders

[JUC]

Much to my delight i read in the v3 manual that software encoders were supported (or is it that they will be supported?). Anyway, I tried setting up my ATI AIW 7500 but there is no option for coaxial input--which is what i am using for that--so that attempt ended right there.

Next, I tried setting up my ATI Rage Theatre input i have with my 9600XT VIVO---selected my composite input---and got video in the preview window!! Yea!! went to select the audio--and got audio too!!! But, i was getting a double stream of audio--one delayed and one normal. So, i went and finished setting up the tuner and then tried to go into Live TV guide--and it froze. No matter what I do, it will hard lock on going into the guide. The new little sage icon in the middle of the screen just spins and spins. Has anyone gotten a software encoder to work yet? I think it is very promising that when I set up the tuner both video and audio worked in the preview window so maybe there is a little tweaking that needs to be done on my part? Also, is anyone else getting the double audio? Thanks

PS--in the future, it would be nice to be able to select software encoders to be solely used for Live TV viewing only
JUC

[Panzer]

Has anyone gotten a software encoder to work yet?

Yes, an old 878 WinTV Go card looked fine video wise. I didn't test the audio sync yet because I'm pulling parts around but I plan to play around with it tomorrow.

[JUC]

damn. I was hoping this was a universal problem (glad you got it working though). Like i mentioned above, when setting up the source, I can get video and audio, but if I finish setting it up and go into live TV guide--it just locks up the system. Promising though. Now, has anyone gotten an AIW card working?
Thanks
JUC

[JUC]

Well, interestingly enough while the v3 Manual mentions the software encoding setup, it also states that only hardware MPEG encoders are supported. Is this something not fully implemented yet?

[Opus4]

Does it still say only hardware decoders can be used? I sometimes forget to change something when things get mentioned multiple times, so please let me know where.

BTW: in ch. 8, I mention that "WDM capture devices" can be used, but I don't know how that affects the use of an AIW. If it doesn't work & no other app is using the device, the best thing to do would be to file a bug report.

- Andy

[JUC]

Hey Andy, it's in the System requirements section on page 7 I believe. I could be mistaken as to the meaning of the sentence though.

I may try updating my WDM driver when I get home and see what happens.
Thanks
JUC

edit: BTW i did file a bug report. But, as far as the problem with my VIVO card, I think the driver's may be the culpret--i'm hoping anyway.

[Opus4]

Thanks - I made a note to look at that the next time I'm working on the manual. I think I just left it vague that you needed an encoder card & pointed to the system requirements on the SageTV web site. (which is not updated for v3 because it hasn't gotten out of beta yet.)

- Andy

[Kanati]

I just want to see coax as an input type on my tv wonder (and I'm sure Juc's AIW). Without that it's rather hard to test (for me) as I'm testing on another machine that has ONLY access to coax.

[JUC]

I think it probably was an oversight not to include the coaxial in the AIW setups. Hopefully an update will fix this. Additionally, I hope I can get my other software card to work after updating my WDM drivers tonight. Its a VIVO input on my 9600XT.

[Ryokurin]

I have a pretty old Hauppauge bt878 that I plan on trying once the channel change problem is fixed but if I recall correctly ATI cards in general is quite hard to get working correctly in items like this because of how it treats sound and video like separate things. Im sorry for being vague its been a few years since I had to deal with it. Anyhow I got a 9600xt AIW here too in a separate box to try too, I just got to get it close to a cable outlet just to see what develops

[Panzer]

I played around with the old WinTV Go card some more today to see how well it would work out. On a Celeron 2.0 Sage used ~95% cpu while watching LiveTV, but during a timed recording it hovered around 50%. Taking a look at the recordings there was a little bit of a stuttering effect in the video but nothing to bad. I didn't notice any audio sync problem. Fairly neat really.

I also tried a radeon AIW and older Rage128 AIW and got pretty much the same results as JUC.

Also just to see what would happen I tossed in a Maui III card. Was a no go but maybe in the future.

[JUC]

Well, tried upgrading my WDM drivers and still a no go. Still, when setting up the source--i get video and audio, but after that's done and i try to go into LiveTV guide it just hardlocks. Hopefully this can be addressed sometime in the near future.
JUC

[JUC]

Just a thought--but what recording qualities can be supported with software encoding cards? its been a while since i used it and i am thinking maybe i have it on the wrong recording quality? just maybe though
JUC

[Opus4]

It is possible that there is a problem using some of the recording qualities, or it could simply be an issue with support for the AIW... I believe this is being looked into further. Are you trying the mpeg2 qualities, or mpeg4? (Try mpeg2, like Best Fair, etc.)

- Andy

[JUC]

I was trying DVD long play. Unfortunately, I won't be home for about a week or so, so hopefully by then they have this worked out or I can try a different quality.
Thanks
JUC

[kltye]

I'm currently out of the country, but I'm thinking of taking my ATi TV Wonder VE out of one of my PCs here and bringing it back to the US. Has anyone tested compatibility with this tuner just yet? Thanks!