SageTV V4 USB-UIRT and PVR-350 Incompatibility

[coderoyal]

Hi everyone,

I have managed to get the USB-UIRT to work with the DirecTV DVR unit here, but on some occasions, the PVR-350 card will stop working.

Specifically, when we try to change the channel sometimes using the web interface, or the SageTV Interface on the computer, we may get a green screen. The operating system doesn't freeze nor does the software, but when the Green Screen appears, the Sage Software says that there is no input from the card. The only way around this is to restart the server.

Here is the best technical information I can provide:

Running on Windows XP Professional. Only SageTV is installed.
Intel SAI2 Motherboard using a P3 1.26 Gig processor and 512 PC122 ECC memory.
Using latest USB-UIRT drivers (V1.4)
Using latest PVR-350 drivers (V2.2)
Operating System updated
Drivers for internal peripherals updated

I am familiar with a similar issue to mine caused when there are resource conflicts in the operating system between the UIRT and the Card. However, I can verify that this isn't the case. Windows shows no conflicts between the components.

So far, we've been able to only duplicate the issue when we try to change the channel. The error is inconsistent, meaning we may be able to change the channel for a while, but at some point, it does fail.

Does anyone have any suggestions that we can try?

Thanks!
Alan

[coderoyal]

We've upgraded the BIOS to the latest version and we are still experiencing the same issues.

We are also using version 4.0 of SageTV.

[coderoyal]

Originally Posted by coderoyal

We've upgraded the BIOS to the latest version and we are still experiencing the same issues.

We are also using version 4.0 of SageTV.

We've later been able to verify that the issue ONLY occurs when the TV-Out interface is used. It appears that the card never freezes when we aren't using the TV-OUT.

But we NEED the TV-Out feature to work, otherwise it's useless.

Does ANYONE know what may be going on?

Thanks,
Alan

[gplasky]

Sorry. Do you have SP2 and DirectX 9 installed?

I would suggest sending an email to support. The forum is not the place to solve all problems.

Gerry

[coderoyal]

Originally Posted by gplasky

Sorry. Do you have SP2 and DirectX 9 installed?

I would suggest sending an email to support. The forum is not the place to solve all problems.

Gerry

Hi Gerry!

Thanks for the response. I am presently running on SP2, with all updates completed. We are also running on DirectX 9.0c

I am also in communication with support.

[gplasky]

Great!
Sorry I couldn't be more help. Don't have a PVR-350. That has always been a difficult beast to work with based on various forum threads over the years. And you do know that when you use the TV-Out on the PVR350 you won't be able to play any DVDs out thru that. (It's not supported on the card-Just too many issues using that card.)

Good luck!

Gerry

[coderoyal]

Originally Posted by gplasky

Great!
Sorry I couldn't be more help. Don't have a PVR-350. That has always been a difficult beast to work with based on various forum threads over the years. And you do know that when you use the TV-Out on the PVR350 you won't be able to play any DVDs out thru that. (It's not supported on the card-Just too many issues using that card.)

Good luck!

Gerry

Hi Gerry!

We are planning on getting two more Sage boxes built for the Middle and Elementary school. I might as well use a better capture card.

In your opinion, what is the absolute best, top of the line, card I can get to use with SageTV, USB-UIRT? At minimum, it needs to support TV out. I'd like it to have a built-in encoder as well.

[gplasky]

All the Hauppague have hardware encoders. I'm currently running 2 x PVR500 which gives me 4 tuners. (2 tuners per card.) I also use a USB-UIRT and my server and have no issues. I have the picture going out over HDMI>DMI to a Panasonic 42" HDTV plasma and I'm very happy with the picture. I'm using the nVidia Purevideo decoders. The only caveat I can offer is what is the best input on the TVs you can use. You WON'T be happy with composite. S-video can be good to very good. Anyway type of VGA-DVI-HDMI would be the best but I understand it is a school budget you're on. Also the PVR150's are the single tuner version of the same card. The other reason to recommend the PVR500 is you can record on one channel and watch another TV channel if you wish.

Gerry

[coderoyal]

Originally Posted by gplasky

All the Hauppague have hardware encoders. I'm currently running 2 x PVR500 which gives me 4 tuners. (2 tuners per card.) I also use a USB-UIRT and my server and have no issues. I have the picture going out over HDMI>DMI to a Panasonic 42" HDTV plasma and I'm very happy with the picture. I'm using the nVidia Purevideo decoders. The only caveat I can offer is what is the best input on the TVs you can use. You WON'T be happy with composite. S-video can be good to very good. Anyway type of VGA-DVI-HDMI would be the best but I understand it is a school budget you're on. Also the PVR150's are the single tuner version of the same card. The other reason to recommend the PVR500 is you can record on one channel and watch another TV channel if you wish.

Gerry

Hi Gerry! So I should stick away from the PVR-350's do to known problems with them, and go for a PVR-500 card instead? Sounds good. In our case, the TV network relies on composite (Sage box goes into a distribution network accessable to all TVs) so if the PVR-500 supports composite, that will work.

It sounds like the PVR-500 is good for another reason. We get free DirecTV and cable as a school, and local channels only come in cable, so having two sources will give us the benefit of both worlds.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll get the PVR-500 cards in the future.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by coderoyal

In your opinion, what is the absolute best, top of the line, card I can get to use with SageTV, USB-UIRT? At minimum, it needs to support TV out. I'd like it to have a built-in encoder as well.

Originally Posted by coderoyal

In our case, the TV network relies on composite (Sage box goes into a distribution network accessable to all TVs) so if the PVR-500 supports composite, that will work.

Just to reiterate in case it isn't clear: the 350 is the only tuner w/a built-in decoder. But, it doesn't work for a lot of people.

With any other tuner, you will have to output to the TV via your video card.

- Andy

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by Opus4

Just to reiterate in case it isn't clear: the 350 is the only tuner w/a built-in decoder. But, it doesn't work for a lot of people.

With any other tuner, you will have to output to the TV via your video card.

- Andy

Sorry I didn't make this clear. You'll output through the video card. I've been using nVidia cards (FX5700-6600GT-6200GS) so just make sure the card comes with the breakout box or ports for composite/s-video. For what you're connecting to you can actually get by with a cheaper card. The PVR500 have additional inputs (s-video for your Direct TV connection, cable ) but no video outs. All out is done on your PC's video card.

Gerry

[coderoyal]

Originally Posted by gplasky

Sorry I didn't make this clear. You'll output through the video card. I've been using nVidia cards (FX5700-6600GT-6200GS) so just make sure the card comes with the breakout box or ports for composite/s-video. For what you're connecting to you can actually get by with a cheaper card. The PVR500 have additional inputs (s-video for your Direct TV connection, cable ) but no video outs. All out is done on your PC's video card.

Gerry

Hi Gerry!

As luck would have it, we have an unused G-Force FX-5200 with a TV-Out that we never used or knew what to use for. Based on what you've described, I believe I have a remedy for my current situation.

As posted above, I've noticed that the PVR-350 card will not crash when the TV-OUT functionality is not enabled. So, I'm presuming if I just install the G-Force card into the server, and pass video through that and turn off the TV-OUT, my problems will be resolved?

If so, I can get a converter for the S-Video out and do it that way!

Thank you soo much for your excellent support!