Does Avermedia M150 work with Sage ?

sudipto · #1 12-22-2003, 04:51 PM

Avermedia M150 seems to be the new kid in the block among hardware encoder cards. It uses the same encoder chipset (CX23416) as the Hauppauge 250/250MCE and also has on board FM tuner, which makes it identical to the 250MCE ... but the price is just about half (Newegg is selling the M150 for $79 shipped).

Does anyone know if this card works with SageTV ? If it works as well as the PVR-250, this could easily give Hauppauge a run for their money.

The M150 is an OEM only card (so far) and Newegg seems to be the only place that lists it. Even Avermedia don't list this on their website. WinXP MCE vendors like CyberPower, iBuyPower, ABS Computers etc. are using the M150 in their new MCE2004 machines.

The driver for the M150 can be found here

Also, there are some video samples comparing the Hauppauge and Avermedia cards here

sub · #2 12-22-2003, 07:48 PM

I see there is also an Avermedia PCI 350, which sounds quite abit like the PVR350 but much cheaper.

sudipto · #3 12-22-2003, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sub
I see there is also an Avermedia PCI 350, which sounds quite abit like the PVR350 but much cheaper.

Nope ! Not at all. Don't be fooled by their cheap trick

Even though it is called a "350" ... it does NOT use hardware encoding and hence is no where close to the Hauppauge WinTV PVR 350

See the product description here. Under "Personal Video Recorder Functions:" it says "Digitally Record TV Shows or Video on your PC (MPEGII Quality)†" ... then under "Specifications" it says in fine print "† Software Encoding and Decoding Solution" ...

stanger89 · #4 12-22-2003, 09:57 PM

Looks like its an ivac16 version of this one:
http://www.aver.com/products/tvtuner_M179.shtml

If it's a MCE card it seems to me very likely it would work since the Hauppague MCE cards work fine.

SHS · #5 12-23-2003, 01:17 AM

You may need check with Jeff it very close to Provideo PV258T

sudipto · #6 12-23-2003, 01:34 AM

The M179 seems to have a very bad reputation in the MCE community because the on-board tuner on the M179 was a piece of junk. However, the M150 uses a Philips tuner, which looks very similar to the one used in the 250/350 ... so the tuner should no longer be a problem in the M150

JasonJoel · #7 12-23-2003, 07:06 AM

Just buy one and let us know.

I was thinking of getting a couple, but decided I didn't want to be the guinnea pig...

Jason

SHS · #8 12-23-2003, 07:33 AM

You can't buy one there out stock.

Crazedz · #9 12-23-2003, 08:38 PM

They have em in stock now.

It should work since it's the same chipset as the 250 and my Yuan MPG 600. But you can never truely know for sure unless someone gets one and tests it out.

I put myself out on a limb with the Yuan MPG 600 to find out if it would work anyone care to do the same on this one?

justme · #10 12-24-2003, 04:39 AM

Ok I'll take one for the team this time. But if it doesn't work with Sage I'll blame all of you for it.

Seriously this should be interesting as I have a PVR250(Ivac15) and was just ordering a PVR350(in anticipation of Sage2). I'm curious as to how they'll all work together, if at all.

DRH · #11 12-28-2003, 07:21 PM

Any luck with the Avermedia M150 and SageTV?

I have some of the newer PVR-250MCE cards that like the M150 has both a Conexant CN23880 broadcast decoder and CN23416 mpeg encoder. SageTV does not see the new PRV card but Dscaler sees the CN23880 and works with it. Beyond TV 3 also works but does not use the mpeg encoder as the CPU usage is high.

justme · #12 12-28-2003, 07:31 PM

I have not recieved the card yet. Fedex's estimated delivery date is the 30. But I've just checked it's tracking location and it should arrive tommorrow.(crossed fingers) I'll let everyone know what happens when I get it. I already have 3 different driver versions from SHS's site(thanx Zombie).

Of course if it doesn't work at first I'll beg for help.

Seriously at the price this card sells for, Frey should try to support this card if at all possible. I'm sure it would help sell SageTV if this card works with it. If things work out this might be a great card for Frey to offer from their store. From what I've read at the MCE sites on the net, AverMedia seems very intrested in all the Non OEM customer interest in this card. I would think a company like Frey could work out something with AverMedia. Of course all this depends out whether the card will work or not. And if not, what would Frey/Avermedia need to change in order to get it to work with SageTV.

Wish me luck

justme · #13 12-29-2003, 05:06 PM

Ok the card came and it is not being recognized by SageTV.

I've tried all three driver versions that are currently available. To be honest I expected this since reading the thread about the PVR250MCE. Appearantly the M150, as well as the PVR250MCE, and many other new cards are based on a new Conexant design called "blackbird". From what SHS and others around the web have said this new style is very common in the new MCE 2004 PCs. Also I've read some encouraging things about these changes from several posters that indicate that these cards might be able to be made to work with SS(appearantly SS uses the tuner of the card just not the HW encoder) and SageTV.

So strange that the HW encoding works with MCE and not Sage or SS.

Right now I'm in a holding pattern. I willl return/sell the card after about a week or so. It would be great if Jeff could weigh in on the possiblitity of if/when he will support this new style of card. I would gladly be a willing guinea pig. So...

My personal advice would be to not purchase this card right now unless you are going to build a MCE PC, then it's an excellent value.

Anyone out there have any ideas on what I could try in the mean time. I'll pull the card in a week if no one responds.

Crazedz · #14 12-29-2003, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by justme
Ok the card came and it is not being recognized by SageTV. I've tried all three driver versions that are currently available. To be honest I expected this since reading the thread about the PVR250MCE. Appearantly the M150, as well as the PVR250MCE, and many other new cards are based on a new Conexant design called "blackbird". From what SHS and others around the web have said this new style is very common in the new MCE 2004 PCs. Also I've read some encouraging things about these changes from several posters that indicate that these cards might be able to be made to work with SS(appearantly SS uses the tuner of the card just not the HW encoder) and SageTV. So strange that the HW encoding works with MCE and not Sage or SS.

Right now I'm in a holding pattern. I willl return/sell the card after about a week or so. It would be great if Jeff could weigh in on the possiblitity of if/when he will support this new style of card. I would gladly be a willing guinea pig. So...

My personal advice would be to not purchase this card right now unless you are going to build a MCE PC, then it's an excellent value.

Anyone out there have any ideas on what I could try in the mean time. I'll pull the card in a week if no one responds.

Did you try out the drivers that came with the card? Sorry if this is a stupid question but i noticed you said you had gotten 3 drivers from SHS's site. I know the Yuan card i got wouldn't work properly with any of SHS's drivers or Hauppauge's. It only seemed to work right with the yuan drivers.

justme · #15 12-29-2003, 05:27 PM

It's not a stupid question, I appreciate the help. But no drivers come with the card, at all.

Of the 3 AverMedia versions that SHS offers 1 is identical to the one at the link in the first post. So I believe I have all veriations at that Avermedia offers at the moment.

SHS · #16 12-29-2003, 06:34 PM

Crazedz the drivers he got are for Avermedia M150 that come from Avermedia
You card will not any the Yuan drivers becuase of the way they made in none drivers will any of other card base some chip most due to diff tuner and audio they use.

sudipto · #17 12-30-2003, 12:48 PM

Silly me

I bought one of these aver 150 cards before seeing justme's post above

I guess I will try it anyway, but not expecting much ! I will post here if I find anything encouraging ... but don't hold your breath.

Jeff, could you please comment on Frey's plan to support the new "Blackbird" design ? Is this something we can expect in v2.0 or in a release shortly thereafter ?

I need to get this input soon to decide whether I am going to keep this card or send it back.

justme · #18 12-30-2003, 04:30 PM

The one encouraging thing i can say is that i did manage to build a graph in graphedit that used the M150's HW encoder. The graph seem fairly straight forward. It seems like it would be easy to convert to code if you how, which I don't. I'm no expert in grapedit, it was only by basing it on graphs* by SHS and DRH that I was able to build it. From playing with the graph I can say the tuner quality seems as good as my PVR250. On the second point.

I would think Frey will have to support "blackbird" style cards eventually, as they seem to be the next gen of Conexant design. Also there's the fact that they are now being put in thousands of MCE2004 PC. Frey could "steal" alot of the more experianced MCE customers with SageTV's multituner capability. But not if they find out that the first HW encoding tuner they already have in their machine won't work with SageTV. Then theres the unforunate naming of the PVR250MCE, I know this is going to cause confusion. I wish Hauppauge had given it a different name. All in all it would be great to hear something from the top guys.

Jeff or Dan, I know you both are probably very busy with Sage2 but please give us some input on these new "blackbird" style cards. Do you plan on ever supporting them? It doesn't need to be a "yes" or "no". I would accept "we'll try" or "not likely".

Much Thanx.

*These graph picture were in the PVR250MCE thread and most helpfull of all at SHSpvr site. The ones at SHS's site are on the main page under Graphedit. It's the multiplexer version you want to use as your base, of course the individual filter names will be different.

JasonJoel · #19 12-30-2003, 05:53 PM

Might want to PM Jeff, or send an email directly to support@freytechnologies.com ...

I don't THINK Jeff has been browsing the boards much lately.

Jason

justme · #20 12-30-2003, 11:35 PM

For those of you adventurious/crazy enough to get this card you might want to use this link. It takes you to NewEgg, the same place I got my card from, but it's for a Refurb version. It will save you about $30 dollars over the "new" card. I still can't reccommend this card for SageTV, but if you are going to take the chance why not minimize the cost a little.

Man I wish Jeff and Dan weren't so busy with Sage2 and the CES show.

I only have so much money to build my new HTPC and I can't really spare the cost of this card if it won't work. I'll wait 4 more days for some word/hope and if I don't get it I'll return the card for credit. Newegg has a good deal on a DVD burner so I'm pretty sure I could get an exchange for the higher priced DVD burner.

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