Unable to configure Saber 2020 tuners

[shardinite]

Saber 2020 Dual Analog Tuner
AverMedia M780 Dual Analog/ATSC Tuner
Sage TV v6.2
Windows XP

I recently made some hardware changes in my system (added an Avermedia M780 tuner card) and moved the Saber 2020 to a different PCIe slot. When my system came back up I had to reinstall the Saber 2020. I did so with the current drivers on the VistaView site 1037.0.1. I went into SageTV and was able to setup the video sources for the Avermedia, and Sage can see the Saber 2020 as 2 available sources (labled 7162 BDA Analog Capture and 7162 BDA Analog Capture #2). However, when I try to add the Saber sources and select Tuner, it attempts to load a preview and just processes. I have to force quit out of Sage.

When I first got the system back up and running I had installed the Saber with the default 1033 drivers. That would allow me to setup the tuners, but it would give me an error about software rendering. So I upgraded to the 1037 drivers using their instructions to manually remove the old drivers. I had no trouble initially with the 1033 drivers all this year before the hardware changes. Do I need to somehow roll back to those drivers to get things working? I should also mention that the VistaView PVR software, downloaded from the site, does not run even after re-installing it twice. It gives me a Windows error and creats a report upon opening.

Attached is a copy of the Sage debug log in case this helps any. I also have a support request in to VistaView.

[shardinite]

Ok so I got word back from VistaView and they gave me a new set of drivers, firmware, and an update beta of the SaberView PVR software. I updated the firmware and loaded the new drivers. SageTv will still not go beyond the loading preview phase of adding a video source. It sits there processing with the little circle undulating through eternity. I have to force quit SageTv in order to get anywhere.

I'm thinking at this point there is a problem with SageTv accessing the tuner. Anyone have any thoughts?

[toricred]

Did you ever get this fixed? Does anybody else know if there are still problems with using the 2020 cards?

[shardinite]

Nope. After that last post I ran out of ideas. I suspect there's a problem with my Sage install since I know the card and drivers work. But I don't have the time to reload Sage all over again right now. I am however running into schedule conflicts and may be forced to take the time to get this resolved though.

[nebulink]

I am running into the same problem. I contacted Vista View and they told me a Windows Vista update screwed up their drivers and they are scrambling to try and fix the problem.

I just purchased this card and have not been able to get it to work yet. I wish I would have purchased the tried and true Hauppauge 500.

I hope to receive updated drivers very soon or I will be sending back the card.

[toricred]

I got mine working and it really is worth it. I can use a PCIe slot and leave the PCI slots for my PVR500's. The picture is slightly better than the Hauppauges and it's nice to use only one slot for both S-video inputs. The problem I was having turned out to be the drivers. I found that the 2 latest drivers caused all kinds of weird problems. I found one (1035.4.0) that works perfectly. I've tried upgrading it to the latest a couple of times since getting it working and found that the newer ones cause an incredible jitter. I keep going back to the one that I know works and I love it.

One more thing. I use XP not Vista.

[nebulink]

PCAlchemy had agreed to give me 30 day extension on the return policy of this card since the manufacturer admits to a bug in their drivers. I really don't want to send the card back but if it dont work then that's what I'll have to do.

I am keeping the faith.

[toricred]

Now I'm having another problem with this capture card. Every once in a while one of the tuners from this card stops capturing video. I thought it might be hardware or a cable, but I've replaced all of that and still no luck. Then I thought it might be a driver problem. I think that is probably right, but I can't get any response from them. If I load their latest driver I don't seem to lose the tuner, but the video is really jittery when there is a lot of motion. I went back to 1035.4.0 and the disappearing video seems to return. Tonight I discovered that it may be a Sage problem. When I restart the Sage Service, the video returns. I'm submitting a bug report, but do any of you have similar problems?

[Tikker]

has anyone actually ever gotten the saber2020 working?

I've been fighting for what seems like forever to get this card working, and it jsut isn't cooperating

VLC can pull up video (but no audio) on it, MCE nor Sage are able to configure video with it

[toricred]

I did get mine to work, but I couldn't use the latest drivers. I needed the one just before (1037.0.1 I think). The main problem I have with it is that the dongle for the S-Video is too easy to knock out and too hard to put in.

[nebulink]

I gave up on this card. I ended sending it back to PCAlchemy. I never could get it work right. My feeling is that Vista Views drivers are too unstable. I ended up putting in 3 Hauppauge cards instead.

I have a buddy that just purchased this card and he is having nothing but problems with it as well. He can configure it OK but he gets a horrible jitter.

[toricred]

I found the jitters went away when I used the 1035 drivers. That was the reason I didn't use the latest 1037.0.2.

[Tikker]

I don't get any kind of picture out of it all

it pulls up just pure black video

[shardinite]

The card used to work for me. Up until the addition of the Avermedia and re-install of the Saber. Windows see's it fine and Sage even acknowledges it's existance. It just won't play video. I still havn't gotten around to trying to fix it though, the Avermedia has been able to manage fine.

On a quality note, the video I did get recorded on the Saber when it worked was grainy and not the greatest. I thought it might have been a cabl splitting issue, up until I got the Avermedia in there. The Aver is using the same cable the Saber was using and the recordings are crystal clear (analog). So either there was an issue with the cards quality, or the drivers... not sure.