Help! How to set up ATI AIW 8500DV in Sage

[CsquaredIN]

I just received an HD Homerun and Sage HD Media Extender this week. I am using this with an older system (Athlon XP1800) which currently has an ATI AIW 8500DV. I realize this card is not compatible with sage as a tuner/encoder, and my intention all along was to only use the HD Homerun for QAM anyway. However, I would just like to be able to use the 8500 as a video card only since I do not have onboard video, and I will be using the HD100 to view live TV and recordings.

My problem is that the 8500 shows up as a recording source (ATI Rage Theater something something). I only configured the two tuners on the HD Homerun for use in Sage (I followed all instructions on the Silicondust site), but when I try to view Live TV in Sage I get a "No Signal" message. I can view all the digital channels just fine using the HDHR Channel Editor and VLC. Also, I cannot get anything to show up in the Configuration Wizard when I try to "Test Video Playback" on any of the four settings. This makes me think there is an issue with my AIW 8500DV. Is there a way to make Sage see it as a video card only? Or is it completely incompatible with Sage?

I am using Sage version 6.3.5.159 and HD Homerun software/firmware 20080305.

[gplasky]

It's software-based tuner card. If you can get it to work you're not going to like it. It will probably peg your cpu when recording. Look at getting a supported card like the Hauppauge cards with hardware encoding. PVR150, 500, 1600, 1800, etc.


Gerry

[thomaszoo]

That card was my first step towards a HTPC. Video cards have come a long ways since then.

Make sure "ATI Rage Theater something something" is listed on the mmc_encoders_ignore line in the properties file. I had the same issue.

Then I would make sure I ordered an HD extender the next time they are available.

[CsquaredIN]

I received my HD Extender yesterday, but I thought it would be a good idea to get Sage working properly before I hooked it up.

This is currently in mmc_encoders_ignore line:
mmc/ignore_encoders=SB Live\! Wave Device|ATI Rage Theater Audio|NVIDIA DualTV YUV Capture|SB Live\! MIDI UART|NVIDIA DualTV YUV Capture 2|

What is the proper syntax to add "ATI Rage Theater Video Capture" to this line?

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by CsquaredIN

I received my HD Extender yesterday, but I thought it would be a good idea to get Sage working properly before I hooked it up.

This is currently in mmc_encoders_ignore line:
mmc/ignore_encoders=SB Live\! Wave Device|ATI Rage Theater Audio|NVIDIA DualTV YUV Capture|SB Live\! MIDI UART|NVIDIA DualTV YUV Capture 2|

What is the proper syntax to add "ATI Rage Theater Video Capture" to this line?

You need to remove it from that line. Remove ATI Rage Theater Audio |


Gerry

[CsquaredIN]

Do I replace ATI Rage Theater Audio with ATI Rage Theater Video Capture? I thought I needed to to tell Sage to ignore the video capture.

[Opus4]

The Source Wizard Summary shows the configured sources -- if the software encoder is listed there, simply select it, then choose Remove Source. If it isn't listed as a configured source, I don't think an unconfigured source should have any affect on the configured sources -- I have a few sources unconfigured on my system & have no recording or playback issues because of it. I've asked SageTV, in case there is some such issue, thought.

For playback on your video card, you should make sure that your video card drivers and DirectX are up to date. You may also want to check your version of Java, which is listed in the SageTV System Info screen -- just use the Info command from the Main Menu.

Other things to try are to try turning 3D Acceleration on or off in Detailed Setup -> Advanced. Also try other video renderers and decoders in Detailed Setup -> Video / Audio.

If you are using multiple monitors, try making sure SageTV is on the Primary monitor. 3D Acceleration in Windows XP only works on the Primary monitor and some decoders still can't properly use overlay on a secondary monitor.

- Andy