Get one thing working the other quits This time the HDHR quit...

[carlgar]

I would not start over, that is like running around in circles. Pick an issue and try to focus on it.

You are trying to make thing more difficult than they need to be. Sage does not need to know anything about the subchannels. Sage just passes the xx to the HDHR software as the physical channel number. The tuning is handle by the HDHR software. Sage may be looking at the *.scn files created by the HDHR software but I do not see why. If Sage does use the *.scn files, it should be to set the physical channel number so the user does not have too. I believe I did have problems with the last HDHR I added because the *.scn files did not exists for it. Once I rescanned using the HDHR software, created the *.scn files and everything worked fine.

[bennyhill]

OK so I think BTV is experiencing the same symptoms as Sage with my HDHR. ie only a few channels viewable.

Since VLC can view them all reliably what should I do to fix the communication between the hdhr and my htpc software?

I think my guide issues are something else entirely and have just confused the issue to this point.

[carlgar]

What does the HDHR manage show as the signal strength when you view the shows using VLC? If it shows below 80% then your only recourse would probably be to file a problem report with silicondust. If you look at their troubleshooting guide I think it says you need at least 80% or higher signal strength.

Edit: I just checked 50% is the min., 75% is recommended in the Silicondust troubleshooting guide. This could be a Sage issue. Sage may require higher values.

[bennyhill]

OK, so there is a signal strength discrepancy.

On a channel I receive fine in Sage it show this in the HDHR software.

Strength 90
Quality 91-95

On a channel that sage cannot tune but is still fine in VLC it shows this.

Strength 84
Quality 67-75


Could this be causing all my pain?

[Conejo]

The HDHR Setup program creates TWO sets of files:
"C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Silicondust\HDHomeRun\Digital Cable.xml" and the unsupported "Silicondust HDHomeRun Tuner 10101010-0-0-ATSC.scn"

The "Digital Cable.xml" file contains what channels you ENABLED and the REMAP numbers that SageTV needs.

[carlgar]

Those values are acceptable based upon SiliconDust limits. You do not state what the symbol quality is. Silicondust wants it to be 100%. If it is 100%, then you probably need to contact Sage support and ask if the values are acceptable to Sage.

[bennyhill]

Sorry,

That was Signal Quality,

My "SYMBOL" quality is 100 on all channels I have tested.

[Conejo]

I agree with Carlgar, try to make this as simple as possible.
Let's make sure that you've done everything in this list, then "Pick an issue and try to focus on it."

Have already done the following:

1. Remove the HDHR tuners from SageTV setup; EXIT SageTV
2. Download the latest HDHR installer from SiliconDust
3. Connect the HDHR to your LAN; or to an ethernet port on the SageTV PC.
4. Run the HDHR installer on the SageTV PC (recording server)
- This installs the latest BDA drivers to the PC and Firmware to the HDHR
- Allows you to select ATSC or QAM
- Allows you to SCAN and detect channels
- Allows you to mark up to 68 channels as ENABLED -- Write down the Station Call Sign and the x of the x-y-z assigned by the setup program so you can have this handy for the SageTV setup
- Allows you to save these changes by pressing APPLY (will create the "Digital Cable.xml" file SageTV needs)
5. Start SageTV
- Setup Video Sources / Add New Source
- Select the SiliconDust HDHomeRun Tuner
- Follow the SiliconDust instructions, (remembering to select a Digital-mycity lineup not in-use by another device)
- Say NO to a channel scan
- Disable ALL Channels
- One-by-one, find each channel in the SageTV lineup that corresponds to the station you ENABLED from HDHR Setup, use REMAP to give it the X Physical Number needed to correctly tune the channel
- Don't forget to make each channel active (give it a green dot)
(Note: Preview may not always work in setup)
- DONE & FINISH
6. Go to the GUIDE and check your results.

[EDIT]

BennyHill, what version of SageTV are you running?

[carlgar]

Originally Posted by carlgar

Those values are acceptable based upon SiliconDust limits.

I just noticed that Silicondust has different limits for the signal strength for OTA and cable. I was looking at the OTA. The cable minimum is 80% with 90% recommended. The posted values are still with the Silicondust limits but just barely. It still looks like Sage has higher limits.

[bennyhill]

I am running the latest beta.

So I have completely re-setup my hdhr including the latest software.

Same problems still exist.

Also I don't know if this is applicable but is definetly adding to my frustrations, Newly added channels from the HDHR's still don't show up in the EPG. Not just the data, nothing at all shows up.

I am using a neighbor lineup. I looked up the "copy" guide feature, and I made the change to the properties file that is supposed to allow me to copy the guides but this still didn't happen. Being a long time BTV user this difficulty is very frustrating, in BTV it is very easy to "share" guides amongst tuners and specify which channels are available on each tuner.

[Opus4]

Did you remove all existing scan info before trying again? In addition to removing the SiliconDust files created in the SageTV directory, look for any HDHomeRun folders in C:\Documents and Settings\xxxx\Application Data\Silicondust\xxx and remove any XML files you find. There should be at least one named "Digital Cable.xml". If you did an OTA scan in the HDHR software at some point, there should be another one to remove. I would be tempted to start over completely with a fresh sage.properties file.

Anyway: stations with the same name will be combined in the Program Guide, so if the station is available on another tuner, it may be listed in the Guide under that tuner's channel number for that station. You may have them listed, but just are not looking at the right channel numbers. See the note starting at the bottom of p. 47 in the SageTV PDF manual.

- Andy

[bennyhill]

Originally Posted by Opus4

Anyway: stations with the same name will be combined in the Program Guide, so if the station is available on another tuner, it may be listed in the Guide under that tuner's channel number for that station. You may have them listed, but just are not looking at the right channel numbers. See the note starting at the bottom of p. 47 in the SageTV PDF manual.

- Andy

Just figured that out last night.
I had no idea this would be the case but I do like the feature.

I will search for all SD created files and delete them and repeat this process one more time. Hopefully this will get me there.

[bennyhill]

Oh happy day!

Finally all tuners up and running well! Don't know why I had such a problem, most likely it was due to outdated Silicon Dust software. And mainly my inexperience with Sage.

Thank you all very much for your support and help with this one.

Now on to Firewire Recording

[taylork]

Originally Posted by bennyhill

Oh happy day!

Finally all tuners up and running well! Don't know why I had such a problem, most likely it was due to outdated Silicon Dust software. And mainly my inexperience with Sage.

Congrats. I feel your pain. But let's not let the buck stop with us end-users... for it could be that the installation/setup procedure required to get these devices working correctly is a bit daunting (and I won't even mention the 68 channel limitation... well, except for this one time).

I'm curious as to what an Apple usability engineer would think if someone came to him w/ this and said "yea, so just go through this 37-step installation procedure and you're set!". I'm certain he would faint.

My cable provider is offering 206 total channels that my HDHomeRun devices can clearly pickup (this 206 total includes 29 digital antenna channels and ~50 music stations) -- going through the VLC-viewing/Remapping shenanigans for all of these channels -- TWICE (essentially, once in the HDHR app and once again in SageTV setup) is... well, this little guy knows what I'm talking about:

And god forbid you accidentally hit a scan button before you've backed up your config files... sorry, sorry, I've venting. Long night.