Installation Fails with FloppyDTV-S2

[Neil__C]

Hi all,

New defector from VMC so apologies if this is in the wrong place. I've raised a support ticket but it says maybe 72 hours and I was hoping to have succeeded in installing this software in slightly less than that so hopefully someone can help:

On first running of SageTV, the setup 'wizard' runs. This goes well until I get to the point where you select sources. I have only one, a FloppyDTV-S2 satellite card and this is correctly recognised and offered to me. I select this and it then offers me one single choice: 'digital TV tuner'. I select this and it spins the hourglass but after a few seconds crashes to desktop. It does this every single time and I therefore have a PVR program with no TV

I'm running Vista Ultimate x64 and have the latest firmware and BDA drivers for the S2 card. It runs perfectly in DVBViewer and in VMC (that's kind of ironic). I would really appreciate any suggestions - I'm a little stumped as this card is on the approved list and a forum search doesn't see mto indicate that anyone else has this problem.

Thanks in anticipation.

[rtengvad]

I wonder if this could be due to any codec pack you might have installed. do have you have the Haali splitter on your system? If yes try to uninstall it

Rasmus

[Neil__C]

Given that I don't know what that is I'm pretty sure I don't have it installed. Thanks for the reply. I plugged in my old HVR-900 and that installs OK.

Unfortunatley, I purchased this as it supposedly has better DVB-S support than VMC - in all other repsects it's a big step backwards for me Hopefully I can get this working soon and I can then work on trying to get this thing to give some of the DVD functionality of VMC. I fear it won;t go the other way with VMC supporting HD over DVB-S2 any time soon.

Regards

[rtengvad]

Now don't give up. Others had been able to make sage work with your card. In your case something is preventing it from working correctly. We just have to find out what. The Haali splitter is part of ffdshow codec pack. Look in you installed program list.

Other things to try:

- Update Java to the latest version
- Get the necessary Windows updates for your FloppeDTV
- Reinstall Sage

Rasmus

[Neil__C]

Hi, thanks again for the reply.

Tried all of the above but still the same symptoms. Not a word from support yet. This really is a poor effort. I can't find any log file anywhere and with no error dialog, just crash to desktop, there's no way I can help myself Guess I should have stuck with VMC.

Thanks again for the replies - they're much appreciated.

[Conejo]

The FloppyDTV-S2 is listed as supported hardware on the SageTV System Requirements page.

In the thread: Supported Tuners: which ones work, which ones do not?
a poster a little over a year ago stated they had a similar device, a FloppyDTV T/CI working using DBA Drivers 4.8 under MS Windows with SageTV v6.1, so you may need to go online and get the latest drivers for your device.

As the previous poster mentioned, make sure you are running:

1. the latest version of JAVA for your operating system.
2. the latest version of DirectX using the WebInstaller or the Full Download.
3. the default SageTV STV (no user customizations or add-ins)

Logging is turned off by default. When you receive a response from SageTV Support they'll let you know how to turn in on and where to send the logs.

[Neil__C]

Thanks for the reply,

As I said earlier, I have the latest drivers and firmware for the card, the latest java/direct x etc. The biggest problem is having no way of fault-finding - don't evern know where to look

Thanks again

[rtengvad]

I've had this problem as well once way back. Unfortunately I can't remember what I did exactly help it out. But I'm certain that the installation process is interfered with something else installed on your system. To find out what is the tricky part.

It might help us to help you if you could give a few more details about your system (sage will want that any way). Are you installing on a clean version of Windows on a dedicated pc, or are you trying to make Sage to work on the family gaming pc? If you have been running a few years with that pc a clean fresh install might be what it takes.

Unfortunately this is what happens with software once in a while. But don't give up. As I told you others has made it work with your card. I'm using FloppyDTV myself. I don't have those problems.

And please also be patient with Sage support. They will get back to you.

Rasmus

[rtengvad]

By the way. Don't forget to try to remove the floppyDTV drivers completely and install them again. Those drivers are not easy to handle, I know that from experience. Could be the reason.

Good luck

Rasmus

[Conejo]

If you used the official SageTV® [ Request Support ] link, make sure that the email you provided isn't being filtered by your server or your mail client, otherwise check your server or client spam folders.

If you haven't heard from them after 72 hours, use the Request Support link again and also include an alternate email address for contact.

[Neil__C]

Hi all, thanks for the replies.

I finally heard from support who suggested setting video to basic and work from there. I tried all that and even did it on reinstalling SageTV but still the same problem. Pressing enter doesn't get me past the preview bit - it just crashes to desktop.

I did an experiment which may or may not help. The FloppyDTV-S2 has only one option "Digital TV Tuner". I borrowed a USB WinTV HVR-900 and tried that. I get 4 options with this: "Composite", "Digital TV Tuner", "S-Video" and "Analog TV Tuner". I have my source plugged into the composite but I tried them all. With composite selected, the preview window works fine and, later in the setup I can even selected advanced for video quality and that works fine. If I select S-Video or Analog TV Tuner, the preview window shows nothing (of course) but it doesn't crash either. However .....

If, on the HVR-900, I select "Digital TV Tuner", it crashes straight to desktop just like the FloppyDTV-S2! It would appear that my problem is selecting Digital TV Tuner as opposed to being specifically related to the S2 Card. I don't know if this information helps at all but I hope so as I purchased this nearly a week ago and still haven't got my satellite channels up

Regards

[Conejo]

Originally Posted by Neil__C

I borrowed a USB WinTV HVR-900 and tried that. [...] With composite selected, the preview window works fine [...] If I select S-Video or Analog TV Tuner, the preview window shows nothing (of course) but it doesn't crash either. [...]

If, on the HVR-900, I select "Digital TV Tuner", it crashes straight to desktop just like the FloppyDTV-S2!

Ouch!

You should pass along your recent discovery to Sage Support and see what they suggest next.

This really sounds like some Device Driver is broken on your system. Something got loaded and isn't being replaced by uninstalling/reinstalling drivers or software.

If you've tried uninstalling, rebooting and reinstalling the BDA and Device Drivers and didn't experience improvement then the next step would be a fresh install of your OS, followed by the Device Drivers, rebooting, then installing SageTV and adding the Tuner.

If you go this route, install the HVR-900 FIRST. If that works then there's hope. Then install the FloppyDTV-S2.

[Conejo]

Originally Posted by Neil__C

I finally heard from support who suggested setting video to basic and work from there.

It's *possible* that SageTV is crashing in tuner setup because of a render issue. SageTV support probably already gave you these suggestions to try:

Detailed Setup > Advanced > 3D Acceleration: try DISABLED
Detailed Setup > Advanced > Use Full Screen Exclusive Mode: NO

Detailed Setup > Video/Audio > Video Renderer... try both

- Video Overlay Renderer
- DirectX (VMR9)

Detailed Setup > Video/Audio > MPEG2 Video Decoder Filter... try all in list

- SageTV MPEG Video Decoder
- {your DVD Software decoder}
- {other listed decoder}

Run SageTV in windowed mode (not Full Screen)

[Neil__C]

Thanks again,

They actually didn't suggest so much detail so I've tried all of your suggestions. No change I'm afraid. I don't seem to have a 'full screen exclusive' option anywhere.

I really, really don't want to reinstall the OS - the time investment is more than I'm prepared to invest. FloppyDTV is due to have some new drivers in a week or so - maybe they will help. I'm really surprised at the lack of any debug or error logging that would help track this.

Thanks again

[rtengvad]

put this in you sage.properties file to turn on logging.

debug_logging=TRUE

Rasmus

[Neil__C]

Thanks Rasmus,

With the exception ofthe OS, I've now updated and reinstalled all software and drivers countless times. I follwed your advice and found a log file inb the sage folder:

#
# An unexpected error has been detected by Java Runtime Environment:
#
# EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xc0000005) at pc=0xffffffff, pid=3056, tid=1784
#
# Java VM: Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (10.0-b23 mixed mode, sharing windows-x86)
# Problematic frame:
# C 0xffffffff
#
# If you would like to submit a bug report, please visit:
# http://java.sun.com/webapps/bugreport/crash.jsp
# The crash happened outside the Java Virtual Machine in native code.
# See problematic frame for where to report the bug.
#

With lots more detail below. I can't really see if this tells me anything though. Support have gone quiet since the first contact so I'm getting a little frustrated.

Regards

[rtengvad]

OK that could be a 100 things I guess. At least we know it is a software problem since you got same result with the other card.

I still think a fresh windows install would be your best option. Also to get the most stability for the future system. Of course I also understand your reluctance since it is a bit of a job.

So here is a wild guess. I'm wondering if the channel that you last tuned with your card (using any of the other programs that works) is causing problems for sage. Try to change channel to one in standard definition using another program and then try to import the tuner in Sage again.

Just a shot in the dark

Rasmus

[rtengvad]

As you can see you are not alone in having problems with tuner selection

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34839

I wonder, during those sage reinstall, did you delete the sage installation folder completly ? If not try that.

It would still also be nice to have a few more details about your system, OS etc.

Rasmus

[Neil__C]

Hi again,

Yes, I did delete the folder entirely. I even cleaned out the registry on one try!

I have a Q6600 on an ASUS p5N32E-SLI with 4 GB RAM. I currently have two 8800GT is SLI. I have two 160GB Maxtor SATII drives and a generic DVD rewriter. Vista x64 Ultimate. That's about it really.

I did try changing various channels in DVBViewer first bit htis didn't help (didn't really expect it to as I get the same issue with the HVR-900).

I really appeciate the help. It seems Sage take 72 hours for each response - not just the first one. I find this entirely unnacceptable for a purchased product failing on initial install. If it wasn't for people like you I'd have binned this POS and got a refund ages ago.

Regards

[rtengvad]

Hmm Vista x64 is not officially supported by Sage. I wonder if that could be it.