What's the secret to the HD PVR?

[JimmyBalboa]

I have been trying to get the HD PVR to work in my environment for months. I bought two of them when they first came out. I have sent countless emails with Sage support and Hauppauge Support. I have even sent both of them back in on RMA to Hauppauge for newer rev c3 models. I have the latest beta of Sage Running with the latest WHQL version of the HD PVR driver. I originally ran SageTV on Vista x64 but have since rebuilt the machine back down to XP-Pro x86 SP2. I even have a fan that keeps the device from over heating. But, no matter what I do, I can't get the HD PVR to work more than just a few hours (if even that long) before I get the dreaded NO SIGNAL black screen and then I have to reboot to device.

Sometimes just changing the channel causes the PVR to lock up... I have my STB set to 1080i, but the problem occurs at 720p as well.

Nothing else on my machine freaks out about the USB so why do these pieces of crap never work more than just a few minutes. The machine is a QUAD CORE Intel based processor and chip set. Plenty of RAM and DISK space, blah, blah, blah... it's not a matter of horse power.

I am using Sage HD 200 extenders now to view the H.264 stream which offers better video quality over the PC itself, but does not improve the reliability of the HD PVR at all.

If your one of the lucky ones that your HD PVR has always worked, then I am happy for you, but please don't respond to this thread, because I only want to hear from people with similar situations that have overcome the problem.

Desperate...

[sleonard]

You may have seen my many posts on this exact same issue. I also bought 3 of these when they first came out and I have also RMA'd them several times to get C2 devices. (I first got C1's that were modded in NY to C2, the second RMA I got factory C2's)

Last week I upgraded from Sage 6.4.x to 6.5.3 and my "No Signal" lockups dropped from hours to days between. Last weekend I replaced 2 of the C2's with brand new E1's and have had only one lockup since and that was on the remaining C2 that I am going to replace soon.

My advice is to call Hauppauge and insist that they RMA them again and guarantee replacement with E1's. It probably won't be easy but it'll be worth it.

S

[JimmyBalboa]

Thanks... will do!

[SWKerr]

I got an HD-PVR hooked up to a DirecTV H20 fairly early on and really never had it lock up on me. It has run flawlessly since the beginning. I had some difficultly getting playback setup but the recording has always been solid. At some point I upgraded to the (1.1/1.0.5.1) driver.

I recently added a second HD-PVR as a network encoder to a second machine upstairs using another DirecTV H20. This is a D2 version and I downloaded the latest drivers from Hauppauge for the setup. The install went fairly clean but it did seem to lock up about every day and required me to reset the device. (Did not have to unplug it just used the front power button.) I never noticed that it died during a recording just stopped responding at some point.

After a few days of this I downgraded the driver to the one that was working on the one downstairs (1.1/1.0.5.1). So far it has been running for 4 days without a reset. Hope it lasts.

I am using XP MCE on service pack 3 for both the server and the network encoder machine. It is the latest non beta release of SageTV and both have SageMC on them. The main server is Intel Core Duo while the problem machine is an AMD X2.

[HelenWeathers]

I've been using SageTV since August. Before that with MCE and Beyond TV. I still am using my original C2 HD PVRs. When I went to DirecTV STBs and HD PVRs I had issues with what I think it was just too much traffic of the USB buss so using serial channel change and putting the HD PVRs on seperate headers helped a lot. I bought the Patterson translators (serial to USB) in August shortly after I switched to SageTV. I bought an add-in serial card. Haven't had a single missed channel change since (over three months). My system goes thru an automatic shutdown for a few hours every day. HTPC, DirecTV receivers, HD PVRs all go thru the power cycle. Have always run my system that way but I think the power down especially helps with the HD PVRs.

[JimmyBalboa]

Originally Posted by HelenWeathers

I've been using SageTV since August. Before that with MCE and Beyond TV. I still am using my original C2 HD PVRs. When I went to DirecTV STBs and HD PVRs I had issues with what I think it was just too much traffic of the USB buss so using serial channel change and putting the HD PVRs on seperate headers helped a lot. I bought the Patterson translators (serial to USB) in August shortly after I switched to SageTV. I bought an add-in serial card. Haven't had a single missed channel change since (over three months). My system goes thru an automatic shutdown for a few hours every day. HTPC, DirecTV receivers, HD PVRs all go thru the power cycle. Have always run my system that way but I think the power down especially helps with the HD PVRs.

Noted.. thanks... I am going to try a different machine that has built in serial ports. Maybe that will help too...

I have already gotten another RMA and they are going to send me the E1 models so I am going to go ahead and send them back in.

[sic0048]

How long does it generally take to get the new units? I only have 1 HD-PVR and it does lock up if I close the closet door that the unit is in. So it will have to be replaced sometime (I have one of the early units). But I don't want to miss recordings either.

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by sic0048

How long does it generally take to get the new units? I only have 1 HD-PVR and it does lock up if I close the closet door that the unit is in. So it will have to be replaced sometime (I have one of the early units). But I don't want to miss recordings either.

Search the forum. Someone was saying they have a process now that they will preship your replacment (with credit card#) until they receive your bad one.

Gerry

[kenP]

So I guess I have the dreaded HD PVR lock-up problem, but could someone kindly help confirm.

I recently bought two, rev D1 units. One seems to work well the other consistantly generates an error, no signal, black screen. Sometimes on/off fixes, other times it's reinstall the drivers. I am using the 1.1/1.0.5.1 divers.

The error message Sage produces is:
"There was a capture error during playback. Details: ERROR (-4,ox80070057): There was an (sic) problem using the capture device. Please be sure you have the latest drivers installed for your capture device, and that they are installed correctly."

Sometimes the error number is different.

Is it time to RMA the unit? or are there other steps to take?
Thanks,
Ken

[MrD]

does your Directv unit change resolutions on channel change, or is it fixed to output 1080i always? Same question for when you had 720p enabled. I occasionally get the NO SIGNAL on one of two units (both early models). It usually occurs during a channel change.

Also I am not using the HD-PVR to change channels. I use the Patterson devices, prior to that I used the USB-UIRT.

[Striker:WG]

I wish I knew the secret too.

I've paid more to have an HD PVR and a non-pvr STB just so I could use my media PC and Sage for HD than if I had just bought a PVR STB. I don't mind spending the extra money if it would work reliably.

Currently I don't trust it enough to schedule anything to record on it, i'll only use it for watching live broadcasts.

I have to set my STB to 720 or else it fails. If I go back to the guide to switch channels the preview window will start to stutter. If I use 5.1 audio it fails. It seems to fail for numerous reasons that i'm sure are mostly driver related or possibly related to the codecs i'm using. Its certainly not horsepower related as i'm also running quad core, 4GB of RAM and so forth.

I tried updating to Sage TV 6.5.3 beta as I have read on these forums and in the change log notes that several HD PVR related issues are resolved in that version but that just caused more havoc on my system. As soon as I try to watch any HD channel Sage would just crash back to the desktop. Thank God I had the good sense to backup my 6.4 installation directory so it was easy to revert back.

-Striker-

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by kenP

So I guess I have the dreaded HD PVR lock-up problem, but could someone kindly help confirm.

I recently bought two, rev D1 units. One seems to work well the other consistantly generates an error, no signal, black screen. Sometimes on/off fixes, other times it's reinstall the drivers. I am using the 1.1/1.0.5.1 divers.

The error message Sage produces is:
"There was a capture error during playback. Details: ERROR (-4,ox80070057): There was an (sic) problem using the capture device. Please be sure you have the latest drivers installed for your capture device, and that they are installed correctly."

Sometimes the error number is different.

Is it time to RMA the unit? or are there other steps to take?
Thanks,
Ken

If one works well and the other doesn't and they are the same rev then I would RMA the unit. I only use one but other people are running two or more with no issues. Why fool with it?

Gerry

[JimmyBalboa]

Originally Posted by MrD

does your Directv unit change resolutions on channel change, or is it fixed to output 1080i always? Same question for when you had 720p enabled. I occasionally get the NO SIGNAL on one of two units (both early models). It usually occurs during a channel change.

Also I am not using the HD-PVR to change channels. I use the Patterson devices, prior to that I used the USB-UIRT.

Not me - I lock mine in at 1080 or 720 for testing and the PVR fails no matter what.

The Patterson is hooked up serial now - not USB, so that is not the issue - at least I don't think, but thanks for the ideas...

[JimmyBalboa]

Originally Posted by HelenWeathers

I bought an add-in serial card. Haven't had a single missed channel change since (over three months). My system goes thru an automatic shutdown for a few hours every day. HTPC, DirecTV receivers, HD PVRs all go thru the power cycle. Have always run my system that way but I think the power down especially helps with the HD PVRs.

FYI... I rebuilt another machine with onboard serial ports and used them for the Paterson device with no luck... still get lockups almost instantly.

I am shipping off my C3 today for E1s... All my hope is in that at the moment.


Last time it took about two and a half weeks to get them back from RMA.

Added: - They did cross ship with CC hold!!!! - THANKS!

[hockeyfan]

I use the USB-UIRT with lm remote to control channel changing for 4 satellite receivers, two are running through HD-PVRs. Works well.

[Cooper]

Ever since I RMA'd and received an E1 and I bought another at Fry's and it also was an E1 they worked really well. I also made sure each one was plugged into a different USB bus.

I asked them to send the new unit to me. What they do is send you a form to e-mail or fax back and you need to give them a credit card number. I also asked them to blue label it since I live up here in Seattle. Was like $11 extra.

[JimmyBalboa]

I received my E1's today!!! (Only 5 days wait with cross shipment)

Can't wait to get home and try them out. I will post my results.

[JimmyBalboa]

E1 is working better than any of the previous models did on my setup but I have encountered a new issue. Playback is fine on a PC but Live Tv from the HDPVR to a Sage HD 200 Extender studders after just a couple of minutes of watching. Audio is fine, the video goes to 1 second freeze frame shots.

Any Ideas...?

[jerryt]

Originally Posted by JimmyBalboa

E1 is working better than any of the previous models did on my setup but I have encountered a new issue. Playback is fine on a PC but Live Tv from the HDPVR to a Sage HD 200 Extender studders after just a couple of minutes of watching. Audio is fine, the video goes to 1 second freeze frame shots.

Any Ideas...?

HD 200 beta firmware is out, you could try that.

[JimmyBalboa]

Originally Posted by jerryt

HD 200 beta firmware is out, you could try that.

Thanks, I will try that today. FYI... the mpeg2 stream from my HD-OTA capture card plays fine on the HD 200, it's just the HDPVR stream that gets choppy after a few minutes of play.

Also, when I woke up this morning I tried to tune to an HD PVR channel and got the "No Signal" error again. E1 is working better, but still unreliable at this point, so my quest continues.

It sucks being on the bleading edge of technolgie. Someday this type of Media setup will be as common as MP3 players are today.