Anyone using more than 2 HD-PVRs

[sdsean]

I decided to take on a new project this weekend, and that of course was re-installing Windows, and re-setting up my HTPC.

My gf finally got so used to using Sage that she simply uses that all the time,
so I decided that I would add a 3rd HD-PVR to the setup to reduce the risk of recording conflicts.

Steps I took were as follows:

1.) Re-format OS drive, Re-install Windows, updates, drivers etc.
2.) Installed HD PVR driver (1.5.6.1) with all 3 devices powered on using
Hauppauge's software.
3.) Installed CyberLink and CoreAVC codecs
3.) Installed SageTV clean.

Now when I run the setup, I can get 2 of the 3 devices working just fine.
But the 3rd always says "No Signal". . . no matter what I do. . I tried cycling the power, using different USB ports (I have 12 on the machine), etc.

Pretty sure the drivers are fine, since when I installed, all 3 devices successfully re-booted.

And of course they all show up in DeviceManager and SageTV just fine.

Of course the umpteen times I've tried this now (staring from a clean install of Hauppauge, then SageTV, not windows), each #'d device in SageTV ends up being a completely different COM port, etc. . . .

So that got me thinking that perhaps SageTV can't do more than 2 HD-PVRs? Or that it has a bug where it doesn't number them properly?

Please help. . . since now I have taken on this project, I have no TV in the house (all my STBs are dedicated to the HTPC now, guess maybe that wasn't such a good idea). . .

Thanks. . .

[MrD]

Can you get a signal on each one by itself?

What do you mean by different comm port?

Are they on 3 different USB root hubs? You can check this via device manager by checking the view by connection option. If not try that.

[sdsean]

Yes at various times I have had all of them working by themselves, and also plugged them into my laptop to make sure.

I just meant that the mapping of each HD-PVR to the COM port (serial port) that I use to change channels seems to continuously change. . .not sure if that is relavant or not. . .

I checked in the device manager, and at least 2 of them are on different hubs (hub 4 and hub 8). There are more than 2 hubs for all 12 ports (although 4 of these ports are on the front and are not optimal for me to use b/c my enclosure for the pc is too tight).

I'm trying to look at my motherboard manual now to see where the ports map too. . .
Does each device need to explicitly be on its own hub? (and I assume not an external powered hub either, pretty sure that's a no no).

[sdsean]

Actually I just tested each port by having everything unplugged, and then just plugging in my wireless keyboard to each slot one at a time and then looking at the device mgr.

The results are below. . . I have 2 questions:

1.) Each HDPVR should be on its own hub right? Port number is irrelavant right as long as its own its own hub right?

2.) Does windows, every time it gets re-installed, potentially give each port / hub a different number? This would explain why I'm getting flakey ness in each install. . .

Just to be safe I'm going to make sure I put each hd-pvr on its own hub, but then unplug it so that I can HcwClear/Install the drivers to make sure each device gets its flash updated. . .

Port list below:
----------------------------
Front:
-----------------------
Port 2 Port 1
Hub 5 Hub 1

Port 1 Port 2
Hub 7 Hub 6

Back:
-------------------------
Port 2 Port 1
Hub 3 Hub 2

Port 1 Port 1
Hub 6 Hub 5

Port 2 Port 1
Hub 2 Hub 3

Port 2 Port 2
Hub 7 Hub 1


Now that I have looked at this more carefully I think this is what I'll use (all back)

Back Top Left (reserved for device, Port 2/Hub 3)

Back 2nd From Top Left (HD-PVR 1, Port 1/ Hub 6)

Back 3rd From Top Left (HD-PVR 2, Port 2/Hub 2)

Back Bottom Left (HD-PVR 3, Port 2/Hub 7)

Then on the right back, I won't plug anything into the top (top right back port 1/hub 2)
And 3rd from top right back, also not plug anything into (port 1/hub 3).

Let me know your thoughts. . .

[sdsean]

here's another update. . . grr. . .

So when I tested earlier, it seems that doesn't matter. . .
As I plug in the first HD-PVR, it goes to Hub 4
The 2nd i plug in goes to Hub 8
The 3rd, no matter where I plug it in on the back goes to either Hub 4 or Hub 8 depending on the plug. . .

Not sure if this is b/c there are really only 2 physical hubs on the mobo, or if its a bug in the HDPVR drivers. . . .

I do still have ports on the front I can try, but as said before that's not really an option b/c I don't have any space. . .

So as a last resort (even though, I don't believe this is a good idea), I plugged the 3rd into my external hub (which usually has stuff for plugging in mouse/keyboard/game controller dongles).

When I do this, the last one shows up in Hub 9 (as I'd expect). . . lets just hope that it works through that hub. . .

Not sure what else I can try though. . . let me know if anyone has any thoughts. . .

[monetteboy]

Not sure why your having issues but I have 5 HD-PVR's on my server, so Sage can handle at least that many.

[toricred]

I've got 4 on my server. I also have an NEC USB card for them. I don't use the mobo for any of the USB ports except the mouse and keyboard.

[sdsean]

Well I picked up an NEC card as well, I'll try using soley just that card. . . this is driving me crazy!!

[MrD]

You do not list your MB in your sig... what MB are you using? I couldn't figure out your description, and I was going to look at the online MB manual.

In general with the HD-PVR they seem to be more stable in the long term on distinct hubs.

Usually a stack of 2 ports is on one hub, most MB I've seen have 2 stacks on the IO panel and "headers" on the MB for the remaining USB ports. On most modern boards the header is for 2 ports.

[sdsean]

I'm using an EVGA x58 SLI classified board. . . there are 2 physical headers on that board.

What's strange is that the "Hub" description in Device Manager seemingly changes depending on what is plugged into it. . .

That said, I solved this issue by doing the following:

1.) I also had one loose video component cable on the back of the HD-PVR, that seemed to be causing issues.

2.) I purchased this product
http://inlandproduct.com/propcieusb205port.aspx

Which uses an NEC controller chip.

3.) I plugged all 3 HD-PVRs into that guy. . .

4.) I am using the older Drivers (1.05.301, rather than the latest). This was tricking cause you have to get all the HD-PVRs flashed as well.

Doing all these steps solved the problem. . .

I should also note however that in order to test quicker I started out by testing using the Arcsoft software (which I stopped doing eventually to take a variable out of the loop).

However, when using the Arcsoft software, I noticed that it played back video without going into "capture" mode, and when doing so, the HD-PVR lights were not lit up. . .they only did so when going into "capture" mode in Arcsoft.

So that means that the HD-PVR has some sort of "Live Preview" mode like the old WinTV cards had. . . and my guess is that it litterally is always transcoding when plugged in, (possibly just passing through the data and never going to the hdd). Seems like this is something Sage could take advantage of. . .

Anyway very glad I got things up and running, finally. . .perhaps I should also write a little mini-guide. . . cause this was a big pain. . .

Now on to plugins and extenders. . .

[Savage1701]

I am in agreement with one of the above posters and obviously you did the right thing - I use a NEC-chipset USB x1 card for my HD-PVR, 950Q and an external hard drive. I can crash my Asus board in a heartbeat if I start loading it up with ATSC tuner sticks, a USB 2.0 external hard drive, and a HD-PVR and higher-volume stuff like that. And my Asus board is similar to yours - tons of USB ports whose hubs can change names under Device Manager.

I can also confirm that on my MB, those same USB ports will handle keyboards, mice, trackballs, USB-UIRT, and other "low data rate" stuff just fine.

Congrats on getting your problem fixed.

One other thing to keep in mind - I have to keep my HD-PVR on its own splitter line. The other analog cable tuners were tossing some kind of electronic "blowback" into my HD-PVR causing tiling and breakup when all three were split off the same dist. amp.