HD-PVR - I don't get it...

[mschauer]

A lot of folks here seem to use the HD-PVR and I don't understand why especially given that from numerous posts it seems to be a troublesome device. I mean, it's a video recorder right? Why not just use the Sage recording capability???

I'm sure I'm missing something. Can someone enlighten me?

[sic0048]

It is one of the only methods of recording HD quality shows from cable and satellite providers. If all you have is OTA, then the HD-PVR is not for you. But if you have cable or satellite and have to use a STB to decrypt your signal, then you cannot use a normal tuner to record your channels.

There are a couple of other options too depending on your service provider. Some cable companies use cable boxes that can be recorded using the firewire port. If you have DishNetwork and an older STB, you can get a modification done (called the R5000) to record the decrypted broadcasts.

But that is about it. So for the majority, the HD-PVR is the only option to get HD quality recordings with our SageTV setup.

[dadof4]

Originally Posted by mschauer

A lot of folks here seem to use the HD-PVR and I don't understand why especially given that from numerous posts it seems to be a troublesome device. I mean, it's a video recorder right? Why not just use the Sage recording capability???

I'm sure I'm missing something. Can someone enlighten me?

The Sage recording capability it what is used. The HDPVR takes the video from a set top box (cable/sat.) covverts it to a stream Sage can understand, sends the stream to the PC via USB where Sage uses it to watch live TV or records it. The HDPVR does not record video. It converts it. For some users the conversion process has been problematic due to issues with the HDPVR...Make any sense?

[mschauer]

Originally Posted by dadof4

The Sage recording capability it what is used. The HDPVR takes the video from a set top box (cable/sat.) covverts it to a stream Sage can understand, sends the stream to the PC via USB where Sage uses it to watch live TV or records it. The HDPVR does not record video. It converts it. For some users the conversion process has been problematic due to issues with the HDPVR...Make any sense?

Oh! I didn't realize the signal coming out of the converter box wasn't compatible with Sage.

I just pick up clear QAM off the coax.

[mschauer]

Originally Posted by sic0048

It is one of the only methods of recording HD quality shows from cable and satellite providers. If all you have is OTA, then the HD-PVR is not for you. But if you have cable or satellite and have to use a STB to decrypt your signal, then you cannot use a normal tuner to record your channels.

There are a couple of other options too depending on your service provider. Some cable companies use cable boxes that can be recorded using the firewire port. If you have DishNetwork and an older STB, you can get a modification done (called the R5000) to record the decrypted broadcasts.

But that is about it. So for the majority, the HD-PVR is the only option to get HD quality recordings with our SageTV setup.

Thanks!

[JetreL]

Just to chime in a bit, the HD-PVR can be a troublesome device for sure, but when it works it REALLY works. A crystal clear picture with 5.1 audio. Now if I could just get rid of those 10 gig file sizes all would be happy.

[joe123]

Originally Posted by JetreL

Just to chime in a bit, the HD-PVR can be a troublesome device for sure, but when it works it REALLY works. A crystal clear picture with 5.1 audio.

Yes, the picture recording quality is amazing on the HD-PVR.

The HD-PVR is a headache for many as you have noted. What I personally do not understand, is why SageTV is not forthcoming with help on this?

SageTV made the note that they "improved" issues with the HD-PVR with the new version of SageTV - this implies that they not only found the issues but found a fix.

For some of us, we don't want to upgrade to SageTV V7 yet, so we are left in the dark.

[sleonard]

They have not fixed this issue in V7 but they have been able to mitigate it some. Maybe future beta's will improve or even work around the issue 100% but I'm guessing that the real, permanent solution will have to come from Hauppauge and hopefully it will be a SW or FW update rather than HW.

They are probably under an NDA agreement that prevents them from disclosing the nature of the problem. Besides, it is Hauppauge's responsibility to acknowledge the issue and underlying cause not Sage.

S

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by joe123

SageTV made the note that they "improved" issues with the HD-PVR with the new version of SageTV - this implies that they not only found the issues but found a fix.

For some of us, we don't want to upgrade to SageTV V7 yet, so we are left in the dark.

I don't think improved implies finding all the issues or fixing anything. I think what it means is that for some people in some cases it makes it better. (Less random lockups or maybe nonoe at all for long period of times)I don't think they're going to claim any type fix until more people actually use and test it. You received info from Hauppauge support that it is an issue with the IR hardware chip and Hauppauge was looking into a fix.

Hello,

We have been looking into random lock up issues with the HD-PVR and currently are working on a fix. We are looking into an issues with the IR blaster causing an issue and we are in talks with the manufacture of the chipset inside the unit to come up with a solution.

I don't think that Sage is going to be able to workaround an issue such as that.

Gerry

[darcilicious]

I will say that with v7 things are better for me -- namely, I'll get less "hard" lockups ("Capture Device Failure while Starting Recording") after receiving a "warning" ("Halt Detected in Recording") message. So recovery seems to be better since with v6 I would always get a hard lockup after the warning message.

In one case recently, I had what I would have assumed was a hard lockup and missed recording an entire movie; however (and this never ever happened before), the next scheduled recording worked fine.

I have also recently taped over the IR receiver and removed the last of the other USB devices from the HTPC which may have contributed to the 10+ days of no real issues (other than the missed recording above) and I've been using it more than ever before (hubby has discovered the joys of recording the World Cup )

I can say that I do have overheating issues -- I live in a house without AC and we're hiting 90+ temps this week. Last night, the HD-PVR just couldn't cool down enough to work. I've got it on its side and now a fan blowing on it but it's too close to and somewhat boxed in by the TV -- will be fixing that tonight.

[MattHelm]

Originally Posted by joe123

What I personally do not understand, is why SageTV is not forthcoming with help on this?

That is because SageTV doesn't use the HDPVR! It uses the DRIVERS provided by the manufacture to control the HDPVR. The bugs are in the drivers, so the manufacture needs to provide drivers that work. In this case, the manufacture has admitted they have bad drivers, and will someday fix them. Until then, SageTV can only work around the flaws, and then of course, remove the work arounds when the manufacture fixes them. In a few case, it's SageTV's fault, but 99%, it's bad drivers.

Or do you wish Sage to make custom drivers for every single piece of hardware out there? I'm sure they can get a few drivers out a year, and since the HDPVR was one of the lastest pieces of hardware to be release, that will be in 4-5 year, but then again in this case, that may be sooner than the manufacturer's good driver release.

(BTW, I not picking on you, just all the people that don't understand how modern software/hardware interact)

[dadof4]

Originally Posted by MattHelm

That is because SageTV doesn't use the HDPVR! It uses the DRIVERS provided by the manufacture to control the HDPVR. The bugs are in the drivers, so the manufacture needs to provide drivers that work. In this case, the manufacture has admitted they have bad drivers, and will someday fix them. Until then, SageTV can only work around the flaws, and then of course, remove the work arounds when the manufacture fixes them. In a few case, it's SageTV's fault, but 99%, it's bad drivers.

Or do you wish Sage to make custom drivers for every single piece of hardware out there? I'm sure they can get a few drivers out a year, and since the HDPVR was one of the lastest pieces of hardware to be release, that will be in 4-5 year, but then again in this case, that may be sooner than the manufacturer's good driver release.

(BTW, I not picking on you, just all the people that don't understand how modern software/hardware interact)

Why pick on anybody? Congratulations on your superior intellect. As you have indicated it is the drivers, so we can all rule out hardware issues. The tone of your post is extremely condescending.

[MattHelm]

Originally Posted by dadof4

Why pick on anybody? Congratulations on your superior intellect. As you have indicated it is the drivers, so we can all rule out hardware issues. The tone of your post is extremely condescending.

Because everyone that doesn't know what they are talking about, is blaming SageTV for things they have NO control over!

[ke6guj]

Originally Posted by mschauer

Oh! I didn't realize the signal coming out of the converter box wasn't compatible with Sage.

I just pick up clear QAM off the coax.

Sage, by itself, is not compatible with any signal. It uses hardware tuners, whether they be analog or digital, to input a signal into your computer that Sage can use. Sage then takes that signal, inputted via USB, FW, Ethernet, or PCI/PCIx/PCIe slots on the computer and saves it to your HD.

[mschauer]

Originally Posted by ke6guj

Sage, by itself, is not compatible with any signal. It uses hardware tuners, whether they be analog or digital, to input a signal into your computer that Sage can use. Sage then takes that signal, inputted via USB, FW, Ethernet, or PCI/PCIx/PCIe slots on the computer and saves it to your HD.

My wording was sloppy. I meant that I thought the signal coming out of the converter box would just go into the PC tuner card much the same way as it goes into the back of a TV.

[stanger89]

It can, but the signal coming out of a cable box on the RF (coax) connection isn't HD, it's downcoverted NTSC (480i).

The only HD outputs of cable/sat boxen are Component and HDMI (sometimes DVI or VGA). So you need a "tuner" with one of those inputs to record HD, that's pretty much only the HD PVR.

[mschauer]

Originally Posted by stanger89

It can, but the signal coming out of a cable box on the RF (coax) connection isn't HD, it's downcoverted NTSC (480i).

The only HD outputs of cable/sat boxen are Component and HDMI (sometimes DVI or VGA). So you need a "tuner" with one of those inputs to record HD, that's pretty much only the HD PVR.

Oh yeah. I forgot that when I had subscription tv I used the HDMI out of the converter box.