Colossus / jphipps

[Pezzy]

Hi all.......and, " jphipps ": I hope you're out there and reading this.

I "stumbled" across this web site (forum) during a 'Net search.

I have a Hauppauge Colossus PCI-e TV tuner card. And yes, I'm aware that the specs for this piece of hardware says that the HDMI input is for unencrypted sources only. However.............

That 'Net search I mentioned.....it brought me here because I was trying to find out if there was a way....a tweak....or some kind of work-a-round to use an HDMI cable with my Colossus card.

I have a set-top box from DirecTV; it's an HD receiver.

When I first got the Colossus card, even though I knew about HDCP encryption (plus what the specs said about the Colossus card not being able to take encrypted info through the HDMI input), I thought I'd give it a shot anyway and ran an HDMI cable from my DirecTV set-top box to my Colossus card.............

..............and nothing. No picture shows up on-screen. I use component cables and the picture is fine.

I came across this thread here on this site:

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...=52718&page=31

It's a very long thread, but, on page 31, there's a poster by the name of "jphipps", and they say:

"Just to confirm, I have colossus working with directv using HDMI for audio and video using ethernet tuning, and it is working really well. Tuning seems to be faster and I have been watching it all day and not had any issues with video or audio. Picture also seems to be better using the hdmi connection..."

jphipps: I'd like to find out how you're doing this; I don't quite understand from your post exactly how you're doing it. I don't get the part about "ethernet tuning".

Or if jphipps is not available......anyone else? Any info on how to get an encrypted HDCP signal to show up through my Colossus card onto my monitor?

Thanks for any help or info.
Pez

[GKusnick]

Originally Posted by Pezzy

Any info on how to get an encrypted HDCP signal to show up through my Colossus card onto my monitor?

You can't. If it's encrypted, it's not going to work. Those people who have HDMI capture working are those whose STBs put out unencrypted HDMI for whatever reason.

[SHS]

What model directv rev do you have?
Also make sure that it not set 1080p

[Pezzy]

Hi GKusnick & SHS; thanks for your replies.

GKusnick: I didn't realize that any "modern" HD receivers put out unencrypted signals (for whatever reason). Do you mean that it's perhaps possible that if I hooked my HDMI cable back up, and started surfing through the channels, that I might come across a channel that's unencrypted and a picture would actually show up on my monitor?

And by any chance do you know what that "ethernet tuning" is?

SHS: My DirecTV model number is: H24 - 200

And yes, it's set on 1080p.
Pez

[jptheripper]

More than likely its an old receiver outputting unencrypted HDMI. basically you have to get lucky with hardware, there is no "tweak".

More ppl have had luck with dish than directv.

That being said, i am doubtful the signal is much better than component. The signal, even when delivered digital via hdmi, is then converted to analog on the encoder chip and reencoded. So whether the colossus re-encodes it, or the STB re-encodes it to output to component, you are doing a D-A conversion. Its just a matter of where.

Regardless of the cabling, you are not getting digital capture, just digital or analog transmission. Its always analog capture.

[SHS]

Originally Posted by Pezzy

Hi GKusnick & SHS; thanks for your replies.

GKusnick: I didn't realize that any "modern" HD receivers put out unencrypted signals (for whatever reason). Do you mean that it's perhaps possible that if I hooked my HDMI cable back up, and started surfing through the channels, that I might come across a channel that's unencrypted and a picture would actually show up on my monitor?

And by any chance do you know what that "ethernet tuning" is?

SHS: My DirecTV model number is: H24 - 200

And yes, it's set on 1080p.
Pez

My bad it should be "Also make sure that it not set 1080p"
You must use 720p or 1080i
Uncheck 1080p in setup menu on your receiver in fact it best just uncheck all but 720p or 1080i, I perf 720p.

[GKusnick]

Originally Posted by Pezzy

And by any chance do you know what that "ethernet tuning" is?

Yes, I do. It has nothing to do with HDCP; it's a way of changing channels on your DirecTV STB via ethernet and is discussed extensively in that long Colossus thread you linked in your first post. So I suggest you use the forum search tools to search that thread for details and links to setup instructions.

[sleonard]

Originally Posted by jptheripper

More than likely its an old receiver outputting unencrypted HDMI. basically you have to get lucky with hardware, there is no "tweak".

More ppl have had luck with dish than directv.

That being said, i am doubtful the signal is much better than component. The signal, even when delivered digital via hdmi, is then converted to analog on the encoder chip and reencoded. So whether the colossus re-encodes it, or the STB re-encodes it to output to component, you are doing a D-A conversion. Its just a matter of where.

Regardless of the cabling, you are not getting digital capture, just digital or analog transmission. Its always analog capture.

I'm not so sure about that. Why would the chip do back to back D>A, A>D conversions before compressing it. I think it is highly more likely that it is taking the digital stream from the source and simply compressing it.

S

[jphipps]

I have tested mine with a h21 and an h23 receiver, and both of them worked for video at 1080i. I have to turn off Dolby digital, or the capture cards has issues. I have been using hdmi with the recievers since the colossus card came out and not had any issues capturing. I have tested both using component as well using an hd-pvr and that works as well.

I also use Ethernet http tuning for both my receivers.

Thanks,
Jeff

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by jphipps

I have tested mine with a h21 and an h23 receiver, and both of them worked for video at 1080i. I have to turn off Dolby digital, or the capture cards has issues. I have been using hdmi with the recievers since the colossus card came out and not had any issues capturing. I have tested both using component as well using an hd-pvr and that works as well.

I also use Ethernet http tuning for both my receivers.

Thanks,
Jeff

Jeff.

I finally got digital audio working via hdmi with the latest firmware and dish btw. Couldn't get ti working with previous firmware.

[jphipps]

Originally Posted by PLUCKYHD

Jeff.

I finally got digital audio working via hdmi with the latest firmware and dish btw. Couldn't get ti working with previous firmware.

Cool, I never tested it after upgrading. Once I get home I will test it out...

Thanks,
Jeff

[toricred]

I have four using HDMI with AC3 and fixed at 720p working well. The receivers are all H21's.

[TechBill]

Mine is H24 which is the newest thin reciever, been using HDMI and Ethernet tuning but have to restart sagetv service daily when it get choppy


Bill

[Pezzy]

Hi everyone; back again.

And thanks for all the replies.

OK, so from all these replies, I thought I'd give my HDMI cable another shot.

However, I must be doing something wrong......because I'm not getting any picture on my monitor again (like I mentioned in my original post).

The Hauppauge Colossus is probably one of the first "high-end" tuners I've purchased. I've had some "cheaper" brands/ models through the years (some old ATI ones), and the connection I used was either S-video or composite.

When I use component with this Colossus card, the picture is very nice indeed. It would be nice, though, if I could get it to work with an HDMI cable coming from my DirecTV STB.

Maybe like jptheripper mentioned, some people might have an "old" receiver and gotten "lucky" with the hardware. Maybe my HD receiver model of H24-200 is not going to allow me to get an HDCP signal going to my Colossus card.

So.......could one of you technically-enlightened ones give me a step-by-step on how to use an HDMI cable with an HD DirecTV STB going to my Colossus card?

Sure would be nice to use one HDMI cable instead of the three component cables and two audio cables.....

Pez

[TechBill]

Originally Posted by Pezzy

Hi everyone; back again.

And thanks for all the replies.

OK, so from all these replies, I thought I'd give my HDMI cable another shot.

However, I must be doing something wrong......because I'm not getting any picture on my monitor again (like I mentioned in my original post).

The Hauppauge Colossus is probably one of the first "high-end" tuners I've purchased. I've had some "cheaper" brands/ models through the years (some old ATI ones), and the connection I used was either S-video or composite.

When I use component with this Colossus card, the picture is very nice indeed. It would be nice, though, if I could get it to work with an HDMI cable coming from my DirecTV STB.

Maybe like jptheripper mentioned, some people might have an "old" receiver and gotten "lucky" with the hardware. Maybe my HD receiver model of H24-200 is not going to allow me to get an HDCP signal going to my Colossus card.

So.......could one of you technically-enlightened ones give me a step-by-step on how to use an HDMI cable with an HD DirecTV STB going to my Colossus card?

Sure would be nice to use one HDMI cable instead of the three component cables and two audio cables.....

Pez

As I mentioned in my previous post that I have a H24 and it working fine via HDMI

A friend of mine said he have a Directv DVR and it work fine via HDMI when he connect it to a non-complience monitor or older HDTV, but he said he get a encryted message error if he tried to tune into one of the HD PPV

I seen the error messge myself before but it was on one of those PPV channel and it would come on screen and it would say something that HDMI not supported by my TV to swtich to Compoment to watch this channel.

I believe Directv disable HDMI encrytation on all channel except the HD PPV.

Just set it up with HDMI and then go to setup and select either only 720p or 1080i - I haven't tried the 1080p but I was told you would get an encryted error message on that setting

If you are not getting any pictures at all then something is not right cuz you suppose to get a message HDMI not supported instead of a blank picture so it had to be the setting somewhere

or your source tuner is not set up correctly for Colosssus HDMI in SageTV

Try the front resolution button and set it to 480i first to see if any pictures come out then switch to a higher resolution


Bill