windows 7 MVP runs very slow and freezes

[DoPeFiSh]

Hi, I recently installed windows 7 replacing my windows xp using sagetv version 7 fully up to date, I use the Hauppauge media MVP model 86017 for the downstairs TV using a CAT5 cable and the MVP worked great with windows XP but with windows 7 its works ok at first then simply clicking through the menus takes a long time, like if I press down I need to wait about 10 to 15 seconds for a response, if you can make it to a video or live TV it will work for a few seconds then slow down to a crawl and lock up the MVP, I thought it might be a closed port in my router, I put the port number in the port forwarding in the router but that did nothing, I upgraded because I wanted a more modern operating system, is there a trick to using MVP with windows 7 ? I really don't want to reinstall windows XP again.......

any help would be appreciated !
Thanks

[davephan]

The problem may be that you are using an MVP, not a HD-200 or HD-300. The MVP can only playback mpeg2 format. If the recording is not mpeg2 format, then the computer has to transcode the video file on-the-fly into the mpeg2 format. If the computer does not have enough processing power and throughput, then the video will stutter.

If you change out the MVP with an HD-200 or HD-300, then the transcoding on-the-fly problem will go away. The video and audio quality of the MVP is very bad compared to the HD extenders. If you compared the MVP with the HD extender, you would be shocked how drastic the quality difference is between the two extender series.

If the files you are playing back are recorded in the mpeg2 format, then the video transcoding on-the-fly is not the problem.

If the underlying problem could also be that the computer hardware is OK for Windows XP, but inadequate for Windows 7. If that is the reason, then you may need to upgrade your computer hardware to function properly with Windows 7. The computer resources requirements are much less if you use the HD extenders instead of the MVP extenders.

The better approach might be to switch to an HD extender, which is probably cheaper, even at today's inflated prices, than upgrading the computer hardware. Another reason to switch to an HD extender is that the HD extender used market may dry up in the future, and you might not be able to buy one anywhere. If the HD extender used market dries up, then you will need a SageTV client license before that market dries up. Otherwise, you will be stuck using an MVP.


Dave

[tchapin]

I use MVPs with Win7 but I use SageMC, not the main theme. I hate the way that the new theme works and is organized. sageMC is laid out in a much more logical fashion and runs better as well.

So, don't reinstall XP, use SageMC. As far as I know, you don't really lose much.

One other thing that helped was that I created a sub theme of the main theme with just black backgrounds and solid (instead of translucent) menus, which makes using MVPs with the new theme tolerable, although still slow.

[SprDtyF350]

When I was running MVP's with Sage V7 I would go into detailed setup, advanced, and change the STV back to the old SageTV3.xml version. Not as fancy but the menus were a whole lot more responsive.

[DoPeFiSh]

I can't even view .avi files, nor live tv, live tv works for about 30 seconds then slows down to a crawl and locks up the MVP, even if you unplug the MVP to reboot it, it loads up and the main menu runs very slow, almost not functional at all, I will try the sageMC to see if that helps.

Thanks