Help!

[Diginerd]

heyas,

I'll preface this by saying I'm a big n00b at this HTPC game, though pretty sharp with PC / OS hackage...

So I read lots about Sage TV and went out and bought a whole pile of bits that I was hoping to put together a decent HTPC with. Problem is, I get no video into it. :-(

Seeking advice (Please tell me it's jsut software / driver related) :-/

Shuttle X Micro PC Barebones Chassis
AMD Athlon 2700 CPU
512MB RAM
250 Hauppage PCI Card (Standard, with the mini pin audio and no FM Tuner)
Nvidia 5200 AGP128Mb Card

I bought the 5200 card as it supports hardware MPEG2 decoding, but that seams to disagree with Sage. When switching the MPEG decoder to WinDVD I still get a blan.

Ttried playing with various combinations of settings in Sage but to no avail..

WAF factor is rapidly declinging over this expensive purchase..

HEEEEEEELP!

[Diginerd]

More info..

Outputting via the VGA on the 5200 to a Panasonic 42" ED Plasma..

[JasonJoel]

You can definitely get it to work with that hardware.

I don't quite understand from your post what the problem is though.

If you are having issues playing the video inside of SAge TV you might simply have specified a codec that doesn't work (for whatever reason). A good fail-safe to try while getting everything setup is the Intervideo non-CSS decoder (which should have been installed with your Hauppauge drivers). To do that you would go to SETUP -> DETAILED SETUP -> VIDEO and specify "InterVideo Video Decoder". Then go to AUDIO and specify the InterVideo Audio Decoder as well.

If that isn't the issue, then please add more detail and I'm sure someone would be happy to help!

Jason

[kny3twalker]

the 5200 has hardware assisted decoding but not full hardware decoding bo matter what nvidia lies about
and that has been discussed before
also you have to register the intervideo winDVD to use it in Sage
it cannot be a trial
try using the intervideo non css decoder
it is the same thing just it cannot be used with DVDs
also set the video render to overlay
and choose the audio decoder as well
do not leave audio/video decoders and renders as default
unless you know what is the default on your system

[Diginerd]

So I made some progress last night, but I'm not sure what it indicates. :-/

Both the WinPVR app (Bundled) and Sage TV can see video from the S-Video input. Plays back like a champ and looks great.

Unfortunately neither app gets anything from the tuner. I just get a bunch of static.

I tried running the serch facility in WinPVR to no avail.

I know for sure that the cable I am hooking up has signal on it as I tested in my STB (SA 4200HD) and my regular analog VCR (Aiwa World VCR, I forget the model). I did try another cable but no dice.

My cable provider is CableVision, out of Norwalk, CT. I have their I/O Package withich adds a bunch of digital cable channels above the regular analog ones. This has never stopped my using my regular VCR for the first 100 or so analog channels though.

I'm guessing there is something wrong with the tuner sub system, either hardware or software. Anyone come accross this before?

Wife is about to beat me with a stick for trying to get clever and not simply buying a Tivo... :-(

[carlgar]

Have you tried connecting the cable directly to your TV instead of the PVR 250? This would determine if the problem is in the cable or in the tuner.

[Diginerd]

See my post about it works just fine with my VCR, my cable box and everything else..

[carlgar]

Originally posted by Diginerd
I'm guessing there is something wrong with the tuner sub system, either hardware or software. Anyone come accross this before?

I had the tuner in my 350 go bad, but it was a little more clear cut. It was working properly before it went bad. I also was getting a scrambled picture, not just static. Like you I was able to use S-video without problems after the tuner went out.
Since you see this problem with both SageTV and WinTV2000 I think this probably is a bad tuner.
I had no problem getting a replacement card from Hauppauge.

[Diginerd]

Sorry for my last post. I'm a litle stressed about this as I've just spent a boatload of cash on something that just isn't working. My wife's about to kill be because I sold her on all the great things a HTPC can do, but at the moment I'm regretting I didn't just go out and get a Tivo. :-(

As for the cable I'm plugging in, it's good. My plasma has no hookup for it though..

[stanger89]

Like carlgar said, if it doesn't work with Sage or WinTV2000 then it's probably a defective card.

Don't give up, it's well worth any pain you have to endure to get there.

[mls]

Originally posted by Diginerd
My wife's about to kill be because I sold her on all the great things a HTPC can do, but at the moment I'm regretting I didn't just go out and get a Tivo. :-(

Hang in there! It may be a bit rough getting everything set up (no idea why you are having your problems with it though... most be missing something).

But here's something to tell your wife...

I've got 4 tuners in my Sage box. While all 4 are recording different things I can watch a previousely recorded show. Someone else can be watching a prev recording (same or diff than I on the main machine at any point in the show they want to bounce to) also on my other machine as a client thru the network.

And, from the looks of things I should have no problem adding yet another client on the network side.

Plus, I don't have to pay a montjly fee for the guide data.

Ya just CAN'T do that with a Tivo

[Diginerd]

So a trip down to the computer store and obtained:-

A new motherboard. The old one turned out to be only cabpable of driving my 2GHz CPU at 1250MHz, and my 333MHz RAM at 266. Not cool.

And a replacement 250 card (Actually I bought a new one, and will be returning the old one as I didn't have it with me).

Of course windows blew (screened ;-) with the new Mobo, but since there was little on there I bformatted the partition away and reinstalled both it and the WinPVR app.

IT WORKS!!

Well, the sub-systems do. This weekend its time to get Sage up and running with it.

Thanks guys . I think I might be able to persuade my wife to put down the knife now....