HD-PVRs Died

[fidget]

I have two Hauppauge HD-PVRs and neither seem to want to record video anymore (I get NO SIGNAL when I try). Is the HD-PVR still the best solution for recording HD TV and is component still the interface to use?

[wayner]

Originally Posted by fidget

I have two Hauppauge HD-PVRs and neither seem to want to record video anymore (I get NO SIGNAL when I try). Is the HD-PVR still the best solution for recording HD TV and is component still the interface to use?

Did you try new power supplies or do the hack where you use a PC power supply to power the HDPVR. If you changed the cables and are using optical audio make sure that you have the cables plugged in correctly as they will refuse to record if they are plugged in wrong. I got a similar error when I mistakenly plugged the optical audio from my cable box into the HD-PVR's optical audio output rather than input.

[wayner]

And there still aren't a ton of options for recording HDTV. There is the HD-PVR2 or Collosus but they require overcoming HDCP. There are other devices like the BM-1000 but they only do stereo sound, not surround sound.

Here is a thread on these:https://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63177

Here is an example of this type of device for sale on Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/URayTech-Encod.../dp/B07D78L3SZ

If you really want to go crazy with recording: https://uray.aliexpress.com/store/gr..._2522666.1_0_0

[jpwegas]

Originally Posted by wayner

If you really want to go crazy with recording: https://uray.aliexpress.com/store/gr..._2522666.1_0_0

I'd be tempted to buy one of these 4 or 8 port monsters if any of them supported more than stereo.

--John

[wayner]

It looks like they are getting down to around US$100 on ebay - I may try one of these. I don't care about surround sound as much as I primarily record sports and rarely watch on a TV with a surround setup.

[sic0048]

I would second the idea of checking the power supply. I think there is a big chance that the PS has gone bad (or is going bad) and no longer providing enough power for the HD-PVR to function properly.

If that doesn't work, then you might want to crack it open to see what capacitors are in it. We still deal with cheap/bad capacitors in products and simply replacing them can bring back a lot of electronic devices that aren't working correctly.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by fidget

I have two Hauppauge HD-PVRs and neither seem to want to record video anymore (I get NO SIGNAL when I try). Is the HD-PVR still the best solution for recording HD TV and is component still the interface to use?

My HDPVR was flakey as hell for a couple of months. I did the 5v power supply hack from the PC, AND got a new optical audio cable on a recommendation from a member here. I think the optical cable was the main culprit, as my recordings have been mostly fine ever since.
But it never hurts to have a backup HDPVR 1 in the closet (I have two spares). Ebay and Craigslist are your friend...

[Malfunction]

Originally Posted by wayner

And there still aren't a ton of options for recording HDTV. There is the HD-PVR2 or Collosus but they require overcoming HDCP. There are other devices like the BM-1000 but they only do stereo sound, not surround sound.

Here is a thread on these:https://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63177

Here is an example of this type of device for sale on Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/URayTech-Encod.../dp/B07D78L3SZ

If you really want to go crazy with recording: https://uray.aliexpress.com/store/gr..._2522666.1_0_0

HD-PVR2 and Colossus 2 can be used with component. They both come with an "octopus" cable with 5 female RCA jacks going to a DIN plug. HD-PVR2's Achilles heel is the micro USB power connector, which is very easy to break and difficult to replace. If you wish to record from HDMI, try using a cheap HDMI splitter.

[wayner]

Do the HDMI splitters still work to strip HDCP? I thought I read somewhere that they don't always work anymore.

[fidget]

Originally Posted by wayner

Did you try new power supplies or do the hack where you use a PC power supply to power the HDPVR. If you changed the cables and are using optical audio make sure that you have the cables plugged in correctly as they will refuse to record if they are plugged in wrong. I got a similar error when I mistakenly plugged the optical audio from my cable box into the HD-PVR's optical audio output rather than input.

I have replaced the power supply once before, but I can do it again. I’m glad to see that they are still available in the Hauppauge store.

[wayner]

Originally Posted by fidget

I have replaced the power supply once before, but I can do it again. I’m glad to see that they are still available in the Hauppauge store.

I have replaced mine at least twice. Here is a nine year old story on the issue, although you think this shouldn't be an issue with power supplies in recent years.

https://valkyriemt.wordpress.com/201...-fail-for-all/

If you search this forum you will see that there are other options beyond buying a unit from Hauppauge. I believe you need a 2A, 5V power supply. More than 2A would be better.

[Zogg]

Originally Posted by wayner

Do the HDMI splitters still work to strip HDCP? I thought I read somewhere that they don't always work anymore.

Yes they do. I use them with my STB's and they work fine.

FYI I have two BM3000 units and would sometimes get funny audio with them. Not using them anymore, I have switched to just using HDPVR's and HDPVR2's. I really like the HDPVR2's as the recording quality is a bit better with the HDMI signal.

[jpwegas]

Originally Posted by wayner

Do the HDMI splitters still work to strip HDCP? I thought I read somewhere that they don't always work anymore.

Seems like designs change all the time (even when the outside box looks the same) so it's hit or miss from what I've read. Some people have had decent luck ordering splitters that other *recent* purchasers have tested/verified.

I'm not an expert, but my understanding is that compatibility might also be affected by the equipment - i.e. newer TV might not work with an older splitter.

--John

[Malfunction]

Originally Posted by wayner

Do the HDMI splitters still work to strip HDCP? I thought I read somewhere that they don't always work anymore.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Works fine for me with a Spectrum Arris/Motorola cable box and a Colossus 2. I plugged my TV into the extra port instead of using the Colossus, probably less signal processing. Both ports worked.

[Malfunction]

Originally Posted by jpwegas

Seems like designs change all the time (even when the outside box looks the same) so it's hit or miss from what I've read. Some people have had decent luck ordering splitters that other *recent* purchasers have tested/verified.

I'm not an expert, but my understanding is that compatibility might also be affected by the equipment - i.e. newer TV might not work with an older splitter.

--John

I'd be more concerned that the HDMI source (Cable/satellite box) didn't accept the appliance that's plugged into it. Receivers aren't that fussy.

[waynedunham]

Originally Posted by fidget

I have replaced the power supply once before, but I can do it again. I’m glad to see that they are still available in the Hauppauge store.

As others have stated I too have had to replace the power supplies multiple times. I've even had one bad right out of the box. The first time I went with "official" Hauppauge power supplies, but the ones I got from them didn't last a year so I've gone with alternate supplies. They have generally been better but still lucky if you get a couple years out of them.
I would go the "run it right off the PC power supply" route, but I'd have to get/make a longer power supply cable. MY HD-PVRs are several feet from my PC.
I will probably just make my own cable if they go bad once I run out of the couple spare PS's I have left and run them off my PCs rather than buying "crappy" wall warts that only last a limited time.

Also, for me at least when the PS is starting to get flakey I can notice the blue power light isn't as bright and when it is about to fail completely I'll see it keep popping in and out of Windows USB connected items. When the light was lower than my other HD-PVR I checked the wall wart with a multimeter and could see the power fluctuating quite a lot and barely if ever actually making it up to the rated output voltage/amps.

[jpwegas]

Originally Posted by Malfunction

I'd be more concerned that the HDMI source (Cable/satellite box) didn't accept the appliance that's plugged into it. Receivers aren't that fussy.

Agreed, I had it backwards!

--John

[waynedunham]

I woke up this morning to the repeating "boink" sound of a device constantly getting and losing USB connection to the computer.

I could see the record light on one of my HD-PVRs going on and off in sync with the sound.

No biggie I thought, this is exactly what happens when the power supply gets weak and isn't supplying enough voltage/amps to the HD-PVR.

So I pulled a new PS out of the box that I had as a spare and swapped that out. No change, same symptoms.

Again, no biggie I thought, it wouldn't be the first time I got a bad PS right out of the box. So I went to my "emergency" backup PS that I'd bought years ago. One of those "universal" ones where you match the supplied tips to the socket on your device.

Hey, no more repeatedly losing USB connection. YAY!!! .....wait, why isn't the tuner showing up in SageTV (after rebooting).

Again, no USB connection "boink". However going to device manager it is saying the device didn't return a device ID. So it looks like the HD-PVR may have died.

I'll probably pull the cover off and inspect the caps to look for a blown cap, but after that I'd be at a loss to further troubleshoot/fix it.

Sadly I don't see much of an option for another device to read and record the analog output from my STB's. I see some of the issues with the newer HD-PVR model.

The only good thing is that both of my HD-PVR tuners are at the bottom of my cable TV merit scale so both HD-PVRs would rarely be needed. So I may just cut it out of the system. The upside of that is I could save a few $$$ not having to rent that STB any more.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by waynedunham

I woke up this morning to the repeating "boink" sound of a device constantly getting and losing USB connection to the computer.

I could see the record light on one of my HD-PVRs going on and off in sync with the sound.

No biggie I thought, this is exactly what happens when the power supply gets weak and isn't supplying enough voltage/amps to the HD-PVR.

So I pulled a new PS out of the box that I had as a spare and swapped that out. No change, same symptoms.

Again, no biggie I thought, it wouldn't be the first time I got a bad PS right out of the box. So I went to my "emergency" backup PS that I'd bought years ago. One of those "universal" ones where you match the supplied tips to the socket on your device.

Hey, no more repeatedly losing USB connection. YAY!!! .....wait, why isn't the tuner showing up in SageTV (after rebooting).

Again, no USB connection "boink". However going to device manager it is saying the device didn't return a device ID. So it looks like the HD-PVR may have died.

I'll probably pull the cover off and inspect the caps to look for a blown cap, but after that I'd be at a loss to further troubleshoot/fix it.

Sadly I don't see much of an option for another device to read and record the analog output from my STB's. I see some of the issues with the newer HD-PVR model.

The only good thing is that both of my HD-PVR tuners are at the bottom of my cable TV merit scale so both HD-PVRs would rarely be needed. So I may just cut it out of the system. The upside of that is I could save a few $$$ not having to rent that STB any more.

I have bought many HDPVR’s on both Craigslist and eBay, for as low as $20. Always good to have a spare in the closet. Time to shop

[waynedunham]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

I have bought many HDPVR’s on both Craigslist and eBay, for as low as $20. Always good to have a spare in the closet. Time to shop

Looks like I was mistaken. I have 2 HD-PVR's on my system and it appears that BOTH of the power supplies had died within a relatively short period of time. As I mentioned the HD-PVRs are at the bottom of my merit settings for my cable tuners (4 HDHR Prime tuners come before them) So I'm not sure when the last time either of them recorded anything.

I was correct in diagnosing the "boink" of one of the HD-PVRs losing USB connection. Replacing that power supply fixed it.
After doing that I noticed only one of the HD-PVRs was showing up in my recording schedule (parallel). So I ASSumed that the one not showing up was the one that I'd just replaced the PS on.
That is when I went into device manager and saw that only one HD-PVR was showing up in the sound/video section and the other one was showing as getting a failed device ID down in the USB section.
I noticed that device had the wrong driver and tried all the tricks I knew on replacing it with the proper driver to no avail.

That is when on a lark I yanked the USB cable from the unit I'd just replaced the PS on. HEY!!! why did the proper HD-PVR in Sound/Video disappear and the failed on in the uSB still show up?

So I replaced the USB cable and a working HD-PVR showed up again. So I yanked the USB cable from the other HD-PVR and the failed one disappeared.
Replaced the PS on the other HD-PVR and YAY!!! two good HD-PVRs showed up in the sound/video section of Device MAnager.

So I rebooted the computer and both HD-PVRs were now showing up in the parallel recordings schedule. I then went in to the video sources section of setup and verified that both would record and change channels.

All is well again!!! I would have figured this out earlier, but when I moved to Win10 the order of my HD-PVRs switched in Windows. So I had to change the friendly tuner name, and swap the Timmoore tuner controls so the correct unit was changing channels. Ever since then I can never remember which physical unit is #1 and #2. Probably should change them from #1 and #2 to Old and New. I do know which is which by that description.