Ready to buy in --just 2 questions first

[FreeBSD4me]

Hello,

I’ve been following these forums for some time, and am now ready to purchase a SageTV bundle. Despite the amount of reading I’ve done, the entire concept of remotes, IR receivers, Girder, and USB-UIRT, and much more is utterly confusing. I suppose what I’m really having a difficult time making sense of is this: I’m going to purchase the PVR-350 (with their included remote) and use it on a General Instrument Navigo satellite receiver running Starchoice. The PC will sit next to the TV, and will of course utilize the TV-out feature.

If I purchase the PVR-350:

Can the IR remote that ships with the PVR-350 be programmed to seamlessly interface STV with the satellite box, or do I need to add yet another IR device called a USB-UIRT to accomplish this? This means I’ll be running two separate IR devices? So do I or don’t I require a USB-UIRT for this configuration?

Second question: According to BTV, the TV-Out on the PVR-350 will not work with their product. They state that, “The PVR-350 only recognizes overlay images from media playback, in conjunction with its hardware MPEG-2 decoder, for use with its TV-OUT.”

I think from what I’ve read on this forum, STV has addressed this issue in their product. Is this correct? I can use the TV-Out and all of its glorious features without a problem on STV, utilizing the PVR-350?

Any insight would be very much appreciated

Many thanks,

Dave H

[stanger89]

Originally posted by FreeBSD4me
Can the IR remote that ships with the PVR-350 be programmed to seamlessly interface STV with the satellite box, or do I need to add yet another IR device called a USB-UIRT to accomplish this? This means I’ll be running two separate IR devices? So do I or don’t I require a USB-UIRT for this configuration?

You can control SageTV with the 350 remote. However SageTV needs a way to control the sat box (it controls the box, not you). That is what the USB-UIRT is for. It's an IR transmitter (it's a reciever too), Sage uses it to change channels on the STB. Now you may not need a UIRT, if you have a serial connection on your sat box (AKA "Low Speed Data" port). Then you connect the sat box to a serial port on the PC and Sage should be able to control it that way.

Second question: According to BTV, the TV-Out on the PVR-350 will not work with their product. They state that, “The PVR-350 only recognizes overlay images from media playback, in conjunction with its hardware MPEG-2 decoder, for use with its TV-OUT.”

The 350 is not a video card, it can't be used as a general purpose TV out (like on a video card). The TV out on the 350 only works for MPEG video and apps specially designed to utilize it, Sage is one of those apps. With Sage and a 350, you can view the entire Sage UI on the 350's output.

What you can't view through the 350's output, is the Windows desktop/apps, DivX, Windows Media, DVDs. Only unencrypted MPEG-2 video with MPG or PCM audio, like the 350's recordings.

I think from what I’ve read on this forum, STV has addressed this issue in their product. Is this correct? I can use the TV-Out and all of its glorious features without a problem on STV, utilizing the PVR-350?

Yes, but as I'm sure you've read here, some people have trouble with the 350's output. IMO, if you want to to DVDs, other apps, DivX, or especially if you have or plan on getting an HDTV, you're better off using a standard video card.

If you want to use Sage like an SD Tivo, S-Video out, only recordings, then 350 should work well.

[FreeBSD4me]

Hey Stanger89, thanks for the fast and detailed reply.

Ok, so perhaps plan A. is better, which is a PVR-250 and the ASUS V9400 Magic card with TV-Out. See here: http://usa.asus.com/products/vga/v9400m/overview.htm I can get this here for $89.00. This card should suffice, correct? This is an older Dell 850 I’m dedicating to this application, so it won’t be used for anything else.

As for using a serial connector, I’m not sure I want to attempt that. Thus far, all I’ve seen here are problems from receiving the wrong serial cable, to getting it to actually work properly, but yes the GI does have that serial connector on the back of it. Maybe I’d be better off just going the UIRT route. I have a bunch of remotes here –almost one from every brand cable box, satellite, etc, etc all collecting dust. If I go the UIRT route, then I presume trying all of these out/ getting them to actually work is probably a better bet, correct?

Thanks very much again. After never receiving a response to a message I sent to the (competitions support), your help here has made up my mind –it’s definitely STV for me. I mean… The hacks on this forum are almost as plentiful as a Unix or Linux forum, which I’m not used to with Windows products. Give me a few weeks, and I’ll be installing most of them. Excellent forum!

Dave

[SHS]

FreeBSD4me Why not just get NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 it should be way better then that NVIDIA MX 4000

[stanger89]

Yeah, I'd get a better card than that, at least an FX 5200.

As for serial, if it will work for you it's the way to go, by all accounts, if it works it's way better than IR.

As for remote, the UIRT is more flexible than the Hauppauge one. Better? I don't know.

[FreeBSD4me]

Indeed, that ‘is’ a very nice card and I can get it for the same price. Well, a GeForce FX 5200 it is then. Yeah, I should have spent more time looking at TV-Out cards, but you’ve just saved me the additional time. So, I’ll get a PVR-250, a GeForce 5200, and a USB-UIRT, which I assume can pretty much accommodate any remote I have here. That’s it, I should now be able to patch in the satellite box and I’m all set.

Hmm.. Does the GeForce 5200 have an RCA output for video, or is it S-Video out only. The General Instrument has S-Video, (actually all it’s got is a movie camera icon beside the input), so I assume this is S-Video out? The reason why I ask, is that if I need to order any additional cables, I’d like to find out now. Forgive my ignorance, but I really need a refresher on video 101

Thanks for the help SHS.

Dave

[FreeBSD4me]

Originally posted by stanger89
Yeah, I'd get a better card than that, at least an FX 5200.

As for serial, if it will work for you it's the way to go, by all accounts, if it works it's way better than IR.

As for remote, the UIRT is more flexible than the Hauppauge one. Better? I don't know.

Thanks Stanger89, but if I go with serial, won’t that limit my choice of remotes? Besides, I’m not even sure where I’d find a serial cable for this unit, or even which one to ask for. My biggest fear is having it show up, only to find out it won’t work. You’re saying the UIRT is more problematic?

Thanks again,

Dave

[SHS]

It should come an additional cables Composite to S/Video.

[stanger89]

Originally posted by FreeBSD4me
Thanks Stanger89, but if I go with serial, won’t that limit my choice of remotes? Besides, I’m not even sure where I’d find a serial cable for this unit, or even which one to ask for. My biggest fear is having it show up, only to find out it won’t work. You’re saying the UIRT is more problematic?

Thanks again,

Dave

I'm saying IR is less reliable or at least slower than serial (not specific to the UIRT). And just because you use serial doesn't limit your remote choices, you can still use a UIRT for your remote and serial to control the box.

[FreeBSD4me]

Ah, I see. How do I know what to order, or are they a standard? Actually, where would you even find these? The only extra serial cables I have around here are for my APC’s, however I highly doubt they’d have the correct pin configuration. If there’s a standard, let me know and I’ll grab it. I'll check the Starchoice General Instrument boxes, but I can't recall a serial cable shipping with them.

Thanks,

Dave

[stanger89]

Is that box a DTC2xxx?

If so, that should be a pretty standard port.

Try here for pinouts:
http://www.dtvcontrol.com/page.aspx?content=cable

Or check the snapstream store, they sell cables.

[FreeBSD4me]

It’s a General Instrument DSR401MN. I looked at the link you posted, but its information is for a DirectTV box and some others. I searched google on the above model number, but nothing. I’m starting to wonder of it’s even possible to get a serial cable for this box. Maybe it's too old --5 years? Without a schematic or some other information, how will I know where to begin looking? I checked the Sage shop, but there’s no cables there. Might be SOL here

Supplementary...

Sorry, I wasn't paying attention. You said to check Snapstream, and I was checking STV's store. In any event, all Snapstream offers is the DirectTV cables. I'll just grab a USB-UIRT IR Blaster and patch the satellite box in that way.

Thanks,

Dave

[Sheldon]

Unfortunately I really can't answer your questions, but I did want to comment ...

Have you followed any of the threads regarding all of the problems using tv-out on the PVR-350? It is *incredibly* problematic and frustrating.

Firstly, you cannot output the Sage menus to the TV; this will reliably hang tv-out. Secondly, there is a problem with rewind and fast-forward which also causes a hang when attempted. I have experienced both of these problems in spades.

I have to say, I greatly regret my decision to go with the SageTV/PVR-350 bundle. If you have definitely decided to go with SageTV, I strongly urge you to research other options for a capture/TV-tuner card.

[FreeBSD4me]

Thanks Sheldon,

If you look a little further up in this post, you’ll see that I changed my decision to a PVR-250 with an NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 with TV-Out. At first glance, the 350 looks like the one-stop solution. I first saw problems with this card on the BTV site, and now on the STV one as well. I hope anyone considering one looks through either sites forums first, as these issues are hidden in various discussions, and 'not' clearly stated on the actual product itself.

Dave