STB Firewire (IEEE-1394) Support

[dougrob]

Make sure Sage, SageTV service, and the UNE are all shut down.

--dougrob

[msmith8228]

For those of you that are getting frustrated (and in some cases shut down from a firewire recording standpoint) with the cable company’s autocratic use of the 5C flag please check out 169time.com. These people make an excellent firewire upgrade for a large number of satellite receivers. I have been using mine since April of this year with this Sage firewire recording technique and everything is perfect. Best of all – all the HDTV channels are 5C free -- the 169time people do not support any type of 5C control of what you watch -- even the premium channels.

Check it out -- it works great. Highly recommended. They usually have special discounts available and for those of you that like the DIY approach they have a self-install kit. I used the same Sage firewire setup described in this long post and it worked first time.

Mike

[Naylia]

Looks like they can add firewire to satellite boxes that don't have it but could support it. My guess is that since the boxes don't have firewire, until added, they don't look for 5C or 5C isn't even sent to them (why 5C something if you don't have firewire out?)

Legality seems gray....if you own the DirectTV box then I suppose you can upgrade it which I guess is why they may not do cable boxes (the cable companies don't want us to own the boxes), but the provider probably retains the right to deny service to an upgraded box if they can detect it, like xbox live and modded xboxes.

[Shredder5655]

Dumb question time,..

Where can I locate Sage TV service in the Task manager?

Thanks!

[zz5]

The reason that 169time and the R5000 can do this is that the files are not encrypted. They're not breaking any law. They don't use 5C. For years, people have been to get the streams from satellites. There are various free utilities that let you do what 169time and R5000 do. The only problem is with cable. The encryption used with cable is for practical purposes unbreakable.

[gtd885a]

Guys, for anybody who is using this successfully, what (if anything) have you done differently from the "How-to"s linked in the first post? What does your graph look like, what filters are you using, what version of Sage and SGraphRecorder are you using?

I'm still having lots of problems, and I was just kind of waiting around until the next beta comes out to see if it works better for me. My wife was actually asking me to post to try to get some help because she's getting impatient with me/Sage.

Also, I tried to use the newest NVIDIA dvd decoder, but it doesn't seem to be working for me. Do you guys use this in your TS to PS, and if so what does it look like? I tried to connect up Nvidia Transport Demux to Cyberlink Mux and my computer restarted immediately.

Currently using 3.05 beta and 1.0.9 SGraphRecorder with TStoPS using Nvidia TS Info to MPEG-2 Demux to Cyberlink Mux to Dump (the one from SGraphRecorder). In Sage, I use Intervideo video usually, but sometimes switch to Cyberlink (Cyberlink actually has a better picture - I get green pixelization at the top of the page for all digital non-HD channels - but it doesn't display the correct aspect ratio 99% of the time). Sage crashes a lot, and anytime I leave a program on a certain channel it usually ends up either freezing or changing to a different channel when a new program comes on (i.e. at the 30's or on the hour). When it changes channels, it is usually like I'm watching channel 123 and it changes it to 12. I don't have problems changing channels manually usually, though (except after it already messed itself up).

Also, I almost never have sound unless I first play one of the lower analog channels and then change to the program I really wanted to watch (when I do finally get sound it is always 2-channel even though every setting I can find aywhere I have set to SPDIF pass-through). This is a mixed bag, though, because a lot of times it keeps the aspect ratio of the first program when I switch to an HD channel.

[Naylia]

Well I'm in the middle of redoing my setup, have channel changing working, installed sage just need to get them to play nice tonight. I'm hoping to get the latest nvidia pure video decoders to decode a straight TS stream in 3.07. Keep your fingers crossed.

[dougrob]

gtd885a,

I'm using Sage 2.2.8, UNE 1.0.9, and a Graph with the following config:

Motorola-->NVidia Info Parser -->MPEG2 Demux ...

From MPEG2 Demux --Video--> Cyberling Mux

From MPEG2 Demux --Audio-->AC3 filter into 2/0 stereo-->Cyberlink Audio Encoder-->Cyberlink Mux

From Cyberlink Mux --> UNE 1.0.9 Dump Filter.

In Sage, I'm using Intervideo (WinDVD6) Audio and Video Codecs and am using MPEG mode B or C (can't remember).

I've given up on Sage 3.0.7 using just Moto-->Dump filter. It's very flakey. I can only tune into a FireWire source once. After that, I have to re-start Sage and the UNE.

--dougrob

[Naylia]

ooo...i like your audio chain...that might fix some of the problems I used to have with HD audio vs SD audio

[gtd885a]

Originally Posted by dougrob

From MPEG2 Demux --Video--> Cyberling Mux

From MPEG2 Demux --Audio-->AC3 filter into 2/0 stereo-->Cyberlink Audio Encoder-->Cyberlink Mux

From Cyberlink Mux --> UNE 1.0.9 Dump Filter.

In Sage, I'm using Intervideo (WinDVD6) Audio and Video Codecs and am using MPEG mode B or C (can't remember).

Thanks for the reply! I guess this means that you're only getting stereo sound even when the source is DD? I guess if it meant that everything was smooth (or even just stable) I would be happy with that. I will try adding the AC3 filter and Cyberlink Decoder into the TStoPS graph. Have you noticed a little quality degradation (sp?) when using Intervideo to play back? I notice that on HD sources, there is a little, how do I describe this... wavy-ness in the picture, especially during motion or in high-detail areas (for example, if you're watching football in HD, the yardline markers appear wavy a lot)? Also, when I choose Intervideo, I get green pixelization at the top of the page for all digital non-HD channels (but not for analog or HD channels). It can be pretty mutch unwatchable, so I usually switch to Cyberlink to watch those channels (obviously I would rather not have to switch), but as I mentioned before I cannot get Sage to display the correct aspect ratio when I use Cyberlink.

Originally Posted by Naylia

Well I'm in the middle of redoing my setup, have channel changing working, installed sage just need to get them to play nice tonight. I'm hoping to get the latest nvidia pure video decoders to decode a straight TS stream in 3.07.

So, do you plan to reinstall the OS and start from scratch? If you were to use the purevideo decoders, would it go Moto - > Nvidia Transport Demux - > Dump ? I guess you haven't done this yet, but would you then choose Nvidia in Sage as the video/audio? Sage always dies when I choose Nvidia.

Do you guys have a preference for application installation order (i.e. WinDVD, AC3, Cyberlink, etc.)? I think I remember reading that the newest version of Sage comes with / installs AC3 filter. So, if I had installed AC3 first then the new version of Sage, could that be causing problems? Also, what version are you using (I think I have been using an older version, maybe 0.70?).

Sorry for the long post, and thanks again guys for replying!

[Naylia]

Yes, within the past few weeks I reinstalled my machine and the only decoders installed aside from sage are the pure video decoders. I'm going to start by trying a pure AV/C Tuner -> Dump (the one included with SGraphRecorder 1.09) and using either sage or pure video for the decoding.

My old setup used nvidia as the decoders with no issues so I can't really help you there.

[Naylia]

So...outside of sage, using just Graphedit and the following:

AV/C Tuner -> Dump (the one included with SGraphRecorder 1.09)

ZoomPlayer 4.10 used to playback-
HD channels: absolutely perfect
SD channels: sound is good but video seems to stutter like there aren't enough frames (24 fps when 29.97 are expected maybe)

Filters used:
Video: Nvidia PureVideo
Audio: AC3 Filter 1.01a (version included with Sage 3.07)

[jblust]

Originally Posted by Naylia

Audio: AC3 Filter 1.01a (version included with Sage 3.07)

Ac3filter is installed as part of the Sage 3.0.7 beta?

[Naylia]

Seems to be...and a copy of it is found locally in the sage folder so I suspect that it did it.

So...some good news and bad news from my perspective...Sage V3 has lots of potential but 3.07 definitly has some bugs.

I used the following setup:
AV/C Tuner -> Dump.ts

Video: Sage Mpeg Decoder or Nvidia Decoder both seemed to work the same with regards to wheather or not a channel came in.

Audio: Sage Mpeg Audio decoder (this was the default and the audio worked right off the bat (compared to two posts above issue) so I didn't question it)

So far only tested with SD channels, because when I chose my lineup it didn't have the HD channels in it.

Good News:
-Sage often locked right onto the show correctly (or within a few seconds at least)
-Picture was good
-Channel change worked well

Bad News:
-Some channels that I had on v2.2.8 it would not pick up...it would just sit with a black screen
-After a while the picutre would go crazy on me and it would no longer decode properly...despite the files in my dvr folder playing normally in ZP or WMP

The first bad news I suppose I could handle as long as it's consistent...wouldn't be happy about it but could accept it and remove a channel here and there. It was only a couple of channels. I went through the first 25 or so and 2 were like that. The second is unacceptable and makes it impossible to enjoy your viewing.

Anyone have any ideas? Or anything? For now I'll probably go back to 2.2.8 in hopes that V3 final will iron out some of the TS support issues.

[gtd885a]

Originally Posted by dougrob

From MPEG2 Demux --Audio-->AC3 filter into 2/0 stereo-->Cyberlink Audio Encoder-->Cyberlink Mux

I don't seem to have the "Cyberlink Audio Encoder", what application installs this, or is it separate? I have PowerDVD 6 installed.

[Naylia]

there may be other Audio Encoder's you can use in place of it

[gtd885a]

The only thing I could find was SageTV's MPEG Audio Encoder, and when I tried it, the audio was slowed down to about 1/10th speed

Actually, I was able to find a Cyberlink Audio Encoder, but everytime I try to connect AC3 Output to the input, it inserts as "Intervideo Audio Processor FX" in between the connections. Then, when I try to play something in Sage, the video works for a couple of seconds, but then the audio starts and the whole thing slows down to 1/10th speed.

I also tried going directly to dump filter, and I also can't change channels, have to put it to sleep between every change.

Edit: OK, when I change AC3 filter settings to use 2-channel like was mentioned (missed that part the first time), I can actually connect AC3 and Cyberlink. However, now my audio is fast and choppy (sounds like chipmunks - my 2 year old liked it at least ).

[Morgan111]

With the MOT 6412 box having a dual tuner, is there any way to capture two firewire streams from different channels out of one box? Is there only one S-Video output?

My guess is that we are not that lucky for that to be the case. I would love to trade in my two boxes for one 6412 (or maybe even two 6412s!) if that would work.

[Shredder5655]

Originally Posted by dougrob

Make sure Sage, SageTV service, and the UNE are all shut down.

--dougrob

I just tried installing it in my new, home built copmuter, and I get the same error. I plug in the device through the firewire port, and it recogniazes it as a scientific atlanta 4200 HD. It does a driver search, and I point it to meitape. The tuner shows up underimaging devices, and I get three unknowns listed by the ? portion of Device Manager...

What should I try next?

Thanks!

[Naylia]

oooo....3.0.11....I'm gonna try this tonight and report back soon