GBPVR w/ no tuner card?

[teookie]

Hi all.

I want to install GBPVR now even though I don't have a tuner card yet. Will this create problems? I can still use it to do everything else except watch TV right?

Also, I'd be interested in general setup tips if anyone would like to share. This will be my first PVR build/setup. Here's my hardware in case anyones advice is "hardware specific":

computer:
FOXCONN A7GM-S mobo w/ onboard 780g HD3200 graphics
2x 1G ram
big hard drive
Using HDMI and SPDIF out too...

AV Gear:
Panasonic 42" 1080p plasma
Onkyo 6.1 DD, DTS reciever

Oh yea, my goal here is to have a HD PVR. When I get a tuner card it will likely be the Haupauge (spelling?) HD 1600 PCI or whatever that does clear QAM. I get the networks in HD, and bunch of other channels in standard def. I'm toying with the idea of putting an antenna in the attic though since my cable company compresses the HD channels to much - but I digress.

Thanks in advance for any help or advice!:p

[soccerdad]

You can install it without a tuner, no problem. You can use net radio, listen to your music and watch any recordings you have on the machine (if any). You will need a mpeg codec though. Basically, if you can see it or watch it in windows media player, you should be able to use gbpvr for it (except gbpvr can do much more). You can also load plugins like weather,etc.

I think your setup should work just fine. You can download some HD files off the web to test out. You will likely have to do some tweaking of drivers, and find the playback codecs that work best for you, but give it a go with what you have, then post your issues, if any.

Good luck and welcome.

[teookie]

Thanks soccerdad. I'm going to go ahead with the install later today then.

I forgot to mention in my first post that I'm running a 5000+ BE. In case anyone was wondering...


My machine is working great with all the HD I've thrown at it so far. Media player can do 1080p downloads just fine, and I'm getting 5.1 sound via SPDIF ever since AC3filter.

I'll post back with problems... hopefully not very often!

[flyswatta]

As soccerdad said, it isn't a problem. I was playing back pre-recorded stuff on a machine without a tuner in it.

Let us know how it works out!

[teookie]

Well, got a tuner put in today. I seem to be having some problems.

How do I do a channel scan? Seems as though I have to put my channels in one at a time? This can't be right.

I can't get QAM to work. It won't let me add channels to the digital tuner w/o a EPG.

Speaking of the EGP, I'm finding out that it isn't straight forward at all. How do I get it setup (for free) in the US? Do I have to write a .bat file?? I have not done that since DOS days. I think I need someone to spoon feed me instructions here, I'm at a loss and the wiki seems out of date (doesn't list 1.2.13 as 'current' version).

At least the remote is working.

Picture quality sucks. I'm wondering if the tuner has done something to my TV cause everything looks like crap now even if I use the TV's built in tuner. -either that or just tonight all the networks are playing SD content for some reason...

I did manage to watch a bit of live TV and pause/rewind/fastforward, which is cool. I guess there is light at the end of the tunnel, but I could sure use some help getting there!

[whurlston]

See http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Manual/EPG for EPG options.

[time_lord]

Hi, I did the same thing as the OP - installed GBPVR a couple of days ago just to have a play because I haven't decided on hardware yet. But I couldn't get anywhere without GBPVR locking up. There was a suggestion that maybe I needed to download the EPG manually first.
I didn't pursue it... but I'm wondering if I was having trouble because I'm running XP x64?

[whurlston]

If no channels are set up, TV Guide will lock up every time.

[Deusxmachina]

If no channels are set up, TV Guide will lock up every time.

Note that you may not need an EPG to avoid locking up, just need to let GBPVR do a channel scan. Works for me, anyway, with OTA HD.