Recording Quality Problems

[ldsguy]

Sorry if this has already been posted but I couldnt find an answer using the search. Ever since I installed GB-PVR a few days ago I've been having major problems with the recording quality. The default (medium) has too large a file size for me (roughly 3gb per hour) and no matter what I change the bitrates to in the config, it always records at the original settings (5000 kb/s for vid, 224 for audio). Even when I set a show to record at low quality (not using quick record), it somehow still records at the defaut medium quality! I didn't realize this problem until after I had recorded an all-day marathon on friday (set to record at low quality), which ended up using roughly 48gb of my hard drive space. I'm definitely not a computer newbie, but I cant figure out whats going on. Ive re-installed GB-PVR 3 times now (deleting the directory inbetween each one) and the problem still persists. It just doesnt want to record at what I set it to in the config! What am I doing wrong? I'm on an AMD Mobile Sempron 3000+ with 512mb ram, 160gb external hard drive (what im recording to) and a Hauppauge WinTV PVR2 USB.
-Thanks

[sub]

There is a bug with editing the "medium" profile in this release, but you can manually edit the direct.ini file to change bitrate if you really need to. The only affects "medium", and the other quality profiles can still be edited correctly.

Even when I set a show to record at low quality (not using quick record), it somehow still records at the defaut medium quality! I didn't realize this problem until after I had recorded an all-day marathon on friday (set to record at low quality), which ended up using roughly 48gb of my hard drive space.

I'm not aware of any issues with this, and I've just done a quick check and it seems to be working fine here.

[ldsguy]

Ok, I'm pretty sure this is what you were saying. I changed the "BitRate=3500" and "BitRatePeak=7200" under "[SETUP-Medium Quality]" in direct.ini to "BitRate=3000" and "BitRatePeak=4000" (just to lower the quality a tad). But when I recorded a minute or two of TV and played it back Cyberlink PowerDVD still reported it as being 6.5 to 7.3 Mbps, and when doing the math I'd still get around 2.85gb per hour (what I get no matter what setting I have it on). Two days ago when I tried to start GB-PVR, windows gave me some error message and requested the original .msi file, which I re-downloaded and directed it to. It then acted as if it was re-installing the program. Could this have something to do with my problems? If so, would downloading an older version of the software help solve my problem?

[sub]

I use MpegAN to analyse the bitrate of my recordings.

If so, would downloading an older version of the software help solve my problem?

Nope, but then I never recommend any goes back to an older version. Infact, I usually delete them of the server so they cant...

[ldsguy]

I used the MpegAN GUI to analize two files (one using quick record and the other using record on low quality mode) and got puzzling results. Both reported the bitrate as 9000000 (i'm not sure of the unit), and the only difference was the video size, with the quick record stating 720x480, and the low quality stating 352x480. Both files are an hour long, and are around the same size (in gb's). One odd thing to mention though is that the quick record file had a size of 2.74gb while the low quality one was 2.83 (the low quality one should have a smaller size, right?)

[Synaptyc]

I get the same problem! 3GB(1hour) and 1.5GB(1/2 hour).
I can't change the quality at all when recording. I have tried the conversion
feature with the WMV@1200 setting, but the quality get pretty pixelated.
The file size does go down to 567MB's(1hour) & 212MB's(1/2hour).
Can anyone recommend a better conversion quality to try... or a way to fix
the initial recording quality to about half of it's normal size?
Thnx for the brain power in advance.
~Syn

[sub]

I get the same problem! 3GB(1hour) and 1.5GB(1/2 hour).
I can't change the quality at all when recording. I have tried the conversion
feature with the WMV@1200 setting, but the quality get pretty pixelated.
The file size does go down to 567MB's(1hour) & 212MB's(1/2hour).
Can anyone recommend a better conversion quality to try... or a way to fix
the initial recording quality to about half of it's normal size?
Thnx for the brain power in advance.
~Syn

What capture device are you using? Post the logs for a recording and I'll take a look.