How to set it up and watch TV?

[Nicolas]

Hi

I'm new there. I'd like to ask for help with using the GB-PVR. I followed the Quick Start procedure described on the site, but I found it not sufficient to get the soft up and running. I apologize if my question sounds stupid. I use Hauppauge PVR350 on Win 2K (latest driver etc).

Here's what I did:

1. Choosing EPG sources. I'm located in Belgium, so I had to use the XMLTV plugin. I was prompted to enter a XML file (XMLTV) that should contain information about the available channels. OK, I went to the linked xmltv web page and used the provided example to make a simple "my_channels.xml" with two channels only. This file was accepted, I successfully added a source in the list.

2. I then used the Tunning Assistant to find the channels available on my cable. I noted the channel number and the frequency for each channel. I suppose that this info should be somehow "given" to the GB-PVR...

3. Then I proceeded to the Config, Capture Sources, and clicked Add button to add a channel. Did not touch the rest of the settings in the Config, supposed the default values should work. I added a channel and assigned the number 29 (the number of one of the channels found by Tunning Assistant).

4. Proceed to the main window and clicked Live TV. For a couple of seconds I had a black screen and a message "Video is playign back using TV-out. Please use 'Home' to return to the main menu". Then I got a message "Failed to communicate with the recording service"

Questions:
1. Why does the soft complain that I'm using TV out? I did not activate it explicitly - is this a default setting? If so, how do I de-activate it?
2. Is this enough what I did - checking the channels with Tunning Assistant, writing down a channel number, then adding a channel in the source, assigning the number, then update EPG sources?

Would someone please tell me where am I going wrong?

Once again, sorry if the sounds stupid, but I couldn't find my way with the information on the website only. And I have almost no experience with TV tuner cards. Thanks

Nicolas

[cameluk]

Hi

4. Proceed to the main window and clicked Live TV. For a couple of seconds I had a black screen and a message "Video is playign back using TV-out. Please use 'Home' to return to the main menu". Then I got a message "Failed to communicate with the recording service"

Nicolas

When using a hardware decoder (set on the Playback tab of config), the playback of the mpeg is output from the TV-OUT of the PVR350, and not to the PC monitor. On the monitor all you will see is the "Video is playing back using TV-Out"

If you want to playback on the PC monitor, you will have to set The Hardware Decoder to None - use software decoder

"Failed to communicate with the recording service" typically when you get that error it means the recording service is not running. You should have the Recording Service icon in the system tray, run services.msc and check that the GBPVR Recording Service is running

[stefan]

As answer to number 2; you will need to run freqcopy, since we don't use channel numbers in large parts of Europe. We use, as you previously noted, frequencies. FreqCopy will do the trick for you =)
http://www.prize.nl/software/freqcopy/freqcopy.html

[Nicolas]

Thanks for the replies.

Cameluk, the Recording Service was running, so this message should have been caused by something else. I set the Hardware Decoder to none, az you suggested. Now, clicking at "Live TV" resulted in the following message:
"Error: no connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it"

Stefan, I read the page that you referred to, but I don't understand how should this be applied in GB-PVR? How does the program "know" the channel numbers? And how should I choose a channel to watch?

I can add channels in the Capture Source. Currently I have only one capture source that contains 6 channels (numbered 0 to 5). I can view the channels in the Channels tab. There I can assign an arbitrary channel number to each channel. That's all I can do about the channels.

And I have no idea what happened to the simple XMLTV file that I created in order to try to setup the program (it wouldn't let me do anything if it didn't get that file) - is it supposed to hold the information of all channels that I add?

And actually, what is EPG?

I'm totally confused with all this (a totally new matter for me) :confused:

Cheers

Nicolas

[stefan]

Stefan, I read the page that you referred to, but I don't understand how should this be applied in GB-PVR? How does the program "know" the channel numbers? And how should I choose a channel to watch?

You previously wrote that you ran tuning assistant and noted the frequency for each station. Now, run the station setup part of wintv2000, which you should have gotten with you card. Otherwise you can download it from happauges website. Setup the channels in the "preset order" you want them in wintv2000, using *frequencies*, not channels!
<technical blabber>
This will put the correct frequencies in the windows registry, under the hauppauge section. When you run FreqCopy the frequencies will be copied into Windows' own tv station registry, overwriting the default ones that windows - and gbpvr - uses.
</techincal blabber>
In other words, FreqCopy will copy the frequencies so that gbpvr will use the same ones that wintv2000 does. After this, you can uninstall wintv2000 if you don't want it anymore.

I can add channels in the Capture Source. Currently I have only one capture source that contains 6 channels (numbered 0 to 5). I can view the channels in the Channels tab. There I can assign an arbitrary channel number to each channel. That's all I can do about the channels.And I have no idea what happened to the simple XMLTV file that I created in order to try to setup the program (it wouldn't let me do anything if it didn't get that file) - is it supposed to hold the information of all channels that I add?

It's my understanding, though it's quite a while since I did this, that you would not need an xml file at all, if you don't want it. But it will make gbpvr more fun to use. But you shouldn't "make" one yourself, you should use the xmltv utility to make one for you. See
http://www.xmltv.org
However, if you don't use one, you should be able to add channels yourself in the setup. See
http://www.bladerhq.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...ortTvGuide
for which screen I'm talking about. There you should be able to click the "add" button in order to add new stations. Enter the name you want to use for the station, and in the channel number, add the number that you had as preset number in wintv2000.

And actually, what is EPG?

EPG = Electronic Program Guide. What happens is this: You setup xmltv (information about this others are more suited to provide, start at xmltv.org site) to fetch program info from your area. xmltv will then each day (you will have to make this happen automagically, too, one solution is to use the update.bat file, do a search here on the forum on that for more info) download the information about which shows are on which stations. GBPVR will use this to build up its EPG like so:
http://www.gbpvr.com/images/small-guide2.jpg
You can after that click on a show and ask GBPVR to either record it for you, or to let you watch it at once.

I hope this clears it up for you somewhat :-)

Good luck!