Pinnacle PCTV HD stick (801e SE) won't work in GB-PVR

[sub]

I'd stick to Hauppauge devices like the HVR1600/HVR1800.

[whurlston]

Try searching your registry for "ATSCMode" and change it to "2". I had to do this to get QAM channels detected.

[jaidek]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the help, but I am still not having any luck. Whurlston I tried searching the registry for ATSCMode but had no matches.

Sub, I went out and purchased a Hauppauge HVR1600 and even that device cannot see a digital channel. Even the bundled software won't work.

As for the Pinnacle PCTV 801e SE, I was able to get it to find like 4 channels in WMC. But only a couple of times. However, it still finds all of the digital and analogue channels in Pinnacle TVCenter Pro.....really weird. I have tried everything I can think of - new cables, directly into the wall without splitters, new splitter with 2300MHz....but no luck.

Any last ideas would be great otherwise these cards are gonna have to go back.

Thanks,

Corey Kinard

[sub]

Can you try doing a scan, then zip and attach the config.exe.log and config.exe-native.log files?

[jaidek]

Hey guys,

Okay, here is where I am at. I have returned the Hauppauge HVR1600 as I wouldn't even work with the included software, I think it might have been an open box item to begin with (seal was broken on antistatic bag) and Circuit City didn't have another.

So I exchanged it for the Pinnacle PCTV HD 800i PCI card. Once again this works perfectly with Pinnacle TVCenter Pro. I have tons of digital cable channels. I still have the Pinnacle PCTV HD 801e as well and TVCenter Pro was able to record two shows at once.

I have also ran a line to a dedicated cable jack, inside of TVCenter Pro I am getting between 96 to 100 on signal quality and strength. Now in GB-PVR I get a large list of channels, but none of them have video....only audio. So we are getting closer!

I have attached a new filtercheck, config.exe.log and config.exe-native.log. I would like to get the internal PCTV 800i working. If I can I will take back the 800e SE to the store. The 800i just seems snappier.

Thanks again for everyone's help, you guys rock!

Corey Kinard

[sub]

The atsc entry for this device in bda.ini is

[Pinnacle PCTV 800e type2]
TUNING_TYPE=ATSC
FILTER_TUNER=Digital Tuner
FILTER_CAPTURE=TS Capture
PIN_TUNER_IN=Input0
PIN_TUNER_OUT=MPEG2 Transport
PIN_CAPTURE_IN=MPEG2 Transport
PIN_CAPTURE_OUT=MPEG2 Transport

Below is a definition that might work with QAM. Many manufacturers implement their own mechanism for doing QAM tuning. This will only work with your Pinnacle device if they implement it in the same way as Hauppauge, which is a fairly common way of doing it.

[Pinnacle PCTV 800e type2 (QAM)]
TUNING_TYPE=ATSC
TUNING_SPECIAL=2
FILTER_TUNER=Digital Tuner
FILTER_CAPTURE=TS Capture
PIN_TUNER_IN=Input0
PIN_TUNER_OUT=MPEG2 Transport
PIN_CAPTURE_IN=MPEG2 Transport
PIN_CAPTURE_OUT=MPEG2 Transport

[jaidek]

Hey Guys,

I am currently testing the Pinnacle PCTV HD 800i and I can get a picture every once in a while with this:

[Pinnacle PCTV HD (QAM)]
TUNING_TYPE=ATSC
TUNING_SPECIAL=2
FILTER_TUNER=Digital Tuner
FILTER_CAPTURE=TS Capture
PIN_TUNER_IN=Input0
PIN_TUNER_OUT=MPEG2 Transport
PIN_CAPTURE_IN=Mpeg2 Transport
PIN_CAPTURE_OUT=Mpeg2 Transport

However, most of the time I get a single frame with only audio. Or it will play for a few seconds then the picture will freeze and I will have only audio. Any ideas? Sooooo close!!

Thanks!

Corey Kinard

[whurlston]

It's most likely due to the combination of decoder that you are using. Try different audio/video decoders. AC3Filter works really well for QAM audio.

[jaidek]

Hey Guys,

Thanks again! By changing the video decoder to Microsoft MPEG-2 Video Decoder and the audio decorder to AC3Filter I can now watch and record live TV!!! But....there is one more little problem. Every time I go to playback the recorded video, PVRX2 goes to a black screen and closes. However, the video will play just fine in Windows Media Center (.dvr-ms file). Any ideas?

Thanks,

Corey Kinard

[sub]

Reproduce the problem, then zip and attach the pvrx2.exe.log and pvrx2.exe-native.log and I'll take a look.