SageTV vs. GBPVR

[rtiangha]

Hey jwthirty, I don't suppose you could post a screenshot of some of this blocky-ness? If we could see what it looks like, someone might be able to diagnose the problem.

[jwthirty]

rtia, thanks for the note. It's kind of tough to do that because I only notice it during transitions. Meaning, when there is a commercial with high action.

[KingArgyle]

jwthirty, here are the default settings from direct.ini:

[SETUP-High Quality]
VideoResolution=0
OutputType=14
BitRate=5500
AudioSampleRate=1
AudioBitrate=11
AudioOutput=0 // 0:Stereo, 1:JointStereo, 2ualChannel, 3:Mono
BitRatePeak=9000
AudioCompression=11
EncodingMode=1

[SETUP-Medium Quality]
VideoResolution=0
OutputType=14
BitRate=3500
AudioSampleRate=1
AudioBitrate=11
AudioOutput=0
BitRatePeak=7200
AudioCompression=11
EncodingMode=1

[SETUP-Low Quality]
EncodingMode=1
VideoResolution=2
OutputType=14
BitRate=2500
AudioSampleRate=1
AudioBitrate=11
AudioOutput=0
BitRatePeak=4200
AudioCompression=11

[SETUP-Custom1 Quality]
VideoResolution=1
OutputType=14
BitRate=6000
AudioSampleRate=1
AudioBitrate=11
AudioOutput=0

[SETUP-Custom2 Quality]
VideoResolution=0
OutputType=14
BitRate=12000
AudioSampleRate=1
AudioBitrate=11
AudioOutput=0

[SETUP-LiveTV Quality]
VideoResolution=0
OutputType=14
BitRate=5000 ; 5000
AudioSampleRate=1
AudioBitrate=11
AudioOutput=0

[jwthirty]

thanks King. What settings do you use?

[KingArgyle]

I've got a LifeView Walker Ultra so right now I'm just using medium quality, and it suits me well enough and passes the Wife Acceptance Factor.

However, this same type of discussion was going on at the Beyond TV forum, and here is some of the relevant info:

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">
Name: 3.25GB/Hour DVD Standard Play
Type: MPEG-2
Audio Frequency: 48000
Audio Bitrate: 224000
Frames per second: 29.970
Dimensions (pixels): Custom 720 x 480
Video Bitrate: 7250
Variable Bitrate Encoding Enable: Not Checked
MPEG2 Stream Type: Program Stream
Bidirectional (Interpolative) Frames Per Group: 2
Predictive Frames Per Group: 4

Click the "Create New Quality" again and enter:
Name: 2.5GB/Hour DVD Long Play
Type: MPEG-2
Audio Frequency: 48000
Audio Bitrate: 224000
Frames per second: 29.970
Dimensions (pixels): Custom 720 x 480
Video Bitrate: 5750
Variable Bitrate Encoding Enable: Not Checked
MPEG2 Stream Type: Program Stream
Bidirectional (Interpolative) Frames Per Group: 2
Predictive Frames Per Group: 4

Click the "Create New Quality" again and enter:
Name: 1.8GB/Hour DVD Extra Long Play
Type: MPEG-2
Audio Frequency: 48000
Audio Bitrate: 224000
Frames per second: 29.970
Dimensions (pixels): Custom 720 x 480
Video Bitrate: 4125
Variable Bitrate Encoding Enable: Not Checked
MPEG2 Stream Type: Program Stream
Bidirectional (Interpolative) Frames Per Group: 2
Predictive Frames Per Group: 4

Sharpness Adjustment:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SYSTEM \ CurrentControlSet \ Services \ Globespan \ Parameters \ ivac15 \ Driver \ SharpnessValue
[/QUOTE]

Complete thread can be found here:

http://forums.snapstream.com/vb/showthread.php?t=13226

You might be able to apply the items discussed in that thread to the GBPVR equivalant settings.

[jwthirty]

thanks king, i will check that out.

[ejr]

Blockiness seems to be, at least in part, a function of the size of the display on which the output is being viewed.  On a 17 inch monitor, I see a beautiful display with no blockiness.  On my 50 inch rear projection TV, viewing it head on, I see considerable blockiness.  Interestingly enough, when I view the TV not head on (off axis), the blockiness is not noticeable.  (If anyone could tell me how to set the TV to have the blockiness not be noticeable for head on viewing, I'd appreciate that).

I therefore suggest that when people talk about blockiness, that they also indicate their screen size. As I note below, I had another PVR system hooked up to this TV. I had some blockiness, but now that I moved that PVR to a smaller (32 inch) TV, the blockiness is definitely less noticeable.

By the way, do people agree that that blockiness seems to be worse for darker scenes and screen areas? Is there anyway to adjust the settings to make that better?

On a separate note, if anyone interested in giving away (or selling at a significant discount) a license to Sage, contact me.  I have a Creative Video Blaster DVCR in another PVR, and GBPVR doesn't support the Creative card.  It also doesn't produce MPEGs that can be made into DVDs without reencoding, which is why I bought the 150 and began using GBPVR.

[jwthirty]

Okay, I think I solved my problem.

Going by the premise that the encoding card is the same, and that there shouldn't be a difference between recording apps (i.e. Sage and GBPVR), I went back to basics - the card itself.

When I originally built my pvr a year ago, I used the drivers available from Hauppauge at the time. This time, I did the same thing. However, if you look at the support page

http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/support/s...0-350.html

There is a link to two drivers. First, you are to install the .inf file, then you are to execute the .exe file which updates the drivers. I decided not to executve the .exe. assuming that these drivers were not available when I originally built my pvr a year ago - the pvr that recorded great with Sage.

See, the problem, I think, all along wasn't Sage or GBPVR - it was the drivers for my Hauppauge 350.

I also rebooted my cable box, but that probably didn't have anything to do with it.

I am posting this is an attempt to help other Hauppauge oweners who think they have a problkem - they may not. I will use this for a few days and report back if there are any differences in quality from Sage and GBPVR.

If the moderators think this post is better off in aother area, so Hauppauge owneers can find it, please move.

Thanks for all your help.

[colin]

Hey ejr,

Viewing a video on a 50&quot; screen will highlight blocks more so than on a 32&quot; screen - the video is the same resolution.

Also, if you where to watch televison directly on the 52&quot; screen (ie, skip out the PVR) what is the quality of the video like? Do you see the same blockiness, etc. I have seen many broadcasts where the problem lies with that rather that the capture device doing a poor job.

What bitrate are you encoding at?

I encode at the default settings of the medium profile and the recordings are as good as the signal coming the aerial. Well its only a 21&quot; tv, so it looks fine to me.

cheers,
Colin.

[ejr]

Colin,
I've come to the conclusion that the primary problem is with the graphics card providing my output. When I use the recordings to make make DVDs the blockiness is much, much less, and the quality is almost like the original.
On my computer screen, no blockiness is noticeable. I am going to buy a new graphics card.
Increasing the bit rate doesn't seem to improve the view on the big TV, which further points to the graphics card. I'm using an old ATI AIW pro for the TV output, only 8M.
Directly watching on the TV is beautiful using DISH network.