Can't get both Colossus cards changing channel properly

[Karyudo]

I think I'm going to try my filter graph without changes first, just to see what happens. Then, if it doesn't work, I'll know to change it by adding 'dump.ax' from SageGraphRecorder. But since it's working from the Desktop, I'm hoping my way also works!

Well, it didn't work -- going to have to add the dump.ax filter from SGR. No big deal -- but this would have been a major pain to troubleshoot without your comments! Thanks.

[mvallevand]

I am not totally confused by what you are trying to achieve. You are active in this thread with NetworkRecorder http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...Experience and then you talk about dump.ax etc Here. You can use firewire tuning totally independently from NetworkRecorder and SGraphRecorder. If you are going to use SGraphRecorder I would expect you would use sub's NPVR TS writer2 not dump.ax in your graph.

Martin

[Karyudo]

I'm still partly confused myself, Martin! I think my final aim is to use Network Recorder (with the third-party Sage 1394 tuning) with two DCT-6200s. As a backup/alternate -- for the hopefully few channels that I can't get via FireWire? -- I'd like to make sure I've at least got FireWire tuning set up so that I can change the channels on the boxes as they feed a pair of Colossus cards.

Perhaps foolishly, I've also added guidePlus into the mix before tackling tuning and Network Recorder, so I find I'm active in three threads pretty much simultaneously.

In my graph (which looks identical to mikeh49's shown earlier in this thread), I've got the Motorola box linked to NPVR TS Mon, and from there to "npvrwri.ts". Is that sub's NPVR TS writer2? I thought npvrwri.ts was just a filename that dump.ax would write to!

I'm not in front of my TV Server machine at the moment, so I can't poke around in GraphStudio to see what's what.

[mikeh49]

I mispoke earlier. I use the NPVRTSwriter filter. I just checked and I could not see it in the list of directshow filters using Graphedit. I forgot to check using GraphStudio. Also, my firewire box is still on NPVR 2.4.3, so I may not have TSwriter2. In any event, you should use the NPVR writer, not the dump.ax simple-minded filter that comes with SGraphrecorder. That's OK for testing, but for NPVR production, you want to use Sub's writer.

I would recommend simplifying your life by doing this in stages (it will also simplify support from us):

1. Get firewire tuning working with your two colossus cards.
   
2. After this works, get Network recorder working for firewire capture. You'll need to setup the guide and channels for this tuner separately from the Colossus.
   
3. After all the above are working, then try TV listings. In the meantime, use Schedules Direct.
   

I can post my Sgraphrecorder and Networkrecorder configs after you report that number 1 above is complete.

[Karyudo]

That all seems pretty reasonable NOW, but it wasn't until there was more detail available about how all these things work together (or don't) that it became clear I was biting off quite a lot at once.

I'm pretty much finished Step 1. Batch files are written for both boxes, and at least one works in NPVR. I have to do some testing (probably by enabling/disabling each DCT in turn) and confirm both boxes are changing channels correctly. NPVR does not seem to allow one to give a "friendly name" to each Colossus card, and it's also possible to "reverse priority on record", so it's tricky to keep track which box is which.

I'll get that sorted tonight, this thread can slowly age, and I'll post on-topic in the other threads.

[Karyudo]

Got everything sorted: two Motorola DCT-6200 tuners feeding component video and S/PDIF audio to two Colossus capture cards, with channel-changing on both tuners via SageChanger over FireWire. Step 1 complete!

Now, mikeh49, where are those config files?? I think the only thing I'm not too sure about is how to run more than one tuner with Network Recorder, so I'm hoping your config files shed some light...

Does it make sense to move the Network Recorder part of this discussion to either http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...a-Question or http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...Experience?

[mikeh49]

I'll get the files to you tomorrow. But, they are only for a single cable box. If you have 2 cable boxes and 2 Colossi, then you don't really need firewire capture, as far as i can tell. The same program appears on the firewire port as on the component out. The component has the advantage of presenting even copy once or copy never content. I use firewire capture because I don't have a Colossus, so that's how I get the "non-clear" QAM channels here in the US of A. I expect you can have 2 network recorders but Martin will probably have to explain how to configure.

Probably should move the discussion to a new thread under plug-ins.

[mvallevand]

I've been holding back because with two STB's, two firewire ports and two Colossi I don't really know what he is trying to achieve. If it was me I'd skip NetworkRecorder altogether.

Martin

[mikeh49]

Me too. This started as channel changing, and it sounds like that's sorted. Colossus and firewire channel changing sounds like a good setup. Not as good as firewire channel changing and NetworkRecorder, however.

[Karyudo]

When I got a pair of Colossae, I didn't know about NetworkRecorder. (Actually, I didn't even know about NPVR -- I used one Colossus under MCE, then learned adding the second was sort of a hassle). Then, when I did know about NetworkRecorder, I didn't know about FireWire channel-changing being possible for Colossus. Now that I know about all these things (as in, they exist), it seems smartest to aim for a two-STBs-with-Network-Recorder system. It uses the least expensive equipment, works with stuff I already have, and it looks like my entire channel lineup might be free of 5C concerns. Doing things via NR, I could liberate one or both Colossae for other duties (or craigslist 'em).

My strategy would be to keep both Colossus cards operating (now with FireWire channel-changing) until the NR stuff was set up, so I don't have to interrupt my scheduled recordings.

I'm also just curious to see how it would all work, running dual STBs with NR! Reading between the lines a bit, it doesn't sound like using two STBs with NetworkRecorder is a very well-travelled path. I'd be interested in getting it going, and then writing it up for the wiki.