Is February 2009 the end of GBPVR for me?

[zehd]

Get the STB's, but forget the blasters - firewire channel changing is much smoother.

I've been hearing this, but I wondered how generic is the program that would control the firewire/STB

[Pilot]

STBs should become free again if they are a requirement for cable.
I don't have cable (use OTA HD digital) but all this talk of the companies Lincoln and Hamilton-ing the cutomers to death makes me want to keep far away.

One would think they would be free again, but I doubt it. All the companies keep doing is shrinking their "basic" cable offerings and move more and more channels up to the next tier where they can charge for the digital box. I think this will likely keep happening until the channel offerings on basic cable are just pitiful, and then the cable companies will likely just increase their monthly fees by $5 and say that a cable box is now required even for basic cable. Which brings us right back to charging $5 for a cable box (just in a sneaky way).

[zehd]

Thanks for checking in on this thread, Sub. I found the problem -- for the PVR150 recording source config I used the Hauppauge PVR150 capture card type, but for the PVR150 composite recording source config I used the Hauppauge PVR150MCE capture card type. I did have them both correctly set to Capture Device #1, but because they were using two different (but compatible) capture card types, they were still be treated as two different recording sources by GBPVR (at least for conflicts). I just made sure both capture card types were set to PVR150MCE and now the conflict function works as it should.

The tray icon still reports four different tuning sources though, and even when the internal tuner in the PVR150 is recording, the composite source shows that it's sleeping. Which I guess is accurate (since the composite connection is not in use). Come to think of it, it's probably best this way because the tray icon is showing what recording sources are in use -- not what cards are in use.

Sorry for the false alarm and thanks again.

In your setup 4 capture sources would be expected. You could have also un selected the single channel that you are recording with the STB, that is also available on the same capture source. That way, when you chose to record that channel, only the composite is chosen...


eg
---
PVR150 # 1 (configured for TV Tuner)
Ch 1,2,3,4,5 < remove 4

---
PVR150 # 1 (configured for composite input) (It's the same card)
Ch 4 < only have 4 in list...

---
Also, if you never want GB-PVR to select either of your 500s tuners, and only from the STB, deselect that channel everywhere but the card with composite input...

[Pilot]

Also, if you never want GB-PVR to select either of your 500s tuners, and only from the STB, deselect that channel everywhere but the card with composite input...

Actually, that's how I was forced to set it up and why I'm using the STB -- the channel is only available by way of the STB, and in order to get the EPG to show that channel I had to setup another channel lineup in SchedulesDirect. I download the analog lineup for the PVR150 and two PVR500 tuners, and then download the digital lineup only for the composite PVR150 with all of the other channels (except the one I needed) deselected.

I'm actually going to go in and select more channels for the STB/composite PVR150 lineup though. This is a HD STB, and although I know it's not HD resolution, it looks better recording the HD version of some shows even in standard definition because it's widescreen and for some reason it does look like better quality.

I am interested in an IR blaster solution, but in reading through a lot of the relevant threads, I'm worried about which solution to choose. There are reports of the Hauppauge blasters not being compatible with some STBs, but there are also numerous reports of the same for the MCE blasters. It doesn't seem like there's a reliable solution out there, and no way (other than word of mouth) to verify compatibility.

[Pilot]

Oh, crapola! I just looked at the back of my two PVR cards, and realized why I should've have cheaped out and bought the MCE versions way back when -- no IR blaster ports! I guess that limits my solutions quite a bit, eh?

So is it now time for me to replace my PVR150MCE with a HVR1600 or something similar? Again, my cable company doesn't seem interested in providing any clear QAM (now or anytime soon), and I don't really feel like doing OTA stuff, so would it be best for me to go with the an HVR card or try to get a non-MCE PVR150 (or PVR500) for cheap?

I knew this STB thing was going too smoothly!

[zehd]

Oh, crapola! I just looked at the back of my two PVR cards, and realized why I should've have cheaped out and bought the MCE versions way back when -- no IR blaster ports! I guess that limits my solutions quite a bit, eh?

So is it now time for me to replace my PVR150MCE with a HVR1600 or something similar? Again, my cable company doesn't seem interested in providing any clear QAM (now or anytime soon), and I don't really feel like doing OTA stuff, so would it be best for me to go with the an HVR card or try to get a non-MCE PVR150 (or PVR500) for cheap?

I knew this STB thing was going too smoothly!

About 50.00 to get a remote beanbag and blasters...

eg... http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PI...5(ME).aspx

Works awesome!

[Pilot]

About 50.00 to get a remote beanbag and blasters...

eg... http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PI...5(ME).aspx

Works awesome!

Forgive my ignorance -- what's a "remote beanbag"? Where would I plug the blasters in if neither my PVR150 nor my PVR500 have IR ports?

Would the Hauppauge MCE Remote Control kit work just as well? It's only $35, even from the Hauppauge site. It seems to come with a remote, a receiver, and a blaster, but it appears that you're supposed to plug the blaster into a tuner card (has the typical small "stereo" looking plug).

This is rather confusing. What are people supposed to do who don't have IR sockets on their tuner cards? What do people with MCE systems do, since these cards without IR sockets are supposedly made for MCE machines?

[Pilot]

Augh! My problem with GBPVR wanting to use the composite and internal tuner on the PVR150 card is not resolved like I thought it was. I posted a new thread here in case someone has any insights:

http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post311056

[zehd]

Forgive my ignorance -- what's a "remote beanbag"? Where would I plug the blasters in if neither my PVR150 nor my PVR500 have IR ports?

Would the Hauppauge MCE Remote Control kit work just as well? It's only $35, even from the Hauppauge site. It seems to come with a remote, a receiver, and a blaster, but it appears that you're supposed to plug the blaster into a tuner card (has the typical small "stereo" looking plug).

This is rather confusing. What are people supposed to do who don't have IR sockets on their tuner cards? What do people with MCE systems do, since these cards without IR sockets are supposedly made for MCE machines?

Remote Control and Beanbag (IR Receiver) and IR Blaster buds.... It connects to the USB port. It's generic (to a point -- It's Microsft and all)

The Hauppauge MCE kit is quite similar, but IMHO the MS is far suppier, in tech and design The Haup Beanbag falls apart when you sneeze and the MS beanbag can be used as a hammer to build three houses (I'm on my forth) ...


(house)


I've tried both. Don't waste your time with the Hauppauge. I think others with experience with both will concur.

This is rather confusing. What are people supposed to do who don't have IR sockets on their tuner cards? What do people with MCE systems do, since these cards without IR sockets are supposedly made for MCE machines?

They buy what I have suggested... (Problem is, in the picture it only shows the remote... The whole kit looks like:

http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/uploads/Main/MS-...eanbag.jpg

[Deusxmachina]

STBs should become free again if they are a requirement for cable.
I don't have cable (use OTA HD digital) but all this talk of the companies Lincoln and Hamilton-ing the cutomers to death makes me want to keep far away.

I hear that. I suppose my suggestion to connect an antenna and record ATSC in glorious, uncompressed, free, High-Definition wouldn't be too popular, though.

I see a similar conversation a decent bit on other TV forums lately. People now going against HTPCs because they can just get a settop box/DVR that "does pretty much the same thing," albeit costing them x per month, every month, forever.

Which if using HD and satellite or the like, might be a good idea instead of jumping through setup hoops and frustration. But with OTA, an HTPC is the cat's meow. meow!