Help the Noob, PVR500MCE & Directv

[diesel9129]

Through this forum, the GBPVR Wiki, and Google, I've been able to get my PVR500MCE installed and configured (and properly I believe). My problem is that I cannot get any picture to show up on the screen when I go into A) LiveTV, or B) if I select a show from the guide and click "watch", all I get is the screen to briefly (this occurs in about a second) flash some gray and black stripes on the screen, and the screen returns to the main menu. Any ideas? I've attached all the logs I found if it helps. Here is the setup: AMD 1ghz, 1gb Ram PVR500MCE, ATI Remote Wonder II, Jaton Video-228PCI-TV Video card, Windows XP Pro. I have a Directv SD-HBH set top box connected to the PVR via the Coax cable from the STB to the TV in connection on the PVR500. I have configured GBPVR for two tuners, 1 PVR500 W/FM tuner and one without, and assigned each tuner a different board number (Capture Device 1 & Capture Device 2). I hope I have provided enough info for everyone. Please feel free to ask more questions if I have not. I believe this is the only obstacle holding me up rrrrrrr!!

[sub]

What video decoders do you have listed as options on the playback tab of the config app? I suspect you dont have one installed.

[diesel9129]

Hi Sub, you're correct, I "system default" in the Video Decoder field, Audio decoder field, and the Audio Render field. I'm assuming you're going to tell me I need to download and install something to change that?

[sub]

I'm assuming you're going to tell me I need to download and install something to change that?

Yes, you need to have an MPEG-2 decoder installed to use GB-PVR.

[diesel9129]

Cool, Any recommendations as to where I could get a free one?
Also, does the Audio decoder need to be installed as well?

[sub]

Cool, Any recommendations as to where I could get a free one?

No. Given a license fee is involved in playing MPEG2 files, a free one shouldnt exist. Try using the forum search - I'm sure you'll find a source pretty quickly.

Also, does the Audio decoder need to be installed as well?

Yes.

[diesel9129]

Well, I installed an old version of Cyberlink Powerdvd (version 3.0) I had lying around, and selected the Cyberlink video/SP option as my video decoder. Now when I select a channel, all I get is an all black screen. Is this version too old? Should I try another decoder?

[sub]

Well, I installed an old version of Cyberlink Powerdvd (version 3.0) I had lying around, and selected the Cyberlink video/SP option as my video decoder. Now when I select a channel, all I get is an all black screen. Is this version too old?

Yeah, thats pretty old.

Should I try another decoder?

I would. I'm using PowerDVD version 7.

[diesel9129]

Well, I've updated to Powerdvd 6, and also found out I didn't have a "mux" installed. I downloaded and installed the trial version of showshifter and now a mux is in place. I still cannot get any picture or sound. I have even downloaded and installed hauppauge's WinTv2000 app to see if the card works. I do get a picture (albeit a really crappy one) and sound without fail. I'm at least confident that the card works now, but with all these changes still nothing. The really strange thing is that I try to watch livetv in GBPVR, I get nothing whether the Set Top Box is on or off. It's almost as if GBPVR can't see it. In Wintv2000, if I turn off the box, I lose the picture and the sound as I should. Anyone have any more ideas?

[diesel9129]

***Update*** I hope I found the problem. I've updated my mpeg-2 decoder to the latest and greatest Nvidia (boy am I desparate) and still nothing. In reviewing the GBPVR Wiki though I ran across the Tuning Assistant utility. When I run the utility and it's hits channel 3, voila there's a picture! It tells me following message:

After watching enough to identify the channel, please take note of the channel name and number. You'll need to key this channel number into GB-PVR for this channel to tune correctly. (Channel: 3, Frequency: 61250000).

According to the Wiki I have to make a registry entry or manually put this info into the config page. The confusing thing is that the Wiki seems to be for European viewers, and ALL the channels need to be configured/entered. I'm in USA (Illinois) with Directv and it appears that this one channel entry will finally give my pvr the ability to "see" all of the channels (I hope that makes sense). Am I at least on the right track? Any ideas?