My GB-PVR freezes my Windows XP

[mgy333]

After trying several softwares, I came to the conclusion that GB-PBR is the best that's out there.

Unfortunately, I am having one problem. Sometimes when I change channels or exit the TV mode by pressing Home key, the whole Windows freezes, making it necessary to reset the PC.

Anyone else experienced this issue? I am using relatively under-powered PC (resurrected from non-use). Is that the reason?

My set-up is:

P III 733MHz, 512MB RAM. 80GB primary drive and 200GB recording drive
Hauppage PV350
ATI AGP Video card with 32MB (soon to be updated to 128MB card)
Windows XP SP2 with full update
Not running 3rd party firewall nor virus scan to save some RAM

I would appreciate any suggestion. Please help!

[sub]

Are you using the TV out on your PVR350?

[mgy333]

Yes, I am.

I tried viewing on PC monitor only, but video was jerky (and besides, my video card has no TV out).

[sub]

Yes, I am.

Unfortunately this is fairly common, and was the reason I dropped support for the PVR350 tv out (nearly two years ago). It relates to a bug in the drivers, and affects both of the apps that utilise the PVR350 tv out (GB-PVR and SageTV). The bug affected about 50% of users, and there was no work around (other than changing motherboards and hoping you end up with a working combination).

[mgy333]

Hi, thanks for reply.

That's a big bummer.. I guess I should've done more research, and got much cheaper PVR150 instead...

I haven't experienced the same using WinTV2000 that came with PVR350 (which uses TV out), so there must be something. Unfortunately, WinTV2000's interface and functionality really sucks...

Is it also known to happen while watching the recorded video, or only with live TV? So far, I have seen it only when switching live TV, but maybe I haven't used it often enough.

I guess I can write to Hauppage and hope that they'd update their driver.

[sub]

I haven't experienced the same using WinTV2000 that came with PVR350 (which uses TV out), so there must be something. Unfortunately, WinTV2000's interface and functionality really sucks...

Yes, thats occasionally pointed out. The bug relates to the use of the OSD functionality, used for displaying menus and on screen display stuff, which isnt used by the WinTV software. It only displays simple video.

[mgy333]

That makes sense. I was just trying to hold onto the little hope... Ah well.

While doing some search, I found that some people are having problem with PVR350 and VIA chipset. And surely enough, my board is VIA... Some are reporting that updating firmware/driver fixed their problems. Have you heard anything about this? I guess that's my next step.

I'll report back with my results...

[sub]

Some are reporting that updating firmware/driver fixed their problems. Have you heard anything about this?

No I havnt.

[mgy333]

Ok, I tried few more things.

I downloaded VIA drivers as suggested in this article in hope that the lock up would go away.

http://forums.viaarena.com/messageview.a...TARTPAGE=2
(Do text search on "gb-pvr")

Unfortunately, it didn't...

The lock up only happens with live TV, when I change channel or try to change back to menu (but not every time). When playing a recorded video, it doesn't happen. Also, it never happens while in menu, even if the output is shown through TV out of PVR350.

I wonder if there's any ways to "switch" the way the video is streamed for live TV to use the same method WinTV2000 is doing? Another wishful thinking.

Since then, I installed MSI 128MB AGP video card w/ S-video out. As long as I use the S-video out on the video card only, I get no lock up problem (as expected). However, with my under-powered PC, live TV is jerky without the use of the hardware decoder...

So for the time being, I can only use GB-PVR for recording and viewing video. I ended up disabling live TV plug in (although I can still get to live TV through TV guide..is there a way to disable that?).

I am a .NET software programmer and tester, so I guess that made me go through all this...

[Ted the Penguin]

have you tried forcing timeshift tv mode? that is basically recording whatever you watch and then viewing it while it is recording.

just a thought