Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick & GB-PVR

[RichEV]

[Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick]
TUNING_TYPE=ATSC
FILTER_TUNER=BDA 2883 TVTuner
FILTER_CAPTURE=BDA 2883 Capture
PIN_TUNER_IN=Input0
PIN_TUNER_OUT=MPEG2 Transport
PIN_CAPTURE_IN=MPEG2 Transport
PIN_CAPTURE_OUT=MPEG2 Transport

These are the lines that need to be added to the "bda.ini" file.
I just copied another Pinnacle section and changed the necessary definitions.
The name in brackets can be anything you choose.

As for codecs, I found two places to download them;
http://www.free-codecs.com and http://www.softpedia.com.
The one that worked the best for me was NVidia version 04.02-223.
The site incorrectly listed it as NVidia PureVideo version 1.02-223.
The creation date on the file was before the release date of version 1.02-223.
Version 1.02-223 can be had for between $20-$50 depending on what level of sound output you need.(i.e. stereo, 5.1 or DTS)
Direct from NVidia of course.
It's possible that this is a hacked version of NVidia PureVideo.

In the August 2004 "Remote Control" manual the "Key Codes" funtionally match the "Type A" remote control.

In the June 2006 "Remote Control" manual the "Key Codes" funtionally match the "Type D" remote control.

key47 = Power(This will also be set as the "ESC" button.)
key1006 = Pinnacle(Wanted to use this in place of mute, but it has strange behavior.)
key60 = Mute(This will be set as the "MINI-GUIDE" button.)
key27 = VOL+(This will also work as the "RIGHT" button.)
Key91 = VOL+
Key15 = VOL-(This will also work as the "LEFT" button.)
Key79 = VOL-
Key23 = CH Up(This will work as the "UP" button.)
Key87 = CH Up
Key28 = CH Down(This will work as the "DOWN" button.)
Key92 = CH Down
Key49 = 1
Key50 = 2
Key51 = 3
Key52 = 4
Key53 = 5
Key54 = 6
Key55 = 7
Key56 = 8
Key57 = 9
Key58 = 0
Key45 = Full Screen(This will be set as the "ASPECT RATIO" button.)
Key41 = T(This will be set as the "ENTER" button.)
Key14 = Fast Reverse(This will be set as a 5 sec "BACK SKIP" button.)
Key13 = Play
Key7 = Fast Forward(This will be set as 30 sec "FORWARD SKIP" button.)
Key11 = Stop
Key39 = Record
Key29 = ?(Menu not Info)(This will be set as the "OSD" button.)

These were the "Key Codes" listed in the "Type A" section of "profiles.ini" that I could confirm.
That is with the exclusion of the "Power" and "Pinnacle" buttons.
These two are listed in the "Default" section

These are the modded parts of "profiles.ini" needed to use the remote control with GB-PVR.
[default]
; start PMC with Remote Type A ( 2ft TV )
;key38=EXEC C:\PROGRA~1\Pinnacle\MEDIAC~1\PMC.exe
;key1006=EXEC C:\PROGRA~1\Pinnacle\MEDIAC~1\PMC.exe
;
;
; start PMC with Remote Type A ( 10ft main menu )
;key47=EXEC ..\..\..\MediaCenter\PMC.exe | -10ft -full
key47=EXEC C:\PROGRA~1\devnz\gbpvr\GBPVR.exe

[GB-PVR]
;
;***************
; Remote Type A
;***************
;
; FastForward(30 sec Forward Skip)
key7=KEYBOARD CTRL+RIGHT+^RIGHT+^CTRL
; Stop
key11=KEYBOARD CTRL+s+^s+^CTRL
; Play
key13=KEYBOARD CTRL+p+^p+^CTRL
; FastRewind(5 sec Backward Skip)
key14=KEYBOARD CTRL+LEFT+^LEFT+^CTRL
; Volume down or Cursor Left
key15=KEYBOARD LEFT+^LEFT
key79=KEYBOARD LEFT+^LEFT
; channel up or Cursor Up
key23=KEYBOARD UP+^UP
key87=KEYBOARD UP+^UP
; volume up or Cursor Right
key27=KEYBOARD RIGHT+^RIGHT
key91=KEYBOARD RIGHT+^RIGHT
; channel down or Cursor Down
key28=KEYBOARD DOWN+^DOWN
key92=KEYBOARD DOWN+^DOWN
; OSD
key29=KEYBOARD CTRL+b+^b+^CTRL
; Record
key39=KEYBOARD CTRL+K+^K+^CTRL
; Aspect Ratio Cycle
key45=KEYBOARD F7+^F7
; Back 1 Level
key47=KEYBOARD ESC+^ESC
; numeric key 1
key49=KEYBOARD 1+^1
; numeric key 2
key50=KEYBOARD 2+^2
; numeric key 3
key51=KEYBOARD 3+^3
; numeric key 4
key52=KEYBOARD 4+^4
; numeric key 5
key53=KEYBOARD 5+^5
; numeric key 6
key54=KEYBOARD 6+^6
; numeric key 7
key55=KEYBOARD 7+^7
; numeric key 8
key56=KEYBOARD 8+^8
; numeric key 9
key57=KEYBOARD 9+^9
; numeric key 0
key58=KEYBOARD 0+^0
; Mini-Guide
key60=KEYBOARD CTRL+g+^g+^CTRL

"remoteterm.exe" must be running for this to work.
Why there are double codes for the incremental keys, I don't know.
A post in another forum said that every key has a secondary code if you hold it down for longer than a certain time.
If this is true, the secondary code is the primary code + 64.
This simular to an ASCII shift bit.

The strange behavior of the "PINNACLE" button was as follows:
If the button was set as the "MINI-GUIDE" button and used in the "Live TV" screen, when the "ESC" button was pressed on the remote; the computer would execute a "CTRL+ESC" sequence and lock out both the number pad and the cursor keys.
This behavior may only be isolated to my Gateway M680 laptop.

Here are some lines I added to "Aspect Ratio" section of "config.xml" because my laptop has a 16 x 10 aspect ratio.
<AspectRatioMode name="3x4 FH" ratio="0,-0.1,1,1.1" />
<AspectRatioMode name="16x9 LB" ratio="0,0.05,1,0.95" />
<AspectRatioMode name="Cinematic LB" ratio="0,0.16,1,0.84" />
<AspectRatioMode name="3x4 PB" ratio="0.0833,0,0.917,1" />
<AspectRatioMode name="16x9 FV" ratio="-0.0556,0,1.0556,1" />
The first removes the black bars from the sides with only 10% overscan on the verticle.
The next 2 are self explanatory "Letter Boxes".
The fourth is the standard "Pillar Box" scaled to a 16 x 10 display.
The last removes the "LetterBox" from a 16 x 9 program with only 5.6% horizontal overscan.

By the next time I post I should know whether a "Universal" remote can be used in place of the mini-remote.
It should work, as I was able to control the TV in the Silverton Hotel with the mini-remote.
This would give us more buttons to set as functions.

I am also going to take a crack at getting the analog section of this tuner to work.

Happy Viewing
RicH

PS: Thanx Sub for a well designed app. I am definately going to donate to the cause.

[sub]

Good post.

I'll include the definition in the master file.

[RichEV]

Sub

I moved this thread here from the Pinnacle forums.
I didn't the search the forum first, so I belive this device may already be defined in an earlier post.
By the way, do you know if the NVidia Video decoder v.04.02-223 is a "Bootleg" version of an earlier NVidia PureVideo release?
It was downloaded from SoftPedia.

Happy Viewing
RicH

[sub]

I didn't the search the forum first, so I belive this device may already be defined in an earlier post.

Yeah, I found it was there. No worries.

By the way, do you know if the NVidia Video decoder v.04.02-223 is a "Bootleg" version of an earlier NVidia PureVideo release?
It was downloaded from SoftPedia.

I'd guess so. I dont really know for sure though.

[RichEV]

Bad news folks.
The analog part of this tuner will not work with GB-PVR.
Neither for "Live Viewing nor "Recording".
The video out of the "USB 2883 Device"(Video Capture Source) will not directly drive the "Video Mixing Renderer 9".
For it to work it must have either the "ATI Video Format Converter" or both the "AVI Decompressor" and the "Color Space Converter" inserted into the stream.
All attempts at recording have failed.
BTW, it works fine with the "Pinnacle Video Renderer". :confused:

BTW, there is a copy of "GraphEdit 9" included with the "K-Lite 283f Codec Pack" from http://www.free-codecs.com.

The tuner will work with "Media Player Classic".
Don't know if it can be controlled with the "External Recorder Plugin".
Would probably work with an external tuner, an "IR Blaster" and the "video Capture" input.
It might be possible to save channel settings in "Media Player Classic".

BTW, there is a trick to getting audio out of this device.
You must switch the "2883 Crossbar" input, ckeck "Link Related Streams" and click the "Apply" button.
Now select the input you really want and repeat the procedure.
This was required in both "GraphEdit" and "Media Player Classic".

Still researching the remote control issue.
It seems that Pinnacle did not define all the possible "rc5/rc6" codes and allowed some codes to default to "Key0".
Two of these just happen to be the channel control keys on a "Universal" remote.
This has been the case so far on both my "URC 3021w" and my "Phillips PM335B".
Not sure if Pinnacle used a decode table or just a decode matrix.
If it were a table, it could be edited.
OTOH, if it is a decode matrix the "Code" would need to be edited.
Probably less hassle to just use "Girder".

Happy Viewing
RicH

[elbryyan]

I can not get any audio when viewing channels with my Pro Stick. Could you give a more step by step way to get this to work? Thanks.

[sub]

I can not get any audio when viewing channels with my Pro Stick.

This would typically be a problem with the audio decoder you're using.

[elbryyan]

Thanks Sub,

I got everything working for the digiatal portion of the tuner and the audio comes in fine since I selected a different audio decoder. My next question is about the mini remote. Where is the profiles.ini file that RichEv is talking about? I haven't been able to find any filename under the gbpvr directories. Does the mini remote work with gb-pvr? I'm still new to the scene so forgive me if I'm missing something obvious. Thanks.

[RichEV]

The "profiles.ini" file is part of the original Pinnacle software.

The only application that I have been able to capture analog with is "Media Center Classic".
"Media Center Classic" is an application that is included in most codec packs.
With out transcoding/repackaging the files are not viewable in GB-PVR.
It is strictly a manual recording application.
When talking about how to get the audio working, I referring to this application or "GraphEdit".

I could not get the "Software Recorder" plugin to build a proper graph for either video or audio.

"VirtualVCR" might work but only as an external capture device.
It doesn't find any channels when I scan and it doesn't understand that the video and audio capture device are the same.
It wants to use the mixer as the audio capture device.

If you want to know how to get audio in "Media Center Classic" I can give you detailed instructions.

Sorry, the analog side of this device will not work in GB-PVR.

HappyViewing
RichEV