HVR-1600 setup for QAM?

[joe531]

Update of my 1600, so far:

SD channels play fine, HD channels skip like there's no tomorrow, simply because I have 2 splitters, and three sources: cable modem, cable box, and of course, the d tuner. :p

Picking HD channels in the scan area was easy, since comcast labels them. SD channels are a pita, unfortunately. 'Untitled-xx', over and over. But it gives me something to do.

I can't wait to see how this whole experience improves as Hauppauge releases more drivers.

[sub]

Update of my 1600, so far:

SD channels play fine, HD channels skip like there's no tomorrow, simply because I have 2 splitters, and three sources: cable modem, cable box, and of course, the d tuner. :p

What CPU and videocard are you using?

[joe531]

I'm using a Celeron D 2.66ghz, and an ATI Radeon X1300 PCI. I'm also using the old style layout, with Overlay enabled. The new style can't cut it on this system. I can watch HD fine using an antenna, so I think it's just a signal thing. Some of the SD channels skip a little as well, but not as bad as the HD ones.

[sub]

The other main issue was these weird names assigned for one block, it doesn't seem to have logic behind it

Code:

T:517250,517250,12~P:11~V:91~A:92~PMT:247~N:>517250.12  Unknown12 (000(AC3))
T:523250,523250,1~P:2035~V:175~A:176~PMT:71~N:>2049  Unknown1 (000(AC3))
T:523250,523250,2~P:2030~V:164~A:165~PMT:87~N:>2050  Unknown2 (000(AC3))
T:523250,523250,3~P:2031~V:168~A:169~PMT:103~N:>2051  Unknown3 (000(AC3))
T:523250,523250,4~P:2032~V:171~A:172~PMT:119~N:>2052  Unknown4 (000(AC3))
T:523250,523250,5~P:2033~V:173~A:174~PMT:135~N:>2053  Unknown5 (000(AC3))
T:523250,523250,6~P:2034~V:177~A:178~PMT:151~N:>2054  Unknown6 (000(AC3))
T:523250,523250,7~P:2037~V:181~A:184~PMT:167~N:>2055  Unknown7 (000(AC3))
T:523250,523250,8~P:2036~V:179~A:180~PMT:183~N:>2056  Unknown8 (000(AC3))
T:523250,523250,9~P:2039~V:185~A:186~PMT:199~N:>2057  Unknown9 (000(AC3))
T:523250,523250,10~P:2038~V:209~A:210~PMT:215~N:>2058  Unknown10 (000(AC3))
T:529250,529250,1~P:167~V:64~A:65~PMT:71~N:>529250.1  Unknown1 (000(AC3))

Its nice when the broadcaster transmits the major/minor names and the channel names. Certainly makes things easier and looks nicer, but unfortunately this info isnt mandatory for digital cable.

If you zip and attach the config.exe.log from a scan I'll tell you why the naming scheme is different for this particular frequency.

Basically is because the broadcaster is transmitting more/less information on that specific mux. By default it prefers to show the "major.minor" number, which is always available OTA ATSC, but only broadcast somtimes with digital cable. You'll notice in the scan xml in config.exe.log for this frequency that there is slightly more data available.

[Legion303]

Thanks for the patch. I have my cable split once into two pigtails (one for each input on the 1600), and it appears that not only did I regain the channels Comcast took from my basic package, but as far as I can tell I also have the entire digital lineup. I didn't have time to play with it much before work, but it looks like the channels with "AC3" in the description are the choppy ones, while others seem to play back decently.

The new interface looks great!

-steve

[PixelatedFooL]

This patch should definitely go to the survival guide!

[Anthony]

> I think its a bit early to have a defeatist attitude.

Yeah, I know... I've just spent the better part of a month, and two different tuner devices to try and record HD material, and so far it hasn't gotten me anywhere. I guess I'm just getting a little frustrated.

> BDASubmitTuningRequestTwiceOnRecord>true
> BDASubmitTuningRequestTwiceOnLivePreview>true

Changed both, no difference.

I also tried a direct cable connection without a splitter in the line, and I didn't see any change in the signal strength. Still the same 12 bars.

> It might be worth contacting Hauppauge support to tell them
> what you're seeing WinTV

Will do...

> QAM support has only been in GB-PVR for two days officially,

Is over the air ATSC any less sensitive to signal strength? I figured a wired cable connection would be a much better signal. If I'm experiencing signal problems with cable, wouldn't it be likely be worse with an antenna? I'm about 25-30 miles from the broadcast antennas.

> find out with signal/quality values other users are getting.

Good idea... OK, HVR-1600 users, In WinTV6, click the Menu button, then select Suite Manager, click the Sources button, select clear QAM source, and pick a channel and click Tune next to the channel number. What kind of strength/quality reading are you getting? How is your viewing and recording at that signal level?

It looks like the maximum is about 14 bars, and I get 11 or 12 bars on most channels. My video is very jumpy for both viewing and recording.

> Its interesting you had a HDHomeRun and it didnt work for you either.

I had a whole different set of problems with the HDHomeRun. It showed great signal strength and quality on one tuner, while the other tuner bounced all over the place and wouldn't lock onto a station. The good tuner only worked in VLC. I couldn't get any other PVR software to recognize the HDHomeRun, despite following all the tips and advice I could track down. I never got far enough to find out what kind of picture/sound quality I could get.

Anthony

[joe531]

>Good idea... OK, HVR-1600 users, In WinTV6, click the Menu button, then select Suite Manager, click the Sources button, select clear QAM source, and pick a channel and click Tune next to the channel number. What kind of strength/quality reading are you getting? How is your viewing and recording at that signal level?

It looks like the maximum is about 14 bars, and I get 11 or 12 bars on most channels. My video is very jumpy for both viewing and recording.

Anthony

My signal strength is about 4 bars away from full strength. I guess that would be about between 70% and 80%. I even had the cable from the wall going straight into the tuner, and that brought it up about another couple of bars. Still not full strength, though. I'm finding that whether it's straight from the wall, or with 2 splitters attached, it stutters a bit either way, in WinTV and GB-PVR.

[sub]

Thanks for the patch. I have my cable split once into two pigtails (one for each input on the 1600), and it appears that not only did I regain the channels Comcast took from my basic package, but as far as I can tell I also have the entire digital lineup. I didn't have time to play with it much before work, but it looks like the channels with "AC3" in the description are the choppy ones, while others seem to play back decently.

You may find you need to switch audio decoders to one that copes better with AC3. You can also get problems like this if you've asked it to use an audio decoder that doesnt do AC3, so it ends up adding two audio decoders to the graph, with only one of them connected.

[sub]

My signal strength is about 4 bars away from full strength. I guess that would be about between 70% and 80%. I even had the cable from the wall going straight into the tuner, and that brought it up about another couple of bars. Still not full strength, though. I'm finding that whether it's straight from the wall, or with 2 splitters attached, it stutters a bit either way, in WinTV and GB-PVR.

If its doing this for people in both WinTV and GB-PVR, then its most likely either signal or drivers. Its pretty early days for Hauppauge for QAM support, so may just be stuff that needs improving in the drivers.