GB-PVR widescreen LCD TV support

[mephisto]

Hi there - I've been on and off scouting round for decent PVR hardware and software for quite a while now but have never really settled on anything really (too damn picky!). I'm in the UK and I want digital TV so i recently purchased the Hauppauge Win Nova-T (I thought i may as well go for that as it seemed a nice card, most of the DVB-T cards seem pretty much the same, I'm not sure if thats the general opinion?). So anyway - I got the nova-T and am awaiting delivery so I thought it was time to seriously start looking at the software options available and I came across this gem! I downloaded a had a fiddle (without my tv card of course so it was a *very* limited fiddle) and I've got to say that so far I'm really impressed. Things seem pretty polished and easy, and the config is great (always crashes when i click save but im thinking that could be due to the fact i have no tv card..anyway..) but basically I have a few questions that I wasn't sure to the answers; I've done a bit of forum searching but didnt find enough info so I've made a little list to see if people could give em a hand.

• I will be using a widescreen LCD TV connected via VGA or DVI with a res of 1280x768 - are there any forseeable problems that I'm going to come across using GBPVR? Does it handle widescreen properly etc or is it primarily intended for 4:3 sets?
  
• I noticed when using the software that skins seems very stretched on the res i mentioned above - I understand you can get skins emant for higher resolutions but i havent found any yet - any pointers?
  
• on the same note as above really, the test seems quite blurred on the menu's - any way of making it sharper on higher res'?
  
• I didnt notice a capture card option of the Nova-T; how do i get round that?
  
• I understand that the My Videos plugin can burn your recordings to a DVD - are there any install guides or howtos for it?
  
• Can I see DVD subtitles if I'm watching a DVD disk in the drive (not ripped, i understand that could be different in this respect)
  

The above are my questions, basically i want the software to allow me to watch live digital TV and pause it etc, have an EPG (preferably remotely accesible), be able to record and playback live tv, record those recordings onto a DVD for watching on a set-top dvd player, play DVD's (and have subtitles etc!), rip DVD's to hard disk, play music, rip music to hard disk, play net radio, show the weather, show the news. Thats a pretty big list, the latter ones are very low priority things but I'd still love them and I have to say that GBPVR seems to come the closest to doing all of them...

Anyway, hopefully some generous poeple will help me out I'm pretty much hoping that they have good answers as tbh I'd like to use the software and would definitely donate if it did most of what i need (obviously i dont mind some small niggles but the above things are pretty priority for me)

Thankyou very much in advance!

[stefan]

I can't answer your questions, but have you looked at the wiki? Some of the answers might be there.
http://www.bladerhq.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/

[mephisto]

Hi stefan - yeh I had a look on the Wiki, had some good info on there - thats where i found out about My Video that burns DVDs (sounds good!) but it didnt seem to have any install instructions (none that i could follow very well being new to the software anyway). I didnt know if anyone had made a guide?

Just looking at what remote control to get right now...I'm still not settled on any paticular software or even operating system (might use MythTV sometime) so I'm pretty much trying to find hardware thats pretty universal.

[reven]

yeah sorry im terrible at explaining how to do things, what do you expect im a programmer (well in training ). basically to burn a dvd you need it looks for 2 batch files, convert.bat (this file takes care of converting a passed file to mpeg2, i left this open so type of file can be burnt, but ive only have given instructions for mpeg2 files, which you need to in most cases *fix*, using PVAS.... something, its in a readme.txt file in the my videos.zip).

once the file has been converted it will then look for dvdauthor (you specify this in the config application under my videos). that will create the dvd file structure in a temp dir, eg D:\temp\MyDVD\Video_TS etc.

then it will pass that dir to the dvdburn.bat file, by default this uses mkisofs to create an iso from that file and then burns it with dvddecrypter (which are both free), or you can use nerocmd (which isnt free, and i havent got a batch file for that).

anyway in most cases you need to download
PVAS..... (something i always forget this name)
DVDAuthor (this a must)
DVDDecrypter
mkisofs (this often comes with dvdauthor, just search for dvdauthorgui, that contains most files).
then you edit the convert.bat and dvdburn.bat to point to the places you put those programs. and it should be setup. (and once you configured the dvdauthor location in the config app)

then to burn a file to dvd, hit "record" on a video file, it will add it to "My DVD", which is an item on the side menu, and then you can enter that, and hit "go" to bring up a menu, which will say "burn dvd" and it will then burn it (well convert the file, then create the structure then burn it ).

if you want to write up a guide, go for it, ill add it to the wiki.

ps i told you i was bad at explaining stuff

[stefan]

Is it PVAStrumento you mean?

[reven]

thats the one

[mephisto]

fantastic thanks very much i'll give it a shot! I'm usually not great at explaining things but if it makes sense i sure will write a guide. Thanks for making the functionaility to burn DVDs easily from within GBPVR tho - I'm planning on making a pvr for my family and they appear to have quite paticular wants...lol (tivo style hdd recorder which can play dvds, burn them etc, remote scheduling and 10's of other things...)

Will let you know how i get on

[mephisto]

hi reven - i think i have it all installed ok with all the dependencies etc, however now when i go to "my dvd" this error appears; "object reference not set to an instance of an object" - any clues as to why its doing that? :S also where is the actual "record" button? I feel rather stupid asking that but i cant find the actual button inside GBPVR to add something to the mydvd temp bit.

cheers!

[reven]

the record but is on the remote (well the hauppauge remote), on keyboard its {ctrl}k you can add a video file to my dvd via the popup menu aswell (ctrl-o or "go"/f11). can you recreate the object not set error and then post your gbpvr.exe.log file, that should say what has gone wrong.

[mephisto]

hi reven, here is my gbpvr.exe.log:

Code:

03/05/2005 20:48:29.593    VERBOSE    [2]    installDirectory is C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\
03/05/2005 20:48:29.593    VERBOSE    [2]    configurationFile is config.xml
03/05/2005 20:48:29.609    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/DatabaseConnectionString
03/05/2005 20:48:29.609    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue: /settings/DatabaseConnectionString : Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=".\gbpvr.mdb";User Id=admin;Password=
03/05/2005 20:48:29.609    VERBOSE    [2]    databaseConnectionString is Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source="C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\\gbpvr.mdb";User Id=admin;Password=
03/05/2005 20:48:29.609    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/DontAntiAlias
03/05/2005 20:48:29.609    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue: /settings/DontAntiAlias : false
03/05/2005 20:48:29.609    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/LoggingLevel
03/05/2005 20:48:29.609    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue: /settings/LoggingLevel : Debug
03/05/2005 20:48:29.796    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/MiscMediaDirectory
03/05/2005 20:48:29.796    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue: /settings/MiscMediaDirectory : .\media
03/05/2005 20:48:29.859    INFO    [2]    Starting
03/05/2005 20:48:29.859    VERBOSE    [2]    Direct Playing:
03/05/2005 20:48:29.859    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/UseSBE
03/05/2005 20:48:29.859    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue: /settings/UseSBE : false
03/05/2005 20:48:29.859    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/EPGProcessingMode
03/05/2005 20:48:29.859    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue: /settings/EPGProcessingMode : NORMAL
03/05/2005 20:48:29.859    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue cached value: /settings/EPGProcessingMode : NORMAL
03/05/2005 20:48:29.859    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/Renderer
03/05/2005 20:48:29.859    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue: /settings/Renderer : VMR9
03/05/2005 20:48:29.859    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/HardwareDecoder
03/05/2005 20:48:29.859    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue: /settings/HardwareDecoder : None - use software decoder
03/05/2005 20:48:29.859    VERBOSE    [2]    Initializing renderer: VMR9
03/05/2005 20:48:29.859    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/PreferredDecoder
03/05/2005 20:48:29.859    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue: /settings/PreferredDecoder : default
03/05/2005 20:48:30.296    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/DirectRemoteAccess
03/05/2005 20:48:30.296    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue: /settings/DirectRemoteAccess : false
03/05/2005 20:48:30.296    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue cached value: /settings/PreferredDecoder : default
03/05/2005 20:48:30.296    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/WindowedMode
03/05/2005 20:48:30.296    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue: /settings/WindowedMode : true
03/05/2005 20:48:30.531    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/RootSkinDirectory
03/05/2005 20:48:30.531    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue: /settings/RootSkinDirectory : .\skin\
03/05/2005 20:48:30.531    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/ActiveSkin
03/05/2005 20:48:30.531    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue: /settings/ActiveSkin : Blue
03/05/2005 20:48:30.625    VERBOSE    [2]    MyVideosTask created
03/05/2005 20:48:31.234    VERBOSE    [2]    first update not needed
03/05/2005 20:48:31.281    VERBOSE    [2]    second update not needed
03/05/2005 20:48:32.546    ERROR    [2]    Unable to find node: /settings/CompositeImages/CompositeImage[@name="ActorInfoBioBackground"]/DrawImage[@filename="@Poster"]
03/05/2005 20:48:32.546    ERROR    [2]    Unable to find node: /settings/CompositeImages/CompositeImage[@name="ActorInfoGalleryBackground"]/DrawImage[@filename="@Poster"]
03/05/2005 20:48:32.546    ERROR    [2]    Unable to find node: /settings/CompositeImages/CompositeImage[@name="ActorInfoMoviesBackground"]/DrawImage[@filename="@Poster"]
03/05/2005 20:48:32.562    VERBOSE    [2]    Skindirectory = .\skin\Blue\OnScreenKeyboard
03/05/2005 20:48:35.359    VERBOSE    [2]    MyVideosEvent created
03/05/2005 20:48:35.359    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/ShowButtons
03/05/2005 20:48:35.359    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue: /settings/ShowButtons : TV Guide,Search Guide,Live TV,Net Radio,FM Radio (has settings),Recordings,Music Library,Video Library,Exit
03/05/2005 20:48:35.359    VERBOSE    [2]    GuideMenuTask created
03/05/2005 20:48:35.500    VERBOSE    [2]    RecordingsMenuTask created
03/05/2005 20:48:35.578    VERBOSE    [2]    LiveTVMenuTask created
03/05/2005 20:48:35.578    VERBOSE    [2]    NetRadioMenuTask created
03/05/2005 20:48:35.656    VERBOSE    [2]    FMRadioMenuTask created
03/05/2005 20:48:35.718    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/FMRadioStations
03/05/2005 20:48:35.718    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue: /settings/FMRadioStations : 91 ZM~91000000|Munt FM~88500000|Channel Z~94700000|
03/05/2005 20:48:35.718    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue cached value: /settings/EPGProcessingMode : NORMAL
03/05/2005 20:48:35.718    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue cached value: /settings/EPGProcessingMode : NORMAL
03/05/2005 20:48:35.718    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/EnabledPlugins
03/05/2005 20:48:35.718    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue: /settings/EnabledPlugins : Comics
03/05/2005 20:48:35.718    VERBOSE    [2]    CustomTaskSettings.loadAll()
03/05/2005 20:48:35.781    VERBOSE    [2]    DvdMenuTask created
03/05/2005 20:48:35.781    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/ShowDVDButton
03/05/2005 20:48:35.781    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue: /settings/ShowDVDButton : true
03/05/2005 20:48:35.781    VERBOSE    [2]    Checking for Lnkx Files in: C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\Lnkx
03/05/2005 20:48:35.781    VERBOSE    [2]    ExitMenuTask created
03/05/2005 20:48:35.781    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/DirectNumberSelect
03/05/2005 20:48:35.781    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue: /settings/DirectNumberSelect : false
03/05/2005 20:48:35.781    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue cached value: /settings/DirectNumberSelect : false
03/05/2005 20:48:35.781    INFO    [2]    Initializing InputDeviceManager
03/05/2005 20:48:35.781    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/RemoteType
03/05/2005 20:48:35.781    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue: /settings/RemoteType : Default (Hauppauge)
03/05/2005 20:48:35.781    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue cached value: /settings/RemoteType : Default (Hauppauge)
03/05/2005 20:48:35.843    VERBOSE    [2]    SourceConfigurationContainer.LoadAll()
03/05/2005 20:48:35.843    VERBOSE    [2]    About to connect to remote recording service
03/05/2005 20:48:35.843    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/RecordingServiceLocation
03/05/2005 20:48:35.843    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue: /settings/RecordingServiceLocation : tcp://localhost:7968/RecordingRemote
03/05/2005 20:48:36.000    ERROR    [2]    Unable to find node: /settings/SpecialElements/SpecialElement[@name="MenuType"]
03/05/2005 20:48:36.000    VERBOSE    [2]    Loading main menu
03/05/2005 20:48:36.000    VERBOSE    [2]     - Adding task: TV Guide
03/05/2005 20:48:36.000    VERBOSE    [2]     - Adding task: Search Guide
03/05/2005 20:48:36.000    VERBOSE    [2]     - Adding task: Recordings
03/05/2005 20:48:36.000    VERBOSE    [2]     - Adding task: Live TV
03/05/2005 20:48:36.000    VERBOSE    [2]     - Adding task: My Videos
03/05/2005 20:48:36.000    VERBOSE    [2]     - Adding task: Video Library
03/05/2005 20:48:36.000    VERBOSE    [2]     - Adding task: Music Library
03/05/2005 20:48:36.000    VERBOSE    [2]     - Adding task: DVD
03/05/2005 20:48:36.000    VERBOSE    [2]     - Adding task: FM Radio
03/05/2005 20:48:36.000    VERBOSE    [2]     - Adding task: Net Radio
03/05/2005 20:48:36.000    VERBOSE    [2]     - Adding task: Exit
03/05/2005 20:48:36.046    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/ExitOnEsc
03/05/2005 20:48:36.046    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue: /settings/ExitOnEsc : false
03/05/2005 20:48:36.046    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue cached value: /settings/DirectNumberSelect : false
03/05/2005 20:48:36.046    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue cached value: /settings/DirectNumberSelect : false
03/05/2005 20:48:36.281    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue cached value: /settings/EPGProcessingMode : NORMAL
03/05/2005 20:48:36.281    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue cached value: /settings/EPGProcessingMode : NORMAL
03/05/2005 20:48:42.500    VERBOSE    [2]    HideMouse ref=-1
03/05/2005 20:48:43.562    ERROR    [2]    Error: msg=0x100 (WM_KEYDOWN) hwnd=0x400fa wparam=0xd lparam=0x11c0001 result=0x0   :  Object reference not set to an instance of an object.   :     at MyVideosPlugin.MyVideosTask.handleButtonCommand(ScreenButton button)
   at MyVideosPlugin.MyVideosTask.OnKeyDown(KeyEventArgs e)
   at cg.a(KeyEventArgs A_0)
   at q.a(Object A_0, KeyEventArgs A_1)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnKeyDown(KeyEventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ProcessKeyEventArgs(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ProcessKeyMessage(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmKeyChar(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.ScrollableControl.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.ContainerControl.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WndProc(Message& m)
   at q.a(Message& A_0)
03/05/2005 20:48:47.812    VERBOSE    [2]    ShowMouse ref=0
03/05/2005 20:48:49.562    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/NetRadioBufferSize
03/05/2005 20:48:49.562    VERBOSE    [2]    getValue: /settings/NetRadioBufferSize : 96000
03/05/2005 20:48:49.562    INFO    [2]    NetRadio buffer size is: 96000