Using 2 or more Nova-T's won't work.

[johnnyb]

Has anyone got experience of using two (or more) 90002 nova-t cards in one PC ? Or even two or more DVB-T cards in one system ?

Did this last weekend, have some written notes, but my memory is a bit hazy, but want to post in case there is a simple fix, before I try again this weekend !!!

I did a clean XP install with all updates (I have a ghost image at this point, so can go back if necessary), installed PowerDVD4, WinDVD4 and manually installed mpgmux.ax 5.0.0.727 from FlyDVB-T as mentioned elsewhere on this site.

Put one nova-t in (used v1.3 drivers), got GBPVR working OK. Live tv and recording work OK. (Note: took a Ghost image at this point so I can go back and try agian/check errors if required). I have attached the gbpvr1.zip of all log files from the gbpvr directory at this point.

When I put a second nova-t (90002) in the system and add the card GBPVR config (as card no. 2), I get problems. Didn't get any errors with install on gbpvr config, but when manually scheduling 2 recordings at the same time, first one works, and second creates an empty file. I think I did the gbpvr2.zip at this point. I couldn't get 2 recordings working at the same time. I think, once the second recording had started, it couldn't be cancelled, even after it was timed to stop. I had to restart the PC to stop it.
I also tried the nova-t MCE drivers mentioned elsewhere on this site.

What happens next is a bit hazy because I spent 5 or 6 hours trying lots of combinations of 2 90002 nova-t's and one 90002 nova-t and one 909 nova-t, doing things in different ordersetc.

I got one 90002 and a 909 to record two files at the same time, but it isn't stable. This is how I have left it all week, but lots of the scheduled recordings have failed - mostly empty files.

I have also had lots of trouble getting the channel scan to work on the second card. It either takes a very long time (10-15 mins) to scan whilst mapping channels (obviously something is wrong), and list of channels it finds is wrong e.g. finds all ITV channels lots of times (on one mux I guess), but nothing else. If I map channels again, I get a different set of repeated channels. Or it just hangs.

Sorry the info is a bit short of specifics, but has anyone got any advice before I try again this weekend ??

Have purchased a Black Gold DVB-T card this week, and that won't map channels either - just hangs - but didn't try from clean install.

Sub, will go back to clean install from ghost and try things and get logs if you want.

CAN'T ATTACH ZIP FILES in new thread. I'm sure others have done it !!! will try later.

[johnnyb]

Can I add zip files to my posts ?

[sub]

If you click the 'Post Reply' button, you can then use the 'manage attachments' button to add attachments.

[sub]

To be honest, you'll probably be very luck if you get two DVB devices work. I've only got one, so I've never tested two at the same time. I'm also aware of some issues with multiple instances of the Microsoft Transport Information Filter being used in the same process, which is likely to cause you some issues (although I hear this is improved if you running the Windows MCE flavour of the operating system).

[johnnyb]

Sub, thanks for your prompt reply. I can get 2 DVB devices to record at the same time, usually just after I've been playing on the PC and testing. It doesn't seem to work too well when I go away and leave it for a while. Thought it might be something to do with standby, but I don't have standby enabled. It might be when it has already made a recording, it doesn't clean up properly, so can't do future recordings. I will have another play.

Haven't got MCE (yet), so I can't try it.

I have put zip files here, just in case you have time to have a quick look.

Note: I couldn't get pvr usb2 and nova-t 90002 to work together either.

[sub]

Unfortunately there isnt anything obvious in the logs.

You're better of stopping the software, deleting the logs, then running a specific test set of test, then email the logs to me with a complete description. This helps get rid of "noise" in the logs. You're also missing most of the gbpvrrecordingservice.exe-native.log log files which are the most important for diagnosing this type of fault.

[bgowland]

Has anyone got experience of using two (or more) 90002 nova-t cards in one PC ?

About 3 months now.

Put one nova-t in (used v1.3 drivers)

I expect you've worked it out by now but two lots of the v1.3 drivers don't like each other. You'll need either the 2.104.22345WHQL drivers or the latest v2.0 ones for them to co-exist.

When I put a second nova-t (90002) in the system and add the card GBPVR config (as card no. 2), I get problems. Didn't get any errors with install on gbpvr config, but when manually scheduling 2 recordings at the same time, first one works, and second creates an empty file.

Yep, I think I got that when using v1.3 drivers with two cards.

I also tried the nova-t MCE drivers mentioned elsewhere on this site.

Are you using hcwclear.exe each time to clear everything?

...and list of channels it finds is wrong e.g. finds all ITV channels lots of times (on one mux I guess), but nothing else. If I map channels again, I get a different set of repeated channels. Or it just hangs.

Thanks, you're the first to confirm what I'm seeing with a new HD and vanilla XPSP2 with all latest Windows updates and latest GB-PVR version. If I swap back to my old HD which has been upgraded through many versions of GB-PVR, my scanning works OK. I'm not sure if it's retained some older GB-PVR components or if it's that I've installed various third-party software along the way that my new system is missing.

Sorry the info is a bit short of specifics, but has anyone got any advice before I try again this weekend ??

From a selfish point of view I'd just say - stick with it, do some tests, make notes and anything you can replicate then let me know. My analogue cards are rock solid so I spend my time experimenting with my 2 Novas - any observations you can make might be useful.

Cheers,
Brian

[johnnyb]

Sub, Brian,

Thanks for your replies.
Started from ghost image which had:
a new install with vanilla xp2sp2 + updates.
windvd4, powerdvd4, cyberlink mpgmux v5.0.0.727., xmltv + gbpvr9112b
one nova-t 90002 with v1.3 drivers (no wintv app)

+ removed nova-t from gbpvr
+ uninstalled v1.3 drivers and used hwclear.
+ installed v2.0 drivers (and winTV app. to see what changes hauppauge had made for v2).
+ added nova-t to gbpvr (scans and finds all channels ok)
+ did a couple of manual records - works ok
+ live TV works OK
+ Added 2nd nova-t 90002 to PC - automatically installed drivers
***Didn't add 2nd card to gbpvr ****
+ Did a few manual recordings. First one was an empty file, next 3 or 4 worked OK. Then got windows eror i.e. gbpvrrecordingservice.exe.
+ exited gbpvr, stopped + restarted gbpvrtray.exe, restarted recording svce.
***deleted all log files during the above***
+ did 2 manual records. Both worked ok.
+ stopped everything.
*** put files in gbpvr1.zip
+ started evrything
+ did manual record. Produced empty file - no gbpvr errors.
+ stopped everything.
*** put files in gbpvr2.zip - can you see anything wrong ??
+ added 2nd nova-t to gbpvr. When I scan channels, I get same channels repeated many times as mentioned before.
*** put files in gbpvr3.zip, including SCAN-x.cache. SCAN-3.cache shows problems - can you see anything wrong ??
+ did a rescan for 2nd card, and got same results as before...

...giving up at this point...

Hope someone can help.

PS Sub, will make a donation if I get this thing running.

[johnnyb]

Just realised, when I added 2nd nova-t to gbpvr, didn't add it as 2nd instance. Done this and still get same problems when scanning for channels. Also, recording empty files all the time when trying to one prog at a time.

[bgowland]

Not any help at all really - all I can confirm is that you are seeing exactly the same behaviour as I am for scanning. Apart from the fact you're in a different part of the UK, my scan logs look just like yours. Recordings, of cource, aren't going to work if the card tuning isn't locking in - so that's basically a side-effect.

I know sub is working on BDA issues for the next release so I think we just need to give it time. I went back to a single Nova last night to test out the behaviour of the v2 drivers properley - that'll keep me busy for a few days at least.

Cheers,
Brian