Dual Tuner Setup

[jdsnov73]

I had my system setup originally with a PVR-150 card hooked up to a digital cable box, using a serial connection to change channels. In the GBPVR config setup, this tuner card is configured as "Capture Device #1".

I just installed a second card, a PVR-150MCE, and have it hooked up with plain analog cable. In the GBPVR config setup, this tuner card is configured as "Capture Device #2".

I am able to view live tv with both cards. I will pick a show that forces the digital card to be in control, and it will show it. But when I go to the task bar, and click on show status, it shows "Capture Source #2:" in "Live TV(LivePreview Mode)", and it shows "Capture Source #1:" as "Sleeping".

This is confusing because the channel that is being viewed is coming from the digital PVR-150 card, which is set up as "Capture Device #1". Are "Capture Device" and "Capture Source" (2) different things?

It does the opposite thing when I pick an analog channel that is being controlled by the PVR-150MCE "Capture Device #2" card.

I am able to record a show using "Capture Device #2", and watch a show on "Capture Device #1". But I am unable to record on each card at the same time. It shows it is recording if I open the task bar manager. It will create a folder for both shows, but only the show that is on the original digital tuner card is actually recording. The folder for the other show is just left empty.

I know this is a long winded story, and I could elaborate more, but I haven't been able to find any posts that gave a clear explanation on how to properly set up a dual tuner system.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[sub]

I am able to view live tv with both cards. I will pick a show that forces the digital card to be in control, and it will show it. But when I go to the task bar, and click on show status, it shows "Capture Source #2:" in "Live TV(LivePreview Mode)", and it shows "Capture Source #1:" as "Sleeping".

This is confusing because the channel that is being viewed is coming from the digital PVR-150 card, which is set up as "Capture Device #1". Are "Capture Device" and "Capture Source" (2) different things?

If you edit the capture sources and give them names, then it'll be clearer to you which capture source is doing what. A capture source is different from a device. You can have multiple capture sources on one device if you want.

[sub]

I am able to record a show using "Capture Device #2", and watch a show on "Capture Device #1". But I am unable to record on each card at the same time. It shows it is recording if I open the task bar manager. It will create a folder for both shows, but only the show that is on the original digital tuner card is actually recording. The folder for the other show is just left empty.

I'd be surprised. Set up a test that shows this occurring then send the logs to me at support@devnz.com and I'll take a look. Include a detailed description of what you expected, and what actually happened.

[jdsnov73]

If you edit the capture sources and give them names, then it'll be clearer to you which capture source is doing what. A capture source is different from a device. You can have multiple capture sources on one device if you want.

Ok, maybe I have this setup wrong. When I installed the first card, I gave it the default Source Name of "My Source Name", using Direct Recording Plugin, Zap2it, and Girder Plugin. Under the Recording Source setting, I have the card listed as a PVR150, and the Board Number is "Capture Device #1". It is setup using Composite, External Tuner. I am unable to change the Source Name now. It won't accept any changes I put in.

When I added the second card, I gave it a Source Name of "Analog Card", using Direct Recording Plugin, Zap2it, and no channel changer required. Under the Recording Source setting, I have the card listed as a PVR150MCE, and the Board Number is "Capture Device #2". It is setup using Internal Tuner with Cable tuning.

So, should the recording manager show the Source Names of "My Source Name" and "Analog Card", when I check the status? Because it shows "Capture Source #1" and "Capture Source #2" as I stated in my last post, but it appears for what I think are the opposite cards.

I am in the process of recording a couple of shows to send you my logs to address your second response to my thread question. I will send the logs when complete.

Did I do the initial setup of the 2nd card correct?

[kendrak24]

Hi!

First of all, thanks sub for a really really great software!

Second, I also had trouble getting a dual tuner setup to work, so I post my findings in case anyone else has a similar problem.

I had everything working perfectly with one WinFast PVR2000, and today I put in a Hauppauge PVR150 (non-mce), and then the problems began. The PVR2000 was setup in config as "Board number: Capture device #1" and I setup the PVR150 as "Board number: Capture device #2".
The PVR2000 still worked fine, but:
A (newly) scheduled recording would start, and a directory for the show was created, but no mpg file appeared in the dir.
The tray icon did not indicate that a recording was in progress, but in the Recordings section the show was labeled "Recording".
I looked in the database, and the recording was assigned to the PVR150, i.e. Capture device #2.
If I tried to cancel the recording I got an assertion error, so I stopped the service and manually removed the scheduled show from the database.
Then I looked in the log file gbpvrrecordingservice.exe.log:

2005-06-08 23:52:33.609 ERROR [35] Error starting recording: Failed to locate configured capture device
2005-06-08 23:52:33.609 ERROR [35] Error starting recording: at NativeUtilities.ConexantRecorder.StartRecording(String cardType, ConexantRecordSource recordingSource, Int32 qualitySetting, Int32 board, String filename, Int32 channel, Int32 countryCode, Int32 tuningType, Boolean useStreamingEngineIfAvailable, Boolean previewMode, Boolean fmRadioMode)

Hm. OK. To eliminate that the PVR150 card was faulty, I tried both cards separately (both with GBPVR and their "original" apps) and both cards worked fine.
Then I tried switching board numbers so the PVR2000 got "Capture device #2" and the PVR150 got "Capture device #1". Then the PVR2000 stopped working, and the PVR150 started working. Strange... Then I tried to set BOTH cards to "Capture device #1" and that was the key! Now everything seems to work flawlessly again!

I have obviously misunderstood what the "Board number" means, but I _thought_ it had to do with the number of tv cards that is installed?
So the second card I put in got "Capture device #2", but since that is wrong, (and an easy mistake to make) maybe a short explanation on what "Board number" is used for, is in order?

[sub]

They should both be capture device #1, since both cards are using different drivers.

The rules change depending on who's cards you're using. Most comments here relate to Hauppauge cards, which all share the same drivers.

[kendrak24]

Ah, that explains it! Thanks!