Problems with recording

[Aelanna]

I switched from GBPVR to NPVR when I decided to upgrade my tuner and machine. NPVR looks much improved over the old software, but in two important respects doesn't work as well so far.

First, the new tuner can pick up HD channels. In my area, these channels are 7.1, 15.1, 15.2, etc. NPVR remaps these channels to 205, 332, 334, etc. which is fine. But there is no programming data loaded for these remapped channels, so I can't record anything on them. Is there some way to get the information mapped for these HD channels?

Secondly, and this is a major problem. Apparently this is happening during recording. When I play back anything NPVR recorded, there are skips and hesitations in the video which make them more or less unwatchable. Whether I view them in NPVR itself or Windows Media player, the skips are there, so I'm assuming this is happening during the recording. Is there some setting or optimization or something I need to do so these recordings are smooth?

I'm running NPVR 2.2.6 under Windows XP Pro SP3 on a Dell Inspiron 530 with 2BG of RAM, Radeon HD 5450, Hauppage WinTV HVR-1255, Hybrid ATSC/QAM.

[sub]

First, the new tuner can pick up HD channels. In my area, these channels are 7.1, 15.1, 15.2, etc. NPVR remaps these channels to 205, 332, 334, etc. which is fine. But there is no programming data loaded for these remapped channels, so I can't record anything on them. Is there some way to get the information mapped for these HD channels?

What epg source are you using? Does it have listings for these channels?

Secondly, and this is a major problem. Apparently this is happening during recording. When I play back anything NPVR recorded, there are skips and hesitations in the video which make them more or less unwatchable. Whether I view them in NPVR itself or Windows Media player, the skips are there, so I'm assuming this is happening during the recording. Is there some setting or optimization or something I need to do so these recordings are smooth?

I'm not aware of any issues that would cause this. Can you make a short recording that shows the problem, that I can download?

[Aelanna]

My EPG is Schedules Direct.

I will try to make a small recording after the Kentucky Oaks is over.

[sub]

Have you selected the appropriate Schedules Direct channel in the EPG settings for those channels? ie, assuming Schedules Direct has the channel in it's line up, and you've gone in to the settings for the channel and selected that EPG channel, then you should get listings.

[johnsonx42]

if your epg is schedules direct, then you need to map the physical channel to the epg channel on the channels screen. GB-PVR worked the same way. You can also choose the channel number to give each channel.

The likely cause of the skips in recordings is poor signal. NPVR simply takes the data stream from the tuner and writes it to the disk; there's no processing going on, nothing to adjust.

That all said, you should probably update to the latest release; you're two releases back. Even if you found some NPVR problem, there's nothing sub can do about it on 2.2.6, and it may well not be present in 2.4.3.

[Aelanna]

I didn't have HD at the time when I was using GB-PVR, so I never had to do that setup. How and where do I set that up?

I will try updating to the new release and see if that helps any. I would think if it

[Aelanna]

I didn't have HD at the time when I was using GB-PVR, so I never had to do that setup. How and where do I set that up?

I will try updating to the new release and see if that helps any. I would think if it was a signal issue, I would have problems when watching TV, too? The DVR machine and the TV share the same incoming signal line. (My reply got cut off somehow).

[sub]

I didn't have HD at the time when I was using GB-PVR, so I never had to do that setup. How and where do I set that up?

There is a few different places you can do it, but the easiest for you scenario is probably to watch a channel in live tv, then right click and select 'set channel epg source'.

I will try updating to the new release and see if that helps any. I would think if it was a signal issue, I would have problems when watching TV, too? The DVR machine and the TV share the same incoming signal line. (My reply got cut off somehow).

Yes, signal should be the same for live tv and recordings. The app uses exactly the same the code for recordings and live tv, so both of these actions should behave the same.

[Aelanna]

Well, the signal on the TV looks fine without any skipping and stuttering, it's only the recordings that do that. I will try watching live TV through the DVR and see if it shows up there as well.

[Pat Clark]

Seldom can I respond intelligently, but here I can.

There are two factors here. One is that the signal can be degraded at the PC but not at the TV, due to cabling, splitter, or connectors. Another is that the tuners almost certainly have different sensitivity. Either of these could account for what you see. (Assuming Live TV through NPVR also skips and stutters.)