Setup Questions from a Newby

[cmarzahn]

Have a Windows 8 machine - new - plenty of processing power. Using a Hauppage 2250 HVR.
Still working thru some IRQ issues from installing the card. But I have, nevertheless, installed both card and NPVR 2.5.9 (latest release.) The questions I have are likely quite simple for those, like yourselves, who have been here before. I've selected the decoder as MPEG2. Still get a black screen. Should I have checked somewhere to be certain the decoder I'm using is compatible with Cox in the Hampton Roads market of Virginia? I have the device up and the scan done. It found 27 channels. Most of them look like "normal" names for the channels. Can't seem to get something up on live TV. Addtionally, I'm unclear if I have to "start NPVR" first, as there is a second button. I have it started. Does that only apply to the recording feature or must it be started for live TV, too.

Hope I'm not just being a newby pain... I did read thru the wiki and some of the forum items to get this far. Any solutions?

[Zeb]

Under Windows 8, 'Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder' won't work with NPVR, so you must try a different MPEG2 decoder. You don't need to enable an H.264 decoder for U.S. TV. Digital channels have AC3 audio, analog channels have MPEG1 audio. It should be possible to watch live TV with NPVR Service turned off.

[cmarzahn]

Thanks... Where do I find those decoders?

[Zeb]

Start NPVR, right-click, select Settings, then select Decoders. Each item has a drop-down list of renders/decoders detected on your system. Video Renderer should probably be set to to EVR and Audio Renderer to Default. For MPEG 2 Video, you must try something other than 'Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder' (possibly MainConcept or PDR; I'd be surprised if you don't have an MPEG 2 decoder on your system that works with NPVR). If you have to download something, it will most likely be AC3Filter to get audio for digital channels. Everything you don't need should be Disabled. Assuming that you can get video, you can right-click on screen and hover mouse pointer over Audio Stream to determine whether you have MPEG1 and/or AC3 channels. There's a link for AC3Filter in the top sticky thread. BTW, have you installed the R2 patches?

[johnsonx42]

Try hoborg's SAF package: http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?50227-Saf6. PM him to get the unlocked version; the regular version uses the LAV video decoder, which doesn't work too well with NPVR in my experience.

[cmarzahn]

Yup... have installed the patch. Am trying ot learn how to find, download and install the files or decoders needed the get this up and running. Have taken your suggestion to PM for an unlocked copy of SAF6.

[cmarzahn]

Here's the zip

[johnsonx42]

I do see in your logs that you're using the Microsoft DTV-DVD decoder. Unfortunately with Windows 8 that one no longer works for 3rd-party apps like NPVR. With Windows 7, that decoder is among the best to use. It really is a shame that MS has crippled that decoder in Windows 8... hopefully someone will come up with a hack to enable it to work again. In the meantime, the next version of NPVR will not show that decoder when it detects Windows 8.

Once you get the unlocked SAF installed, you should have more success.

[Reddwarf]

The Microsoft DTV-DVD decoder does not support DXVA so I would disagree that it is the best decoder.

[whurlston]

On Windows 7, it supports DXVA decoding for MPEG2, H.264 and VC-1