Add digital channels?

[dardack]

I can't seem to figure out how to add digital channels. The scan doesn't detect them all.

Windows Media Center Scans detects more. And in media center adding channels manually I get 2-3 more.

[Reddwarf]

Did you read the getting started thread here ? http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...arted-info

[johnsonx42]

you'll need to post logs showing your scan, and also some information on what channels are missing.

there's no mechanism within the program to manually add a digital channel. if you really know what you're doing you can open npvr.db3 using something like SQLite Spy, and add the channel by hand to the CHANNEL_MAPPING and CHANNEL tables. However you're likely much better off getting whatever is preventing NPVR from seeing all your channels fixed.

[dardack]

OK it maybe that USB tuners suck in my area. I bought a used hauppauge 950q off ebay. Didn't receive 4-5 channels. In media center/wintv7/nextpvr/etc. Basically any digital on the 110 or 113 don't scan in on the USB stick. Because I thought I had a bad stick (used same cable going to both my TV's that pick up clear qam the 110/113 range (110-1, 110-2, 110-7, 110-8 113-1, 113-7. 113-13 are all clear qam according to my TV that I don't pick up with the USB tuner, oh and 1 more but it's like 91 something) but just bought a brand new 950q from best buy for testing, same channels don't work, so either I got 2 bum tuners or they can't receive these channels for some unknown reason).

But back to original point nextpvr didn't pick up 73-7 or 1 other. Now it picked up the 480p versions of those 2 channels but not the 720p versions. WMC only picks up 9 channels but I can add these 2 and a few others manually. I'm not going to post logs at this time since I sent back the used for refund to ebay user (just have to pay return shipping) and am returning to best buy the new one today.

I ordered a Express pCI hauppauge 1850 for $40 new no accessories tho. I've always had luck with their internal tuners at least analog ones back in the day. So hoping it's the USB tuner. For $40 I'll either keep it or sell it if it doesn't receive the 100/113 channels.

The main reason I want this is for football on CBS/Fox/NBC (i know not football season anymore but thinking ahead) and for recording kids tv on PBS. Only PBS/Fox come in on the USB tuner. Plus CW/Ion/720p MyNetworkTV don't come in either on the usb tuner.

I googled forever trying to find partial qam channels for the 950q. But most either say no qam at all or talking about OTA channels. We'll see.

For $40 think I could sell it for $50+ if it doesn't work. Just gotta wait almost a month to get it, oh well.

[Graham]

Received wisdom (and my own experience) is that PC tuners are not as sensitive as the tuners in televisions. But, it is possible to get acceptable reception (good enough for viewing and recording) from a signal that does not do a good scan. In summary, try a scan without any splitters or extension cables on the coax. If that works, you can put the splitters back and recording might be okay.

[Reddwarf]

Received wisdom (and my own experience) is that PC tuners are not as sensitive as the tuners in televisions. But, it is possible to get acceptable reception (good enough for viewing and recording) from a signal that does not do a good scan. In summary, try a scan without any splitters or extension cables on the coax. If that works, you can put the splitters back and recording might be okay.

Agreed, tv cards generally need a stronger signal, and quality should be 100% even the strength is quite low. And if you have a weak signal you might want to put a signal amplifier as close as possible to your signal source.

[patrickaburrows]

I agree with Reddwarf about signal strength. I have never had much luck with splitting signal strength without amplification. I have this amplifier attached to the cable as it comes out of the wall plate on 2 NextPVR machines, and it works great:

http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-Signal-Bo...B000WPGRKK

Good luck.

- Patrick

[johnsonx42]

@dardack-

yes, it's generally true that PC tuners are inferior to the tuners in many TV's. I think you will have better success with the HVR-1850; at least in my experience with other Hauppauge PCIe tuners (HVR-1250 and HVR-2250) they've been better than the USB tuners I've had. In fact the KWorld ATSC-315U I have picked up so few channels off my antenna that there was no point in using it; it's only back in action because it works fine to tune analog channels off my cable (with software encoding of course).

You might want to try replacing the very first splitter on your cable line with an amplified unit. That may improve matters for any tuner.

[dardack]

OK here's my setup: Cable into house. Into 2 way spliter. 1 to cable modem. 1 to amp like this (http://www.amazon.com/Philips-18dB-Signa...ster+cable), amp to 3 way splitter.

From 3 way to 2 tvs and this 1 tuner on computer (before when I had a server with analog pvr150's/500 i had 4 way 1 went to another amp that went to 3 way to the 2 150's 1 500, I've since shut that down as I'm addicted to HD over analog).

Now my 32" Sony Bravia off a black friday $150 sale 3 years ago has a much better tuner then my 50" LG. The sony bravia has never has signal issues, in fact ESPN (i get the just basicl $10 cable for local/tbs) because I have road runner 24 is opened which is my ESPN. ON 32" it looks great, on 50" it's black and white/grainy by a lot.

My 50" has always had issues with signal with clear qam. Finally with this setup it's fine. Before if I put a amp right before tuner it would receive nothing. Like the signal was too strong. Is that possible?

So I thought if I put an amp before the USB tuner same thing would happen.

Cable to 50" is now 50' (used to be 2 25's or 1 25 to a amp to a 4 way to degrade signal to a 12' to get a clear qam signal on every channel) and works fine with this setup. The 32" has never had issues and still doesn't.

Right now to USB tuner is a 25'. Should I put amp between 3 way and 25', or after 25' and before usb tuner?

So i called my wife and told her not to send back the used one (already returned the one to best buy, $90 for a usb tuner is ridiculous and I only bought it to test if it was USB tuner or what not and with same issue). So I do have 2 more of the amps' i linked. I think one is 2 way and 1 is an older 1 way only. Let me know what I should try and my best bet.

Thanks.

EDIT Ty for all the responses. If amp doesn't work I'm still going to send back USB tuner. If it works I may keep and sell the 1850, since it looks like I'll get my money back at least on ebay minus ebay fee.

EDIT 2: Side question. I know the 950q is software encoding. But my CPU never went over like 3% watching TV through WMC with this thing. I could rewind so I know it's putting it on the HD. Is this normal? Shouldn't it be higher for software encoding?

[Graham]

I would recommend that you try a temporary setup just for tuning ... move the computer if possible and minimise the cable lengths and minimise the number of cable connections/joins and remove all the splitters. Try with the amp but I have read that it is possible to over-amplify so you may get a better result without the amp. Do the scan and get the channels. You should/might be able to put back the cables and splitters as is and get good recording and viewing. Good luck.