Dazzle USB A/V converter

[jay_r]

Hello people.
I've been toying (fighting) with NextPVR (ver 2.6.2... cool software, BTW) without making any progress, so I guess I can use some help.

I'm setting up a PC as a "proof of concept" before investing in dedicated equipment (to see if I can get all the components to play nice together), and as parts of my test I'm trying to record live tv on a Windows XP machine. I have an ATI TV Wonder Pro installed on the PC, but it's quite obvious the lack of a hardware compressor is a big hurdle, so I'm going for the "plan B"

I'm trying to do the testing with a USB device I have had sitting around for years (Dazzle DVC170), that is supposed to have hardware compression (as a matter of fact, judging by the CPU use while using the Pinnacle software, it does). I've connected a composite source to the DVC170 and I know it's working (checked using a 3rd party app, DVCCap), but I can't seem to make it work with Virtualdub or any other program for that matter.

I ran filtercheck (log attached) and, although I'm not sure what everything means, there's an entry under AM_KSCATEGORY_ENCODER and one under AM_KSCATEGORY_MULTIPLEXER. I added the following entry to analogdevices.xml:

<Device filter="Dazzle DVC170">
<Name>Dazzle DVC170</Name>
<Type>HARD_ENCODE</Type>
<FilterEncoder>Dazzle DVC130/DVC170 VIDEO Encoder</FilterEncoder>
</Device>

and now the DVC170 shows up on the "devices" list. I added one "channel", setting the Composite input as "channel 1" (I've previously set the other inputs as channels as well, but the results are the same). When I select "Leve TV", though, all I get is a blank screen, and I don't know what's going on. I see some stuff get's reported as "missing" on the npvr log, but I don't know if those things are required to get this thing to work.

I've seen mentions about using GraphEdit to try to diagnose what's going on, but, alas, I have no idea how to set up a graph on it. The attached image shows the pins on the DVC170, if it helps. There's also a simple description of the subjacent hardware here: http://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/Pi...r_(DVC170)

Any help would be appreciated.

[sub]

Unfortunately NextPVR wont be able to work with this device. It expects all analog devices to have a tuner. This one doesn't.

[johnsonx42]

software encoding works just fine. use your TV Wonder and enjoy.

[Zeb]

Pinnacle drivers often only worked with Pinnacle software anyway.

[mvallevand]

If you can figure out how to create a DirectShow graph that outputs an mpeg transport stream NetworkRecord with SGraphRecord should work.

Martin

[jay_r]

Thank you for the replies

Well... the weirdest thing just happened. I decided to re-install the Pinnacle Studio that came with the DVC170 (I had uninstalled it when testing other software in case there was some incompatibility) and, upon pressing "live view" on NPVR I was greeted by a blue screen when yesterday (and the day before) I had gotten just a black screen. Progress showed its nice face after all

The interesting thing was that the blue screen happens to be what the DVC170 shows when an input is disconnected. But the composite video WAS connected :confused: So I dug out a S-Video to composite cable I made years ago and connected the composite output to the S-Video input on the DVC170 and ta-daa... I got black and white video on NPVR! Re-installing Pinnacle Studio 10 (with all the options) has enabled the S-Video input somehow, and most probably the composite input as well, but I'm unable to change it. Is there anything on the logs that would help deciphering what's going on?

software encoding works just fine. use your TV Wonder and enjoy.

The problem with this approach is that the more capable machine I have around here is running Windows 7, and the TV Wonder pro doesn't work with it. The XP box can barely handle the hardware compression, and the other machine I have (with a low power ITX) can't handle hardware encoding either. I have 6 computers here in different degrees of obsolecence

BTW: the device configuration inside NPVR for the Dazzle in theory should allow selecting the right pins, but doesn't seem to work...

[Zeb]

I got black and white video on NPVR!

Congrats! I couldn't find a single thread involving the DVC170 so it looks like you're a real pioneer. I wouldn't call myself a leading authority, but if you're not getting any audio then I think I see the problem:

2013-09-03 00:37:00.421 [DEBUG][1] Static Reference clock set to: AC3 Audio Renderer

Have you tried different decoders for MPEG1 Audio? True, U.S. digital channels use AC3, but the DVC170 is probably receiving analog stereo via RCA cables, and probably encodes that as MPEG 1 Layer 2.

[jay_r]

Je je... thanks!
You were right: I wasn't paying much attention to the sound, but it's working after selecting one of the MPEG decoders (sounds kind of weird, though... I need to work on this some more). I think I chose the Pinnacle decoders for both the video and the audio.

And I finally found a workaround for the problem with the incorrect pin being selected, although I don't know what the problem or the solution are: when I first start NPVR and choose "live view", I get the S-Video input (even If I change "channels" inside NPVR). In order to get the composite input in NPVR I have to run another application (DvcCap) first, and select the Composite input there... and the selection seems to "stick" between applications. Looks like selecting a different source from within NPVR is not sending anything to the DVC170?

[jay_r]

Ok... as they say "this is an event still under development" :/

I just finished installing XP on a new hard disk (the one I was using before is too full of all kind of crap):
- Installed the Pinnacle software
- Installed DVCCap
- Installed NextPVR
- Ran filtercheck
- ... and it crashed.

It looks like *something* among all the crap on the older installation is responsible for the DVC170 to play nicely with NPVR. But how can I determine what is it? I can try installing stuff all over the place until this thing works but, alas, that may take a while. I used the old installation for all kind of video processing (how did I do it is beyond my comprehension, given the machine is so sluggish) so by now there are probably tons of codecs and stuff like that installed, and most probably just a handful of those are the ones that do the trick. Any hints as to what to look for? How does Filtercheck check the filters (doh!)? Maybe that may help reducing the potential candidates...

The last line on the Filtercheck log is "Checking AM_KSCATEGORY_CAPTURE filters", if it helps.

JR

[Zeb]

Gee, it might be easier to uninstall/delete some of the "crap" from the other disk, or maybe use one of your other 5 computers. You might be able to use the Windows 7 machine if it's 32-bit.

I notice that the next line in your previous Filtercheck log was "found: Realtek AC97 Audio." That might be a clue. It shouldn't be necessary to install the ATI tuner.

You didn't mention the driver? It might be interesting to know if it's the same version as the one available for download: http://cdn.pinnaclesys.com/SupportFiles/...meHW10.htm