Sapphire Theatrix greenlighted?

[tevbill]

@csy:
Did you have any special trouble during installation?
I am having trouble getting the card recognized, and when it is recognized, GBPVR claims that the drivers for ATI 550 are not installed...
Any ideas?
Thanks,
GGF

Just in case anybody else has this exact problem (as I did) upon install, check to make sure the ATI 550 card is firmly in the PCI slot.
This card does not fit perfectly in a full size case.

Tightening the screw on top of the slot actually pulls the card just slightly out of the pci slot.
It does not seem damage the card but if it reaches a certian point the card will not be recognized by Windows or GB-PVR, It looks like its in the slot but it says the "Driver are not installed" running GBpvrConfig.

bill

[GoodGuys]

Hi tevbill,

You are right, I noticed that too - after tightening the screw I needed to re-press the card itself to ensure it is firmly in the slot.

As you can see from Sub's response, though, a similar error message can be generated by config.exe if you select "Capture Source #2" when you only have one instance of a card...

Cheers,
GGF

[csy]

If you using an antenna with the ATI 550, make sure it is plugged into the cable/antenna socket (not FM socket) and ensure the gbpvr source config is set to antenna, as this appears to add a RF pre-amp within the ATI card and improves picture quality significantly (compared to cable setting).

[csy]

Can anyone recommend dimensions for a 1-to-3 splitter?
GGF

It appears your trying to make a "tuned" RF splitter. I think you will run into problems with the wide frequency range. I recommend a professional F-connector splitter which by default has range 5-1000MHz, and use high quality low-loss cable like RG6 with F-connectors throughout for optimum impedance matching, and F-connector diplexor/triplexor. Additionally, generally speaking all f-connector devices are fully shielded to reduce noise.

The ATI 550 card needs a stong signal otherwise it looks bad. I'm currently using a 3-way splitter with the 3.5dB output to the ATI card and the other 2 7dB outputs to 2 TV's. I'm planning on replacing the splitter with a RF pre-amp/splitter.

[GoodGuys]

Hi csy,

Thanks for the hints. I know for certain it is plugged into the correct socket, but I know it is configured as Cable, not Antenna. I will try that.

Thanks,
GGF

[GoodGuys]

Hi Sub,

I know others have offered to send you a remote. I would like to offer the same (except I will want mine back eventaully) - remote plus USB IR receiver plus copy of the driver CD.

Send me email with shipping address details, etc. I will gladly send you my remote. I am currently still using my Hauppauge 34 button remote and IR receiver, so I have no use for the CyberLink remote that came with my new TUL Theater 550...

I'd really like to assist in getting this remote to become supported.

Thanks,
GGF

[tevbill]

Hi tevbill,

You are right, I noticed that too - after tightening the screw I needed to re-press the card itself to ensure it is firmly in the slot.

As you can see from Sub's response, though, a similar error message can be generated by config.exe if you select "Capture Source #2" when you only have one instance of a card...

Cheers,
GGF

Goodguys,
Yes I see what you mean - I suppose I posted this scenario in case anybody does a search on the "Driver for this device do not appear to be installed" for the 550 pro. This message is somewhat generic. Now they can see both of our solutions.
see ya,
Bill

[sub]

Hi Sub,

I know others have offered to send you a remote. I would like to offer the same (except I will want mine back eventaully) - remote plus USB IR receiver plus copy of the driver CD.

Send me email with shipping address details, etc. I will gladly send you my remote. I am currently still using my Hauppauge 34 button remote and IR receiver, so I have no use for the CyberLink remote that came with my new TUL Theater 550...

I'd really like to assist in getting this remote to become supported.

Thanks,
GGF

I appreciate the offer, but its probably not practical to send a remote half way around the world to me in New Zealand, then have me send it back. It'd probably cost nearly as much a retail version of the TUL Theater 550 including remote.

[GoodGuys]

Sub, I am willing to donate that money. If it costs more than buying the card, then tell me how much the card costs in NZ, and I will donate that exact amount. Are you game?

GGF

[GoodGuys]

Hi csy, sub,

Things are better now. I took your suggestions (from several places), like:

If you using an antenna with the ATI 550, make sure it is plugged into the cable/antenna socket (not FM socket) and ensure the gbpvr source config is set to antenna, as this appears to add a RF pre-amp within the ATI card and improves picture quality significantly (compared to cable setting).

This helped a bit, so I bought one of those nice 5MHz-1000MHz 3-way splitters, and I have about 20 meters of the highest grade cable, so I made me a great cable. It comes out of the wall into a 2-way splitter (simple). One end goes to the Cable company's set-top-box, and the other side is the good cable that goes about 2 meters and into the 3-way splitter. Two of the 3-way's OUT ends are connected with very short cables (same type) into the capture cards.
The result is excellent picture quality, but the 550's sound is awful. I checked the encoding parameters and they appear to be the same for both cards for video, but the 550's audio is set for 224 Kbps and the 350's audio was set to 320 Kbps.

Is there any way I can attach a sample file?

I had a thought - the 2 cards are in adjacent PCI slots. Is it possible the 350 is disturbing the 550's audio but not the video?
I don't want to move the cards, because there are only 2 more slots available, one is adjacent to the nVidia Video card and one is the last PCI (orange) on my MSI mobo.

Thanks,
GGF