PVR-350 & freeview OK, but how to set up GB-PVR?

[rycooder]

I've been trying to get some PVR software working for days.

My PVR-350 works fine with my freeview box and I watch TV on my PC using WinTV2000.

The PVR-350 is connected to the freeview box via a scart cable which was supplied with it. This cable has a scart connector at one end which goes into the freeview box and a sort of small round 9-pin connector at its other end. This 9-pin connector plugs into the PVR-350. I can't say whether it is composite or s-video but I do know that WinTV2000 seems to say it's composite (after my hit-and-miss installation).

So I have one channel only ["Freeview"] in WinTV2000 and I change channel on the freeview box using the freeview box's own remote control, as I did before when it was connected to my telly. This is all fine.

However, when I come to try to get GB-PVR to work, I really am completely lost. What's the 'board number'? What source do I use. Whichever one I choose, nothing seems to happen.

I have got the EPG data and the TV guide works (except A. I don't know how to navigate back to the main menu - I have to exit the program and restart - and B. the Hauppage remote control seems only to be talking to the PVR-350, not to GB-PVR). But as for watching television, I just cannot figure it out.

I actually started out with SageTV but gave up with it. Could not understand it at all either. I'm pretty inexperienced with a lot of the terminology but I wouldn't call myself computer-clueless. I've installed countless software and a new hard drive and the WinTV card etc.

Is there anypone out there willing to help out? I'll be very grateful.

[sub]

Set the "Software MPEG2 decoder" to the Intervideo one.

Setup one capture source using the "Direct Recording Plugin". Set the board number to "1" which tells GB-PVR to use the first device it finds in you machine. Set the source to "composite". Then "OK" out to save your settings. Then try livetv in GB-PVR.

If it doesnt work go. Try changing the source and try compsite2/composite3/svideo/svideo2. Until to find the correct source for you set up.

You can always get back to main menu by pressing the "home" key or "menu" button on the Hauppauge remote.

[rycooder]

Thank you for being there when I need you! Really, greatly appreciated.

Right, thanks to you I think I'm tantalisingly close:-

I've got audio but no picture.

Quibbles - even if I can sort out the picture (undoubtedly my fault but can you help?):

1. 'Listing bar' at foot of screen shows BBC1 whatever channel is playing. I guess that, because I am changing the channel directly on my freeview box, this can't be helped? Does this mean I won't really get much use out of GB-PVR in terms of being able to program in what channels/times to record?

2. There's about a 5 second delay when changing channel.

Cheers, Sub.

[sub]

Many people add an IR Blaster (such as USB-UIRT), which automatically changes channels for you. For example, if you choose to record 'discover channel' at 8pm tonight, GB-PVR will use the USB-UIRT to send signals to your freeview box which change channels to discovery.

Turning on the 'Use SBE if availble' option can help with the sped of channel changing.

[rycooder]

I am obviously tring evrything whilst eagerly awaiting your next respomse, sub.

But I did mean to mention before about the remote:

IT doesn't really interact with GB-PVR at all as far as I can see. If you press 'menu' it pops up a box just like the Alt-Tab box showing open applications. But you can't do anything else from there except hit 'Back/Exit' to get rid of it.

I can open WinTV2000 ('Go' --> 'OK' with it but if I can do anything else with it I've yet to find out!

Are my problems not helped by running a freeview box into my PVR-350? Is it just a bad way to set things up maybe?

[sub]

If you've only just installed GB-PVR, and havn't rebooted, you may want to click Start -> Programs -> Hauppauge WinTV -> Restart IR. This will force the Hauppauge IR software to pick up the new settings that GB-PVR installs for using the Hauppauge remote.

[rycooder]

Thanks - unfortunately my last question didn't get posted until after your response to my first question if you see what I mean - please see above re the remote control).

Anyway, just a reminder about my main problem at the moment - I have no picture but audio is fine.

Thank you again.

[sub]

In the config app, what MPEG2 decoders were listed in addition to "System Default".

[rycooder]

Video Decoder: Intervideo NonCSS Video Decoder fo... & Cyberlink Video SP Decoder

[rycooder]

Oh, and... I HAVE A REMOTE CONTROL! Thanks.