TwinhanDTV Terr - Driver Version Recommendations???

[mixedup]

Hi,

Just getting setup with TwinhanDTV Digital Terrestrial Card (model 3021). Are there any recommendations regarding best combination of drivers etc for this with GB-PVR? e.g.

- which BDA driver version from Twinhan is best to use (e.g. BDADriverV1.2.2.7)?

- which Video Decoder version (e.g. Cyberlink Video/SP decoder - v6.0.0.1402)?

- which mux (e.g. CyberLink MPEG Muxer, thmpgmux.ax, VERSION: 5.0.1307)

Just trying to get optimised performance. At the moment the image & sound is a little jumpy.

Thanks

[wannabepvr]

I have a pair of Twinhan digital cards.

I have stayed with some of the older drivers while I get some glitches, over all they are ok. GBPVR now works with a number of levels of drivers. I think I am using BDA V1.2.2.9.

I was useing the cyberlink MUX, and oddly had to use intervideo decoder....it was the only way to get the sync right.

Afer 6 months of stable use and about the time of the last GBPVR release I started to see some choppy encoding from the cyberlink MUX. No apparent reason so at this point I changed to MS-DVR.

Have a look at your logs for playback and live TV and check the full list of decoders/renders etc being used. You might be suprised what comes up.

Every system is unique so it's just Trial and error.....

Good luck.

[wannabepvr]

Here are the logs I get when doing different things.

Watching recorded suff
[HTML]13:09:02.250 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredAudioDecoder)
13:09:02.265 VERBOSE audio decoder filter: MPEG Audio Decoder
13:09:02.265 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredDecoder)
13:09:02.578 VERBOSE video decoder filter: InterVideo Video Decoder
13:09:02.578 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredMpegPlaybackDemux)
13:09:02.750 VERBOSE getSetting(ListGraphFilters)
13:09:02.750 VERBOSE Graph contains the following filters:
13:09:02.750 VERBOSE - MPEG Audio Decoder
13:09:02.750 VERBOSE - Video Renderer
13:09:02.750 VERBOSE - DirectSound: SoundMAX Digital Audio
13:09:02.750 VERBOSE - ffdshow Audio Decoder
13:09:02.750 VERBOSE - InterVideo Video Decoder
13:09:02.750 VERBOSE - GB-PVR Flow Status
13:09:02.750 VERBOSE - MPEG-2 Demultiplexer
13:09:02.750 VERBOSE -[/HTML]

live TV
[HTML]08:37:30.296 VERBOSE audio renderer filter: DirectSound: SoundMAX Digital Audio
08:37:30.296 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredDecoder)
08:37:30.312 VERBOSE video decoder filter: InterVideo Video Decoder
08:37:30.312 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredAudioDecoder)
08:37:30.328 VERBOSE audio decoder filter: MPEG Audio Decoder
08:37:30.328 VERBOSE getSetting(DeinterlaceMethod)
08:37:30.609 VERBOSE getSetting(ListGraphFilters)
08:37:30.609 VERBOSE Graph contains the following filters:
08:37:30.609 VERBOSE - InterVideo Video Decoder
08:37:30.609 VERBOSE - DirectSound: SoundMAX Digital Audio
08:37:30.609 VERBOSE - Video Renderer
08:37:30.609 VERBOSE - BDA MPEG2 Transport Information Filter
08:37:30.609 VERBOSE - GB-PVR PSI Parser
08:37:30.609 VERBOSE - MPEG Audio Decoder
08:37:30.609 VERBOSE - Elecard MPEG2 Video Decoder
08:37:30.609 VERBOSE - GB-PVR Flow Status
08:37:30.609 VERBOSE - MPEG-2 Demultiplexer
08:37:30.609 VERBOSE - DTV-DVBT 878 Digital Capture Filter
08:37:30.609 VERBOSE - DTV-DVBT 878 Digital Tuner Filter
08:37:30.609 VERBOSE - Microsoft DVBT Network Provider
[/HTML]

recording
[HTML]08:37:30.109 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredAudioDecoder)
08:37:30.109 VERBOSE Creating Audio pin mapped to PID 2310 (MPEG1 Layer 2)
08:37:30.109 VERBOSE getSetting(EnableTeleText)
08:37:30.109 INFO pGB->Render(p2Pin) returned -2147467261
08:37:30.218 VERBOSE locked=0 present=0 strength=0 quality=0
08:37:30.218 VERBOSE getSetting(ListGraphFilters)
08:37:30.218 VERBOSE Graph contains the following filters:
08:37:30.218 VERBOSE - BDA MPEG2 Transport Information Filter
08:37:30.218 VERBOSE - GB-PVR Flow Status
08:37:30.218 VERBOSE - GB-PVR PSI Parser
08:37:30.218 VERBOSE - MPEG-2 Demultiplexer
08:37:30.218 VERBOSE - DTV-DVBT 878 Digital Capture Filter
08:37:30.218 VERBOSE - DTV-DVBT 878 Digital Tuner Filter
08:37:30.218 VERBOSE - Microsoft DVBT Network Provider[/HTML]

[mixedup]

Thanks - this is what I seem to get (I get a somewhat choppy video display for both live tv & watching previously recorded tv from my previous PC)

watching recorded
[HTML]20:57:03.718 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredDecoder)
20:57:03.750 VERBOSE video decoder filter: CyberLink Video/SP Decoder
20:57:03.750 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredMpegPlaybackDemux)
20:57:03.984 VERBOSE CPlaneScene::ForceClear()
20:57:04.000 VERBOSE getSetting(ListGraphFilters)
20:57:04.000 VERBOSE Graph contains the following filters:
20:57:04.000 VERBOSE - Default DirectSound Device
20:57:04.000 VERBOSE - CyberLink Audio Decoder(TwinHan)
20:57:04.000 VERBOSE - Video Renderer
20:57:04.000 VERBOSE - CyberLink Audio Decoder
20:57:04.000 VERBOSE - CyberLink Video/SP Decoder
20:57:04.000 VERBOSE - GB-PVR Flow Status
20:57:04.000 VERBOSE - MPEG-2 Demultiplexer[/HTML]

Live TV
[HTML]20:56:45.687 INFO DirectShowPlayerBase::playLiveStream(pGB, 'GB-PVR Flow Status', 'Output', 'MPEG-2 Demultiplexer', 'Audio', hwnd)
20:56:45.781 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredAudioRenderer)
20:56:45.781 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredDecoder)
20:56:46.000 VERBOSE video decoder filter: CyberLink Video/SP Decoder
20:56:46.000 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredAudioDecoder)
20:56:46.140 VERBOSE audio decoder filter: CyberLink Audio Decoder(TwinHan)
20:56:46.140 VERBOSE getSetting(DeinterlaceMethod)
20:56:46.234 VERBOSE CPlaneScene::ForceClear()
20:56:47.328 VERBOSE getSetting(ListGraphFilters)
20:56:47.328 VERBOSE Graph contains the following filters:
20:56:47.328 VERBOSE - Default DirectSound Device
20:56:47.328 VERBOSE - CyberLink Audio Decoder(TwinHan)
20:56:47.328 VERBOSE - Video Renderer
20:56:47.328 VERBOSE - BDA MPEG2 Transport Information Filter
20:56:47.328 VERBOSE - GB-PVR PSI Parser
20:56:47.328 VERBOSE - MPEG Audio Decoder
20:56:47.328 VERBOSE - CyberLink Video/SP Decoder
20:56:47.328 VERBOSE - GB-PVR Flow Status
20:56:47.328 VERBOSE - MPEG-2 Demultiplexer
20:56:47.328 VERBOSE - DTV-DVBT 878 Digital Capture Filter
20:56:47.328 VERBOSE - DTV-DVBT 878 Digital Tuner Filter
20:56:47.328 VERBOSE - Microsoft DVBT Network Provider[/HTML]

Recording
[HTML]21:08:54.796 VERBOSE Preferred BDA Multiplexer: CyberLink
21:08:54.828 VERBOSE getSetting(BDAAutoDetectTuner)
21:08:54.843 VERBOSE ConnectPins: 'Output1' to 'MPEG-2 Stream'
21:08:54.843 VERBOSE Demux filter has the following default output pins:
21:08:54.843 VERBOSE - 1
21:08:54.843 VERBOSE has media type: {455F176C-4B06-47CE-9AEF-8CAEF73DF7B5} {E9DD31A3-221D-4ADB-8532-9AF309C1A408}
21:08:54.843 VERBOSE - 2
21:08:54.843 VERBOSE has media type: {73646976-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71} {E06D8026-DB46-11CF-B4D1-00805F6CBBEA} (VIDEO)
21:08:54.843 VERBOSE - 3
21:08:54.843 VERBOSE has media type: {73647561-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71} {E06D802B-DB46-11CF-B4D1-00805F6CBBEA} (AUDIO)
21:08:54.843 VERBOSE - 4
21:08:54.843 VERBOSE has media type: {455F176C-4B06-47CE-9AEF-8CAEF73DF7B5} {E436EB8E-524F-11CE-9F53-0020AF0BA770}
21:08:54.843 VERBOSE - 5
21:08:54.843 VERBOSE has media type: {455F176C-4B06-47CE-9AEF-8CAEF73DF7B5} {C892E55B-252D-42B5-A316-D997E7A5D995}
21:08:54.843 VERBOSE getSetting(BDAUsePsiParser)
21:08:54.843 VERBOSE getSetting(EPGProcessingMode)
21:08:54.843 VERBOSE getSetting(BDAAutoMapPids)
21:08:54.843 VERBOSE Creating MPEG-2 Video pin mapped to PID 1025
21:08:54.859 VERBOSE ConnectPins: 'Video' to 'Input'
21:08:54.859 VERBOSE Creating Audio pin mapped to PID 1026 (MPEG1 Layer 2)
21:08:54.859 VERBOSE getSetting(EnableTeleText)
21:08:54.890 VERBOSE Setting IID_IMpgMuxer
21:08:54.890 VERBOSE Initialzing Cyberlink mux for MPEG2 program stream
21:08:54.890 VERBOSE Setting IID_IMpgMuxer3
21:08:54.890 VERBOSE Setting IID_IMpgMuxerInfo
21:08:54.890 VERBOSE Finished initialzing Cyberlink mux
21:08:54.937 VERBOSE ConnectPins: 'Output' to 'Video In'
21:08:54.937 VERBOSE ConnectPins: 'Audio' to 'Audio In'
21:08:54.937 VERBOSE ConnectPins: 'Output' to 'Input'
21:08:54.984 VERBOSE getSetting(BDASubmitTuningRequestTwiceOnRecord)
21:08:54.984 INFO Starting graph...
21:08:55.765 VERBOSE locked=0 present=0 strength=0 quality=0
21:08:55.765 VERBOSE getSetting(ListGraphFilters)
21:08:55.765 VERBOSE Graph contains the following filters:
21:08:55.765 VERBOSE - MPEG-2 Sections and Tables
21:08:55.765 VERBOSE - BDA MPEG2 Transport Information Filter
21:08:55.765 VERBOSE - GB-PVR Writer
21:08:55.765 VERBOSE - GB-PVR PSI Parser
21:08:55.765 VERBOSE - CyberLink MPEG Muxer
21:08:55.765 VERBOSE - GB-PVR Flow Status
21:08:55.765 VERBOSE - MPEG-2 Demultiplexer
21:08:55.765 VERBOSE - DTV-DVBT 878 Digital Capture Filter
21:08:55.765 VERBOSE - DTV-DVBT 878 Digital Tuner Filter
21:08:55.765 VERBOSE - Microsoft DVBT Network Provider
21:08:55.765 VERBOSE getSetting(SaveGraphFiles)[/HTML]

Any comments? Will I just perhaps start playing with MUX options perhaps? e.g. different types, different versions?

[wannabepvr]

Do you notice a difference in quality between live TV and recorded TV?

you say 'a little jumpy' but they remain in sync - right?

[mixedup]

Just checked this, so:

Live TV - Sync is ok. Basically every few seconds there is a bit of a freeze for less then 1 second on the video, and no sound. So jumpy in this sense. Seems to occur on most channels. I did have a "signal is low - check cable is plugged in" message come up, however I've really just got the same indoor aerial connected up that was always ok before.

Is there a way to check signal strength via the BDA drivers? (maybe a lightweight BDA based TV viewer/signal strength viewer)

Recorded TV - Actually when watching stuff I'd recorded via GB-PVR on my older (slower) PC this seemed to play fine.

So it seems to be the recording aspect which is having a problem. This implies that i should start the focus at looking at different MUXs no?

[mixedup]

PS. It seems like the GB-PVR configuration utility BDA Mux options includes a number of options (e.g. InterVideo, SS etc) irrespective of whether they are installed or not. I just tried SS for example however in the logs it is reporting Cyberlink (which is the only MUX I have installed based on the BDA Mux Checker utility)?

[actually whilst I was looking at the Live TV logs perhaps it was the Decoder I was getting confused with "video decoder filter: CyberLink Video/SP Decoder") - in any case as I try different options in the GB-PVR configuration utility BDA Mux area this does not seem to change the jumpiness I am seeing]

[mixedup]

PSS. Just upgraded to the latest BDA driver from Twinhan (BDADriverV1.2.3.8_WHQL) and this seems to have resolved the issue. I still have a couple of channels reporting no signal however I may have to jump into the GB-PVR database and see whether the frequencies are set correctly (or perhaps I might re-scan).

[wannabepvr]

A few thoughts that may or may not help:

1. DVB is quite prone to electrical interference, not the static that you see in analogue, it's more pops, crackles and artefacts. I found even if I had my antenna cable laying too close to the power supply some channels became poor. Careful routing and a signal booster helped here. It would be useful to check your signal strength, but short of retuning I am not aware of a utility to help. What part of the world are you in?

2. If you find a program choppy on live TV switch to timeshift and see if it changes.

3. XP SP2 has Microsoft’s own MUX MS-DVR built in so you can try that and see if anything improves.

4. I found on my set up that Cyberlink Video/SP caused problems - but that doesn’t mean that it is causing an issue on your set up. You may want to search for "decoder direct show filter manager". This lets you tweak the 'merit' of different decoders so that the system is less likely to use them. You still need to check your logs to verify.

5. There is the whole quartz.dll possibility. Do a search if you don't know what I talking about - it's really confusing and I am not even going to try to embarrass myself!

[wannabepvr]

PSS. Just upgraded to the latest BDA driver from Twinhan (BDADriverV1.2.3.8_WHQL)

Cool.

Let me know if you are still happy in a week or so of use, Maybe I need to upgrade my drivers also.