Potential GBPVR user - questions.

[speedway]

Hi all

I don't know how I happened upon GBPVR but it looks good. I have been trying to build a PVR opn Linux using MythTV but have had nothing but problems.

I am looking to run GBPVR under Windoze 2000 but would like to ask a few questions first.

DVD's: On Linux I can use libdvdcss to use and rip commercial DVD's - is there anything similar for the Windows world?

TV Card: I have a Compro Videomate DVB-T300 card that Myth will not pick up anything on, Kaffiene media player does. I do see on here that it is possible to use under GBPVR so hopefully taht will do. I am also getting a KWORLD card as well.

Remotes: Again, under Linux I would use lirc, what would I be using on Windows? Also, does the Compro DVB-T remote work on GBPVR? I do have plans to get a MCE remote at some stage.

I have a SBLive 5.1 card that I want to use to output to my stereo? Usable?

I will probably have a few more questions as I go along

Cheers
Bruce

[sub]

DVD's: On Linux I can use libdvdcss to use and rip commercial DVD's - is there anything similar for the Windows world?

Yes. You need to install DVD Decrypter and the GB-PVR DVD Ripper plugin.

TV Card: I have a Compro Videomate DVB-T300 card that Myth will not pick up anything on, Kaffiene media player does. I do see on here that it is possible to use under GBPVR so hopefully taht will do. I am also getting a KWORLD card as well.

I've never used a Compro or KWorld card, so I cant give any direct feedback on these. Assuming they have BDA drivers, then they should work fine as digital cards. Neither of these cards will be usable as analog card if they are digital/analog hybrids.

Remotes: Again, under Linux I would use lirc, what would I be using on Windows? Also, does the Compro DVB-T remote work on GBPVR? I do have plans to get a MCE remote at some stage.

There is no built in support for the Compro remote, but depending on how the Compro software works, it may be useable. MCE remotes work.

I have a SBLive 5.1 card that I want to use to output to my stereo? Usable?

Yes.

[pBS]

there is a 'winlirc' also...
but you're probably better off with HIP or girder...

for ripping dvd's i use Anydvd...it decrypts on the fly in background, so you can just copy the files to a folder whichever way you want and that's a rip

[speedway]

Thanks all

Very helpful. I'll look up the HIP related stuff.

One more question if I may although not fully related to GBPVR. My video card is a nVidia FX5200 / 128Mb and under linux I would change /etc/X11/xorg.conf to set the output to TV via PAL/PAL-B @ 800x600. Where on earth do you do that under Windows?

Cheers
Bruce

[agidius]

Thanks all

Very helpful. I'll look up the HIP related stuff.

One more question if I may although not fully related to GBPVR. My video card is a nVidia FX5200 / 128Mb and under linux I would change /etc/X11/xorg.conf to set the output to TV via PAL/PAL-B @ 800x600. Where on earth do you do that under Windows?

Cheers
Bruce

most likley it is in the card setup

right click on the desktop
choose properties
go to the settings tab
click the advanced button

look around in there.

[speedway]

When you install the Nvidia software you end up with a Tray Icon that you right click on. From there you will be able to set up everything you mentioned. I leave my FX5200 on 1024x768.

Excellent, thanks

Cheers
Bruce

[speedway]

Well it looks like I have had a short foray into Windows/GBPVR. I just installed a fresh copy of W2K over my Myth install and tested the Compro DVB-T300 card install. No go...I do not have enough PCI slots available to satisfy the T300's requirement for a unique IRQ. The driver (downloaded from comprousa.com) will not install at all, complaining of "the incorrect environment". The machine is an IBM eServer x200 PIII 1Ghz/384Mb RAM with SBLive 5.1 (PCI), Adaptec 29160LP SCSI controller (PCI) and the T300 card (PCI). The nVidia card is AGP. Everything else like USB, network ect is on the MB. So without the TV card, going any further is pointless.

Thanks all for your help, albeit to no avail...

Cheers
Bruce

[speedway]

What T300 requirement for a unique IRQ? (Lots of people share their T300 IRQs and there are lots of ways to get a unique one)

Ummmm....this one: http://www.comprousa.com/New/en/faq/errorvmtv.html - I went looking when it wouldn't install. Following what is said there, I have played musical cards for the past 3 hours, with zero luck.

What Incorrect Environment?

Ummm, good question on the environment. No idea. That is what I get after trying to install the driver, with that text right after "Installation failed"...

(Can I hazard a guess and say why did you install W2K, Your tagline says XP or better That's a joke)

I am using W2K because I have 3 copies of it (legal ones too!) from my days of developing software (many moons ago). I do not have a license for XP and am not interested in buying one. Without one SP2 won't install (not that I have tried....really! ) Oh, and the tagline "better" bits refers to Linux being better than XP!

Sorry, if you don't want any help, your setup sure sounded a lot more
promising than MythTV

I didn't say I didn't want any help. I resigned myself to the fact that it would not work after trying everything in the book - swapping cards, removing cards, readjusting CMOS parameters to disable all non-required services and processes.

I think I know why his member name is Speedway

Touche! In reality, I own and run a large speedway forum in Australia, over there I am known as RaceDirector

Cheers
Bruce

[speedway]

To get a unique IRQ you need to

• Ensure the slot has a unique IRQ line (Check the Mobo Manual, there is usually a table that shows you this)
  
• Ensure Windows is not running out of unique ones (disable things in the BIOS you don't need, Com ports, LPT Ports, etc.)
  
• I'm still not sure this will give you problems at this point (maybe later, but they will be different problems)
  

Hmmm, I'll have to search out a manual. I have had the machine for 5 years and things get mislaid. I suspect though it is Windows as there are no issues with (and I am NOT going on about it) Linux. I have disabled most things not required - onboard audio, parallel ports, onboard video, video set to use AGP, not PCI etc etc.

PM me an Email address and I will send you a set of drivers that work with GB-PVR.

Cheers, literally on it's way...

I've never seen this problem before though so some idea of the exact error message and how you were installing the drivers might give me an idea.

Generally.

• Install the card
  
• Turn on computer
  
• Click cancel to any attempt windows makes to install the drivers for you
  
• Install the drivers by running the supplied install program
  
• Ignore any messages about the drivers not being whql certified
  
• Probably, install the Compro software just to get satisfaction that things are working so far.
  

Yup, been doing exactly that to the letter.

I'll persevere a little longer, it's either that or go back to a video recorder. I know that is swearing and SWMBO would not be happy!!

Cheers
Bruce

[speedway]

Well, the saga continues.

I decided to start over completely so I installed a 20Gb drive in the machine and installed a fresh copy of W2K. Previously I had disabled everything thing I could that would still allow the machine to boot. The card now has it's own IRQ - 7 - as I removed the SCSI card.

First up was upgrade to SP4 - Done
Next install Firefox

Reboot machine. W2K did not pop up anything to say it had recognised the T300.

Install drivers as supplied by mvandere. Process goes like this:

Double-click on setup.exe
installshield start, flashes up 2 windows with the second seeming to install/copy something.
Windows incompatibility box pops up, choose yes continue
Videomate installer stays in the task bar doing something and then exits.
Nothing further happens.

Results:
1. Appears in Add/Remove programs
2. Appears in registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> SOFTWARE -> Compro Technology Inc -> Videomate Hybrid TV driver -> 1.03.124 .....BUT there are no entries for this, just the (Default) REG_SZ - nothing else.

Reboot machine.

Nothing, zip, zero. Hardware manager still displays the dorky yellow exclamation mark next to "Multimedia Controller". This is driving me up the wall...

I know the card works as I checked it via MythTV. I got it to work over there and managed to record Spicks & Specks on Wednesday night. Same machine, different hard drive.

Cheers
Bruce