Faulty Nova t 500 Dvb-t ???? perhaps...

[sarant]

Hi there, we are currently experiencing problems with our DVB-T setup. It appears our tuner card is intermittently receiving signal. As far as I can tell it appears to be a driver issue or perhaps a faulty card. When it is getting signal the software we are using to view it is GBPVR...which is currently not working. Its hard to explain, so in an attempt to make this clear below is a list of everything we have done in a sequential order and some GBPVR logs thrown in for good luck. We are currently using ScanChannelBDA software to test signal strength. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

The hardware we are currently using:

Vista 64 bit business edition + SP1
AMD athlon 64 X2 dual core 5600+ 2.9GHz
8Gb RAM
Nvidia 8600GT
Hauppage WinTV Nova-T 500 HD Dvb-t "2 weeks old"


The results we get with ScanChannelBDA when it is working are:

674000khz Strength 61, Quality 100%.
690000khz Strength 57, Quality 100%
706000khz Strength 59, Quality 100%

As far as im aware these are good signal strengths. These are the signals we are getting from a new aerial setup.

We have been having problems with this setup for a couple of weeks and due to it being so inconsistent im stumped with what to do next....

What we did:
Reformatted Computer and reinstalled windows
Installed SP1, Monogram AAC codec and DirectX 9.0c

Installed the tuner card drivers off the supplied hauppauge/cyberlink powercinema 5 disc (these appear to be the latest drivers comparing with the hauppauge site. We have chosen not to install the enclosed powercinema software as would prefer to use powerdvd 8 although have tried powercinema...same result)

Restarted Computer

Installed Cyberlink PowerDVD8 Ultra Edition

Run ScanChannelBDA - Signal!

Restarted Computer

Run ScanChannelBDA - no signal

Opened cyberlink retried ScanChannelBDA - no signal

Opened GSpot to check installed codecs

Run ScanChannelBDA - Signal!

Installed GBPVR 1.2.13

Run ScanChannelBDA - Signal!

Run Config for GBPVR, selected card, tuned channels in.

Opened PVRX2, scroll to and click Live TV > locked up, could not click anything then after 5 seconds i can scroll the menu again....no black screen or anything it just froze and then i could scroll the menu again.

Run BDA - Signal!

Restarted Computer

Run BDA - no signal after trying twice

Opened and shut cyberlink
R
un BDA - no signal

Opened GSpot

Run BDA - no signal 1st attempt, on second attempt signal!
Opened PVRX2, scroll to Live TV > locked up, then continues to scroll menu as above.

Run BDA - Signal!

Installed Combined Comunity Codec Pack (2008)

Run BDA - Signal!

Opened GBPVR config - check codec settings

Opened PVRX2, scroll to Live TV > locked up, then continues to scroll menu as above

Restarted Computer

Run BDA, 3 times - No signal
Opened and shut Cyberlink

Opened and shut GSpot

Run BDA, 11 times consecutively, first 9 - no signal, last 2 - signal!

Opened PVRX2, scroll to Live TV > locked up, then continues to scroll menu as above....

Opened config GBPVR - changed selected codecs

Run BDA - Signal!

Opened PVRX2, scroll to Live TV > locked up, then continues to scroll menu
as above

Run BDA - No signal

We have attached GBPVR log files for anyone who is willing.


Gave up....... We have had this running inconsistently with the supplied powercinema 5 software on and off.

We have scoured the forums and tried different codecs, different pvr software but nothing has given reliable results. There has to be someway to get this running well....Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

[martint123]

If the minimum configuration of something like, Hauppauge BDA drivers and Scanchannelsbda doesn't work, then everything else is irrelevant.

There have been one or two reports of one half of a nova-t-500 being a bit deaf - hev you tried both tuners?.

If the minimum of driver and scan... gives a problem then I'd take it back and get them to replace it.

[Elmo Putney]

There is a signal check utility on the Hauppauge forums, if I remember its in a sticky on the Nova T XP section.

[zaprat]

I had problems with my card in AUS. I eventually fixed it by installing some new drivers sourced from a distributor site in AUS. You can identify the problem using the scanchannel utility and scan both tuners. If memory serves me correctly look for a degraded quality. It is intermitent but should show up after a few attempts.

Goodluck!

[martint123]

I'm using driver version 4.3.25080.0 and judging from results and what others say, this seems a good and stable version.

http://www.wintvcd.co.uk/drivers/Nova-T-...0_WHQL.zip

Martin

[ACTCMS]

There have been one or two reports of one half of a nova-t-500 being a bit deaf - hev you tried both tuners?.

I had one of them last year...

There is a signal check utility on the Hauppauge forums, if I remember its in a sticky on the Nova T XP section.

I ran ScanChannelBDA on both tuners - showed a good signal on one and poor signal on the other. So I printed out the ScanChannelBDA log files, took the tuner back to the supplier with the logs and got a replacement.

[sarant]

Hi there, we are in New Zealand

We had tried both tuners, when signal is there it is excellent on both tuners, when it not it is nonexistent on both tuners.

Have swapped the card for a new one today, same problem still remains so it is not the card.

We tried a fresh install using 32bit Windows XP, SP1&3, scanchannelsBDA gives excellent signal faultlessly. And signal problem appears to be non-existent.

Have removed 6gb of RAM, so am now running 2gb.

Have done a fresh install of vista 64bit business, NForce 430 Motherboard drivers, Hauppauge Wintv driver version 4.3.25080.0. Have not installed SP1.

ScanchannelsBDA has no signal

Installed AMD Optimiser

ScanchannelsBDA has no signal

Where to from here?.... XP..32???

[ACTCMS]

You say you have a new aerial... do you have an STB which you could use to test it - if you get the same variable signal problem, I would be looking at the antenna, cabling, etc for a bad connection somewhere.

[stustunz]

the set top boxes are to expensive to buy (rip off)
whats your normal tv picture like on prime this will give you an idea what the signal is like
do you have other tvs in the same line if you do while testing remove them and get a straight line going to your tuner card

btw the codec will have nothing to do if you get signal or not.The codecs are only for playback and you dont need 100 different codecs you need 2 codecs(one for video and one audio ) per file you try to play back
that codec pack probably doesnt have the codecs you need anyway
do a search on dvb-t in new zealand or ask what codecs you need for new zeland dvb-t
instead of trying to watch live tv do a recording from your tv guide you may get better results when testing or just watch it in config and wait for the signal to drop to try and work out what changed when the signal dissapeared)

[sarant]

Hi there,

Have just intsatalled yet another fresh copy of vista64, motherboard drivers, graphic drivers, Amd optimiser, and Service Pack 1 this time.....still have only 2gb ram installed and i have a consistant signal!! have restarted several times and signal isnt coming and going anymore....
I think it could be an issue with the drivers and having more than 4gb ram....also Service Pack 1 needs to be installed, without I get nothing...

Now onto setting up GBPVR so I can view something on the screen..
To clarify..Codec wise I need an H.264 decoder ie Cyberlink Powerdvd 8 (which i have just installed, and the monogram aac audio codec....

Do i need any other codecs??


Thankyou for you response!! Im nearly there!!!