Newbie setup. No TV feed with 350.

[rhubarb]

I'm a Newbie trying to switch to GBPVR from MCE.
I have GB-PVR installed, configured and running, but can't set up the TV. Every time I switch to Live TV I get a black screen followed by a pause, followed by an error message "failure to play back file".

The stack trace from my log is at the bottom of this message as is the log section where it shows my settings.

But before all of that: How do I know I'm configuring my PVR 350 card correctly?
I have it connected to my satellite box via a scart cable.

I don't know if GB is failing to read the capture card properly or reading it fine but failing to play back. How can I test each part individually?

When I run the MCE setup it finds 3 or 4 inputs from the card automatically, selects the one that has a feed and shows it to me. It calls this "composite 1". It also shows "composite 2" and "Svideo 1" but they have no signal.

So how do I set up the equivalent in GB?

I selected "Direct Recording Plugin", then my card, then country UK (I'm in portugal but it isnt there at all - we use PAL-B here and I'm assuming that a) it’s the same as the UK, and b) this selection is not very important anyway)

I selected Capture Device #1. Is that right? What are the other 3? How do I know my Hauppauge card is #1? Should I experiment with the others? (I have no other cards)

Then for source I tried "Composite, External Tuner" which seemed the most likely given MCE's selection of "Composite 1". But I also tried "Composite 2, External Tuner", "S-Video 1 - then 2 - External Tuner", "Fixed …". Etc.

I'm using overlay mode, not VMR9 - though I have tried that too.

I haven't tried EVERY combination but pretty much all of them. And I get nada for LiveTV.

I have tried playback both on my video card and tv out on my 350. Same result.

My software video decoder options are System Default and CyberLink Video/SP Decoder. Tried both.

I have a new fast machine, plenty of disk space and no other problems. This part was easy in MCE (though I find the rest of it too restrictive in configuration).

I don't have a blaster yet - other than the one with my MCE remote which it seems will never be supported on other PVRs, but I do have a USB-UIRT on order. I'm assuming the lack of a blaster shouldn’t prevent me from seeing anything. Right?

Any help appreciated. I like the look of GB-PVR and it’s a shame to be so thwarted at such an early stage.


thanks,
rhubarb


Log excerpts:

Here's where my settings are loaded:


20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.156 VERBOSE [2] configurationFile is C:\Program Files\gbpvr\\config.xml
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.171 VERBOSE [2] getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/DatabaseConnectionString
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.171 VERBOSE [2] getValue: /settings/DatabaseConnectionString : Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=".\gbpvr.mdb";User Id=admin;Password=
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.171 VERBOSE [2] databaseConnectionString is Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source="C:\Program Files\gbpvr\\gbpvr.mdb";User Id=admin;Password=
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.171 VERBOSE [2] getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/DontAntiAlias
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.171 VERBOSE [2] getValue: /settings/DontAntiAlias : false
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.171 VERBOSE [2] getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/LoggingLevel
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.171 VERBOSE [2] getValue: /settings/LoggingLevel : Debug
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.203 VERBOSE [2] getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/MiscMediaDirectory
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.203 VERBOSE [2] getValue: /settings/MiscMediaDirectory : .\media
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.218 INFO [2] Starting
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.218 VERBOSE [2] Direct Playing:
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.218 VERBOSE [2] getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/UseSBE
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.218 VERBOSE [2] getValue: /settings/UseSBE : false
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.218 VERBOSE [2] getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/EPGProcessingMode
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.218 VERBOSE [2] getValue: /settings/EPGProcessingMode : normal
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.218 VERBOSE [2] getValue cached value: /settings/EPGProcessingMode : normal
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.218 VERBOSE [2] getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/Renderer
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.218 VERBOSE [2] getValue: /settings/Renderer : Overlay
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.218 VERBOSE [2] getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/HardwareDecoder
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.218 VERBOSE [2] getValue: /settings/HardwareDecoder : None - use software decoder
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.218 VERBOSE [2] Initializing renderer: OVERLAY
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.218 VERBOSE [2] getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/PreferredDecoder
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.218 VERBOSE [2] getValue: /settings/PreferredDecoder : default
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.234 VERBOSE [2] getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/DirectRemoteAccess
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.234 VERBOSE [2] getValue: /settings/DirectRemoteAccess : false
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.234 VERBOSE [2] getValue cached value: /settings/PreferredDecoder : default
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.234 VERBOSE [2] getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/WindowedMode
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.234 VERBOSE [2] getValue: /settings/WindowedMode : false
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.265 VERBOSE [2] getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/RootSkinDirectory
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.265 VERBOSE [2] getValue: /settings/RootSkinDirectory : .\skin\
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.265 VERBOSE [2] getValue() loading new key/value into cache: /settings/ActiveSkin
20/01/2005 7:16:32 PM.265 VERBOSE [2] getValue: /settings/ActiveSkin : LCARS
20/


And Here's the error:

20/01/2005 7:16:53 PM.828 VERBOSE [2] RecordLiveTV: 1
20/01/2005 7:16:54 PM.171 VERBOSE [2] About to play LiveTV File: C:\GBPVR\TVBuffer\Alerta Cobra_1_20050120_18301930-2.mpg Channel: AXN Portugal
20/01/2005 7:16:54 PM.171 VERBOSE [2] Before LiveTV Play
20/01/2005 7:16:59 PM.359 ERROR [2] Error: msg=0x202 (WM_LBUTTONUP) hwnd=0x5014e wparam=0x0 lparam=0x2460167 result=0x0 : Failure playing back file : at NativeUtilities.MediaHelper.playVideoFile(String filename, Form form)
at am.a(Channel A_0)
at r.e()
at bw.a(Point A_0)
at n.f(Object A_0, EventArgs A_1)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnClick(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseUp(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ScrollableControl.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ContainerControl.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WndProc(Message& m)
at n.a(Message& A_0)
2

[sub]

Quote[/b] ]I don't know if GB is failing to read the capture card properly or reading it fine but failing to play back. How can I test each part individually?

Does a file get created in your live tv directory, and is it growing? If so, then the problem is with playback. If not, the problem is with recording.

Quote[/b] ]I selected Capture Device #1. Is that right? What are the other 3? How do I know my Hauppauge card is #1? Should I experiment with the others? (I have no other cards)

Yes, it should device #1 unless you have multiple devices in your machine.

Quote[/b] ]I have tried playback both on my video card and tv out on my 350. Same result.

That makes me thing the problem is with the recording part of the process. Are you sure you've stopped the MCE services? If not, they hold onto the capture device, and GB-PVR will fail when trying to record.

[rhubarb]

Wow, thanks for the lightning fast reply! Where in the world are you exactly?

Live TV folder is empty, so its a recording problem.

Good point about the MCE services. I know the MCE application is shut down, but I didnt check for any services. Do you know what they might be called off hand?

thanks again,
rhubarb

[sub]

I'm in New Zealand.

I've never run MCE, so I'm not familiar with the names of the services. I know from past reports of the problem that this step is required or things dont work. Look in the Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Services, they should be pretty obvious.

[rhubarb]

One trip to the lounge and 10 wife aggravating minutes of experimentation later...

That was it! Thanks. I just had to shut down the right services.

However, while I can now get a picture off the normal video, I can't get anything off the tv-out. This is the first time I've tried - it so I could have it set up wrong.
I've simply got an svideo cable attached from the svideo out (it is out isnt it) port that is flush on the back of the pvr 350 card (ie not on the dongle) to the svideo in on my tv.
GB-PVR tells me its "now playing on tv-out" but I only get black screen on tv-out (I have multiple inputs on my tv so I can switch from the PC-in to the svideo in).

Still, I'm a lot further along than I was. Thanks again for the quick replies.

Oh and while I have your attention, I've been reading up on the forum and wiki about the LiveTV buffer. Correct me if any of the following is wrong:

1. It automatically records a new mpeg file for each program showing on live-tv, based on info from the EPG. (update I said MPG by mistake)
2. It stops and starts a new recording upon a channel-change.
3. There is no fixed limit to the amount of time you can rewind to liveTV (both MCE and MediaPortal are hard coded at 30 mins there)
4. (here it gets hazy) It deletes the files a few minutes after the program finishes.

Am I understanding correctly? Does this mean if I miss say the first 2 hours of The Titanic, I can still rewind and watch it from the start, but if I miss all of the Sopranos, and its five minutes into the news afterward then I've lost the Sopranos?

If this is true is there anyway to tell it to keep 2 programs in the live buffer?

Also, given that The Titanic is in the buffer dir in a file all of its own and I got to it before it was deleted, can I copy the buffer file elsewhere to get a recording of the movie even though I never selected Record at any time?

cheers
rhubarb

PS: I was born in Dunedin, and lived in Hamilton, Auckland and Cambridge before leaving NZ at 8yo

[sub]

Quote[/b] ]However, while I can now get a picture off the normal video, I can't get anything off the tv-out. This is the first time I've tried - it so I could have it set up wrong.
I've simply got an svideo cable attached from the svideo out (it is out isnt it) port that is flush on the back of the pvr 350 card (ie not on the dongle) to the svideo in on my tv.
GB-PVR tells me its "now playing on tv-out" but I only get black screen on tv-out (I have multiple inputs on my tv so I can switch from the PC-in to the svideo in).

I'm note sure whats happening. You could reproduce the problem and email you logs to me at support@devnz.com and I'll take a look. Does the TV out work for you with the Hauppauge WinTV2000 software?

Quote[/b] ]Oh and while I have your attention, I've been reading up on the forum and wiki about the LiveTV buffer. Correct me if any of the following is wrong:

1. It automatically records a new mpeg file for each program showing on live-tv, based on info from the EPG. (update I said MPG by mistake)

true

Quote[/b] ]2. It stops and starts a new recording upon a channel-change.

true

Quote[/b] ]3. There is no fixed limit to the amount of time you can rewind to liveTV (both MCE and MediaPortal are hard coded at 30 mins there)

True, but you can only rewind back as far as the beginning of the show you're watching

Quote[/b] ]4. (here it gets hazy) It deletes the files a few minutes after the program finishes.

True

Quote[/b] ]Am I understanding correctly? Does this mean if I miss say the first 2 hours of The Titanic, I can still rewind and watch it from the start, but if I miss all of the Sopranos, and its five minutes into the news afterward then I've lost the Sopranos?
If this is true is there anyway to tell it to keep 2 programs in the live buffer?

true. You can keep as many files as you like, but only ahead of the current show - not in the past. ie if you paused during Sopranos, it would keep recording including the news afterwards. When you resume playback, you could watch both shows. I decided against allowing the user to go backwards past the start of the current show because it makes things more awkward and wasnt worth the hassle.

Quote[/b] ]
Also, given that The Titanic is in the buffer dir in a file all of its own and I got to it before it was deleted, can I copy the buffer file elsewhere to get a recording of the movie even though I never selected Record at any time?

Yes, its just a normal video file.

Quote[/b] ]
PS: I was born in Dunedin, and lived in Hamilton, Auckland and Cambridge before leaving NZ at 8yo

Ah, its a small world. There is quite a few NZ connections here.

[rhubarb]

thanks again for the even more detailed replies.
I've never even installed the Hauppauge software, I guess I'll try that tomorrow.

On the Live buffer issue. It seems to me that if I start watching something in the middle and I think "damn I want to record this", my best bet is to actually pause it, then wait for the file to be finished when the program ends, then when I see a new file being created, copy the existing one somewhere and continue.
Is this right?
Or is there some "record this program" feature that can work after the progam has begun. (If not I think a lot of people would find this workaround handy - I see a lot of people on other PVR forums asking for such a feature. And none of the others even has a workaround. Friends who have ReplayTV say they hit Record the moment they start watching TV just in case.)

Thanks again.
Rhubarb

[reven]

if you press the record button on the remote (or ctrl-k) it will record, save, the file. so it wont be deleted, but if yo exit live tv, the recording stops. and of course if your missing say 5mins at the start, the recording will be 5mins short, ie only the green stuff in the bar is saved.

[sub]

Quote[/b] ]On the Live buffer issue. It seems to me that if I start watching something in the middle and I think "damn I want to record this", my best bet is to actually pause it, then wait for the file to be finished when the program ends, then when I see a new file being created, copy the existing one somewhere and continue.
Is this right?

...or you could try pressing the 'record' button (ctrl-k? on the keyboard). This tells GB-PVR not to delete the file when playback is complete. Effectively, it leaves it in the directory and adds a reference to it in the recordings screen.

[sub]

what he said even...