Live TV using the SoftwareRecording plug-in.

[Connie]

Hi,
I've been trying to get GBPVR running with the SoftwareRecording plugin for a while, but I can't get live TV (or recording for that matter) working.

The card, a Philips 7130-based card from STlab, is a bit old but perfectly functional, and I don't have any problems getting it to work with other applications.

Now obviously GBPVR isn't perfect for using software-based encoding, but my CPU should be more than fast anough, so this card'll do until I can be bothered to buy a new one.

GBPVR starts up fine, and I don't get any error messages. Video files play perfectly fine, with good performance. Web radio also works fine.
When I select LiveTV in the menu, the entire menu flashes one, and then returns. Then nothing.

There is no error message, and no indication of any problem apart from the video not showing up.

I am running GBPVR 1.3.11 and SoftwareRecorder 0.27. I wasn't sure which log files are relevant, so I attatched all of them in a zip.

Thanks for any help.

[Reddwarf]

Did you create a folder under Plugins with the name "Software Recorder"? You'll have to do that and put all the files that is put under Plugins in this folder. This is becauce the installation procedure for the software recorder is designed for the older versions of gbpvr before each plugin should have their own folder. In Config app, you'll also get a broken plugin, don't use that. I cannot see the PVRX2.log, can you post that as well afterwards if things do not work?

[Connie]

Hey,
Yes, I copied the plug-in files to a separate folder, and I have tried using both the broken and the working instance of the plug-in in the list.

PVRX2 did not generate any log. I assume you can select the amount of logging you want in the configuration tool? I currently have it set to 'debug'.

[Reddwarf]

If logging is set to debug it should generate A LOT of info, set it to info and enable log flushing, you should get a PVRX2.exe.log and a PVRX2 native log as well.

BTW: what mpeg-encoders have you set up in the plugin settings, and what multiplexer? My experience is that the ATI MPEG ENCODER works well (download avivo and install). And what render is set up in playback in the config app?

[Connie]

Hi again,
PVRX2 refused to give me any logs, so I reinstalled the program entirely.
I now got a proper program log, and managed to find out that the problem was caused by the fact that I didn't have any channels configured.

After adding channels, I can now watch TV , play DVD's and other media files without problems.

I am using FFDshow for decoding MPEG data, and I also have the ATI codecs installed, aswell as the MainConcept codecs that came with the TV tuner drivers.

I am using the VMR9 renderer, as that's the default one, and it seems to be working fine.

What I can't do is selecting multiplexer and codecs for enconding in SoftwareRecorder's interface. The drop-down menus are completely empty.
I have verified that the ATI multiplexer is properly installed, and there is also a MainConcept one, but that one has problems with GBPVR.

I tried removing the capture source and then re-add it, but the encoders and the multiplexers still aren't there. I know they were there before I reinstalled GBPVR, but I haven't seen them since.

I've attatched a screeenie of the configuration screen.

Thanks for your help.
EDIT: Sound now working. Thank goodness for open-source drivers.

[Reddwarf]

As a pecuriar coincidence a friend of mine just got the very same problem with a 7131-based card! I'll go there tomorrow and have a first-hand look at the problem and get back to you afterwards.

[Connie]

Awesome, thanks!

[Reddwarf]

I looked at my friends installation and all seemed fine, except that the MPEG-encoders did not show up in the WDM-Plugin configuration, even if they were installed correctly. We un-installed gbpvr and re-installed it, and there they were!

Strange, but it seems that the encoders must be installed prior to gbpvr-installation. Can you try to uninstall gbpvr and re-install it?

BTW: I guess you have installed all the requiered pices of software? (read carefully the wiki).

Good luck!

[Connie]

That solved the problem, thanks!:p

[Reddwarf]

Y'r welcome . Glad to hear it worked out. A word of advice: I'v found that the "Quick Rec" button does not work for scheduling a recording when using the software recorder, don't know if that goes for all installations, instead use the "Record" button. And you can't set the recording quality unless you do it in the plugin-setup.