Dual Multiple PVR-150 Tuner Cards How To Needed Here

[iDude]

I'm in such deep hell right now...

After a wonderful situation finally gaining the wife's trust, managing the new PVR recording world, I decide to go full out and install another PVR-150 card to handle the conflicts on analog cable with no additional set top tuner boxes.

Windows sees two PVR-150s after the driver(s) installs for the second card, shows no conflicts, and that's where the good news stops.

Major bad. Remote: dead, even w WinTV2000.

Neither tuner card records now w gbPVR .93? last Julyish release, despite the first one showing it's recording and the other card is "sleeping" says the recording service tray. LiveTV blew up at first with a nasty Windows error, then worked after a restart or two.

What the hell went wrong? I searched the forums for three hours snatching hints from here and there, hoping this thread might put all the pieces to together, or maybe the WIKI will someday outline this in as much detail as the MVP stuff.

From the WIKI, I installed / configured the second tuner card by giving it a different name.

Then I selected "PVR-150" from the dropdown menu because that's what it is.

And because it's identically the same as the first tuner card, I made this a different Capture Device #2.

Because both cards are running off the same cable feed via a splitter, this second card also was set to cable and I used the same account and channel settings with ZapTV as the first card to make it easy. <=== is this ok to do?

I've read vague references to having each tuner hold a different set of channels, but that sounds very complicated with the ZapTV accounts and all. Moving channels from one collection of channels to the other to manage a conflict sounds very cumbersome. Gow does that show up in the TV Guide part? It almost sounds better to get another machine to throw the second card into.

But I read about dudes loading in seven tuners. How? Definitive directions are needed in the WIKI if each card needs a different set of channels with different ZapTV accounts(?) and how to manage all of that...

The EPG download for the second card went ok using the same original card settings (account / pass etc) - no errors, but:

Did I need to wipe out the first card's EPG to eliminate the potential conflicts that it was warning me of for the last ten days? Is this why nothing right happened this morning - that it still thought there was a conflict?

How does gbPVR allow manage prior recording conflicts with sudden appearance of an additional tuner card? What didn't happen this morning for me was two shows were conflicting starting at 5 a.m. for each of them and neither got recorded, although the grid and the recording service tray lied about it.

Going into "Video Library" from the main screen I expected to see "card2" because of the "card1" has been there from the beginning of using gbPVR and there was no "card2". Should there be?

I didn't plug in the remote sensor on the second tuner card - is that ok?

If I've missed all the step by steps somewhere, please point me in the right direction-- or if you know how to make a second PVR-150 peacefully co-mingle with the first, I'm looking for answers!

Thanks-

[buckeye]

I don't know how to do this but keep us posted if you figure it out because i am thinking of doing the same thing
thanks

[sub]

Neither tuner card records now w gbPVR .93? last Julyish release, despite the first one showing it's recording and the other card is "sleeping" says the recording service tray. LiveTV blew up at first with a nasty Windows error, then worked after a restart or two.

Can you set up a test then post you GBPVRRecordingService.exe-native.log? Probably best to schedule to recordings at the same time.

Because both cards are running off the same cable feed via a splitter, this second card also was set to cable and I used the same account and channel settings with ZapTV as the first card to make it easy. <=== is this ok to do?

Yes, thats the right thing to do.

I've read vague references to having each tuner hold a different set of channels, but that sounds very complicated with the ZapTV accounts and all. Moving channels from one collection of channels to the other to manage a conflict sounds very cumbersome. Gow does that show up in the TV Guide part? It almost sounds better to get another machine to throw the second card into.

But I read about dudes loading in seven tuners. How? Definitive directions are needed in the WIKI if each card needs a different set of channels with different ZapTV accounts(?) and how to manage all of that...

I dont know whats so complex here. If you install a second card and it uses they same channels as the first card, then just enter your same zap2it username and password. If it uses an entirely different set of channels, then you'd probably need to create new zap2it account for the different channel lineup. If one of the cards has a subset of channels on the first card, then use the same zap2it settings, but mark the channels as disabled.

When you view the channels in TV guide, you'll only see one of each channel and behind the scenes GB-PVR works out which capture source to use if you decide to record something.

The EPG download for the second card went ok using the same original card settings (account / pass etc) - no errors, but:
Did I need to wipe out the first card's EPG to eliminate the potential conflicts that it was warning me of for the last ten days?

No, you didnt need to that.

Going into "Video Library" from the main screen I expected to see "card2" because of the "card1" has been there from the beginning of using gbPVR and there was no "card2". Should there be?

No. I dont even know how you got "card1" there. It wasnt created by GB-PVR. I'm guessing you originally created a folder called "card1" and set it as your recordings directory. Maybe you should have called this folder something like "recordings"?

Windows sees two PVR-150s after the driver(s) installs for the second card, shows no conflicts, and that's where the good news stops.
Major bad. Remote: dead, even w WinTV2000.

I didn't plug in the remote sensor on the second tuner card - is that ok?

Its hard to predict which IR sensor the Hauppauge software is trying to use. Its probably trying to use it on the newest installed card, so try swapping it over.

[iDude]

Thanks for the quick comeback, sub. Appreciate it deeply...

Can you set up a test then post you GBPVRRecordingService.exe-native.log?

I'll reinstall that second card tomorrow after today's roster of recordings. Luckily, just yanking the second card put everything back to right, so I missed but a few shows and didn't blow the whole rig up...

Then we'll see how things behave and if there's a prob. I'll send over the log.

Probably best to schedule to recordings at the same time.

This tells me that it's probably best to make sure the pending recording roster is cleared before installing the second card, then after restarting, set up the recordings. That's maybe what messed things up the first time: shows were already slated with conflicts, then the second card showed up and gbPVR didn't know how to make sense of the already pending recordings with the new hardware config? If so, this is valuable insight.

re: clearing the EPG?: No, you didnt need to that.

BUT - maybe clear the scheduled recordings as previously mentioned...

I dont even know how you got "card1" there. It wasnt created by GB-PVR.

Media Portal maybe? I only created a "Videos" folder back in the MP days, then after moving to gbPVR, I made that same "Videos" folder the default and maybe the "card1" folder inside was there previously. Selecting the "Video Library" button on the main gbPVR screen takes me to that "Videos" folder which has all my shows' folders in it and also that "card1" folder as well. The "card1" folder has been always empty, so maybe it's MP's dregs...

I'm guessing you originally created a folder called "card1" and set it as your recordings directory. Maybe you should have called this folder something like "recordings"?

No-

Its hard to predict which IR sensor the Hauppauge software is trying to use. Its probably trying to use it on the newest installed card, so try swapping it over.

I wondered that, but after things broke so badly and shows were being missed, the remote was the least of worries, but that would be the first thing to try, which is what I'll do tomorrow after the second card goes back in.

Hopefully clearing out the pending recording roster and remote sensor swapping is going to make this plug and play...

I'll report back.

Thanks mucho, again...

[Pilot]

I did something similar to you, but potentially more complicated -- I installed a PVR500 (basically two PVR150s) in addition to my original PVR150. Not sure if there was any reason why (other than just wanting a clean, new config), but I ended up removing the PVR150 from the GBPVR configuration, adding the config for the PVR500 tuners and then adding in the PVR150 again. All three use the same EPG.

With the exception of a glitchy, self-induced error, I have no problems with this configuration at all. The guide is working fine, shared nicely between the three tuners, and I've been able to handle a pretty complicated Thursday evening recording schedule where I think that each of my six family members wants something different recorded on Thursday evenings.

My self-induced error is that when I'm recording something (which occurs on the PVR500 tuners first because they're at the top of the list) and then watching the same channel on LiveTV (which occurs on the PVR150 since it's at the bottom of the list), if I cancel the recording, the LiveTV buffer replaces the recording for some reason. So even if my recording was 45 minutes of an hour show, when I play back the recording it's just the 30-seconds (or so) buffer of the same show from LiveTV. Again, glitchy, but a very rare thing to occur unless I'm testing my GBPVR system. I don't think it would happen during normal GBPVR operation/use.

You might be better off doing as I did -- remove both tuners from the GBPVR configuration and then adding them back in. If you have any recordings, I believe they will be lost in the GBPVR system, but they are still accessible through the Video plugin as long as you have the recording location added to your Video plugin configuration. Meaning, the files will still be there, but the recordings just won't show up in the "Ready" screen.

Given that our systems similar (with mine being slightly more "complicated" by one additional tuner), I'll be happy to compare configs with you or whatever you need to help you out. You can get this configuration working, many people already have. I feel your pain -- my wife has definitely been raising her eyebrows throughout my GBPVR and MVP implementation process. I think she's okay with it now, though, as we have successfully recorded two weeks of the rather complicated Fall season (especially Thursdays), and we've gotten every show without issue. It might take a little tweaking, but your wife will be happy with GBPVR, too.

[Pioneer4x4]

I If you have any recordings, I believe they will be lost in the GBPVR system, but they are still accessible through the Video plugin as long as you have the recording location added to your Video plugin configuration. Meaning, the files will still be there, but the recordings just won't show up in the "Ready" screen.

Use the export recordings on the plugin tab before any changes! Then you can import the xml file later if they get wiped out.

[Pilot]

Use the export recordings on the plugin tab before any changes! Then you can import the xml file later if they get wiped out.

...or that. Haha. Yeah, Chris will simply stumble his way through his GBPVR install -- I don't need no stinkin' special features/options...

I really...REALLY...need to RTFM before posting any more messages here...

[iDude]

OK, round two-

Bottom line: better, but original card does not record now, despite tray status showing such and folder is created in Video Library default folder...

LiveTV also worked without ugliness - however, the dud first tuner card issue wouuld not let you view that recording live.

a little additional info:

original card was and has always been in the bottom of three slots

went into Recordings Pending and cancelled out all one shot scheduled recordings

went into Recordings Recurring and cancelled out all of those

Entire recording roster cleared, so no confusions, no conflicts

Restarted machine one more time just to flush any temp confusions.

Shut down machine. Installed second tuner in the middle slot, just above first / original card. Removed remote sensor / blaster from original / first tuner and plugged it into second / new tuner card.

Started machine. Closed gbPVR after it auto-started.

Windows needed no drivers - it was as it was after the first round of installing the second card. Driver is there and Device Manager AOK with both cards.

Went to gbPVR's Config - added second tuner as detailed in first post, mirroring settings of first tuner card, except calling this PVR150 Card Upper and Capture Device #2 - for remote: exe.Changer Plugin and pointed to HauppBlast inside gbPVR folder. On the original / first tuner card, changed that to "no Channel Changer required"

Quit Config and Restarted machine.

gbPVR: Remote works fine now. Went to TV Guide, selected two shows with conflicts to record - no fussing. Problem now:

Original card doesn't record. The second card does. So, the first recording selected will not record because it's defaulting to the first / original card. Hmm.

With a scheduled recording at 4:30 pm, I remove the second card and set things back to original. All is well again with the original card, despite it not being moved at all.

Bottomline good part: flushing the scheduled recordings beforehand seemed to make things half work without a "Windows Event".

Huh!

I'm attaching two logs in one zip folder: one from before the second card went in, which was about 14:20 this afternoon, and one after.

Cheerily awaiting... thanks.

[iDude]

bump

logs are in above post...

[sub]

What version of GB-PVR are you running?