MyHD MDP-130 Meta FAQ

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There are lots of FAQ knowledge contained in the various MyHD threads on AVS. Sometimes it is hard to locate this information but on the flip side experienced users get tired of answering the same questions over and over when little attempt is made to search.

This thread attempts to consolidate links to frequently asked questions and index them so the information is easily found. So as not to become too cluttered, the purpose of the first post is not to answer questions directly, rather to point you at the answers to popular questions already asked and answered in other posts.

So as too keep this thread somewhat clean, please consider deleting your posts after your concerns or suggestions have been addressed. Also if you plan on discussing an issue at length, please use another thread or the main MDP-130 thread and post here only after everything has been resolved. If you happen to be a MDP-120 user please use the main MDP-120 thread.

For this thread to be successful, it needs "buy in" from the helpful MyHD community. As such, any suggestions on improvements or what contents to include as well as how to organize the content would be greatly appreciated.

In addition next time a user asks a common question that has been asked before, instead of asking them to do some research, do the search yourself one last time for a post that does a particular good job answering the question and post the question and answer (or link to answer) in this thread so it can be indexed and all future questions can then be responded with RTFF (Read The F'in FAQ)

Thank you for your help and remember, this thread will only be as successful as the community makes it.

I will start off with a simple framework and will also index any information in the digital connection FAQs.

Top questions
A.1 Where is the Digital Connection MyHD FAQ?
A.2 Where is the latest driver? ( 1.66.1.1 is most current )
A.3 How do I play DVDs?
A.4 MyHD vs FusionHDTV5
A.5 Poorman's Power Options (How to configure reliable hibernate)
A.6

Installation/Debugging
B.1 Debugging audio video problems (dropouts, pixelation, stutter, etc.)
B.2 How do I center the picture or adjust overscan?
B.3 How many MyHD cards can I use in one PC?
B.4 In what way can MyHD interact with DVICO Fusion?
B.5 Minimum system requirements for .tp streaming and HD recording
B.6 Digital Connection MyHD connection diagram
B.7 What kind of video card should I use with MyHD?
B.8 My TV only has component inputs. How do I use MyHD and also view PC desktop?
B.9 Will MYHD work with Windows 2003 server?
B.10 Why does MyHD default to My Documents when I try to add files for playback?
B.11 My physical QAM channels don't match TitanTV. How dow I map them correctly?
B.12 My audio/video are out of sync when playing DVDs but are fine when playing files. What's going on?
B.13 I can't get DVI output from the daugthercard to produce a picture. What is wrong?
B.14 How do I bootup to full MyHD with MyIRC and in the correct order?
B.15 What video formats does MyHD "HD"/Fullscreen mode support?
B.16 MyIRC remote control doesn't work (Windows Vista discussion)
B.17 Why doesn't MyHD find all non-encrypted channels on my digital cable?
B.18 I can't see the MyHD control panel but it shows up in Alt-TAB
B.19 How to get MyHD running on Windows Vista
B.20

Product features
C.1 Where are the BDA drivers? How do I use with MCE?
C.2 MDP-130 product features/specs
C.3 Since MyHD can't be used as a tuner for other apps, in what ways can it coexist with MCE, SageTV, BeyondTV, MediaPortal, etc.?
C.4 What QAM (SD or HD) stations will the MDP-130 pick up from my cable company?
C.5 Can I use the MyHD to output NTSC signals to my old TV while I save up for a HDTV?
C.6 Does MyHD record DirecTV? No.
C.7 Why doesn't MyHD support H.264 encoding?
C.8

Recording/Scheduling/Watching
D.1 Should I use MyHD to record analog?
D.2 Why does my video stutter only when recording or playing back QAM channels?
D.3 I recorded one show and another show plays back instead.
D.4 When I scan for channels no analog stations are found.
D.5 Can I connect my STB to the DVI input of the daughtercard and record HBO?
D.6 Why is the recorded file so large? How do I record a single subchannel instead of all the subchannels when I capture a Transport Stream with MyHD?
D.7 How do I start watching a show 30 minutes after it starts so I can skip over stuff I don't care about (ie commercials)?
D.8 How do I start MyHD tuned to a particular channel?
D.9 Why are the recorded files split into segments? What Size Do I Use in the Capture Custom Field?
D.10 How do I do a Season Pass? Can recurring recordings be made easier?
D.11 My PC doesn't wake up fast enough and I miss the first minutes of the show (see new version of MyIRC)
D.12 How do I get sub channels to display in my channel list?
D.13 Can I Fast Forward Instead of Skip Forward? What Are Optimal Skips?
D.14

Known issues/Workarounds
E.1 HyperThreading, multi-processor, dual-core disables certain features (DVD, firewire, etc.)
E.2 Why won't my computer boot after I install the MyHD card?
E.3 Video tends to pixelate, audio is fine (possible abnormal DTS offsets causing MyHD buffer overflows)
E.4 What is the menu sloth bug?
E.5 MyHD channel scans currently limited to RF125/801MHz - FIXED - now scans to RF135/861MHz
E.6 I get a popup titled "MyHD_Eng" with the message “Failed to create empty document”. How do I fix this?
E.7 MyHD OSD palette corruption (OSD uses strange colors)
E.8 I'm seeing recordings with the zero-byte ( 0-byte) problem, what do I do?
E.9 How do I configure WinXP/2K to use single CPU in dual core, HyperThread, etc. system?
E.10 How can I restart MyHD/MyIRC on a scheduled basis to increase reliability of recordings?
E.11 What should I do if recording NTSC but no audio present?
E.12

Reference information
F.1 Where can I find the online PDF manual (why can't I read certain sections)?
F.2 List of keyboard shortcuts
F.3 How do I configure MyHD to record VBR (variable bit rate) instead of CBR (constant bit rate)?
F.4 What OTA ATSC channels does my area receive?
F.5 How Do I Make DVD's from MyHD Recordings?
F.6 List of MyHD command-line options
F.7 MIT September 2005 Corporate Roadmap
F.8 MyHD video levels are 16-235/240 per SMPTE-274M standard.
F.9 Analysis of MPEG-2 bitrate and picture quality (rebuttal to Richard Swank's claim that 16Mbps is plenty, even for Olympics)
F.10 MyHD (TL880) linux driver development page
F.11 How to read MyHD software version #s
F.12 How to get MyHD to record with .ts instead of .tp extension?
F.13 How do I edit the virtual channel #s to match the cable channel #s?
F.14 What are MyHD's output resolutions?
F.15 Pinout diagrams (VGA) (DVI) (HDMI)
F.16

Utilities
G.1 syncoffset (documentation)
G.2 scansetup (documentation)
G.3 MyHDAuto
G.4 MYHD_Playlist_Manager
G.5 TSReader Lite (Features) (Download) (Readme)
G.6 HDTVtoMPEG2
G.7 Video Lan Client (VLC)
G.8 dr1394 mpeg-2 transport stream test patterns
G.9 Cliff Watson EPG addon for MyHD
G.10 Blank epg.mdb (in case yours gets corrupted)
G.11 MyIRC 1.2.1.1 (new version with registry adjustable wakeup advance interval)
G.12 VideoDTSOffset fix
G.13 JudderTest
G.14 MDP-120/130 device upgrade for JP1 remotes
G.15 New MyHD.exe 1.66 from CW_EPG beta test project
G.16 mpeg2repair
G.17

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Question: How do I play DVDs with MyHD?

MyHD player app does not have support for copy protection. To playback a DVD with copy protection you will need to use software like DVD43, AnyDVD, DVDIdle.

http://www.dvd43.com/
http://www.slysoft.com/en/anydvd.html
http://www.dvdidle.com/

To mount your .iso you can use:
http://www.daemon-tools.cc/dtcc/download.php

To playback files, you can load VIDEO_TS.IFO and it will playback with menus (thanks miimura)

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Question: Where can I get the latest drivers?

Latest version is 1.66.1 + Start-in-HD patch (see UPDATE6 below)

Digital Connection does an excellent job supporting MyHD MDP-130 cards. They will usually have the latest drivers posted on their website, along with release notes:

http://www.digitalconnection.com/Support/cn_myhd_15.asp

In some cases when a new fix has just been made available the latest driver might only be available at the MIT MyHD site:

http://www.mitinc.co.kr/mitinc/e_site/board/sw.html

Suggested install procedure:
1) download integrated driver/app package (1.65 and above integrate driver and app into single install executable)
2) install card in PC
3) boot to windows
4) Windows "Found new hardware" wizard will appear
5) at this point, run the MyHD integrated installer
6) when installer is done, everything will be ready to go

UPDATE: there is an updated 1.66.0.1 driver for the 1.66 package. Consider installing 1.66.0.1 after 1.66 package is installed. Do not install 1.66.0.1 with 1.65 package.

UPDATE2: there is an updated MyIRC which adds user configurable wake-up advance intervals. This was released after 1.66.0.1 and not included in that package. MyIRC handles wakeup from hibernation/standby as well as processing remote control IR functions.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post7480454

UPDATE3: there is an updated MyHD 1.66 from the CW_EPG project. Read about it here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post7614098

UPDATE4: Terry mentioned 1.66.0.2 driver update to fix KQED PSIP problem:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post8145045
PM TPeterson if you want to test the new 1.66.0.2 driver
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post8044348

UPDATE5: new updated MyHD software 1.66.1 available. Changes include:
In addition to being easier to install an up-to-date version incorporating all of the last year-and-a-half's bug fixes, version 1.66.1 also includes several new features. The most notable changes are a self-correcting feature to deal with the OSD palette-corruption bug, QAM channel scanning to rf 135, and built-in accommodation of CW_EPG (so you don't need to add any hacked files to the MyHD Program Files folder anymore).
Software here:
http://www.mitinc.co.kr/mitinc/e_site/board/sw.html

If you use CW_EPG please updated CW_Mon.exe file with the new 1.1 version posted here:
http://home.mchsi.com/~cw_epg
Original announcement from Terry here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post9738322

UPDATE6: Start-in-HD patch file
On some PCs, MyHD's default timing for "Start in HD" mode in versions through 1.66.1.0 causes the app to crash. If you have this problem, PM TPeterson for a patched exe file that fixes it.

UPDATE7: Old mitinc FTP site (ftp://ftp.mitinc.co.kr/pub/MyHD/) no longer responds, use website instead:
http://www.mitinc.co.kr/mitinc/e_site/board/sw.html

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Question: List of keyboard shortcuts

MyHD v1.63 Short-cut List

=======================================================================
* Short-cuts mapped to the remote buttons
=======================================================================
Keys                            Description
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Left Arrow                 : "VOL_DOWN" button
Right Arrow                : "VOL_UP" button
Up Arrow                   : "CH_UP" button
Down Arrow                 : "CH_DOWN" button
Space                      : "PLAY/PAUSE" button
Ctrl + Space               : "STOP" button
Ctrl + i                   : "INPUT" button
Ctrl + a                   : "AUDIO" button
Ctrl + u                   : "MUTE" button
Ctrl + s                   : "SUB-CH" button
Ctrl + g                   : "GUIDE" button (DVD Root Menu on DVD mode)
Ctrl + e                   : "MENU" button
Ctrl + t                   : "CAPTION" button (DVD subtitle list on DVD mode)
Ctrl + r                   : "ASPECT" button
Ctrl + Enter               : "OK" button
Ctrl + h                   : "HD" button
Shift + Esc                : "ESC" button (Return to the previous Channel on TV mode)
Shift + Left Arrow         : "REWIND" button
Shift + Right Arrow        : "F/F" button
Ctrl + Left Arrow          : "PREV" button
Ctrl + Right Arrow         : "NEXT" button
Shift + c                  : "REC" button (Eject the tray on DVD mode)
Ctrl + m                   : "FAV" button (DVD Title Menu on DVD mode)
0 ~ 9                      : "0" ~ "9" button

* Short-cuts available only for File/DVD mode
1                          : "1" button (REWIND x 1)
4                          : "4" button (REWIND x 2)
2                          : "2" button (F/F x 1)
3                          : "3" button (F/F x 2)
5                          : "5" button (F/F x 4)
6                          : "6" button (F/F x 8)
Ctrl + [                   : "7" button (goto previous bookmark)
Ctrl + ]                   : "8" button (goto next bookmark)
Ctrl + =                   : "9" button (add bookmark)

=======================================================================
* Keyboard only short-cuts
=======================================================================
Keys                            Description
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ctrl + x                   : Close MyHD
Ctrl + o                   : Show File Open dialog box
Esc                        : Return to VGA mode (Escape HD mode)
Ctrl + 1                   : Select input mode to 'Ant1'
Ctrl + 2                   : Select input mode to 'Ant2'
Ctrl + v                   : Select input mode to 'Composite In'
Shift + v                  : Select input mode to 'S-Video In'
Ctrl + f                   : Select input mode to 'File'
Shift + d                  : Select input mode to 'DVD'
Ctrl + d                   : Select input mode to 'Tape'
Ctrl + l                   : Show Channel list or File list
Ctrl + c                   : Show Capture dialog box
Ctrl + p                   : Show Config pannel
Ctrl + n                   : Change to the next HD resolution.
Ctrl+Shift + 1             : Select the 1st resolution in the resolution list
Ctrl+Shift + 2             : Select the 2nd resolution in the resolution list
...
Ctrl+Shift + 0             : Select the 10th resolution in the resolution list
Ctrl+Shift + -             : Select the 11th resolution in the resolution list
Shift + s                  : Capture a still picture
Shift + p                  : Return to the previous channel
Ctrl+Shift + m             : Toggle 'Using 'Seperate Monitor' option
Ctrl+Shift + o             : Toggle 'Show Overlay Window' option

Shift + o                  : Show DVD Folder Open	dialog box
Shift + Esc                : DVD Resume
Shift + r                  : DVD Root Menu
Shift + t                  : DVD Title Menu
Shift + i                  : DVD Subtitles Menu
Shift + u                  : DVD Audio Menu
Shift + g                  : DVD Angle Menu
Shift + p                  : DVD Chapter Menu

Shift + 1                  : goto bookmark #1
Shift + 2                  : goto bookmark #2
...
Shift + 9                  : goto bookmark #9
Shift + 0                  : goto bookmark #10


=======================================================================

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Question: Where can I find the online PDF manual (why can't I read certain sections)?

The online PDF manual is available at Digital Connection.

http://www.digitalconnection.com/Support/cn_myhd_15.asp

Certain sections of the manual use Korean font. If you don't have Korean font installed for Adobe Reader, parts of the manual may not display correctly.

It is suggested you use Adobe Reader 7.0x which is available here:

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Adobe Reader 7 will automagically find the Korean fonts and ask you if you want to install.

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Question: HyperThreading, multi-processor, dual-core disables certain features (DVD, firewire, etc.)

From Digital Connection FAQ:
http://www.digitalconnection.com/Support/cn_myhd_1.asp

MyHD software will work with Dual and HyperThreading systems, however there are some functions that do not work properly without disabling this feature. The three functions that will not work under dual processor/hyperthreading is:

DVD-Playback

Playback of recorded files over a network

Firewire recording to D-VHS tape player using MDP-130 software

HyperThreading can be disabled in BIOS.

Dual Core you can give boot.ini options to windows to boot in single processor mode. See this post:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post7383675

[jldet5]

Question: How many MyHD cards can I use in one PC?

There can only be one MYHD card installed in a system with the current software. For additional tuners, software based tuner cards like the Fusion can be added.

Some have come across the DualMyHd directory on the MIT download site. This is old software missing many features and driver updates. I believe the MDP100 was out at the time. It is also beta and not supported. Try at your own risk.

[jldet5]

Question: In what way can MyHD interact with DVICO Fusion?

Using the MYHD playlist manager, recordings done by the Fusion can be added to the MYHD playlist. A big thanks to Allen.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...light=playlist

[jldet5]

Question: Where are the BDA drivers? How do I use with MCE?

BDA drivers are not available and therefore the MYHD card does not work with MCE. Adding a software card like the Fusion for recording which does have BDA drivers is highly recommended. This frees up the MYHD card for file playback, DVD playback, recording two shows at once, etc.

[jldet5]

Question: Should I use MyHD to record analog?

The MYHD card is not recommended for recording analog.

[jldet5]

Question: Minimum system requirements for .tp streaming and HD recording

The MYHD card requires 3.3V on the PCI slot. PCI 2.2 compliant mother boards meet this specification.

A quality name brand PSU is recommended for stable 3.3V.

The newer 120G and larger hard drives are recommended as they are much faster than older drives. You will need approximately 7G to 10G per one hour recording.

CPU speed is of minor concern. I started my HTPC with a slot 1 P3 450. The MYHD hardware requires very little CPU for digital TP recording.

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Question: Debugging audio video problems (dropouts, pixelation, etc.)

Recording 38.4Mbps QAM channels is pushes most PCs pretty hard and with *some* systems people will experience audio or video dropouts. Issues can also occur with ATSC channels (19.2Mbps) but are less frequent.

The following is a list of things you can try to isolate or mitigate the problem.
1) disable the video overlay
Displaying the overlay is more bandwidth intensive than MyHD Full Screen mode. If you are experiencing audio/video dropouts while recording with the overlay enabled to monitor what you are recording, please try disabling the video overlay (ctrl-shift-O). Please note, MyHD Full Screen mode doesn't not automatically disable overlay.

2) verify your drives are set for UDMA mode, not PIO
Sometimes either directly or indirectly your IDE drives get set for PIO mode. Some people swear they are using UDMA, but when they check, they find something has reset the drives to PIO. It is always a good idea to doublecheck.

system->hardware->device manager->IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers
->Primary/Secondary IDE Channel->Current Transfer Mode

There is further information on this issue here (along with registry workaround):
http://winhlp.com/WxDMA.htm

3) try switching from MyHD SPDIF out to motherboard SPDIF out (and vice versa)
If you are experiencing audio dropouts or clicks for the digital audio output, try using the MyHD SPDIF out or switching to your motherboard SPDIF out (if available) In some cases one will exhibit problems but the other will not

4) try workaround for abnormal DTS offsets
Some stations send out abnormal DTS offsets and this can cause buffer overflow and video drop. Symptoms include audio being fine, but video pixelating. There is a workaround here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post6530460

5) make sure you haven't inadvertently changed the default playback device
Some applications change the default playback device from the soundcard to their own custom device. This can cause issues with audio dropouts.
Verify your default playback device under
Control Panel->Sounds and Multimedia->Audio->Sound Playback->Preferred Device
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post7201717

6) try different video output formats
Some users have observed if they use 1280x720 the system appears to be less stressed and performs better. Theoretically MyHD does less work when you stick with native HD resolution making everyone in the system happier. Worth a try, along with lower resolution like 800x600.

7) turn off any antivirus or other such scanning software
antivirus and various other monitoring software have been known to sap processing power and could cause stuttering or other problems.

8) make sure you have good signal levels
Within MyHD signal levels are best if above 60%. Keep in mind everytime you split the signal, you lose at least 50% of the signal strength. Also, keep in mind your cable box usually has more advanced signal correction and even if the cable box is not having issues, there still may be problems with the signal that the cable box error correction is fixing transparently.

To see what errors a Motorola cable box is seeing, tune to the channel you are having troubles with, then, on the remote, press Power (to shut off the STB), then immediately press Ok. This will enter the diagnostic menu. Section D04 "Inband Status" will show you the correctable and uncorrectable errors, as well as SNR and AGC (both should read "Good")

[jldet5]

Question: Why does my video stutter only when recording or playing back QAM channels?

Most likely the video overlay window is enabled. Using this feature requires the entire QAM data stream to be passed over the PCI bus. Placing the MYHD in to HD mode does NOT turn off the overlay. Turn off the overlay using the config panel when recording or playing back QAM channels.

[jldet5]

E.2

Using older mother board that does not supply 3.3V to the PCI slot. PCI 2.2 compliant or later recommended.

Merge this with the previous E.2 post?

[jldet5]

Question: What kind of video card do I need?

The video card is only needed to display the desktop. MYHD displays through its own output. See MyHD connection diagram (B.6)

[sfhub]

Merged from:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post7176085
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post7177182

Question: Why won't my computer boot after I install the MyHD card?

Potential possibilities
1) There is a BIOS issue with several PCI-Express based motherboards and video cards that result in a conflict with the MyHD cards. Depending on your specific motherboard, BIOS version and video card, you may be able to work around the problem.

More details here and here

2) Using older mother board that does not supply 3.3V to the PCI slot could cause this issue. PCI 2.2 compliant or later recommended.

[jldet5]

Question: I recorded one show and another show plays back instead.

By default, MyHD records all of the contents of the RF channel during a capture. This includes all of the subchannels for an OTA broadcast and, on cable QAM, may include even unrelated broadcast stations.

You can select the desired program stream during playback of these files by pressing the SUB-CH button on the remote. The corresponding button on the control panel will also cycle through the program streams of a recording.

Selecting the 'Capture Sub Channel Only' in the configuration panel will only record the intended show and remove the need to press the SUB-CH on the remote.

To make the subchannels appear in the list, you need to Enable Virtual Channels in the channel list panel and (usually)perform a new channel scan.

[jldet5]

Question: When I scan for channels no analog stations are found

Analog stations are not available when using full time timeshift. Use on demand timeshift instead.

[Ad-Rok]

Question: I know that I can't use a MyHD MDP-130 as a tuner for other software PVR programs, but can I build a machine with a MyHD and use another card for XP Media Center Edition (MCE), SageTV, BeyondTV, MediaPortal, or others? Will they work together?

Answer: Yes, many forum members use their MyHD cards in just such a configuration with great success. There are several important things to know before deciding to build a hybrid MyHD / alternate tuner card system, however:

1. Decide which content signals you want for which card.

Broadcast or Over-the-Air (OTA) content can be sent to one input of the MyHD card for HDTV viewing for example, while terrestrial cable signals can be sent to an alternate card to be used with XP MCE or another such program. If you want to view HDTV cable using a MyHD card and analog or "Standard Definition" cable using a card like the Hauppague WinTV PVR-150, you simply need to split your cable signal using a standard RF splitter device and send the outputs to both cards. Or, you can use the MyHD card for both signals as it has dual tuner inputs, and use another card for analog TV viewing and recording, or even more HDTV. Note that XP MCE still requires at least one analog viewer to be installed before it will recognize a supplementary HDTV tuner as of this writing.

2. Decide how you want to connect to your video displays in advance, so that you know what type of connection will work best for you.

The MyHD MDP-130 comes packaged with RGB (standard VGA output) and component video output capability. Most HDTV's and modern monitors, however, have the ability to take direct digital video inputs using DVI or HDMI connections, and this can vastly improve both your picture quality and your computer's ability to recognize what type of display you are using. An accessory MyHD MDP-130 DVI Daughtercard must be purchased and attached to your MDP-130 to enable the MyHD's DVI output, and you can use a DVI-D connection cable or a DVI-to-HDMI cable (if your display has an HDMI connection) to make this top-quality digital connection work. If you have a DVI-capable videocard, you can use them both on the same connection to your display by installing in "passthrough" configuration as described on the Digital Connection FAQ and in the instructions. When your MyHD is in fullscreen mode, it will automatically override your videocard's DVI output and send its own video signal direct to your display. When not in fullscreen mode, your MyHD Card and application will be visible via your videocard's output passed through the DVI daughtercard in what is called "overlay" mode.

3. Decide how you want to connect your audio systems in advance, so that you know what type of connection will work best for you.

The MyHD MDP-130 is capable of using your PC's sound card for audio output, or directly outputting sound of content played through it (and it only) using coaxial digital SPDIF cable, or optionally using an optical Toslink cable if you install the DVI daughtercard. Both options are enabled in the MyHD config panel as you choose. You may wish to select "PC Soundcard" and have one connection to your AV receiver shared by MyHD and the other cards and programs in your system (including Windows), or you may wish to use separate connections for your MyHD audio and your PC's normal audio. It's up to you.

4. Know that it is generally best to install your alternate PVR software and tuner cards first (such as XP MCE or SageTV) and install your MyHD MDP-130 second, to ensure that the rest of your system is functioning properly ahead of time.

5. When you're ready to install the MyHD MDP-130, follow the directions and FAQ installation tips carefully!

Note that if you're using the DVI daughterboard, make sure you click the "Enable DVI Output" option in the MyHD Config Panel to get your display working. You will likely have to use your alternate video connection temporarily to be able to click "Enable DVI Output," after which you can switch your display permanently to it's DVI or HDMI connection and enjoy your MyHD card in DVI mode, if you choose.

6. Your MyHD can serve as an "upconverting" DVD player, but you must set it up correctly.

The MDP-130 uses a sophisticated hardware scaler that can display DVD content at whatever resolution you set in the MyHD config Panel, including 720p or 1080i High Definition. This uses a 20-step scaling process that improves picture quality considerably over standard 480i resolution output when using the MyHD fullscreen display window. However, you must realize that you can only play DVD's from a DVD drive or from a folder with .VOB files in it if you use software such as AnyDVD or DVD43, referenced elsewhere in this FAQ. If you play DVD's using your alternate PVR software, they will be displayed by your videocard and will only be scaled if you use extra software such as Dscaler and ffdshow, which are quite demanding on your computers main processor and graphics card.

7. You can record files using your MyHD and another card simultaneously if you have multiple incoming connections, but you cannot both record and display the same program on your MyHD card unless you use the MyHD TimeShift feature, discussed elsewhere in this FAQ.


*** Terry & guys: feel free to edit this if you want ***

[sengsational]

Although the transport stream that gets recorded by the MyHD is basically an mpg in a wrapper, it can not be just dropped on a video DVD-R and played in your DVD player. MyHD's tuner grabs the data stream and drops it on your hard disk; there is no resolution or frame rate change possible at that point.

There are many tools that are able to do the conversion with various levels of success. The failure point is usually the synchronization of the sound. You must also realize that you will loose resolution if your source is HD! And it will take a long time (usually longer than it took to record the program in the first place).

If we do not consider tool chains that handle sound and video separately (demux/remux) which are out of scope for this particular answer, there are two tools that have been reported to work:

• HDTV2DVD (free, but more functionality with related SVCD2DVD - www.hdtv2dvd.com)
• NeroVision Express 3 (at www.nero.com)

I tried NVE, but never got the sound to come out right. So I use the former. more: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post7084199

[sengsational]

It doesn't matter. We're not like the ATI bunch, we don't need no stinkin' video card to work! Use whatever video card suits your fancy for your desktop, and we don't care!

Okay, let me work on my relaxation for a minute.... Visualze a set-top box. See the shiny black wire go from the wall (cable signal) to the set top box. Now, see a different, more husky wire, come out of the set-top box that sends a crisp, clean HD signal to your TV. Finally picture that set-top box crammed into your freakin' computer!! Got it? Did I say anything about a video card? NO!

You say "yeah, but there's this loopback connector I saw when I went to question A1". You didn't read A1? Just quit right now until you look at the pictures there. Okay, back already? Read this and think about it. Think hard if you need to. The signal containing a Windows desktop goes in the loopback connector and MyHD does NOTHING to it. That's right. Just picture a little elf in there with a bunch of cables tangled around his feet. When you ask for HD, he plugs in the wire with the crisp, clean HD signal from the mini set-top box we talked about above. When you ask for passthrough, he just unplugs the set-top box signal and plugs in a wire straight from whatever is on that loopback plug. If your "monitor" or "HDTV" is very savvy, maybe it can display both, but that's NOT typically the case. TV's are good at displaying set-top box stuff and not usually as good at displaying Windows desktop resolutions. Someone else will need to address what your loopback options are. My job is done; I don't think you'll forget what kind of video card you need ;-)

[sfhub]

Merged from:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post7177237
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post7178190

Question: What kind of video card should I use with MyHD?

The video card is only needed to display the desktop. MYHD displays through its own output. See MyHD connection diagram (B.6)

Expanded answer:
It doesn't matter. We're not like the ATI bunch, we don't need no stinkin' video card to work! Use whatever video card suits your fancy for your desktop, and we don't care!

Okay, let me work on my relaxation for a minute.... Visualze a set-top box. See the shiny black wire go from the wall (cable signal) to the set top box. Now, see a different, more husky wire, come out of the set-top box that sends a crisp, clean HD signal to your TV. Finally picture that set-top box crammed into your freakin' computer!! Got it? Did I say anything about a video card? NO!

You say "yeah, but there's this loopback connector I saw when I went to question B.6". You didn't read B.6? Just quit right now until you look at the pictures there. Okay, back already? Read this and think about it. Think hard if you need to. The signal containing a Windows desktop goes in the loopback connector and MyHD does NOTHING to it. That's right. Just picture a little elf in there with a bunch of cables tangled around his feet. When you ask for HD, he plugs in the wire with the crisp, clean HD signal from the mini set-top box we talked about above. When you ask for passthrough, he just unplugs the set-top box signal and plugs in a wire straight from whatever is on that loopback plug. If your "monitor" or "HDTV" is very savvy, maybe it can display both, but that's NOT typically the case. TV's are good at displaying set-top box stuff and not usually as good at displaying Windows desktop resolutions. Someone else will need to address what your loopback options are. My job is done; I don't think you'll forget what kind of video card you need ;-)

[sterno3]

a meta FAQ if I have ever seen one: starting here http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post7178025

[thepicman]

Originally Posted by sfhub

Question: How do I play DVDs with MyHD?

MyHD player app does not have support for copy protection. To playback a DVD with copy protection you will need to use software like AnyDVD or DVD43.

http://www.slysoft.com/en/anydvd.html
http://www.dvd43.com/

Don't forget DVDIdle http://www.dvdidle.com/

TPM

[sfhub]

Originally Posted by sterno3

a meta FAQ if I have ever seen one: starting here http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post7178025

I integrated into B.1
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post7176986

Let me know if I've missed anything.

[L8N8]

There's another option for MyHD users that's not covered by Digital Connection's diagrams. I call it "Component Passthrough". Unfortunately, I adopted HDTV early, and my TV doesn't have VGA or DVI inputs. So I figured out how to drive YPrPb from my GFX card, through the MyHD loopback, and into the component inputs of my TV.

Here's how I connect my GFX card to the MyHD card:
NVidia 6800 GT --> NVidia Component Breakout Pod --> RCA to (female) DB-15 cable --> MyHD loopback cable --> MyHD card

Here's how I connect the MyHD card to my HDTV:
MyHD card --> MyHD loopback cable --> (male) DB-15 to RCA cable --> HDTV component inputs

This should work with ATI cards and their component breakout dongle as well.

Just make sure to set up both the GFX card *and* the MyHD card to output YPrPb. After that, you will be able to switch between full-screen HDTV glory and the Windoz desktop with the click of a button on your MyHD remote.


[Excerpt below merged from Post #7185536]

Here are the cables I used. This solution works great for me. If there's any signal degradation, I couldn't tell. I did A-B testing between the "component passthrough" method mentioned above, using the cables below, and a direct connection between my PC and a second component input on my TV, using Monster Video2 component cables.

Female DB-15 to RCA cable ($4.05):
https://www.national-tech.com/specs/30h1-50300.htm

Male DB-15 to RCA cable ($19.95)
http://www.digitalconnection.com/Pro...les/SCVM3R.asp

Note that you might want to buy a higher quality Male DB-15 to RCA cable than I did, so that you get the lowest signal loss when watching full-screen HDTV. IMHO, there really isn't any need to get a very high quality Female DB-15 to RCA cable, since this is used only for the Windows desktop.

If you need longer or more affordable Male DB-15 to RCA cables (3ft, 6ft, 12ft, 25ft, 50ft), try this:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/su...02&cp_id=10235

Enjoy...

[miimura]

Originally Posted by L8N8

There's another option for MyHD users that's not covered by Digital Connection's diagrams. I call it "Component Passthrough".

Here's how I connect my GFX card to the MyHD card:
NVidia 6800 GT --> NVidia Component Breakout Pod --> RCA to (female) DB-15 cable --> MyHD loopback cable --> MyHD card

The RCA to DB-15 female is not a common cable. This gender-correct little cable can be found at Digital Connection here. You will also need BNC-RCA adapters, but they're cheap and this is the cleanest way to implement "Component Passthrough".

- Mike

[L8N8]

Originally Posted by miimura

The RCA to DB-15 female is not a common cable. This gender-correct little cable can be found at Digital Connection here. You will also need BNC-RCA adapters, but they're cheap and this is the cleanest way to implement "Component Passthrough".

- Mike

True, the female DB-15 to RCA cable is uncommon, but I disagree that using BNC-RCA adapters is the cleanest way to do it. It adds one additional, and unnecessary, "hop".

Here are the cables I used. This solution works great for me. If there's any signal degradation, I couldn't tell. I did A-B testing between the "component passthrough" method mentioned above, using the cables below, and a direct connection between my PC and a second component input on my TV, using Monster Video2 component cables.

Female DB-15 to RCA cable ($4.05):
https://www.national-tech.com/specs/30h1-50300.htm

Male DB-15 to RCA cable ($19.95)
http://www.digitalconnection.com/Pro...les/SCVM3R.asp

Note that you might want to buy a higher quality Male DB-15 to RCA cable than I did, so that you get the lowest signal loss when watching full-screen HDTV. IMHO, there really isn't any need to get a very high quality Female DB-15 to RCA cable, since this is used only for the Windows desktop.

Enjoy...

[L8N8]

Mike,

Looking more closely at the cable you recommended and the one I purchased, they look remarkably similar. It seems to me that they are made by the same manufacturer. Perhaps Digital Connection should start carrying the one I listed as well...

http://www.digitalconnection.com/pro...s/vgafbncp.asp
https://www.national-tech.com/specs/30h1-50300.htm

[Eckerput]

The MYHD-130 will only show your unencrypted channels. The cable company is only required to send local channels unencrypted. In addition, they are not required to send every local channel in HD (but if they do it must be unencrypted). Hence what you could get could be very limited or very broad. The best way to know for sure is to check on the AVS local HDTV Info Forum:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=45

Many current HDTV now come with QAM tuners so even people without MYHD-130's can provide good information on what is available in your area.

Note that regardless of what you can get from your cable company, the MYHD-130 does a great job on over the air reception with an antenna, sometimes with an even less compressed (better) image.