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Latest Ceton InfiniTV 4 Info Thread

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#1 ·

Welcome to the Latest AVS Ceton InfiniTV 4 Info Thread

Goal

I noticed there are few threads here and there and in different forums, I hope this thread can help some of the new owners to set up and troubleshoot the tuner if there is a problem.


Brief history

In 2010, after few years of R&D and speculations, a fully working CableCard tuner finally released. This is a great news for the HTPC users in US who want to watch the pay channel programming within Media Center. No more S video, RCA, component or firewire input and IR blaster from cable box to HTPC. Other benefits are HTPC will be able to record the pay channel content such as CNN, ESPN & HBO into our own HDDs instead of the cable box's hard drive. Last but not least, with CableCard tuner, we can send the cable box back to cable provider and save $12/cable box, since our HTPC will be able to do just the cable box does and much more.


Engadget review here .


Price

$199 -> http://cetoncorp.com/buy-now/

Ordering CableCard from your cable provider

Do yourself a favor, if you have not order the CableCard yet, please just tell them you need the dual stream cable card like the one we insert to Tivo. I know Ceton or your dealer will ask you to be very specific such as "Multi-Stream CableCARD M-Card". But most if not all the service operators will have no clue what you about to do and in their system they will not list it that way. According to Comcast rep when I ordered my CableCard, it listed as "dual stream cable card (TiVo)" in their system.

Official manufacture site

Official Setup Guide

http://cetoncorp.com/infinitv_support/  


Set up other than local HDD as a Recorded TV folder

Set up Kensafe iStorage server in the desired storage server and initiate local machine connects to as an iSCSI server using the instruction here .


Follow the direction here if you want to get a free 1 server lisc of Kensafe iStorage server.


Installation

 

PCIe

Official Installation Guide

Official Installation Video

 

Cannon PC installation Video at YouTube  - Video demonstrates steps for a Ceton InfiniTV 4 being installed in a PC.

Report problems to Ceton

Most likely before Ceton support will be able to help you out, you will need to send them the log. Please go to their Diagnostic Tool -> Diagnostic, describe your problem inside the top description box, click "collect information" and this tool will collect all the log. Save the log and email them. Yahoo mail and Gmail will think this is a virus after you attach and not allow you to send such log. You can use different email client or send the log via Ceton support site .


Most common problems
No TV signal

*Check your signal strength and make sure your signal strength is not -15 dBmV and more.

*Make sure you go thru the installation process, above, and activate and pairing your InfiniTV 4 tuner card with the cable provider's cable card.

Signal and Temp

Signal: From what I told by Ceton, we need the signal to be -10 dBmV to 10dBmV (some member using the Motorola signal booster to boost up the incoming signal.


I personally encountered some problems here and at the end, Comcast technician came back redo some of the coaxial wiring, removed the splitter and all fine after that. (from -15 dBmV to -1 to 3 dBmV now)

Temp: 60C to 70C (according to Ceton, anything over 70C we need to watch out) You can refer the signal and temp from their Diagnostic Tool OR you can try InfiniTV Status Media Center Plugin and after installed, it will be in the Extra section in Media Center.

"View or Listening Conflict" Media Center Message

*When you reboot and start your HTPC, this will be most likely the message displaying, about 5 to 10 secs, before the Live TV kicks in.

*According to Ceton, different AV vendors will block different ports/settings and such Windows message will appear. But with Ceton released Network Tuner Wizard, the build in tool will allows tuner to go thru different setting based on your AV software.

*Before the Official Network Tuner Wizard released in beginning of May, 11, there are few tricks to share the tuners. Different tricks or hacks can easily cause such Windows message appears.

"Video Error Files needed to display video are not installed or not working" Media Center Message

Below are what I noticed from different members to sove this problem.

* Disable "Exclusive" in the Properties of the default playback properties

* Change Windows Playback to stereo, 2 channel, and whatever speaker setting you have in Media Center

* Turn off navigation and animations sounds in Media Center

* If none of the above work, please try below and reboot.

Control Panel -> Programs -> Programs and Features -> Turn Windows Features on or off.

Turn off the media features. Reboot. Then follow the same procedure to turn them back on.

Please note that you will have to re-run the Media Center Setup.

Happy Live TV and Record 4 programming at once!
 
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#278 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by cybrsage /forum/post/20629648


All PCIe slots are downwards compatable...so a 16x can run a 16x, an 8x, a 4x, or a 1x.


Just make sure your mobo does not disable the onboard video when you put something into your 16x slot. Intel is known to do it, not sure of others.

And some MBs only support video cards in their 16x PCIe slots.
 
#279 ·
Searched this thread and others but couldn't find an answer, is there a way to set the htpc to sleep whenever it is not recording or playing a program? No sense in wasting the electricity...
 
#280 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Black Banshee /forum/post/20630450


Searched this thread and others but couldn't find an answer, is there a way to set the htpc to sleep whenever it is not recording or playing a program? No sense in wasting the electricity...

Yes, I have mine set to use S3 after 15 min w/o any user input and no media playing, 2 hr w/o any user input and media playing or if the power button/power off remote command. Recordings will automatically wake as will power button/power on remote command and WOL.
 
#282 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sundance /forum/post/20624611


Could some of the current Ceton InfiniTV users chime in on this? I was wondering what shows on Comcast have the flags turned on and the programs you have been unable to record. Also can you edit the recordings with editing software like VideoReDo?


Thanks,


Steve

Programs that have the flags turned on are "protected", and I haven't had a problem recording them, and even with copying that content from one HD to another HD within my PC. I can watch that on my PC or on another display on my network using an extender box such as XBox or the discontinued Cisco extenders. However, I can't watch "protected" content on another PC.


What's "protected" seems to vary depending upon your cable Company - but Premium content (HBO, etc) is almost always protected. Much other HD content on my company (COX) is also "protected". Such as ESPNHD, etc. Broadcast channels, ABC-HD, CBS, etc. are not protected.


Ben
 
#284 ·
Just installed my card.

Installed drivers... ran WMC.

It did a test on my pc and says my video card or drivers do not support protected content.


I am running a ATI Radeon 5700.... what's up with that?


Do I need to do what is mentioned in post #215?


Well.... tried the instructions in 215/216

No luck. WTF? Any thoughts?
 
#285 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by lovemyram4x4 /forum/post/20630867


Yes, I have mine set to use S3 after 15 min w/o any user input and no media playing, 2 hr w/o any user input and media playing or if the power button/power off remote command. Recordings will automatically wake as will power button/power on remote command and WOL.

Is this why my recordings typically start with 1-2 extra minutes at the beginning, to allow for this "wake up" time? I don't remember seeing settings to change this at the beginning, only at the end.
 
#287 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Taxi /forum/post/20634771


Is this why my recordings typically start with 1-2 extra minutes at the beginning, to allow for this "wake up" time? I don't remember seeing settings to change this at the beginning, only at the end.

No, there's settings for start/stop times (your defaults are probably set at what your seeing but you can also set individual and series settings) but MC will set a timer to wake wake the PC a few min prior to whatever the start time is set to.
 
#288 ·
This is weird. Initially I was able to search the guide for words in the title to find a recording. Then I reinstalled Windows 7 x64 on an SSD, and ever since have been unable to find any TV programs to record by keyword search, even though the words are present in the title of an upcoming program. The guide appears to work, and says it has 11 days in it. I tried manually updating the guide without result. The number of days doesn't increase. Ceton tuner seems to work fine.


Any ideas?
 
#289 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by lifespeed /forum/post/20635294


This is weird. Initially I was able to search the guide for words in the title to find a recording. Then I reinstalled Windows 7 x64 on an SSD, and ever since have been unable to find any TV programs to record by keyword search, even though the words are present in the title of an upcoming program. The guide appears to work, and says it has 11 days in it. I tried manually updating the guide without result. The number of days doesn't increase. Ceton tuner seems to work fine.


Any ideas?

lifespeed,


Indeed, it's weird. It's one of the fastest way to search what you're looking for. I've been using SSD for years and just recently moved to PCI-e SSD, Revodrive X2, and I can search the recording by name w/o problem.


Now, not sure what SSD you are using, I know in OCZ forum they mention something like disable the indexing in order to get the SSD even faster. Did you do that? I've no clue that will impact this or not. Just a thought.

http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/fo...l=1#post567582
 
#290 ·
I have been having problems getting my Ceton card activated by Comcast. Have anyone else had a problem? If not what information did you give them? I have provided the correct information to them but they do not seem to do what to do with it. I have been trying to have it activated for four days now but no luck.
 
#291 ·
BUMP!


Just installed my card.

Installed drivers... ran WMC.

It did a test on my pc and says my video card or drivers do not support protected content.


I am running a ATI Radeon 5700.... what's up with that?


Do I need to do what is mentioned in post #215?


Well.... tried the instructions in 215/216

No luck. WTF? Any thoughts?


sorry for the bump... but just trying to see if for some reason my GPU is incompatible with this card... if so, back to Amazon it goes! TIA for any help. Going to contact the manufacturer as well.
 
#294 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by DvdJags /forum/post/20636091


I have been having problems getting my Ceton card activated by Comcast. Have anyone else had a problem? If not what information did you give them? I have provided the correct information to them but they do not seem to do what to do with it. I have been trying to have it activated for four days now but no luck.

What exactly is the problem? Did you give Comcast all your Host ID...? That is all they need and they should be able to activate on the spot. I have mine activate before the installation guys left my house.
 
#295 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by lordhutt /forum/post/20634698


Just installed my card.

Installed drivers... ran WMC.

It did a test on my pc and says my video card or drivers do not support protected content.


I am running a ATI Radeon 5700.... what's up with that?


Do I need to do what is mentioned in post #215?


Well.... tried the instructions in 215/216

No luck. WTF? Any thoughts?

Did you run the 'Digital Cable Advisor' app under 7MC?


How is your card physically connected to your display? Do you have more than 1 monitor connected?
 
#296 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Taxi /forum/post/20634771


Is this why my recordings typically start with 1-2 extra minutes at the beginning, to allow for this "wake up" time? I don't remember seeing settings to change this at the beginning, only at the end.

Windows 7 automatically resumes your machine 10 minutes before a scheduled recording and will prevent you from putting the system into standby within 10 minutes of a scheduled recording, so there's no reason to add extra time to the recording.
 
#297 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by hlkc /forum/post/20635454


lifespeed,


Indeed, it's weird. It's one of the fastest way to search what you're looking for. I've been using SSD for years and just recently moved to PCI-e SSD, Revodrive X2, and I can search the recording by name w/o problem.


Now, not sure what SSD you are using, I know in OCZ forum they mention something like disable the indexing in order to get the SSD even faster. Did you do that? I've no clue that will impact this or not. Just a thought.

http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/fo...l=1#post567582

I did turn off indexing, thought it was just for recorded TV not the guide.
 
#298 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by jasonwc07 /forum/post/20637007


Windows 7 automatically resumes your machine 10 minutes before a scheduled recording and will prevent you from putting the system into standby within 10 minutes of a scheduled recording, so there's no reason to add extra time to the recording.

Yes, but we never know the station might be broadcasting sooner and then we will miss the first few mins of the show. I will just leave the default alone, maybe move it to 2 mins before. These days the 2TB and 3TB is dirt cheap and I really don't think it needs to save that couple mins before will make a big different.
 
#299 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by lifespeed /forum/post/20637087


I did turn off indexing, thought it was just for recorded TV not the guide.

lifespeed,


I am not suggesting it will, I am just guessing here since I did not turn off the indexing in any of my SSD since I never turn off my indexing. Please try and share back.


On a side note, I think our SSDs are fast enough for the HTPC use therefore I will just leave it alone.
 
#300 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by hlkc /forum/post/20636619


What exactly is the problem? Did you give Comcast all your Host ID...? That is all they need and they should be able to activate on the spot. I have mine activate before the installation guys left my house.

I have given them the correct info but it does not activate. I picked up a new card today. I will see how it goes in a minute.
 
#301 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Speqtre /forum/post/20636878


Did you run the 'Digital Cable Advisor' app under 7MC?


How is your card physically connected to your display? Do you have more than 1 monitor connected?

Yes, Digital Cable Advisor is what told me my video card does not support protected content.


How is my card physically connected??? HDMI if that is what you mean... runs through my receiver first... that is to my television

Yes, there is a second display... a touch screen that I use for a jukebox.
 
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