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post #6781 of 6801
11/21/12 at 6:46am
Hi Scott,

Thought this thread was pretty much dead.

I've never run into this, so I'm guessing it's a software problem more than a tuner issue.

What are you using to record, Windows Media Center or something else. Just out of curiosity, what tuner card?

You'll probably get more response from another forum. There's one just for HTPCs (Home Theater Computers) in the Video Components section.
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post #6782 of 6801
11/21/12 at 7:05am
I don't know if this is a RMPBS issue or an HTPC issue. I will cross post. Thanks!

I'm using Windows Media Center 7 and using an Asus EHC3-150.

I have two dual tuner HD Home Runs but I'm in the process of slowly migrating how things work in the house so this card is more of a transition piece than a permanent part of the setup.

Scott
Edited by scottlindner - 11/21/12 at 7:14am
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post #6783 of 6801
11/21/12 at 7:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by scottlindner View Post

Does anyone know anything about Blind Captioning (please correct me on the term) on RMPBS? I recently rebuilt my HTPC and using a new tuner card and this morning I noticed that a narrator is describing what is going on. Took me a while to realize it wasn't really part of the show itself. I'm recording OTA if that means anything. Is it possible to turn this off? Is it burned into the audio track from RMPBS, or is it a separate closed caption track? Is it the tuner card that is picking this up and my old tuner card did not? I apologize for the ramble of questions. I haven't encountered this before and I don't have a clue how to begin removing it. I did do some searching but couldn't find much on it.
Cheers,
Scott

You should be able to turn it off with either the CC function on your remote or through a setting on your HTPC. I don't know for a fact if it's forced on by PBS, but that wouldn't be normal.
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post #6784 of 6801
11/21/12 at 7:43am
I set up my daughter with the same thing you're running - Win 7 MC with the same ASUS card and she never mentioned a problem, but don't know how much she watched PBS, but she was in Longmont at the time and right now she doesn't have OTA hooked up. Have you tried recording on KBDI 12-1, 12-2 or 12-3 to see if you have the same issue?

I still use Beyond TV with XP SP3, so I can't really duplicate anything for you to test it and I'm leaving on a trip in a couple of days. I'll check when I get back and I can test that same card with win 7 on a spare machine if you haven't solved the problem by then. Hope someone on the other forum has an answer.
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post #6785 of 6801
11/21/12 at 8:21am
I get both KTSC and KBDI OTA, and I don't have that problem on either one. This on 2xHDHR, Mac Mini and EyeTV.
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post #6786 of 6801
11/21/12 at 8:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by chanceG View Post

I get both KTSC and KBDI OTA, and I don't have that problem on either one. This on 2xHDHR, Mac Mini and EyeTV.

It really was only one program that it happened with to date. It is Curious George Very Merry Christmas. It will air a few more times. I plan on recording all of them with various tuners to see why it happened this morning.
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post #6787 of 6801
11/21/12 at 9:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by scottlindner View Post

Does anyone know anything about Blind Captioning (please correct me on the term) on RMPBS? I recently rebuilt my HTPC and using a new tuner card and this morning I noticed that a narrator is describing what is going on.

They are called "Video Descriptions" and they are a new government mandated feature. They should be on a SAP channel. Stations will be mandated to provide a certain number of hours of programming with them each week. About a year and a half ago I had some CBS programming that I recorded off of KCNC Denver using my DTVpal DVR that had the video descriptions and no way to turn them off. I haven't had that problem for a while now, and it may be a matter of the stations getting the bugs worked out of their systems.
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post #6788 of 6801
11/21/12 at 9:34am
Thanks for that information. It really helps.
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post #6789 of 6801
11/23/12 at 6:40am
I recorded the same show the next day and the Video Descriptors are not there. It must have been a broadcast problem and nothing to do with my setup. Thanks everyone!
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post #6790 of 6801
1/7/13 at 12:48pm
If anyone is still listening here, I'd like to know if Comcast still has QAM in Pueblo (or even Springs since if they have it there they'll have it here). I'd like to know before ordering for my daughter so she can use an HTPC instead of paying for extra receivers.
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post #6791 of 6801
1/7/13 at 12:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lsilvest View Post

If anyone is still listening here, I'd like to know if Comcast still has QAM in Pueblo (or even Springs since if they have it there they'll have it here). I'd like to know before ordering for my daughter so she can use an HTPC instead of paying for extra receivers.

Comcast does have QAM in the springs, but if you use their box you'll only get SD. I don't use a box and I get the stations in HD. In that regards, it's difficult to use a subscription guide for recordings.

Also.. the QAM is only for the major broadcasting stations, everything else is encrypted.

I'm going to switch to OTA as soon as I can man up and get on my 40' latter.
Edited by pgwalsh - 1/7/13 at 12:59pm
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post #6792 of 6801
1/7/13 at 1:05pm
Thanks for the quick response. I think she'll be able to record with Windows Media Center using the local lineup and at least be able to watch in HD.

Right now she has DirecTV (still under contract) and the 2nd receiver is SD and she mainly watches local channels anyway and can use the main TV and DVR for cable channel recordings. Last time I was able to check, you could actually get Altitude HD through QAM and that was when I only subscribed to internet with them. She's switch to Comcast for internet and right now they have an offer of internet and tv for $39.99 for 12 mos. So, we'll just drop the DTV 2nd receiver and get cable basically for $4 a month and be able to get the qam HD to a 3rd TV which is an LCD which is hooked up to the computer.
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post #6793 of 6801
1/7/13 at 1:26pm
same in pueblo as springs looks like, QAM available direct connect, but only cbs, abc, nbc, fox, spanish language, and wgn-tv in hd. you'll pick up a few other national channels too, but since they're not in hd, there not in my favorites.
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post #6794 of 6801
1/7/13 at 1:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lsilvest View Post

Thanks for the quick response. I think she'll be able to record with Windows Media Center using the local lineup and at least be able to watch in HD.
Right now she has DirecTV (still under contract) and the 2nd receiver is SD and she mainly watches local channels anyway and can use the main TV and DVR for cable channel recordings. Last time I was able to check, you could actually get Altitude HD through QAM and that was when I only subscribed to internet with them. She's switch to Comcast for internet and right now they have an offer of internet and tv for $39.99 for 12 mos. So, we'll just drop the DTV 2nd receiver and get cable basically for $4 a month and be able to get the qam HD to a 3rd TV which is an LCD which is hooked up to the computer.

I just called comcast because my introductory 1 year offer ended and they raised my rate to $69.00 from $39.99. They wouldn't change it over the phone to a reasonable rate, so I have to go downtown to do as I did before. This time if they are problematic, I may switch to Peak Internet. I can also just cancel for a few days and sign-up again. I wish they'd just offer a good rate all the time.
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post #6795 of 6801
1/10/13 at 3:52pm
Thinking about cutting the cord.

Currently we pay $110 / month for internet (QWEST), Phone (that we don't use), and HDTV. What kind of OTA stuff is available in the springs and what kind of equipment should I buy? I am guessing ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and RMPBS. Wife likes having a DVR to record shows. We don't watch a ton of TV. We could switch to a wireless internet provider for $40/month and that would save us quite a bit. I need reliable internet but it doesn't need to be blazingly fast.

ETA: TV fool confirms that just about any antenna at my house should pick up the afforementioned channels. I was thinking I could get a small HDTV Antenna and mount it where the dish currently resides. It's not that high off the ground but all the wiring is in place and hooked up. Good idea, bad idea? It's about 7' off the ground and I'm guessing pointing south. I do kind of live on the backside of a hill...
Edited by djkest - 1/10/13 at 4:10pm
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post #6796 of 6801
1/10/13 at 4:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by djkest View Post

Thinking about cutting the cord.

Currently we pay $110 / month for internet (QWEST), Phone (that we don't use), and HDTV. What kind of OTA stuff is available in the springs and what kind of equipment should I buy? I am guessing ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and RMPBS. Wife likes having a DVR to record shows. We don't watch a ton of TV. We could switch to a wireless internet provider for $40/month and that would save us quite a bit. I need reliable internet but it doesn't need to be blazingly fast.

ETA: TV fool confirms that just about any antenna at my house should pick up the afforementioned channels.
There's a few extra channels, but nothing to really talk about. I think OTA is a great path and if you want extra content use a media streaming box. I use XBMC and install a plugin called freecable. It essentially parses web sites that post their shows online. It's like a DVR without the dvr. There are several others, like SportsDevil, if you're into sports.

I use internet phone at my house because every wireless provider seems to have poor reception where I live. I use a company called ITPVoip. They have much better rates then comcast etc and excellent support. Their support is so good, that they called me every few days and walked me through and issue, which I later discovered through my own investigation was an error with my access point firmware.
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post #6797 of 6801
1/10/13 at 4:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by djkest View Post

Thinking about cutting the cord.

Currently we pay $110 / month for internet (QWEST), Phone (that we don't use), and HDTV. What kind of OTA stuff is available in the springs and what kind of equipment should I buy? I am guessing ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and RMPBS. Wife likes having a DVR to record shows. We don't watch a ton of TV. We could switch to a wireless internet provider for $40/month and that would save us quite a bit. I need reliable internet but it doesn't need to be blazingly fast.

ETA: TV fool confirms that just about any antenna at my house should pick up the afforementioned channels. I was thinking I could get a small HDTV Antenna and mount it where the dish currently resides. It's not that high off the ground but all the wiring is in place and hooked up. Good idea, bad idea? It's about 7' off the ground and I'm guessing pointing south. I do kind of live on the backside of a hill...

While you're contemplating the change, Comcast is offering TV+Blast Internet for 12 mos. for $39.99. Hate Comcast, but that's pretty cheap and you could get the locals QAM for HD.

I've been recording for years with an HTPC and antenna, still using XP and BeyondTV which works great, but Win7 MCE will do it for you also. For phone, if you don't need call forwarding, MagicJack is pretty good and only $69 the first year and $29 after. I used it for over 5 years and outside of an occasional glitch it worked great, but they quit doing call forwarding and I switched to NetTalk but have had a problem with calls breaking up that they are trying to help get fixed.
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post #6798 of 6801
1/11/13 at 11:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by lsilvest View Post

While you're contemplating the change, Comcast is offering TV+Blast Internet for 12 mos. for $39.99. Hate Comcast, but that's pretty cheap and you could get the locals QAM for HD.

I've been recording for years with an HTPC and antenna, still using XP and BeyondTV which works great, but Win7 MCE will do it for you also. For phone, if you don't need call forwarding, MagicJack is pretty good and only $69 the first year and $29 after. I used it for over 5 years and outside of an occasional glitch it worked great, but they quit doing call forwarding and I switched to NetTalk but have had a problem with calls breaking up that they are trying to help get fixed.

Thanks for the tip. My wife just informed me that we are currently paying $150 a month. :/ So a change is coming. I could do Dish + Wireless for $85/month + tax but then after a year the DISH goes up by I think $30 or something.

I might look into the Comcast BLAST thing. With Comcast it's really tough to figure out what the "next rate" is going to be.
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post #6799 of 6801
1/11/13 at 11:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by djkest View Post

Thanks for the tip. My wife just informed me that we are currently paying $150 a month. :/ So a change is coming. I could do Dish + Wireless for $85/month + tax but then after a year the DISH goes up by I think $30 or something.

I might look into the Comcast BLAST thing. With Comcast it's really tough to figure out what the "next rate" is going to be.

With Comcast the next rate will be your firstborn and one kidney.
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post #6800 of 6801
4/8/13 at 12:15pm
I am posting this here because I am hoping to be able to assist another Colorado Springs HT builder while reducing the amount of stuff I have to move...

A job change is taking us away from Colorado (for a while, anyway) and I have most of the OC703 that I picked up for the HT.

22 pieces, 2'x4', 2" thick. One bundle of 12 pieces has never been opened and the other bundle has been opened and 2 pieces have been removed but the rest are in the original packaging.

This is an opportunity to get your OC703 without having to worry about minimum orders, etc.

I also have some mass loaded vinyl, some Green Glue and some SC-175 Acoustic Caulk to give away to anyone who can use it!

I hope that I am not breaking some major rules by mentioning this here, but I wanted to get this out to a local audience.

Thanks,
Nick
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post #6801 of 6801
4/8/13 at 12:50pm
Wow... good stuff. I'm on the westside and have a naked room that has some acoustic fiberglass and wallboard, but I'm looking to redesign a the equipment rack area and this may come in use.
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