DViCO Fusion HDTV7 - Page 11

TPETERSON - My mother board is an Intel D845PEBT2 with the Intel 845PE Chipset. It has an Intel P4 2.4 CPU with 533MHZ, hyper-threading and a 478 pin socket. It was a rather popular board at the time, since it was the first that Intel ever came out with that allowed you limited overclocking. As for memory I have 1.5 Meg of Crucial memory. It has 3 IDE HD's, one main (C) 300Gig, Master and an 80 gig (slave) that is used for Acronis back-up. Both of those are on the Primary IDE. The Secondary IDE has a 160 Gig HD (master) that is used for writting videos to, and DVD burner is the slave. The only other card in the system is the ATI Radeon 9550 vidoe board which is in the AGP slot.

JLDET5 - You may have valid point. My XP is set to reboot. I must say that it has never done it before on any program I have ever used, but software and drivers are a major cause of systems rebooting. Since this only happens when I'm running the DIVCO software, I have to believe that either the software or a driver is causing it.

It doesn't seem to matter what stations I'm watching it on. Last night the station I was watching, when it went for over 2 hours before rebooting had a signal strenght of 100%, since it's the closest to us. SS doesn't seem to be a factor. If a station's signal is too weak, it will just sit there with with a blank screen or change to another.

Now the one time it did give me the BSOD, the message was: "ATI2dvag device driver got stuck in an infininate loop". Possibly, this could be a problem with the ATI video board's drivers. I did upgrade to their latest drivers, after removing all ATI programs/items left over from my old ATI HDTV board and all the programs/drivers for the ATI video board needed to be reloaded, so I got the latest one available. I never thought about that possibly being the cause, since it works so well otherwise. I might try watching a movie or video I have on the computer, since I have removed the Fusion board from the computer and see if it acts up again.

I researched the "ati2dvag error message" on the internet and it has a long history of causing re-boots and the BSOD. It seems to date back to XP SP2 and some ATI updates of drivers for their video boards, neither are taking any action to resolve this issue. There are several approaches to fixing this problem, which sometimes comes back, I think that most likely happens when someone downloads the latest driver.

As it now stands, I removed the ATI programs that were showing up in Control Panel Add/Remove program, then I removed all files I could find in the computer that pertained to ATI. I then installed the drivers and programs that came on the CD which came with my ATI video board. It's old, back in the 5's where the latest that I installed the other day prior to installing the DIVCO card was in the 8's. I hate to say this, because every time I have, it's come back and bit me, but it's run for over 5 hours without a BSOD, which I would see now since I turned off the restart on an error setting. I'll let you know how it goes.

Maybe this will save you the trouble of RMA-ing your Fusion card. (Way to go, Jeff!)

Just wanted to let you both know that the system is still working fine! I've given it quite a workout today, even set up the PME startup again and the remote control is all set up. I'm getting all my stations now after moving the card one slot away from the AGP video board, doesn't make sense, but it's not the first strange thing I've seen in 41 years of electronics - mostly computers.

Many thanks to both of you! Now I'm off to setting up Cliff Watson's EPG.

Russ

Thanks for the update. Now you can enjoy.

I record a lot of craft programs and put them on a DVD for my wife to watch on her computers. She uses MS Media player on the laptop and can use Nero or Media Player on her desktop. In the past with my old ATI HDTV board the files were saved as mpg, and rather than start something new with "tp" format for her to learn, I figured I would run it through Fusion Converter and save as mpg. Well the video was there, but there was no sound. I tired it twice, saving the sound in different formats for the sound and both times it had no sound. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

Just for the heck of it, I renamed a copy of the original tp file and renamed it with an mpg extension and it works!!

Now these shows are no of High Def quality only being shown in 740i, which makes me wonder what would happen if I recorded a true HD show and did the same thing with the name change, would it work also?

You don't need to rename the files, just tell Nero, etc., to display "all files" if they don't already show the .tp-extension ones. Yes, they'll also play HD TS (.tp) files provided you're running the player on a sufficiently powerful PC. (The minimum requirements are a bit higher for the other players than for FusionHDTV but not unusual by today's standards)

I usually use videoredo to cut out all the ads and save as mpg. Renaming the .tp file only works only if the machine has a fusionhdtv installed which install the tp (Transport Stream) decoder.

I just tried the file that I renamed, in my wife's desktop and MS Media Player ran it. She doesn't have Fusiontv or any type of TV tuner cards or programs installed on her computer.

I wouldn't bother with this if MS Media player would recognize the "tp" file. I can't get it t run on mine in Media Player, but it will in Nero.

tranle is partially right. Running TS files requires that the correct codecs are installed on the PC in question. But Nero installation does that (as do PowerDVD, etc.) you don't need to have FusionHDTV on the machine. Then if you tell Windows Explorer (via File Types menu) to associate .tp files with your favorite player it will open that player when you double click on a .tp file. Russ' problem with WMP, assuming that the TS files don't play even when renamed, is likely that the requisite codec is installed but not registered with Windows properly so that WMP can discover it.

Has anyone tried the dual express with SageTV? Wondering if both tuners are detected.

TPeterson,

Long time reader first time poster. I have a question that I've been searching for answers for and I hope you can help me with your expertise.

I currently have the FusionHDTV7 RT GOld and I use the FusionHDTV 3.68 software to record. Obviously the record format is .tp. I use Vista Media center, since this is HTPC, as my frontend and I'm having a difficult time getting the .tp files to load up. VMC currently doesn't support QAM for this tuner.. that's why I"m recording with Fusion and trying to watch with VMC.

I would use the Fusion software to play the HD files but its clunky and doesn't integrate well with the Vista frontend.

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks.

AL

My copy of VMC plays .ts files, and I did not do anything specific to enable this. However, I did install programs like TheaterTek and Arcsoft Total Media Theater, which may have added some extensions to the registry.

My registry contained the following tree:

I added this tree, and now my copy of VMC plays .tp files too:

While I haven't tried it, if this works for you, you should also be able to play .tp files through a Media Extender, such as the XBox 360 or the HP x280n, and FF/REW should work pretty well during playback.

-Dave

Dave,

You are the man! I guess my problem was that VMC didn't recognize .tp and .ts as a playable file. Now that I've changed the registry everythings working besides a slight delay in start up of the file... a quick pause / play solves it.

Thanks again.. now I can use Fusion to record in the background while I use VMC to view.. this is perfect.

~alan

Here is my post of utter frustration with the Dvico device to their support site - they falsly advertise that the device is fully functional with 64 bit Vista:

I have spent hours and hours trying to get your software and device working properly. I have now resorted to 3.68 (not beta). At least - for now - I do not get mirad error messages and remote malfunctions just trying to run cable analog.

Your support is less than a failure - it is demeaning and creates more and more problems. You told me to uninstall and reinstall your beta so that the remote would work - well the program never again found any channels - more hours of pure frustration.

Your support offers no solutions only more problems. Your device just does not tune in clear QAM cable stations with Vista Ultimate 64 bit. Your advertising is false - and that is a big deal problem for a seller of products in the United States of America.

I demand that you correct all false statements that your product will tune in HDTV stations with 64 bit systems. If you fail to correct your false advetising, then I will undertake to cause your company to suffer the penalties for false advertising.

Your product does not work as advertised.

Now, the shortcut icon does not even appear correctly.

Lameness abounds.

Glad that it works for you. The slight delay you are seeing might be caused by the decoder. I am using the nVidia decoder, and I don't see the delay.

You might want to play around with this utility:

http://mediacenterexpert.blogspot.co...r-utility.html

Before changing anything, note the current decoder settings so that you can go back. Then try the other decoders and see if any of them work better. The decoders available depend on the other software you have installed. I have read that the decoder from PowerDVD 7 works well with transport stream files.

-Dave

Does anyone have experience running the Fusion SW while VMC is running (or recording in the background)? I get a guaranteed lock-up on the Fusion SW(any version) whenever MC 2005 starts a recording. It's gotten to where I have to be very careful to cancel scheduled recordings in MC before I have folks over to watch a ball game - otherwise, it gets pretty embarrassing

If it DOES work in VMC, that may be the push I need to take the Vista plunge.

Bob

Bob--

Have you tried using the FusionHDTV app for recordings instead of MCE? I think that you'll find that works without lockups. (And if you're using MCE because of its EPG info note that you could replace that with CW_EPG also, albeit at a cost of $20/year for the Sched. Direct data)

I use it for all HD recordings, but the SD recordings I get through my NVidia DualTV (and MC 2005) seem to look a lot better. I've never been too impressed with the SD picture on the Fusion HW. And like a lot of others here, I'm battling the W.A.F. - and it took a long time to get her to use MC.

Bob

Thanks for the clarifications. By "SD", I presume that you mean NTSC (analog). If you're using a recent version of FusionHDTV and haven't installed the MPEG-2 encoder, I can understand your conclusions about the low quality of Fusion's analog recordings. However, if you search this thread you'll find a method for installing the DViCo MPEG-2 encoder, which I think does a great job of capturing NTSC material. (Can't help with the WAF, though, unless her need is for recurring captures that CW_EPG might do more transparently than MCE...not sure)

Dave,

I've actually played around with that cool utility already. I'm actually currently using the PowerDVD7 decoder instead of the default Microsoft one. I still get that slight delay.. can I use the Nvidia decoder without an Nvidia card.. since I have an onboard HD3200... I know that's a stupid question but eh.. worth a shot.

TPeterson.. I'm actually having similar problems with NTSC (analog)... it really does look crappy.. gonna have to try that Dvico Mpeg2 encoder thing. Also.. how do you get VMC to see the analog tuner instead of the ATSC one.. I was messing around with Vista last night.. it doesn't really give me an option of what tuner to use.. just defaults to the digital one (and as we all know.. Vista does not support QAM with our cards).

Thanks again guys.

AL

AL, I don't use MCE or VMC, but my understanding is that they insist on hw MPEG-2 encoders for NTSC capture, which means that the DViCo tuners don't qualify. If you want to record NTSC with a Fusion unit your best bet is the FusionHDTV app (with the DViCo MPEG-2 sw encoder).

Yes, the nVidia decoder will work with ATI. I use it with an ATI 2600XT and an Intel G35. There are two ways that I know of to try it for free. I believe that nVidia still has a 30-day trial, or you can install the free trial of TheaterTek.

Regarding the Fusion tuner and analog, it works pretty well. However, you will get much better PQ from something like an nVidia DualTV or an ATI 650.

If you search thegreenbutton.com, I believe that somebody has a program that allows the Fusion analog tuner to be recognized. IIRC, VMC wants a hardware encoder, and this program tricks VMC into seeing the Fusion as a hardware encoder, even though the encoding is done in software.

-Dave

I asked this question on the Fusion site but did have much luck. Hope someone here can help

I just installed the 7RTgold in an old Pentium (128 m ram) and 800 mz.

I am just trying to record analog TV.

When I record a program, and play it, everything seems to be fast forwarding (both video and sound). I have tried some other settings under the WMV file profile but with no luck.


I know that a slow system can cause stutter but this is like it is fast forwarding.

I am running Windows 2000 but when I copied the file to a new vista machine I still got the fast forward effect.

I doubt you have the CPU and other resources required for analog software encoding. So your dropping frames on the recording.

Not sure why your after analog when February is just around the corner but you may need to purchase a card with a Hardware Encoder like the Hauppauge.

Thanks

Ultimately, I plan on getting a new PC and recording HDTV. However, I though I could test it out on analogue before investing in a new PC. Also my cable company will continue the analogue signal.

I got the Fusion because it had more capabilities (QUAM and turning on the PC) than the other brands.

Go for recording a clear qam channel or digital off antenna then. There is a big difference in recording digital as it is already encoded. OTA antenna has excellent PQ. That should work out better. Are you using a P3 800?

Hey Thanks. I am going to hook up an indoor antenna and see what I get. The only digital I get from my cable is HD and I know I don't have the PC power for that.

When I check the system It says X86 Family 6 Model 6 Stepping 5. The best I can figure it is an 800 Mhz. Any other ideas about the configuration settings?

Sounds like a p3 800 to me. You should be able to record HD QAM off of your cable. I doubt you will get much off an indoor antenna. Playback will require DxVA usage which is set in the Fusion software and requires a video card that supports it well. I have been running these cards on a P3 system with ATI cards for several years however I'm mostly OTA.

have you tried recording in "Minimize on Silent Mode"?

"silent" mode does not display the program while it is recording.

HD recording in silent mode takes very little of the computer's resources. while analog recording takes considerably more resources, you may still be able to get a good analog recording in "silent" mode.