HDHR Help

[Couch Potato]

I'm trying to configure an HDHR to run with my BTV 4.6.1 system and not having a whole lot of luck. I'm trying to follow the instructions here.

Step 6 says to remember to save after every change. I didn't see a "Save" button. I saw an "Apply" button - close enough? Maybe, but I remember someone saying "don't forget to Save all" - not sure how that happens.

Step 7 says open a browser and go here. Followed by step 8 which says to click on "Import Lineup." Surprise, there's no import lineup button, but there is an "Import Channels" button - maybe that's right?

Assuming it was, I clicked on it, and then chose my cable provider (Comcast, analog, extended basic, 95008). I then choose "Check All" and then import and end up back at the import page with lots of channels listed.

Then I tried the "upload" piece - I found lineup.xml, which worked (it didn't fail in any obvious way - no errors appeared), and then the "Save" button at the bottom. I named my lineup "HDHR Lineup."

I then started up the setup wizard (step 11) and followed the instructions - I wanted to add a new source (antenna (digital) per the instructions), which selected the HDHR tuner two screens later. But "Select an existing lineup" was not enabled - I couldn't select it.

And if I go to my settings, I only see the default lineup that my Hauppauge tuners use.

What did I miss? My HDHR found lots of channels that I'd like to use.

Thanks

[queonda]

Which version of the HDHR firmware are you tying? If your using the latest, you might want to try btv 4.7 and 4.7 instructions. If you are wanting to stick to 4.6, then find out what HDHR firmware was used in the at that time.

[Couch Potato]

Hmmm. I'm using the latest firmware (it was whatever came installed on the HDHR, the option to upgrade wasn't available during its setup). Switching to BTV 4.7.1 seems like a mistake - that'd be two things changing at one time, which is never a good idea (how would I know what to blame for my problems).

I figured out what was wrong (apart from the instructions not quite matching the actual web pages). Comcast is sending the same channels a couple of times; the HDHR has no problem finding KTEHDT twice; I didn't think it mattered, but apparently it does - when I was clicking on the "Save Lineup" (something like that) button, an error was being displayed way up at the top of the screen telling me there were dups which weren't allowed. Once I manually went through and found them (note to SnapStream: you could have made this part a little easier for me), things worked fine.

Of course, I now can record HD (in theory anyway, I've not tried it yet), but have no way to play it back on my MVP

That's tomorrow's mission.

Thanks

[tscales]

For the HDHR, you really do need to go to 4.7. The setup for 4.6 is so difficult and the setup in 4.7 is an absolute snap.

Also, download the latest drivers AND firmware. What came on your HDHR is very unlikely to be current. The latest are from 10/15.

Good luck.

[Couch Potato]

I agree, the setup was a pain, but mainly it was a pain because I didn't quite know what each of the steps was accomplishing, and I didn't notice the message saying I had duplicate major/minor channels. I can imagine many ways the setup might be made easier. But I've gone through it, so it doesn't really matter.

Regarding the firmware - I'm with you - what are the odds of the firmware that came on the HDhR being current. But the install thought it was; and I just checked it and it's 10/15, so I guess it's current (thanks SnapStream, for shipping me an up to date HDHR box).

[myktek]

sounds like you used the older instructions for setting up the HDHR, the newer ones are a little easier as you don't have to enter the channel numbers manually.

http://snapstream.helpserve.com/inde...articleid=1471

[alilianstrom]

A semi-related HDHR question - can you have one tuner setup for OTA and one for QAM?

[Couch Potato]

Originally Posted by myktek

sounds like you used the older instructions for setting up the HDHR, the newer ones are a little easier as you don't have to enter the channel numbers manually.

http://snapstream.helpserve.com/inde...articleid=1471

Nope, those were the instructions I used (my "here" link points to the same article as your link did). I can write up the places I ran into problems with the article if you're interested.

On a related note, I tried recording HD yesterday. I recorded The Amazing Race (CBS). It recorded ok, but there were many artifacts in the video (I tried playing it with both BTV itself, and VLC). At the same time the HD version was being recorded, the analog version was being recorded, so maybe there was some contention somewhere? But that seems odd, given that I regularly record several analog shows at one time without issue.

I thought maybe disk contention, but decided against that because - the size of the resulting video file for the HD was smaller than the analog (which would imply fewer disk writing) - it wan't significantly smaller, but it was smaller - 2GB for the analog vs 1.9GB for the HD. I thought the HD one would be larger for some reason.

Last night I also recorded ABC news in HD - that video looked fine, so I'm not sure what was going on with the Amazing Race - maybe there were issues with the signal itself?

Thanks

[queonda]

Could be weak signal, too strong of a signal. Sometimes the channel could just produce crap (happens from time to time). If you have splitters, get rid of them to see if the problem persists.

[Couch Potato]

Thanks. My cable line goes into a 4-way amp. One output goes into my cable modem, two outputs go into the HDHR, and the last is split into two (one for each of my MCE-500 cards). I couldn't find a 6-way amp.

I suppose I could put the HDHR in my garage, where my cable comes into the house; there's a 6-way amp there already though (came with the house - something from SquareD I think?).

I'll record some more and see what happens..

Thanks

[richt]

2 amps with one downstream from the other can be a problem. Are both amps rated for digital cable? (1000MHz)

[Couch Potato]

Originally Posted by richt

2 amps with one downstream from the other can be a problem. Are both amps rated for digital cable? (1000MHz)

I'll have to check. Is it ok if they're rated at higher than 1000MHz? One came with the house (the one in the garage); I'd hope the company who wired it installed something reasonable. I put the other one in when I started to worry about the number of cable-attached devices that were sitting in my computer room (six right now)

Thanks

[queonda]

I have a splitter (just a couple of months ago) went bad on me. I removed that splitter and put a new one and my FOX was recording again. I was starting to get pixelations then couldn't record NOTHING on FOX. If you still have a problem, remove the slitter and try by itself. If it works, then add a new splitter. after you add the new splitter and still don't work then could be a signal issue.

[Couch Potato]

Both amps are digital cable rated (1000MHz). The garage one is 5-1000MHz, the upstairs one is 54-1000MHz (struggling to read my own writing).

Thanks

[queonda]

AMPS? or Splitters? If Amps you may be overpowering your signal causing pixalation.