Snapstream and WinTV PCI

[crispy]

Hi all,

For a while now, I've been flirting with the Snapstream software, but every time I've played with it it always ends up crashing or otherwise messing up, at which point I get disgusted and uninstall the program, only to repeat the process a few months later.

Finally, I decided to check out the forums to see if others were having the same problems as me, yet no-one seems to have.

Now I'm beginning to suspect that the problem might be related more to my TV card (a Hauppage WinTV PCI) than to the Snapstream software. Can anyone offer any advice on this? Should I replace my TV card? If so, with what? Would the new version of the software be any different?

Thanks in advance.

[beanlover]

I have that same card and haven't had any troubles with it at all (relatively speaking).

What are you trying to accomplish? Post some examples of what you are trying to do and how it isn't working for you. Then maybe someone here can offer some advice.

B

[V_D_O]

I doubt its your TV tuner card - IMO, the Hauppauge PCIs are the best cards to use (they've been around for a long time). Have you, tried upgrading to the latest Hauppauge drivers or using the Sourceforge ones?

[crispy]

Originally posted by beanlover
I have that same card and haven't had any troubles with it at all (relatively speaking).

What are you trying to accomplish? Post some examples of what you are trying to do and how it isn't working for you. Then maybe someone here can offer some advice.

B

I'm not trying to do anything special, just record and watch TV programs. For example I'd set it to record something, then try to watch the live stream as the program was recording. Crash. The software totally shuts down.

The reason I suspected the card (aside from nobody else having the same complaints) was that I've had other issues with this card, like it stopping the system from entering hibernate mode, and it causing the Blue Screen Of Death if I happen to put it in a PCI socket that shares an IRQ.

[crispy]

Originally posted by V_D_O
I doubt its your TV tuner card - IMO, the Hauppauge PCIs are the best cards to use (they've been around for a long time). Have you, tried upgrading to the latest Hauppauge drivers or using the Sourceforge ones?

I've tried just about every driver out there, but I'm not familliar with the Sourceforge ones. Could you tell me more about these ones?

[beanlover]

What resolution are you trying to capture at? If it is anything larger tha 320x240 then it won't work with the WINTV PCI card (unless you have a POWERFUL computer). When I first got SS and that card I tried that several times and it wasn't until I figured out that the card doesn't go any higher that my problems went away.

B

[crispy]

Originally posted by beanlover
What resolution are you trying to capture at? If it is anything larger tha 320x240 then it won't work with the WINTV PCI card (unless you have a POWERFUL computer). When I first got SS and that card I tried that several times and it wasn't until I figured out that the card doesn't go any higher that my problems went away.

B

I've tried using 'Near VCR Quality', 'VCR Quality', and I did try the 'DVD quality' ('cause ya know ya gotta) as well. What setting should I be using?

[beanlover]

You can use those settings...just make sure the capture resolution is not larger than 320x240 for that card. Those settings don't just refer to the resolution...it also refers to the bitrate used.

[V_D_O]

I've tried just about every driver out there, but I'm not familliar with the Sourceforge ones. Could you tell me more about these ones?

The Souceforge drivers are available from here.

[crispy]

Originally posted by V_D_O

The Souceforge drivers are available from here.

OK, downloaded and installed. So far they seem to work OK but they've also broken the WinTV application. What applications do folks that are using these drivers use to watch TV?

UPDATE: I also seem to be having trouble getting sound.

[crispy]

Alright, thanks to everyone's feedback and advice I now have the program working as it should. Thanks for the help.

For the record I'm using the newest WHQL certified driver from Hauppage.