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[IlPadrino]

I started to use MC as a PVR, but I've come across some problems that are either operator error, bugs, or hardware incompatabilities.

I have an ATI AIW 8500DV with the latest Catalyst 4.4 drivers installed.  

First, a complaint:  it seems that the TV Configuration's Audio->Choose Audio Line doesn't have much of an effect.  It took me over an over to figure out that the audio is recorded based on the setting of Tools->Advanced Tools->Record Sounds->Options->Recorder->Recording Source!  Other than six levels of settings is a bit excessive, why doesn't the TV Config's Audio->Choose Audio overfide the Recording Source setting?

Then a question:  Is there any way to learn what the various options under TV Config's Advanced Properties does?  What are crossbars?

And now for two problems:

1)  I can't get time-shifting to work.  It seems to properly "buffer" the video in MC, but the audio keeps running and the video plays read-time on the TV Out (I'm using ATI's theater mode and the overlay).  If I pause, I can navigate the video (go to earliest or go to latest), but I can't do anything other than hear the audio real-time.  Any suggestions?

2)  If I use the Media Scheduler to control the PVR, I get an error if MC is already tuned to the TV.  The error is "Failed to Create TV Control".  Normally this isn't a problem, but if my wife is watching TV (through MC) and forgets to turn it off, I miss important things like the Giro d'Italia - this happened this morning.

And a general question:  what's a good target for codec choice and file size?  I can rip a DVD and get something like 6MB/minute with XviD or DivX.  If I shoot for this using the JRiver Codec and a quality of 4, I only get this after reducing the resolution to 320x240.  There is a lot of pixelation, though.  Using DivX or XviD, I don't get nearly the results.

So...  who else is using MC as a PVR and might someone be kind enough to help?

IlPadrino

Media Center Registered 10.0.130 -- C:\Program Files\J River\Media Center\

Microsoft Windows XP 5.1 Service Pack 1 (Build 2600)
Intel Pentium 4 2391 MHz MMX / Memory: Total - 522 MB, Free - 193 MB

Internet Explorer: 6.0.2800.1106 / ComCtl32.dll: 5.82 (xpsp1.020828-1920) / Shlwapi.dll: 6.00.2800.1400 / Shell32.dll: 6.00.2800.1233 (xpsp2.030604-1804) / wnaspi32.dll: N/A
Ripping /   Drive F:   Mode:Normal  Type:Auto  Speed:Max
  Drive G:   Mode:Normal  Type:Auto  Speed:Max
  Drive H:   Mode:Normal  Type:Auto  Speed:Max
  Drive I:   Mode:Normal  Type:Auto  Speed:Max
  Drive V:   Mode:Normal  Type:Auto  Speed:Max
  Drive W:   Mode:Normal  Type:Auto  Speed:Max
  Drive X:   Mode:Normal  Type:Auto  Speed:Max
  Drive Y:   Mode:Normal  Type:Auto  Speed:Max
  Drive Z:   Mode:Normal  Type:Auto  Speed:Max
  Digital playback: Yes /  Use YADB: Yes /  Get cover art: No /  Calc replay gain: Yes /  Copy volume: 32767
  Eject after ripping: No /  Play sound after ripping: No  

Burning /  Drive F: ATAPI    CD-RW 52X24        Addr: 0:1:0  Speed:24  MaxSpeed:52  BurnProof:Yes
  Drive G: DVDRW    IDE1008            Addr: 3:1:0  Speed:40  MaxSpeed:40  BurnProof:Yes
  Test mode: No /  Eject after writing: No /  Direct decoding: Yes /  Write CD-Text: Yes
  Use playback settings: No /  Normalization: None

[Yaobing]

First, a complaint:  it seems that the TV Configuration's Audio->Choose Audio Line doesn't have much of an effect.  It took me over an over to figure out that the audio is recorded based on the setting of Tools->Advanced Tools->Record Sounds->Options->Recorder->Recording Source!  Other than six levels of settings is a bit excessive, why doesn't the TV Config's Audio->Choose Audio overfide the Recording Source setting?

It works as intended on my machine.

Then a question:  Is there any way to learn what the various options under TV Config's Advanced Properties does?  What are crossbars?

Crossbar governs how video and audio are routed. Usually you should not need to mess with it, the program should take care of routing. If you have problems you may explore there.

And now for two problems:

1)  I can't get time-shifting to work.  It seems to properly "buffer" the video in MC, but the audio keeps running and the video plays read-time on the TV Out (I'm using ATI's theater mode and the overlay).  If I pause, I can navigate the video (go to earliest or go to latest), but I can't do anything other than hear the audio real-time.  Any suggestions?

There is indeed a problem with time-shifting when using theater mode. It is a problem with ATI devices, not general. ATI seems to aways put live video through TV monitor. The audio problem may be related to your complaint above. There maybe something special with your sound card.

2)  If I use the Media Scheduler to control the PVR, I get an error if MC is already tuned to the TV.  The error is "Failed to Create TV Control".  Normally this isn't a problem, but if my wife is watching TV (through MC) and forgets to turn it off, I miss important things like the Giro d'Italia - this happened this morning.

TV device can only be used by one program and only one. Media Scheduler can not load TV driver when MC is using is. And I do not think Media Scheduler should try closing Media Center in order to start recording. So it is upto you to make sure MC is not using TV when your scheduled events are to start.

I agree that there are some improvement that is badly needed in this area.

And a general question:  what's a good target for codec choice and file size?  I can rip a DVD and get something like 6MB/minute with XviD or DivX.  If I shoot for this using the JRiver Codec and a quality of 4, I only get this after reducing the resolution to 320x240.  There is a lot of pixelation, though.  Using DivX or XviD, I don't get nearly the results.

So...  who else is using MC as a PVR and might someone be kind enough to help?

I thought DivX might do it. Maybe someone else can provide more insights.

[IlPadrino]

Thanks for the response!

So...  

My first complaint sounds likes a bug then.  How can I help troubleshoot it?

Thanks for the crossbar explanation.  It doesn't seem like there's much I could do there that might help.  But maybe the Audio Capture Filter might help things.  I'll play a bit and see.

Regarding the time-shifting...  are you suggesting that my only solution is to disable theater mode?  I'll try it just to see if it works, but it's not much of a solution.  And how do I go about troubleshooting the audio?  My sound card is a Creative SB Audigy, though I do have a cheapo AC'97 card as well (I just use if for Messenger).

As for Media Scheduler and the TV already tuned by MC...  I'm not sure I follow the logic about why Media Schedure shouldn't stop the currently tuned TV channel when an event is to be recorded.  I see what you mean about not shutting down MC, but couldn't it just "stop" the currently tuned channel?  If I schedule an event once a week, I don't think it's realistic to expect that I remember to ensure MC isn't tuning a channel when the event comes due.  I mean, if I could remember that, I probably wouldn't need the scheduler to begin with.  :-)

Thanks again for the dialog - I appreciate it.

IlPadrino-

[Yaobing]

My sound card is a Creative SB Audigy

We have had customers reporting problems with this device in the past. If I remember it correctly updating sound card driver would help.

Regarding Media Scheduler, there is a design limitation. Media Scheduler is a separate application that tries to load TV component and fails when another application already has it. As I mentioned, there is indeed a lot to be desired in this area. Maybe you are right. Maybe Media Scheduler can negociate with Media Center to take over TV. But the fact remains that there is only one tuner. Its like when your wife is watching a show, and you come ask her to yield TV to you because you want to watch something else  

[IlPadrino]

But the fact remains that there is only one tuner. Its like when your wife is watching a show, and you come ask her to yield TV to you because you want to watch something else  

Yeah, like that never happens!  Though the problem is usually that she forgets to "stop" the TV in MC when she's done - and my early morning recordnig gets missed.

Thanks for the driver tip...  I'll give it a shot and report back.

IlPadrino

[IlPadrino]

Yikes...

I just learned that Media Scheduler doesn't handle the unique naming of a periodic recording.  If I've told it to record "Si gira.avi" every day, it will continually overwrite the same file.  Is this a missed setting, a bug, or a missing feature?

IlPadrino

[Yaobing]

Yikes...

I just learned that Media Scheduler doesn't handle the unique naming of a periodic recording.  If I've told it to record "Si gira.avi" every day, it will continually overwrite the same file.  Is this a missed setting, a bug, or a missing feature?

IlPadrino

That is another of the Media Scheduler limitations. I hope we will be able fix some of these in the near future, when our other "more urgent" tasks are done. In a future version of Media Scheduler there will be no need to specify a file name for scheduled recording. Each recording will have its unique file name automatically generated.

Yeah, like that never happens!  Though the problem is usually that she forgets to "stop" the TV in MC when she's done - and my early morning recordnig gets missed.

Those kinds of things do happen. Do you still use a VCR to record shows? If you program a VCR, you are expected to make sure VCR power is turned off. Otherwise recording will not happen.

[Yaobing]

Regarding the time-shifting...  are you suggesting that my only solution is to disable theater mode?  I'll try it just to see if it works, but it's not much of a solution.

Have you tried updating ATI driver? I do not have a TV monitor near my computer, so I can not test it now. My previous inquiry with ATI got no reply from them. Last time I tried, it was just like what you saw, with the monitor getting video directly from the TV source, not the buffered video which I play through DirectShow. If it still happens with the latest ATI driver, I will give another shot at ATI.

[IlPadrino]

Yeah, like that never happens!  Though the problem is usually that she forgets to "stop" the TV in MC when she's done - and my early morning recordnig gets missed.

Those kinds of things do happen. Do you still use a VCR to record shows? If you program a VCR, you are expected to make sure VCR power is turned off. Otherwise recording will not happen.

VCR?  What's that?  :-)

Right...  I've got to hit that stupid timer button on the VCR which tells it to power off and wait for a program recording event.  I'd hope that the MC bar is a little higher than a VCR, though!

I just can't imagine a use case where I'd be unhappy that MC actually did what I told it to do (that is, record at a certain time) despite the fact that I forgot to stop the TV tuner - or even worst-case, if I was in the middle of watching something.  I mean, even if I had to stop the recording (because I wanted to keep watching what I was watching), that's a small price to pay (and easily remediable) for the benefit of getting the recording when my wife forgets to stop the TV tuner when she's done.  In the latter case, there is *no* remedy other to berate my wife for being forgetful - but that tends to have unwanted side-effects!

IlPadrino-

[IlPadrino]

Regarding the time-shifting...  are you suggesting that my only solution is to disable theater mode?  I'll try it just to see if it works, but it's not much of a solution.

Have you tried updating ATI driver? I do not have a TV monitor near my computer, so I can not test it now. My previous inquiry with ATI got no reply from them. Last time I tried, it was just like what you saw, with the monitor getting video directly from the TV source, not the buffered video which I play through DirectShow. If it still happens with the latest ATI driver, I will give another shot at ATI.

Yup...  I updated to the latest (released) Catalyst 4.4s.  Perhaps I should give MMC 9.0 a try and see how that handles time-shifting.