IR Blaster issues...

[Marbles_00]

I have a system that had a PVR-150 in it to record analog from a STB. I used the IR Blaster from that card to control the box without issues (using WinTV6). I recently added an HVR-1250 to the system so I could also tune in OTA. So I ended up upgrading to WinTV7 (v2.2 if I recall). The first issue was that the HVR-1250 uninstalls itself randomly on system start (I have some driver fixes which I will implement from another HVR-1250 install that gave me the same issue).

Second issue was that I configured WinTV7 to tune into OTA with the HVR-1250, then configure the PVR-150 for S-Video. WinTV7 though seems to not want to use the S-Video from the PVR-150 (even though I specified it to), and configures the S-Video input on the HVR-1250...My fix here, I used MediaPortal, which doesn't seem to have a problem with this.

Now the biggest/remaining issue is that WinTV (or something with the Hauppauge drivers) seems to have broken my Blaster configuration that I had setup on the PVR-150 (the HVR-1250 doesn't have blaster abilities). From a working setup to a setup that I have to "Learn" the remote (which people have indicated here having issues). But I can't Learn anything...why? Because the Blaster setup can't find a valid source/port where a blaster is plugged into. Funny thing is that I have re-installed the previous blaster drivers from WinTV6 and using the wizard, I can control/test the blaster by turning on/off my STB, but the source/port field remains with the message that no Hauppauge device is conncected. So then I can't blast from other programs, like MediaPortal, because it uses the blaster configuration, which indicates no blaster is available.

None of these issues existed until I added the HVR-1250 and WinTV7. Any help is appreciated.

[Marbles_00]

I've changed the title to "WinTV7 and driver bugs", as I think my issues (as well as some other posters here are experiencing) are a more rudimentary problem with the drivers and software which is not being addressed.

Equipment:
Win XP SP3
WinTV7 2.2B (I looked at downloading 2.2D, but looking at the app notes, seems to not address any issues I'm having so it is not worth it)

WinTV PVR-150 Analog Tuner connected to a STB via S-Video
HVR-1250 Digital/Analog Tuner connected to OTA antennas

Issue:
Driver for the HVR-1250 randomly uninstalls itself when bring computer out of standby or starting from a power-down state, forcing a re-install of the drivers. A note here is that I have a second system that uses a HVR-1250 and WinTV 1.1 that had THE SAME PROBLEM. Mr. X was generous enough to forward me some drivers to fix the issue...to which it did, but these drivers seemed to never end up making into the actual WinTV install pack, since I'm still experiencing this issue with this later version of WinTV...on a completely different system...why I ask?

Issue:
WinTV7 has issues with S-Video from multiple tuners. I install WinTV7 and it installs all the drivers for the two tuner cards. It first asks me how I want to use the HVR-1250, to which I set up a scan for ATSC OTA signals, then NTSC OTA analog signals. Then WINTV asks how I intend to use the PVR-150, to which I setup the S-Video connection for input from a STB.

Problem is now when I tune in the S-Video input after, it is actually inputting from the HVR-1250 NTSC Analog input, not the S-Video of the PVR-150. I've also had it that it tuned the S-Video input of the HVR-1250 when I clearly did not set up that input. It just seems that the drivers for the PVR-150 are somehow "broken" in WinTV7. Funny thing is though, I can use MediaPortal, and it determines the inputs just fine.

Issue:
The Blaster is broken in WinTV7. Well its broken if trying to use a PVR-150 card. WinTV6...no issues. My STB is a ExpressVu 3100, and I could control it no problems. But I can't use WinTV6 with the HVR-1250. Now the HVR-1250 doesn't have blaster capabilities, and I still need the PVR-150 for that duty (makes sense since I have the STB connected to its S-Video input), but the Blaster Setup software now doesn't have the common STB setup anymore...and one has to learn the remote. This doesn't work! I think the one MAJOR issue is that WinTV7 doesn't recognize that a blaster is even connected to the PVR-150...it doesn't seem to be backwards compatible. Not to mention as to why you would take out the common STB setups? Why mess with something that worked is beyond comprehension.

I only hope that you take these issues seriously and I hope to see them addressed in a future WinTV7 update.

[Marbles_00]

Looking further into my third issue, I discovered that the Blaster Config for WinTV7 only supports the HVR-1850 or 2250 cards. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! What about all the users the still use the analog only cards like the PVR-150 This just angers me that you would just stop supporting these cards while there is still an abundance of them still in use. This just stems to horrendous company policy.

And yes I did try the IR blaster drivers from WinTV6, and they only partially worked, in such I was able to test IR code. Because it couldn't "Find a port" though, I couldn't actually use the blaster in any practical manner.

Thanks Hauppauge

[TheNewGuy]

Looking further into my third issue, I discovered that the Blaster Config for WinTV7 only supports the HVR-1850 or 2250 cards. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! What about all the users the still use the analog only cards like the PVR-150

I've certainly used WinTV7 with the PVR150's IR Blaster, so there is definitely no limitation in WinTV7 around this. WinTV7 is capable of using whatever blaster has been setup in BlastCfg. I'm not a BlastCfg expert though, so your problem could definitely be in there. Some of the old Hauppauge software, like BlastCfg (which isnt related to WinTV7) and the IR receiver stuff, could only cope with one device, and usually go for the last card installed, so in your case might be looking at the HVR-1250. It'd query it's capabilities and decide there is no IR Blaster present.

You'd probably find if you removed both devices, then just install thed PVR150 and it's drivers, then you'd be able to succesfully use it's blaster.

There is a longer term project underway to replace BlastCfg, to handle multiple devices etc, but that is still a way off. If your problem is the order thing I mention, then for now you'd need to be care about the order devices are installed and setup.

Issue:
WinTV7 has issues with S-Video from multiple tuners. I install WinTV7 and it installs all the drivers for the two tuner cards. It first asks me how I want to use the HVR-1250, to which I set up a scan for ATSC OTA signals, then NTSC OTA analog signals. Then WINTV asks how I intend to use the PVR-150, to which I setup the S-Video connection for input from a STB.

Problem is now when I tune in the S-Video input after, it is actually inputting from the HVR-1250 NTSC Analog input, not the S-Video of the PVR-150. I've also had it that it tuned the S-Video input of the HVR-1250 when I clearly did not set up that input. It just seems that the drivers for the PVR-150 are somehow "broken" in WinTV7. Funny thing is though, I can use MediaPortal, and it determines the inputs just fine.

This is a known limitation. All devices are treated as equals by some underlying components (that existed before I started developing WinTV7). ie, if analog channel is setup on one device, its assumed that any device capable of analog can supply that channel. That is clearly not always the case. I've got it on my list to fix, and have partially done the job, but there is more work to be done.

[Marbles_00]

Thanks TNG for the speedy response (helps calm the waters ). So, just so I understand correctly.
1. Uninstall both cards (drivers and all)
2. Remove the PVR-150 from the system
3. Install the HVR-1250 (drivers and WinTV7)
4. Plug the PVR-150 back into the system
5. Install the PVR-150 (drivers) and the IR configuration should direct itself to the PVR-150 card.

[TheNewGuy]

Thanks TNG for the speedy response (helps calm the waters ). So, just so I understand correctly.
1. Uninstall both cards (drivers and all)
2. Remove the PVR-150 from the system
3. Install the HVR-1250 (drivers and WinTV7)
4. Plug the PVR-150 back into the system
5. Install the PVR-150 (drivers) and the IR configuration should direct itself to the PVR-150 card.

Yeah, something like that. I'm not an expert in these things though, so....

[Marbles_00]

Okay, I'll try that tonight and let you know.

Yeah, something like that. I'm not an expert in these things though, so....

Hey, I'm open to anything at this point, I've exhausted all other routes...so this can't be any worse.

Thanks again for helping.

[Marbles_00]

IT WORKED!

Uninstalled WinTV7 and the drivers for both cards
Removed the PVR-150
Installed the drivers for the HVR-1250 and WinTV7
Installed the PVR back into the system
Installed the drivers for the PVR card.
Finally installed the IRBlaster drivers, and voilà, full control again.

I did realize too that I had an IR receiver plugged into the HVR card, which I realized I didn't need, since I was getting all control from the IR receiver/blaster connected to the PVR-150. This was most likely adding to the conflict as well.

Thanks again for all your help and suggestions. I'm a happy camper again.

[TheNewGuy]

Great - glad you got it working.