I finally got my AverTV Combo working with Vista Media Center last night. By using the QAM tool, I was able to receive all QAM channels on my local cable provider (Time Warner Cable, Austin TX). But the mapping of absolute QAM channel (e.g. 82-41) to virtual channel (e.g. 1531) is incorrect, and the AverTV Combo evidently maps the QAM channels to some bogus virtual channels.

The problem is (of course) the bogus virtual channels have no guide info, so recording etc is all manual.

Is this an issue with the Avermedia QAM tool? Or the Avermedia drivers? VMC? The AverTV card itself?

I'm guessing that some part of the Avermedia firmware / software stack is not doing the right thing with PSIP CVCT information. Since my HDTV does do the right thing, presumably the appripriate PSIP info is in the datastream.

Does anyone know what is going on with this? Has anyone else seen this "bogus virtual channel" mapping occur?

Regards to all,

Willie

PS - I noticed that the HDHomerun evidently has a way in their QAM mapping software to reassign physical QAM channels to virtual channels. This would be the perfect solution if the QAM scan tool from Avermedia would allow the same.

wanders:

I finally got my AverTV Combo working with Vista Media Center last night. By using the QAM tool, I was able to receive all QAM channels on my local cable provider (Time Warner Cable, Austin TX).

I too am an Austin, TX TW customer. However, the only QAM channels I have been able to 'tune' in using the QAM tool are the network HD channels (total of 4) PBS HD, and a UT content channel. How many are you able to to tune in?

I'm in Colorado and have Comcast.  I've been using the M780 tuner for awhile but recently cannot tune a couple HD channels.  My Sony Bravia LCD tv has no problems with 129.1 (CBS) and 129.2 (Fox).  The m780 combo tuner does not tune these channels.  I can use the QAMtool and type in the ch number - 87.1, 87.2, 130.1 work fine but not 129.x.  What gives?  This is strange and may be related to the last few posts.

Alright I'm at my wit's end. I just completed my first HTPC build and everything went smoothly, other than the AverTV Combo PCI-E card. This thing refuses to play nice with Media Center. When I click on live TV it craps the bed. It has shown signs of working once or twice, starting off choppy but then playing smoothly once the menu screens fade out (volume, channel, etc). Most times before, and now all the time, the thing freezes up my computer completely after about 10 seconds of watching live TV, or even recorded TV. I can't seem to get much help for this problem from Avermedia, or from google searches. I tried some of the things mentioned in this thread but no change yet. I even tried the card in my PCIEx16 slot and reinstalled my OS.

I did just test it out with Avermedia's crappy software and it played fine the first time, but the program froze the second time I tried to open it. Regardless, I want to use WMC for the guide and stuff. Here are my specs:

Vista 32 Ultimate Lite
E7200 Wolfdale Core 2 Duo
EVGA 7150/630i mobo
using onboard Nvidia graphics and audio

Help please!

Adamtd101:

...

I did just test it out with Avermedia's crappy software and it played fine the first time, but the program froze the second time I tried to open it. Regardless, I want to use WMC for the guide and stuff. Here are my specs:

Vista 32 Ultimate Lite
E7200 Wolfdale Core 2 Duo
EVGA 7150/630i mobo
using onboard Nvidia graphics and audio

Help please!

My HTPC has a similar setup:

• WinXP MCE 2005 (obviously 32-bit)
• E4600 Allendale Core 2 Duo (slightly under-clocked)
• EVGA 7150/630i (latest nforce drivers from Nvidia)
• 4 GB RAM (only 3 GB is used by the system/OS)
• onboard graphics connected to a 1080p LCD monitor through DVI
• onboard audio connected to external speakers & toslink cable connected to an HT receiver

I am assuming that you are using the latest beta driver & clearQAM utility. Though I don't use WMC everyday, I have not experienced freeze or BSOD on this system for over 2 months.

I use Aver MediaCenter almost everyday to watch Tivo fed to M780 through S-Video. This has been working just fine for me.

Maybe you are missing appropriate codec (I thought Vista provided pretty much everything you need)

Maybe you are having a general system instability. Are you overclocking your system? You should install your OS at default setting before you overclock. You can try the Vista diagsnostic in the boot menu. I use MemTest to make sure my MB & RAM are stable. Once OS is installed, I use Prime95 to check my OS is stable.

Good luck.

 

thanks for the advice yukit. I did have limited success with the beta driver and clearQAM utility, which I didn't have. I thought I had the latest software until I did some digging here and found the ftp link to the new stuff. It played better most of today, with a total of three freeze ups. It is still way too unstable, and it can barely play live TV if the vista menus are up (volume, channel guide). I ran memory diagnostics and it reported no issues. What other diagnostic tools are you referring to? I only know of this and networking, apart from scanning the hard drive for errors. I'll try anything at this point.

Per the advice of avermedia tech support, I'm running the Orthos system test, but I am fairly certain the problem is not with the CPU or Ram. I am still suspect of the Nvidia chipset, but I do have all the latest drivers and bios updates for it it. Every day I turn it on I just hope to myself that it magically fixes itself. Any and all suggestions are welcome.

No problems reported by Orthos. Then I tried one last time removing all of the drivers, then allowed windows update to find and reinstall them rather than installing the copies from the manufacturers. No change, of course. I don't have any next steps. What's left to try? Is there a comparable low profile card out there? This one is looking like it's gotta go back.

The 780 was installed three months ago.  Initially had problems with freezing, which was resolved by installing an updated video driver for my Nvidia card.  Quick note the original driver had to be uninstalled, computer restarted in safe mode and updated driver installed.  However, the next update was done from the update screen without any problems.  Noticed the final update did place the computer into safe mode before updating.  Played with the graphic driver a few days before finding the correct sequence for the initial update.

Recently, start getting blue screen shut down when initiating VMC direct to Live TV with remote control supplied with my HP.  This seems to happen when starting Live TV after waking the computer from the sleep mode.  Notice many problems after installing SP1 for Vista.  Sleep mode is not programing correctly, screen saver is erratic and power settings no longer work.  Tried to remove SP1, but not certain it was a completely uninstall.  Reinstalled SP1 to avoid other problems.

Finally, AverTV is receiving all the clear qam channels for Comcast, Cherry Hill, NJ.  HD channels are crystal clear and standard def channels adequate.  Can record and playback both, but only able to watch opposite channels, Std or HD, depending on which is being recorded.

Setup:
HP m8277c
Intel core 2 E6750 @2.66GHz
Ram 4G
Vista Home Premium 32 - bit
  SP1
Nvidia GeForce 8400 GS
  Driver 5/2/2008 ver. 7.15.11.7516
Monitor HP w2408
AVerMedia M780 PCIe

Vista Media Center EPG Fix:

Forgive me if this has been pointed out before, because I know another user named mold had posted instructions for getting the EPG to not lose the channel mappings every guide update, but it didn't work for me at all.  However, I finally figured out how to get media center to map the correct channels to to the EPG with almost no work beyond using the QAM tool. 
The key here lies in knowing what the callsigns are for the stations you are mapping at zap2it.com.  For example, in Lubbock, TX theonly hidef channels provided by the cable company in clear QAM are the locals.  Their respective callsigns at zap2it are KCBDDT, KAMCDT, KLBKDT, KJTVDT, and KTXTDT3.  The last one is the hidef PBS channel that's provided on 5-3 OTA, hence the DT3 at the end. 
First make sure you've setup which cable system's lisitings you want to use within Media Center.  This is done by Settings>TV>Guide>Set Up Guide Listings.  Next, follow the QAM tool instructions all the way up to the point after you've scanned your cable system and determined which channels you want to keep.  Double click and name those channels the exact callsign from zap2it and then export the listings to Media Center.  Finish all of the remaining QAM tool instructions.  Finally, go to Settings>TV>Guide>Edit Channels and remove everything but the channels the QAM tool added near the very end.  The end!  The EPG will now be auto-mapped to the correct channels assuming you set the callsigns correctly and you chose the correct cable listings.  Easy and the guide won't lose the mappings every update.

sneakerx:

Vista Media Center EPG Fix:

Forgive me if this has been pointed out before, because I know another user named mold had posted instructions for getting the EPG to not lose the channel mappings every guide update, but it didn't work for me at all.  However, I finally figured out how to get media center to map the correct channels to to the EPG with almost no work beyond using the QAM tool. 
The key here lies in knowing what the callsigns are for the stations you are mapping at zap2it.com.  For example, in Lubbock, TX theonly hidef channels provided by the cable company in clear QAM are the locals.  Their respective callsigns at zap2it are KCBDDT, KAMCDT, KLBKDT, KJTVDT, and KTXTDT3.  The last one is the hidef PBS channel that's provided on 5-3 OTA, hence the DT3 at the end. 
First make sure you've setup which cable system's lisitings you want to use within Media Center.  This is done by Settings>TV>Guide>Set Up Guide Listings.  Next, follow the QAM tool instructions all the way up to the point after you've scanned your cable system and determined which channels you want to keep.  Double click and name those channels the exact callsign from zap2it and then export the listings to Media Center.  Finish all of the remaining QAM tool instructions.  Finally, go to Settings>TV>Guide>Edit Channels and remove everything but the channels the QAM tool added near the very end.  The end!  The EPG will now be auto-mapped to the correct channels assuming you set the callsigns correctly and you chose the correct cable listings.  Easy and the guide won't lose the mappings every update.

Welll.... sorta.  On my QAM tool, it will often not display the show, so you really can't tell what station you're mapping to until you export into media center.  If that didn't happen, then, yes, this approach would be great!

If I may... I posted a question to the group twice now, but with no answers:  does anyone else have a problem with MC where, after a couple of weeks, it will no longer tune any stations (analog or QAM) using the Aver card?  It just hangs when you select a station, and worse, it won't record anything until you find out it's hung up.  A reboot always solves the problem.   It's becoming a serious problem -- I need a reliable DVR!

Thanks,
Jon

I do not have hang problems?? I have done at least 15 PC's with m780 cards. loosing guide listings has been an issue, and cable co's changing their qam channels has been an issue. I have had 2 or 3 bad M780 cards out of about 25 though. you might just have a bad card.

---

Doug Vanden Berg www.vandenbergstereo.com

Thanks Doug.

I should have re-mentioned that the system has been quite reliable until after the latest driver update.  Now, it could just be coincidental.  The card could have gone bad... but after 18 months of reliable usage?   I guess anything is possible... but it 'feels' like software, if that's possible. :)

lvhjr:

Recently, start getting blue screen shut down when initiating VMC direct to Live TV with remote control supplied with my HP.  This seems to happen when starting Live TV after waking the computer from the sleep mode.  Notice many problems after installing SP1 for Vista.  Sleep mode is not programing correctly, screen saver is erratic and power settings no longer work.  Tried to remove SP1, but not certain it was a completely uninstall.  Reinstalled SP1 to avoid other problems.


Setup:
HP m8277c
Intel core 2 E6750 @2.66GHz
Ram 4G
Vista Home Premium 32 - bit
  SP1
Nvidia GeForce 8400 GS
  Driver 5/2/2008 ver. 7.15.11.7516
Monitor HP w2408
AVerMedia M780 PCIe

Well I have the same problem...still.  I have tried re-installing the video drivers also with no success.  It's a s3 sleep issue...or Vista Media Center...not sure.  I do see that when I open task manager, ehshell and other media center/media player processes page faults keep going up fast as long as media center is open....what about you lvhjr, do you have the same problem?  Another thing I also notice:  If I open media center...and resume from sleep, live TV will work.  However, if I do not open media center since I restarted my computer...then resume from sleep, media center will crash computer with a APC_INDEX_MISMATCH . Event ID: 6008...which is the only error I ever get...even after several fresh clean installs.  No other problems with any other software, drivers, etc.

< have to call upon you folks again. Here's my problem: I bought 2 identical reconditioned media centers (thus, no help from the manufacturer). They each contained the Avermedia 780. Published specs are below:

One PCI Express ×16 (graphics interface)   Video card is GeForce 7650GS
One PCI Express ×1
Two PCI conventional

Complete specs at: http://support.gateway.com/s/PC/R/1009456/1009456nv.shtml >

I have a related question for you all.

Given two identical machines with the Avermedia card, and one with correct scanning, is there a way to clone this operation to the other? The first machine is at the desktop PC and I can fiddle with scanning, XML files, call signs, etc. It's much harder to do that for the PC attached to the living room PC.

What role does the file play that Avermedia allows to be saved? Is it as simple as copying the XML files to the target machine? Should I delete all HD numbers > 1000 on the target machine first?

Please advise. Thanks in advance.

mjclifford

 

 

JonDeutsch:

Thanks Doug.

I should have re-mentioned that the system has been quite reliable until after the latest driver update.  Now, it could just be coincidental.  The card could have gone bad... but after 18 months of reliable usage?   I guess anything is possible... but it 'feels' like software, if that's possible. :)

Does anyone have to regularly reboot their WM boxes to ensure reliability?   Like I mentioned above, about every 2 weeks, my WMC hangs when trying to tune a channel (SD or QAM) with my Aver card.  This started happening around the same time of installing the latest drivers.  So, for 18 months prior, there were no reliability issues around keeping WMC running for months at a time.

And... is it possible that my Aver card is 'bad' if it hangs up WMC only after being on for 2 weeks at a time?  Seems unlikely to me...

Also, is there an auto-reboot tool that is out there for Vista that I can schedule for like 4AM on a Sunday?

Any info appreciated. Thanks.
Jon