Re: AverMedia AverTVHD MCE A180 stutter

Tech-Archive recommends: Speed Up your PC by fixing your registry

It appears that DMA must be standard for SATA contollers I could not find it
is an option for my MOBO Sata controller like I can for my IDE controller.
For Disk cache whidc is probably set but is worth checking
Mycomputer/Sata Drive/Properties/hardware/Satadrive/properties/policies


"denyart" <denyart@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:CCD0321C-4AF7-4F39-BA60-9D970DBDF096@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Hey JW,
> All good ideas. I am running a single AthlonXP CPU 2200MHz (3000+ I
> think),
> so its not a dual core or HT problem. I have looked into setting the DMA
> and
> write caching for the SATA, but there is no setting for that in the
> Silicon
> Images properties under device manager. I know this is weird, but if the
> ATI
> works, then it shouldn't be this anyway. As for trying just the A180 by
> uninstalling and carefully putting the A180 in alone after a clean
> restart, I
> have done one better. I have done a complete reinstall of MCE on the SATA
> hard drive and only put in the NVTV analog tuner and the A180. It still
> stuttered/pixilated/tore/whatever (basically bad video), but worked once I
> switched the recorded TV to the PATA drive (although it still had very
> infrequent problems which may have been due to Windows paging file access
> on
> the SATA drive). So I have eliminated that it is the ATI causing the
> conflict. I also know it is not a bad card because it works perfectly if I
> use the PATA drive for both the OS and recorded TV. It also works if I use
> WatchHDTV instead of MCE (because this program doesn't buffer the video).
> Anyway, thanks for the ideas and sorry I didn't write back sooner (tornado
> here broke the internet for a while). I would appreciate it if you could
> give
> any pointers about DMA and disk caching, because just looking under the
> device manage settings like I did for old PATA IDE controllers doesn't
> seem
> to be the place to make these settings for this SATA controller. I guess
> it
> isn't too likely to be that, but one never knows. I am thinking it may be
> somehow related to how the A180 drivers do something like DMA or how it
> handles PCI interupts, but I am not smart enough to figure those things
> out
> myself. Any further ideas at this point would certainly be appreciated.
> Thanks!
> --
> Windows Media Center 2005 rollup 2, Abit NF7-S v2, GeForce 6600GT, nVidia
> decoder 1.02-185, NVTV single tuner, AverTVHD MCE A180, ATI HDTV Wonder
>
>
> "JW" wrote:
>
>> Another suggestion
>> You might trly uninstalling both tuners then shuting down and removing
>> them.
>> Then reboot and shutdown again and just install the Avermedia card and
>> its
>> drivers again.
>> If the problem still exists any possibliity that the drivers for the two
>> different manufacturers tuners are not interferring with each other in
>> some
>> way.
>>
>> "JW" <nospam@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:uGn0WZA6FHA.1032@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >I assume that you have confirmed that write caching and DMA access are
>> >enabled for the SATA drive. At the moment I have no ideas other than a
>> >defective tuner card in which case you might want to contact AverMedia
>> >support with all of the information you have.gathered..
>> > I also assume that you are not using a dual core CPU even though RU2
>> > supposdly fixed any dual core CPU problems with receiving encoded TV by
>> > MCE.
>> >
>> > "denyart" <denyart@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> > news:42B6AAC1-F14D-41A4-B890-F6EE1497C96F@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >> Okay, I can answer that. Yes, the video pixilation is there if you
>> >> watch
>> >> "Live TV". Of course it is always buffering the TV, so your
>> >> defiinition
>> >> of
>> >> "Live" I assume means just clicking on a channel in the Guide and
>> >> watching it
>> >> "Live". Now, that being said, if I record the show with the A180 and
>> >> play
>> >> it
>> >> back with Windows Media Player, the pixilation or stuttering is still
>> >> there.
>> >> It doesn't affect the audio enough to say that I notice a stutter (or
>> >> perhaps
>> >> the cause is more specific and only degrades the video), but in any
>> >> case
>> >> the
>> >> video breaks up and stuttes/pauses every second or two. If I watch a
>> >> second
>> >> channel after starting to record the first channel the video is great
>> >> (this
>> >> is now using the ATI HDTV Wonder) for Live TV and also Recorded TV if
>> >> I
>> >> record it. I can also close Media Center and just let the A180 record
>> >> "silently" and the stutters and pixilation are still in the recorded
>> >> file
>> >> (in
>> >> both MCE and in WMP). So is there a next step/idea? Thanks
>> >> --
>> >> Windows Media Center 2005 rollup 2, Abit NF7-S v2, GeForce 6600GT,
>> >> nVidia
>> >> decoder 1.02-185, NVTV single tuner, AverTVHD MCE A180, ATI HDTV
>> >> Wonder
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> "JW" wrote:
>> >>
>> >>> As I said before the tuner driver does not talk directly to the disk
>> >>> drive.
>> >>> MCE receives the MPEG2 input from the controller and the MS MCE
>> >>> software
>> >>> writed the buffers to the drive after puttin a wrapper around the
>> >>> file.
>> >>> I would still like to know if you have the same problem when watching
>> >>> LiveTV
>> >>> (without it being recorded) with the AverMedia controller and if the
>> >>> problem
>> >>> occurs when playing a recording with MediaPlayer instead of with MCE.
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> "denyart" <denyart@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> >>> news:D25AA79B-FC03-46AE-BD17-38B344292A81@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >>> > All good ideas, but I know it is not the antenna signal becasue I
>> >>> > have
>> >>> > tried
>> >>> > switching the RG6 from the ATI to the A180 and it doesn't change
>> >>> > it. I
>> >>> > have
>> >>> > also tried the same channel at the same time for the ATI and the
>> >>> > A180
>> >>> > and
>> >>> > it
>> >>> > worked for the ATi and it pixilated for the A180. I also simply
>> >>> > tuned
>> >>> > to a
>> >>> > channel with the A180 (all channels show pixilation with the SATA
>> >>> > drive
>> >>> > being
>> >>> > used for the Recorded TV folder) and then after noticing the
>> >>> > obvious
>> >>> > picture
>> >>> > problems, I switched the Recorded TV to my IDE PATA drive and
>> >>> > restarted
>> >>> > Media
>> >>> > Center and the picture was immediately normal (just as good as the
>> >>> > ATI).
>> >>> > So I
>> >>> > know it is not the input from the antenna, and I know it is not the
>> >>> > actual
>> >>> > source from the TV station. It really comes and goes based on using
>> >>> > the
>> >>> > SiI3112 SATA controller. So, any ideas about what driver problem
>> >>> > could
>> >>> > cause
>> >>> > this behavior? It just seems that it has to be driver related if
>> >>> > the
>> >>> > ATI
>> >>> > can
>> >>> > use the SATA but the A180 can't. Thanks!
>> >>> > --
>> >>> > Windows Media Center 2005 rollup 2, Abit NF7-S v2, GeForce 6600GT,
>> >>> > nVidia
>> >>> > decoder 1.02-185, NVTV single tuner, AverTVHD MCE A180, ATI HDTV
>> >>> > Wonder
>> >>> >
>> >>> >
>> >>> > "JW" wrote:
>> >>> >
>> >>> >> One more idea.
>> >>> >> I assume that you are using a splitter to support the antenna
>> >>> >> connections
>> >>> >> on
>> >>> >> the two different tuner cards. If so then you might try switching
>> >>> >> the
>> >>> >> splitter lines on the two cards antenna connections to make sure
>> >>> >> thay
>> >>> >> you
>> >>> >> aren't getting a degraded signal on one line.
>> >>> >>
>> >>> >> "denyart" <denyart@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> >>> >> news:9FE3A2CA-B637-4CB6-877B-C2DDC0E097F5@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >>> >> > If I play a show recorded by the A180 on the SATA drive, then
>> >>> >> > yes
>> >>> >> > the
>> >>> >> > video
>> >>> >> > is bad just like it is when it is live. I have not specifically
>> >>> >> > tried
>> >>> >> > it
>> >>> >> > in
>> >>> >> > WMP, but I have a hunch it is in the recording so it would be
>> >>> >> > there. On
>> >>> >> > a
>> >>> >> > second note, it is not really stuttering of the video, it is
>> >>> >> > pixillation
>> >>> >> > of
>> >>> >> > the video (breakup, macroblocking, not sure what you want to
>> >>> >> > call
>> >>> >> > it)
>> >>> >> > and
>> >>> >> > the
>> >>> >> > sound does not miss a beat. I call it stuttering because that is
>> >>> >> > the
>> >>> >> > generic
>> >>> >> > term that many people seem to search for, but this "stuttering"
>> >>> >> > that I
>> >>> >> > and
>> >>> >> > a
>> >>> >> > few other people have with this tuner is really somehow related
>> >>> >> > to
>> >>> >> > how
>> >>> >> > it
>> >>> >> > gets along with a SATA controller (maybe only SiI3x12) on the
>> >>> >> > PCI
>> >>> >> > bus.
>> >>> >> > I
>> >>> >> > have
>> >>> >> > found this to be the case for both nForce 2 motherboards and a
>> >>> >> > person
>> >>> >> > running
>> >>> >> > an intel board. Here is a post on a forum that I beleive is
>> >>> >> > describing
>> >>> >> > some
>> >>> >> > of what I am saying, but in my case I know there is a way to
>> >>> >> > make
>> >>> >> > things
>> >>> >> > work, because the ATI HDTV Wonder works beautifully.
>> >>> >> > http://htpcnews.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=6050&view=findpost&p=71707
>> >>> >> > I hope that someone with more knowledge than me can look at this
>> >>> >> > and
>> >>> >> > tell
>> >>> >> > me
>> >>> >> > why tha A180 doesn't work and possibly if there is a way to fix
>> >>> >> > it
>> >>> >> > by
>> >>> >> > forcing
>> >>> >> > some change on my system. I will also check to be sure that WMP
>> >>> >> > doesn't
>> >>> >> > play
>> >>> >> > the files back perfectly. Thanks again, and any more ideas would
>> >>> >> > be
>> >>> >> > great!
>> >>> >> > --
>> >>> >> > Windows Media Center 2005 rollup 2, Abit NF7-S v2, GeForce
>> >>> >> > 6600GT,
>> >>> >> > nVidia
>> >>> >> > decoder 1.02-185, NVTV single tuner, AverTVHD MCE A180, ATI HDTV
>> >>> >> > Wonder
>> >>> >> >
>> >>> >> >
>> >>> >> > "JW" wrote:
>> >>> >> >
>> >>> >> >> After rereading all your posts I have to admit I am rather
>> >>> >> >> baffled
>> >>> >> >> since
>> >>> >> >> AFAIK only the MCE software gets the software from the
>> >>> >> >> controller
>> >>> >> >> and
>> >>> >> >> writes
>> >>> >> >> it to disk. The only thing I can think about that may be
>> >>> >> >> different
>> >>> >> >> between
>> >>> >> >> the tuners is that the two tuner drivers buffer up the data and
>> >>> >> >> give
>> >>> >> >> it
>> >>> >> >> to
>> >>> >> >> MCE in different size buffers or their is a problem with the
>> >>> >> >> AVERmedia
>> >>> >> >> driver and MCE gets a buffer out ot sync since I believe that
>> >>> >> >> MCE
>> >>> >> >> dobules
>> >>> >> >> the input from the tuners.
>> >>> >> >> If you play a recorded program using Media Player instead of
>> >>> >> >> MCE
>> >>> >> >> do
>> >>> >> >> you
>> >>> >> >> still get the stuttering and if yes is it in the same place? I
>> >>> >> >> assume
>> >>> >> >> the
>> >>> >> >> answer will be yes. Do both the audio and video stutter?
>> >>> >> >> Again I
>> >>> >> >> assume
>> >>> >> >> the answer will be yes.
>> >>> >> >>
>> >>> >> >> "denyart" <denyart@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> >>> >> >> news:E44D2185-2DA3-4EFA-8A0C-B2B424937710@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >>> >> >> > Well, for IDE you never usually worry because nothing takes
>> >>> >> >> > 14
>> >>> >> >> > and
>> >>> >> >> > 15.
>> >>> >> >> > I
>> >>> >> >> > checked the IRQs for my system, and the SATA and both HD
>> >>> >> >> > tuners
>> >>> >> >> > are
>> >>> >> >> > using
>> >>> >> >> > independent IRQs. ATI (if installed) use 17, SATA uses 18,
>> >>> >> >> > and
>> >>> >> >> > the
>> >>> >> >> > A180
>> >>> >> >> > uses
>> >>> >> >> > 19. So its not IRQ sharing. Someone once mentioned option rom
>> >>> >> >> > space,
>> >>> >> >> > but I
>> >>> >> >> > don't know what that is or how tocheck it. Any ideas about
>> >>> >> >> > that?
>> >>> >> >> > Thanks
>> >>> >> >> > --
>> >>> >> >> > Windows Media Center 2005 rollup 2, Abit NF7-S v2, GeForce
>> >>> >> >> > 6600GT,
>> >>> >> >> > nVidia
>> >>> >> >> > decoder 1.02-185, NVTV single tuner, AverTVHD MCE A180, ATI
>> >>> >> >> > HDTV
>> >>> >> >> > Wonder
>> >>> >> >> >
>> >>> >> >> >
>> >>> >> >> > "JW" wrote:
>> >>> >> >> >
>> >>> >> >> >> I normallly don't think about shared IRQs causing a problem
>> >>> >> >> >> with
>> >>> >> >> >> disk
>> >>> >> >> >> drives, however, if the AverMedia Tuner card and the SATA
>> >>> >> >> >> drive
>> >>> >> >> >> are
>> >>> >> >> >> somhow
>> >>> >> >> >> sharing a resource such as an IRQ then that could be the
>> >>> >> >> >> problem
>> >>> >> >> >> since
>> >>> >> >> >> you
>> >>> >> >> >> previously stated that you only have problems using the
>> >>> >> >> >> Avermedia
>> >>> >> >> >> tuner
>> >>> >> >> >> with
>> >>> >> >> >> the SATA drive and not with you IDE drive.
>> >>> >> >> >>
>> >>> >> >> >> "denyart" <denyart@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
>> >>> >> >> >> message
>> >>> >> >> >> news:47379726-B66B-496E-9251-EC7DD4D8B69D@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >>> >> >> >> > Um, the ATI is an HDTV tuner as well, so the amount of
>> >>> >> >> >> > data
>> >>> >> >> >> > being
>> >>> >> >> >> > sent
>> >>> >> >> >> > to
>> >>> >> >> >> > disk should be the same for both of them. The ATI doesn't
>> >>> >> >> >> > have
>> >>> >> >> >> > any
>> >>> >> >> >> > problems
>> >>> >> >> >> > with the SATA disk being used for Recorded TV, while the
>> >>> >> >> >> > Avermedia
>> >>> >> >> >> > does
>> >>> >> >> >> > have
>> >>> >> >> >> > a problem. It would seem odd that one does and the other
>> >>> >> >> >> > doesn't,
>> >>> >> >> >> > but
>> >>> >> >> >> > is
>> >>> >> >> >> > it
>> >>> >> >> >> > possible that the driver for the A180 has it doing
>> >>> >> >> >> > something
>> >>> >> >> >> > slightly
>> >>> >> >> >> > different from ATI's driver? In my case, I know it is not
>> >>> >> >> >> > just a
>> >>> >> >> >> > simple
>> >>> >> >> >> > "disk
>> >>> >> >> >> > not fast enough" problem because a different ATSC tuner
>> >>> >> >> >> > has
>> >>> >> >> >> > no
>> >>> >> >> >> > problems
>> >>> >> >> >> > using
>> >>> >> >> >> > the disk. Could it be the driver for the A180 does
>> >>> >> >> >> > something
>> >>> >> >> >> > that
>> >>> >> >> >> > causes
>> >>> >> >> >> > the
>> >>> >> >> >> > SATA to slow down? Thanks
>> >>> >> >> >> > --
>> >>> >> >> >> > Windows Media Center 2005 rollup 2, Abit NF7-S v2, GeForce
>> >>> >> >> >> > 6600GT,
>> >>> >> >> >> > nVidia
>> >>> >> >> >> > decoder 1.02-185, NVTV single tuner, AverTVHD MCE A180,
>> >>> >> >> >> > ATI
>> >>> >> >> >> > HDTV
>> >>> >> >> >> > Wonder
>> >>> >> >> >> >
>> >>> >> >> >> >
>> >>> >> >> >> > "JW" wrote:
>> >>> >> >> >> >
>> >>> >> >> >> >> It has nothing to do with the AVERMedia Drivers since
>> >>> >> >> >> >> they
>> >>> >> >> >> >> do
>> >>> >> >> >> >> not
>> >>> >> >> >> >> pass
>> >>> >> >> >> >> anything directly to your disk drive. MCE optains the
>> >>> >> >> >> >> already
>> >>> >> >> >> >> encoded
>> >>> >> >> >> >> siganl fromthe tuner using the AVERMEDIA dirvers and MCE


.

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