Receiving Three Rock with two usb tv tuners

FREETV

I have two MPEG2 usb devices that I bought before the switch in the dtt trials in August '08 to the MPEG4 format. I have tried VLC to decode the Three Rock dtt broadcasts but had no luck getting them to work. One isn't Vista compatible(Ultima Electronics Corp HTDY-00001 by Artec) which has BDA drivers and I have to repair my old desktop pc sometime to use it or use my Fiancee's XP laptop. The other is a badged usb hybrid analog and digital MPEG2 tv tuner stick/pen (CD-R 721) made for CD-R King in the Philippines by a Taiwanese firm called Itemstech. Could anyone be of assistance please in helping me to find a freeware software decoder and get them to work please? I have read other similar threads I would be great to have the option of extra pvr's for recording programmes.

Mr McBoatface

FREETV wrote: »

I have tried VLC to decode the Three Rock dtt broadcasts but had no luck getting them to work.

From the above statement can I assume you've got a signal on at least one of the tuners but you're not getting picture, are you getting sound ?


EDIT - For the decoder try the h264 codec that comes with divx, you could google "skystar HD pack 2.2" for that codec amongst others. Try to have just one codec for the job installed and not multiple ones

FREETV

jobyrne30 wrote: »

From the above statement can I assume you've got a signal on at least one of the tuners but you're not getting picture, are you getting sound ?

Yes from the CD-R King 721 hybrid usb tv stick, sound obviously but no picture as it has an MPEG2 software decoder installed. cdrking.com is their website. Both were working well prior to the RTE MPEG4 decoder switch. The other I bought from Computer Works in Drumcondra in '07. Any suggestions people?

Mr McBoatface

FREETV wrote: »

Yes from the CD-R King 721 hybrid usb tv stick, sound obviously but no picture as it has an MPEG2 software decoder installed. cdrking.com is their website. Both were working well prior to the RTE MPEG4 decoder switch. The other I bought from Computer Works in Drumcondra in '07. Any suggestions people?

The HDpack in the edit above will sort you out

FREETV

jobyrne30 wrote: »

The HDpack in the edit above will sort you out

Ok, thanks just downloaded it, what steps should I go through in order to get the application to work exactly jobyrne30. I take it the frequency in Khz for the Threerock transmitter will also need to be added in manually. It didn't work earlier with VLC for me.

Mr McBoatface

That's just a codec pack that will decode the channels in your DVB software, Install one of the h264 codecs from the pack. I no experience with VLC myself . But reading up here - http://www.izitips.com/software/how-to-watch-dvb-t-with-vlc-media-player/ follow those steps . I think 3 rock and kippure are on channel 54 - 738000Khz

Mr McBoatface

You could try DVBdream 1.4 - http://www.videohelp.com/download/dvbdreamsetup_v14i.exe. Install it and select your tuner from the device menu then do a scan using UK all channels transpoder

STB

FREETV wrote: »

I have two MPEG2 usb devices that I bought before the switch in the dtt trials in August '08 to the MPEG4 format. I have tried VLC to decode the Three Rock dtt broadcasts but had no luck getting them to work. One isn't Vista compatible(Ultima Electronics Corp HTDY-00001 by Artec) which has BDA drivers and I have to repair my old desktop pc sometime to use it or use my Fiancee's XP laptop. The other is a badged usb hybrid analog and digital MPEG2 tv tuner stick/pen (CD-R 721) made for CD-R King in the Philippines by a Taiwanese firm called Itemstech. Could anyone be of assistance please in helping me to find a freeware software decoder and get them to work please? I have read other similar threads I would be great to have the option of extra pvr's for recording programmes.

You do not need to install codecs just use VLC (which has X264) with this command line (set up a shortcut on your desktop that points to this).

"C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" dvb-t:// :dvb-frequency=738000000

(738000000 being the frequency for Three Rock DTT - if you are in a different part of the country you will have to change the TX frequency)

FREETV

STB wrote: »

You do not need to install codecs just use VLC (which has X264) with this command line (set up a shortcut on your desktop that points to this).

"C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" dvb-t:// :dvb-frequency=738000000

(738000000 being the frequency for Three Rock DTT - if you are in a different part of the country you will have to change the TX frequency)

VLC is unable to open the MRL is what i received back. Do I know how to use the command line properly I wonder? Anyone know what I am doing wrong and possibly how to rectify it please?

watty

Core AVC ?

Mr McBoatface

Sorry I can't help any further regarding VLC as stated I've no experience with it. Try dvbdream linked above and see if that works for you. It's fairly straight forward to use.

FREETV

jobyrne30 wrote: »

Sorry I can't help any further regarding VLC as stated I've no experience with it. Try dvbdream linked above and see if that works for you. It's fairly straight forward to use.

Thanks, tried that but I'm sure I did something incorrectly as no channels when I did the scan and I get all of the channels using the Sagem Picnic Box. How to select the MPEG4 decoder and the tuner name of the stick I use? I see that the name of my usb tuner TM 6000 is shown.

FREETV

FREETV wrote: »

Thanks, tried that but I'm sure I did something incorrectly as no channels when I did the scan and I get all of the channels using the Sagem Picnic Box. How to select the MPEG4 decoder and the tuner name of the stick I use? I see that the name of my usb tuner TM 6000 is shown.

Edit- I think that there is an incompatibility issue between the video and audio codecs. Frustrating when I can usually do anything that I put my mind to, what next please helpful people?

STB

FREETV wrote: »

VLC is unable to open the MRL is what i received back. Do I know how to use the command line properly I wonder? Anyone know what I am doing wrong and possibly how to rectify it please?

What does it say in the VLC log file ?

Its should tell you what the issues where.

BDA driver problems it sounds like.

FREETV

STB wrote: »

What does it say in the VLC log file ?

Its should tell you what the issues where.

BDA driver problems it sounds like.

You are talking about opening the debug logging list after clicking view is it? No suitable interface module. Error opening logfile 'vlc- log.txt'

STB

FREETV wrote: »

You are talking about opening the debug logging list after clicking view is it? No suitable interface module. Error opening logfile 'vlc- log.txt'

Sounds to be like the device drivers are not installed.


The "721" are you sure its not a 712.



http://www.itemstech.com.tw/html/products/usb/712.html



Make sure you have the latest version of VLC installed.

FREETV

STB wrote: »

Sounds to be like the device drivers are not installed.


The "721" are you sure its not a 712.



http://www.itemstech.com.tw/html/products/usb/712.html



Make sure you have the latest version of VLC installed.

Hi, STB, I have the latest VLC version in the laptop thanks. The drivers were installed as I had the sound and all of the stations were tuned in. All I need is for the pictures to decode with VLC'S MPEG4 decoder. Couldn't get it to work yet. Any ideas, solutions? It was made by Itemstech for CD-R King.

STB

FREETV wrote: »

Hi, STB, I have the latest VLC version in the laptop thanks. The drivers were installed as I had the sound and all of the stations were tuned in. All I need is for the pictures to decode with VLC'S MPEG4 decoder. Couldn't get it to work yet. Any ideas, solutions? It was made by Itemstech for CD-R King.

VLC probably doesnt like that device for whatever reason.

Okay you are going to have to use third party codecs - try http://www.cyberlink.com/downloads/trials/powerdvd/download_en_GB.html and a third party player or Windows Media Centre.

It includes the MPEG4 H264 codec. Its a trial, but the codec will continue to work after the trial period.

If your own application that came with that stick still doesnt decode it, use Windows Media Centre (its Vista right ?) See Windows Media Center TV Pack Help and Support article or the program mentioned earlier in the thread as a viewer.