Creatix Tuner card Windows MC and DTT

lartsa

In follow up to a previous thread

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056103877

“ALDI/LIDL PC's use Creatix Tuners cards, larsta most likely has a CTX948 in his/her PC which does do DVT-S/T and analogue - http://www.creatix.com/produkte/mult...cification.pdf

@ larsta the frequency used by Mount Leinster is 666000 kHz. Are you using Window7 or Vista Media centre, can you enter in the frequency manually ?

If you are getting TV3 and TG4 analogue you should get DTT. “

I am using Windows 7 Media centre and as far as I can see I have no facility to choose the frequency, Media Centre is deciding that for me. I can get TV3 and TG4 on the UHF analogue but no DTT.

I would like to try outside of media centre but I do not seem to have any suitable software on the PC (was originally Vista but put 7 on 6 months back)

Anybody know of any (preferably freeware) PC TV Tuner software that would work with my tuner card. ?

Cheers

bg

watty

Not with MPEG4
ProgDVB is free version. But the free version doesn't allow MPEG4 or HD
If it doesn't work in Win7 MC, it's likely it doesn't work.

Try deleting/unistalling the device in Device Manager
and re-detect it

Then run the Media Center setup wizard.
It does scan DTT
DTT stick tested on Win7 http://www.techtir.ie/reviews/mobidtv-dual-usb-dtt

Gerry Wicklow

During the initial setup on Media Center it will look to see what tuners it can find and display a list. In my case it lists analogue, DTT and Sat as 3 seperate tuners. It asks you to confirm if this is correct and gives you the option to change this. If you agree it will then automatically scan the tuners. Sometimes if the DTT is weak it might skip a mux. You also have an option to "Scan for more channels" which will re-scan and only add any new channels but keeping your existing line-up.

STB

Failing that try mediaportal. Also free.

lartsa

Installed Mediaportal

Interesting piece of sfware

It gives a lot more visibility of frequencies being scanned and allows me to choose a frequency, but alas still no joy

Is it possible that my signal is marginal and it is fine for Analogue TV3 and TG4 but not sufficient for Digital (do not seem to get any signal indicator in mediaportal). ?

For info using one of those square grid aerials - roof mounted

cheers

bg

STB

Not likely - if you have any sort of analogue, dtt is likely to be lashing in.

Okay. I am guessing that you dont have a set top box to try and see if you can pick up dtt.

One final check in case its a codec issue.

This is just to check that.

Install VLC (videolan)

Create a short cut on your desktop to:

"C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" dvb-t:// :dvb-frequency=666000000"

And tell me what happens.

It is a UHF aerial you have up ?

watty

Note:
Mediaportal appears to want to install MS Mediaplayer 11 on XP. MP11 is a seriously DRMed piece of junk compared to MP10. I recommend folk only install Mediaportal on Win7, which doesn't need it.

Also it uses SQL, so if you already have an SQL server installed, some expertise required.

Trevord

STB wrote: »

Install VLC (videolan)

Create a short cut on your desktop to:

"C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" dvb-t:// :dvb-frequency=666000000"

And tell me what happens.

It is a UHF aerial you have up ?

I have found that VLC is prone to crash if the signal is borderline useable. Just something to be aware of if you pick up a weak (pixelated) signal. You may start moving the aerial around to get a better signal, only to find that VLC has hanged and you have been wasting your time.

If you do manage to pull in a signal with VLC, then you can go back to Windows Media Cente immediately and let the frequency scan run. It should then find it.

Mr McBoatface

watty wrote: »

Note:
Mediaportal appears to want to install MS Mediaplayer 11 on XP. MP11 is a seriously DRMed piece of junk compared to MP10. I recommend folk only install Mediaportal on Win7, which doesn't need it.

Also it uses SQL, so if you already have an SQL server installed, some expertise required.

Just to add some balance to this comment. I've been using MP on Windows XP HTPC for years. The requirement of Windows Media Player 11 has no negative affects for me at all. I'm not 100% sure but I believe Windows Media Player 11 is only required for the VMR9 video/display rendering.

Most people won't have to change anything in the default SQL server setting which is automatically set-up during the installation.

When used with this plug-in MediaPortal has in my opinion the best available EPG solution for HTPC users who receive their TV from a combination of Sky/Freesat/Freeview & Saorview. That plug-in is under constant development and is always improving. I recently posted some screen shots of the EPG here.

IMO - Mediaportals biggest problem is it can be complicated to set-up for a novice user. It has issues with stability if incompatible codecs are used but only if you are trying to set-up DVXA (hardware acceleration). Fortunately I've found a super stable combination of codecs that deliver full DVXA.

Personally I'd only recommend Mediaportal for HTPC enthusiasts who intend to use it on a dedicated HTPC. Those who use Mediaportal know how to unlock it full potential , things we can't discuss here.

watty

I'm only pointing out that if you really use MP10 on XP, then MP11 will make you cry.

Personally I'd only recommend Mediaportal for HTPC enthusiasts who intend to use it on a dedicated HTPC

In spades. Otherwise don't go near it.

Also if you already using an SQL server that Media Portal can't use, then you have a problem. There is NO warning of the consequences and no option to NOT install MP11 and either a free version of MS-SQL or My-SQL.

I've installed about every media program/viewer and Media Portal is potentially a disaster on any PC running XP that is not going to be a dedicated MP Master or Standalone.

TBH, if you want that you are better figuring to use Linux.

OR use Windows 7. Infact a Media Center is nearly the sole worthwhile reason to have Windows 7 rather than XP sp3.

Media Portal is absolutely not a way to randomly test a DVB card. VLC is a bettter suggestion.

lartsa

STB wrote: »

Not likely - if you have any sort of analogue, dtt is likely to be lashing in.

Okay. I am guessing that you dont have a set top box to try and see if you can pick up dtt.

One final check in case its a codec issue.

This is just to check that.

Install VLC (videolan)

Create a short cut on your desktop to:

"C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" dvb-t:// :dvb-frequency=666000000"

And tell me what happens.

It is a UHF aerial you have up ?

tried the version of VLC I had on the PC and installed the latest version but getting

"Your input can't be opened:
VLC is unable to open the MRL 'dvb-t:// :dvb-frequency=666000000'. Check the log for details."

Got VLC to scan the frequencies but getting nothing.

Dont know if this means anything but when I scan for the Analogue channels using mediaportal I get TV3 on channel 25 and TG4 on channel 22, I believe these should be 26 and 23 !

The fact I am getting good TV3 and TG4 reception means my Aerial is UHF right ? or is this a dangerous assumption ?


cheers bg

watty

I suspect the card is either not great, or driver isn't good
See are there newer drivers.

Failing that get a USB stick for €14 inc postage for single tuner or the one I tested on Win7 MC for under €30 (dual tuner so good when second mux starts in may, probably)

TG4 and TV3 only on UHF.

Unless you are connected to an MMDS dish by mistake

On "Latest" VLC you can browse for the BDA driver DVB-T "capture" card and enter frequency in the GUI

lartsa

In case anybody else hits this problem it was solved by getting the latest driver (version 1403) which is now available on the medion website.

I had previously download version 1403 from the creatix website but that did not work !

two drivers same version number one worked one did not, go figure.

bg