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Geniatech DVB-S PCI Crashes on XP Pro SP2

Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 7:09 pm
by maddisu
Hello,

I’ve been experiencing some problems with ProgDVB.
Hardware:
Intel Pentium D @ 3.4GHz, 1GB DDR2 RAM, 160GB HDD, Intel 945G Chipset

DVB-S Card: Geniatech Digistar DVB-S PCI Card
OS: Microsoft Windows XP Pro SP2 32 bit
ProgDVB: Version 6.32.4 Standard Edition
LNB: EUROLINE Universal Ku Band Dual LNB (one output for the card and one for another receiver)

I first installed the drivers for Vista from the original driver disc that came with the card. When I launched the installation, it prompted me to select the type of DVB-S card and I selected Geniatech. Then, after installation was complete, I went to Settings>Device List and clicked on Auto. Then, the program activated 5 things including {BDA} Digital TV. Then, I added an LNB with the satellite Badr 4,6. ProgDVB then instantly made a list of channels grouped by their providers. All fine till now.

The problems are:
1. After watching a channel for about 15 or 20 minutes, the image freezes and a dark screen appears. Then, the Q indicator goes to 0 and no channel works. Its after closing ProgDVB, waiting for about 30 seconds and after starting ProgDVB again that I can watch any channel for another 15 or 20 minutes.

2. The remote control does not work. It is not being detected.

3. Some specific channels like KTV2 & Arirang freeze at anytime
although the other receiver which is connected to the same LNB doesn’t seem to have problems with these channels at all.

The Card is brand new and I installed a clean Vista Installation just yesterday (All original drivers installed). Is there any way around this problem?

Thank you in advance,

Addisu

Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 2:47 am
by Juergen
You may have to install the whole original software / driver package first.
BDA devices may require some proprietary settings from there, to work properly.

Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 7:29 pm
by maddisu
Thanks,

I'll try that and update.

Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 4:40 pm
by maddisu
I removed all the progdvb installation and I reinstalled all the drivers along with the progdvb that came on the original disc.
I guess it installed additional drivers and the remote worked.

However, the crashing was not solved.
Is there any setting I should change or something?

Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 12:35 am
by Juergen
Do you get any error messages on that crashes?
If so, please post in full detail.
If not, try debug mode and post results.

BTW, did you install with timeshift? With what settings then?
Generally, have a look on memory usage.

Also look at your user rights settings, regarding an eventual timeshift file's location, ProgDVB path, disk quota and alike.

Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 10:41 am
by maddisu
I don’t get any errors when it crashes. As for the memory issue, I’ve disabled the time shift altogether. What is Debug mode?

Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 1:13 am
by Juergen
Create a(nother) desktop icon for the ProgDVB executable.
Change it's properties, add /debug to the target command line, like this:

C:\ProgDVB\ProgDvbNet.exe /debug

Of course, the path depends on the place, you've installed ProgDVB to.

Start ProgDVB from that icon.
Check the new debug menu item for switches then.

Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 7:43 pm
by maddisu
Just when I started progDVb in debug mode, it showed me the following error with a title ProgDvbEngine.

"Create filter error (Video decoder)"
When I clicked Ok, it popped up another one,
"Create filter error (Audio decoder)"

The same errors kept appearing whenever I changed channels.

As for the Debug menu for switches, I didn't get what you meant.
There's a Debug menubar which when clicked only shows me "Filter Manager". When I opened Filter manager, it showed me a window
with two sections. Everything under #0 pid upto #4 pid has a green dot before it and numbers that fluctuate after the semicolon (:).
The others,#5 pid upto #127 pid all have red dots before them and have a value of 0 after the semicolons with no fluctuating numbers.

Then, in the bottom, it says Total traffic x mbyte(s). x started from 1 and climbed up to 1228 until the channels stuck. I don't think the number at the traffic at which it stuck is important because the number was smaller when it stuck quickly. This happens when I don't wait long enough before starting ProgDVB again. The longer I wait, the longer it keeps showing without stucking.

The other section of the window, with time indicators show some things with - OK suffixes. This is what was visible when the channels were showing properly. As soon as it stuck, the previous pids (i.e. #1 upto #4) remained green but the fluctuating numbers all went to 0 and the Total traffic went to 0 mbyte(s).

The Packet Errors box remaind Dropped : 0 and CRC errors: 0 at all times.

Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 12:03 am
by Juergen
What skin do you use for ProgDVB?

Normally the debug menu should list several "create ... log" items.
But incomplete skins may perhaps not include those.

Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 12:47 pm
by maddisu
The Default Skin.
At some point though, it told me to check the audio and video codecs. As far as I know, I downloaded and installed a codec pack recently.

Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2010 12:43 am
by Juergen
Oh boy...
This may have ruined your DirectShow system completely.
Most codec packs around tend towards flooding the machine with tons of stuff, without sorting things up properly.
Even worse, it may be a really hard fight, to get rid of that mess in the end... :roll:

Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2010 12:02 pm
by maddisu
Really?
I actually don't mind a clean installation with XP Pro SP2.

Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2010 10:37 pm
by maddisu
Whoa!
Just found out the issue was not related to codecs or drivers whatsoever.
At least not codecs.
I noticed that every time I watch TV using my DVB-S card while the receiver in the living room is turned on, it never freezes!

So then, I thought it was something about power and turned off the power from the PC, no change.

Maybe my dual LNB is malfunctioning??

Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2010 10:48 pm
by maddisu
BTW,

I had to perform a clean WIndows XP Professional SP2 32 bit installation for some other reasons. That's why I changed the thread topic.

Thanks

Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2010 1:41 am
by Juergen
maddisu wrote:Maybe my dual LNB is malfunctioning??
To find out, cross change the cables.
If having exactly the same effects, possible LNB power draw vs. Geniatech power supply + LNB cable losses issue.
But if things do change noticeably, which way ever, it's an LNB issue.