Hauppauge Colossus HD-PVR

[amosnov]

I just purchased this card. Could only use one of 3 PCIe x 1 slots in full size MB. The card was too long for two and hitting my memory slots (4 slots on the MB all populated). For the remaining PCIe x 1 the Colossus nicely blocks the fan of my Radeon 5770 graphics card. I'll find out if this is an issue the next time I'm in DXHR. Other than that install and hookup was easy. I installed the latest drivers and SW and its capturing as advertised, results are excellent.

My main beef is the IR blaster set up. First I did not believe the transmitter had to be pasted over the IR receiver on the STB (gateway portal), I placed it just in front. First (I thought), IR handheld remotes work from across the room and second, I thought I'd block the handheld remote. I finally discovered that indeed I did need to stick it on the STB and this did not block the handheld. I tried finding a code but that way is not ideal because the STB does not turn off. I tried learn mode and had success entering numbers but no success sending numbers except for zero. Any assistance would be appreciated. I'll turn my IR blaster transmitter vertical as suggested in an earlier post but I can't think of anything else.

I have downloaded the windows media center support software and will give that a try tonight but its success rides on IR blaster success. The WinTV scheduler is useless without a TV guide. The Arcsoft Showbiz is a much better interface for video capture than WinTV also.

[Wayne]

You need some real PVR software to take advantage of tuning cards like this. So try it with Windows Media Center or NextPVR.

[amosnov]

Agree 100%. I used Beyond TV in the pre-digital world, it was an awesome UI and software for my use but it has not been updated for a few years. Windows Media Center is really clunky in comparison. I'll take a look at NextPVR, thanks. Sage TV sounds like another alternative. Of course this all rests on me getting the IR blaster up and running.

[OTAJuncqui]

I've had a Haup2250 MCE kit for over a year and never used the IR blaster. I let EventGhost handle remote input for NextPVR, VLC and some other actions(log off). However in the case of the 2250 card you need a regedit file to get EventGhost to recognize it.

EDIT: I realize now that this won't help with a STB, sorry.

[TorontoColin]

I've never been thrilled with the Colossus' IR blaster. I'd recommend looking into getting a separate USB blaster if all else fails. First try some of the other HTPC software though, they may handle the IR codes differently.

[Wayne]

Originally Posted by amosnov

Agree 100%. I used Beyond TV in the pre-digital world, it was an awesome UI and software for my use but it has not been updated for a few years. Windows Media Center is really clunky in comparison. I'll take a look at NextPVR, thanks. Sage TV sounds like another alternative. Of course this all rests on me getting the IR blaster up and running.

SageTV was the best and I would highly recommend it - I have a SageTV server with 6 tuners and 6 SageTV extenders throughout my house.

The only problem is that Google bought SageTV back in July and they immediately stopped selling all of their products.

[Wayne]

Another option for changing channels may be firewire. My Rogers HD boxes have firewire ports and there are drivers available that allow you to change channels via firewire - assuming that you are using a 32 bit version of Windows.

If not then your next best option is a USB-UIRT. Hauppauge's IR blasters are infamous for being problematic.

[amosnov]

Thanks Wayne and others for the IR blaster info. Unmentioned up to now was my other problem with windows media center. WMC was recognizing the card but would fail to load the TV channels for the guide. This finally got fixed yesterday after I found detailed information elsewhere.

Of course with WMC up and running, I can't get the IR blaster install to run at all now (not recognized). Two steps forward, one step back.

[pipette]

Sorry for coming in so late in the discussion, but here is a summary of my experience with the Colossus card:

-The irblaster works fine. Just as long one knows how to glue it on correctly.

-WHen I got the Colossus card, Windows media ceter did not support it. Seems it now does, but I simply did not try yet. And their low level of support for canadians does not encourage me in the least.

-For a year now, I have been making do with WINTV, Hauppauge's software. Not so bad once you get to know it. Unfortunately, it has become very unstable with the last Windows 7 update: The scheduler fails to work, tv stunters and I have to reboot the whole computer. A mess. I therefore cannot recommend this option.

-My next move will be to try again Media Portal and to try NextPVR.

Best of luck, and keep us posted!

[Wayne]

Originally Posted by pipette

-WHen I got the Colossus card, Windows media ceter did not support it. Seems it now does, but I simply did not try yet. And their low level of support for canadians does not encourage me in the least.

While I am generally very critical of MS' lack of support for Canada there shouldn't be an issue with this card. The channel lineup should be supported for Canadian cable and satellite companies and has been for a long time. That is the same for the Colossus as for an older analog capture card like a PVR-150 where you would use an s-video input and an IR blaster.

FYI - I haven't used a Colossus with MC but I have used an HD-PVR so it is the same issues for the most part.

[amosnov]

Thanks for your feedback pipette. A few weeks ago I upgraded my desktop, new OS install. I got WMC working fine with the Colossus as before (all the channels for the guide) but no better luck with the irblaster only frustration.

What I don't get, is that you can aim a remote at the back wall of the room and still change channels but this irblaster has to be within micrometers of the ir receiver sensor on the portal to work. I can understand that you want to minimize leakage so other devices are not affected but the irblaster must be operating at some incredibly low power to make the portal ir receiver sensor so insensitive. You'd think there would be some way to adjust this power level.

I have been looking at the commercial irblaster mentioned in an earlier post but have not yet pulled the trigger on that. So far I've recorded a few shows manually with the ArcSoft video capture software. It'd be nice to get this automated. I'll post my solution if/when this happens.

[Tikker]

if you're going to use Media Center, you pretty much need to abandon hauppauge's terrible IR blasters, and use the MS usb one

[jerkyboy]

Hey all, I was considering this Hauppauge Colossus HD PVR card today but I noticed on the box it states: 'up to 2 hours of video at 5MBits/sec'

What does that actually mean?? Does it mean it can only record HD 1080/720 up to 2 hrs??

[eggman2112]

On my box it says 2 Hours of video on a standard dvd-r. I don't see anything about 5Mbits/s on the box but also says 1 to 20 Mbits/s so I guess at 20Mbits/s you only get 30 min of video on a standard dvd-r.

It also says recommended hard drive space 220MB but you'll likely need more than that if you want to record anything. I have 1 TB but I'll see how many hours media centre can record on that.

I just finished setting my model 1414 card up on a Dell system with i7-920 with W7U32 and using Media Center. It only took about 4 hours (I had to go get another toslink cable and a few beers).

I haven't tried any editing or burning of shows yet but I think you have to record with WinTV do edit in arcsoft or something.

My main problem was I installed the software and driver from the CD instead of downloading the latest 2.5 version. After I had the 2.5 software and driver that comes with it installed, I downloaded hdpvr-colossus_mce_29271.zip.

I installed the mce setup file and I could set up the device in media center and watch the hd tv. But I couldn't change the channels as other people had problems with.

What I did:
Hooked up my eHome IR receiver from my old HP Media Center with no IR blaster plugged in. (I couldn't get my eHome blaster to work it could be defective I'm not sure.)

I used the hauppauge blaster that comes with the card as it worked great in the blastcfg program.

To get it working with my media center i had to install the other 2 programs that come with the mce setup file like it says in the install pdf which i didn't read till later. They are ir32.exe and irblast.exe.

I'm using a Rogers Pace DC551 aka Sci-Atlanta 8300 HD for blastcfg

Recorded Battle L.A. for something to do...

Now I can finally record Formula 1 racing and baseball and the olympics and watch them in HD 5.1 when I want. Thanks Hauppauge!

[DCor]

Does anyone happen to have the Colossus & a 2250 installed in one HTPC? Wondering if the drivers install without conflict! Would you need an IR on each card?