I have had problems with snow using this card with R5D1. The first tuner is worse that the second. A thread on the ivtv mailing list suggests a problem with incoming signal strength:
http://www.mail-archive.com/ivtv-users@ ... 04045.html

Other aspects of this install are working fine including the mceusb remote[from Dell]. Is this hardware to avoid or has anyone gotten this to work properly?

ivtv: ==================== START INIT IVTV ====================
ivtv: version 0.7.0 (tagged release) loading
ivtv: Linux version: 2.6.17-chw-8 SMP preempt mod_unload 586 gcc-3.4
ivtv: In case of problems please include the debug info between
ivtv: the START INIT IVTV and END INIT IVTV lines, along with
ivtv: any module options, when mailing the ivtv-users mailinglist.
ivtv0: Autodetected Hauppauge WinTV PVR-150 card (cx23416 based)
ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:02:08.0[A] -> GSI 17 (level, low) -> IRQ 19
ivtv0: Unreasonably low latency timer, setting to 64 (was 32)
tuner 1-0060: TEA5767 detected.
tuner 1-0060: chip found @ 0xc0 (ivtv i2c driver #0)
tuner 1-0060: type set to 62 (Philips TEA5767HN FM Radio)
tuner 1-0061: chip found @ 0xc2 (ivtv i2c driver #0)
cx25840 1-0044: cx25843-23 found @ 0x88 (ivtv i2c driver #0)
cx25840 1-0044: loaded v4l-cx25840.fw firmware (16382 bytes)
wm8775 1-001b: chip found @ 0x36 (ivtv i2c driver #0)
tveeprom 1-0050: Hauppauge model 23552, rev E487, serial# #######
tveeprom 1-0050: tuner model is Samsung TCPN 2121P30A (idx 87, type 70)
tveeprom 1-0050: TV standards NTSC(M) (eeprom 0x08)
tveeprom 1-0050: second tuner model is Philips TEA5768HL FM Radio (idx 101, type 62)
tveeprom 1-0050: audio processor is CX25843 (idx 37)
tveeprom 1-0050: decoder processor is CX25843 (idx 30)
tveeprom 1-0050: has radio, has no IR remote
ivtv0: This is the first unit of a PVR500
ivtv0: loaded v4l-cx2341x-enc.fw firmware (262144 bytes)
ivtv0: Encoder revision: 0x02050032
ivtv0: Allocate DMA encoder MPEG stream: 128 x 32768 buffers (4096KB total)
ivtv0: Allocate DMA encoder YUV stream: 194 x 10800 buffers (2048KB total)
ivtv0: Allocate DMA encoder VBI stream: 120 x 17472 buffers (2048KB total)
ivtv0: Allocate DMA encoder PCM audio stream: 455 x 4608 buffers (2048KB total)
ivtv0: Create encoder radio stream
tuner 1-0061: type set to 70 (Samsung TCPN 2121P30A)
ivtv0: Initialized WinTV PVR 500 (unit #1), card #0
ivtv: ====================== NEXT CARD ======================
ivtv1: Autodetected Hauppauge WinTV PVR-150 card (cx23416 based)
ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:02:09.0[A] -> GSI 18 (level, low) -> IRQ 20
ivtv1: Unreasonably low latency timer, setting to 64 (was 32)
tuner 2-0061: chip found @ 0xc2 (ivtv i2c driver #1)
cx25840 2-0044: cx25843-23 found @ 0x88 (ivtv i2c driver #1)
cx25840 2-0044: loaded v4l-cx25840.fw firmware (16382 bytes)
wm8775 2-001b: chip found @ 0x36 (ivtv i2c driver #1)
tveeprom 2-0050: Hauppauge model 23552, rev E487, serial# 9646461
tveeprom 2-0050: tuner model is Samsung TCPN 2121P30A (idx 87, type 70)
tveeprom 2-0050: TV standards NTSC(M) (eeprom 0x08)
tveeprom 2-0050: second tuner model is Philips TEA5768HL FM Radio (idx 101, type 62)
tveeprom 2-0050: audio processor is CX25843 (idx 37)
tveeprom 2-0050: decoder processor is CX25843 (idx 30)
tveeprom 2-0050: has radio, has no IR remote
ivtv1: This is the second unit of a PVR500
ivtv1: Correcting tveeprom data: no radio present on second unit
ivtv1: loaded v4l-cx2341x-enc.fw firmware (262144 bytes)
ivtv1: Encoder revision: 0x02050032
ivtv1: Allocate DMA encoder MPEG stream: 128 x 32768 buffers (4096KB total)
ivtv1: Allocate DMA encoder YUV stream: 194 x 10800 buffers (2048KB total)
ivtv1: Allocate DMA encoder VBI stream: 120 x 17472 buffers (2048KB total)
ivtv1: Allocate DMA encoder PCM audio stream: 455 x 4608 buffers (2048KB total)
tuner 2-0061: type set to 70 (Samsung TCPN 2121P30A)
ivtv1: Initialized WinTV PVR 500 (unit #2), card #1
ivtv: ==================== END INIT IVTV ====================

When I set up the card as 2 capture cards in mythsetup, I selected "card type" as "mpeg2-encoder" and the "video device" as /dev/video1 for the first tuner and /dev/video2 for the second tuner. The "default input" for both of these is "tuner1". Selecting the video device of /dev/video0 for the first tuner (which was the default entry when that menu opens) gave me a default input of "television" and produced nothing but snow on the first tuner.

I also have an hd3000 high def card which may be why /dev/video0 has an input of "television", I'm not sure about that.

As far as signal strength goes, this card requires a lot of signal! even though my antenna system runs my tv and vcr fine and even the HD card fine, I had to add another amp in front of the PVR 500 (with the Samsung tuners) in order to get the second tuner to have a snow free picture. the second tuner always seems to be the weaker of the two.

My tuners were recongnized as type 68, not type 70, like yours, but that might be because mine are set up as NTSC Broadcast and yours for cable.


After getting the "video device" right and adding extra amplification I am happy with the card.

I also had to run "alsamixer" and turn on the "headphone" input to get sound from this card.

I'm using a clean install of r5d1 with no package updates of any kind.

Albatron KT600 Pro
Athlon 2600+
512MB ram
17" crt
Geforce FX 5200 but no using tv out at this time
Hauppauge PVR-500 MCE kit - RC6 remote (no name nor model #) and SMK USB Receiver; Samsung TCPN 2121P30A chips.

When the "cable in, screw on type" is connected to the tv the picture quality is excellent.

==================================
refernce: http://www.mail-archive.com/ivtv-users@ ... 03909.html
I did the following but it made no difference.


http://www.madslab.com/pvr500_samsung_patch_2.6.17.diff


To make this work, make sure your tuners are idle and do the following:

Download the patch file and store it somewhere. Then as root, do:

cd /usr/src/linux/drivers/media/video/
patch -p0 < /path/to/samsung_patch_2.6.17.diff
cd /usr/src/linux
make ; make modules_install
rmmod ivtv ; rmmod tuner
modprobe tuner ; modprobe ivtv
==================================

As suggested:http://knoppmythwiki.org/index.php?page=PictureQualityIssues, I've gone through the various picture quality issues and still no difference.

Lower channels picture quality varies from awful to excellent until channel 28. From 28 and above, although channel dependent, are working fine.

I've tried both us-cable and us-cable-hrc.

I've tried moving the pvr-500 to three different pci slots.Two slots not tried.

Tried running directly to box instead of through Belkin soho 4port KVM[mouse was always direct].

Setup geforce 5200 for output, moved box[headless] from computer room to tv room. The physical cable in this room has f-connectors from cable company. No help.


Thanks for the help. Check log files but only hint of a problem was irq disables and is the reason for moving the pvr to other slots. Output:

mythtv@mythtv:~$ dmesg | grep -i disabl
ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKE] (IRQs 3 4 6 7 10 11 12) *0, disabled.
ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKF] (IRQs 3 4 6 7 10 11 12) *0, disabled.
ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNK0] (IRQs 3 4 6 7 10 11 12) *0, disabled.
ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNK1] (IRQs 3 4 6 7 10 11 12) *0, disabled.
ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [ALKA] (IRQs 20) *0, disabled.
ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [ALKB] (IRQs 21) *0, disabled.
ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [ALKC] (IRQs 22) *0, disabled.
ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [ALKD] (IRQs 23) *0, disabled.
PnPBIOS: Disabled by ACPI PNP
IO window: disabled.
IO window: disabled.
MEM window: disabled.
Suspend2 2.2.7.3: Resume2 parameter is empty. Suspending will be disabled.
Serial: 8250/16550 driver $Revision: 1.90 $ 4 ports, IRQ sharing disabled
lo: Disabled Privacy Extensions

If this needs to be cleared up, how do I do it? Any other info need to be posted?

Thanks again, I'm hangin in.

Mine was the same way. The picture is excellent when the cable is connected to a tv and very snowy on lower channels when connected to the pvr500, expecially on tuner 2, unwatchable, actually. Putting another cable amp in front of the pvr500 fixed it. It wasn't even a good amp. It was 20 year old "Archer" from Radio Shack.

Getting a good picture when connected to a tv isn't good enough, you really have to boost the hell out of the signal for this card.

If you haven't yet tried more signal amps, thats the place to start. If you have tried a couple of amps, (put two in series, if you have to) and you still get snow, you may have a defective card. They should replace it for you without any fuss.

...


...

Thanks for the suggestion. I purchased one of the $40 dollar amps at Radio Shack, but it maid no difference. I tried many things again but decided to reinstall. Tried many things again.

At this point Tuner B has excellent video, but Tuner A has poor quality and many "unknowns" in the program guide. I must be on the right track.

How do I resolve Tuner A's issues without messing up Tuner B?

Thanks for the help.

If you go into mythsetup where you defined your prv 500 as two capture cards, what does it say after "card type:" and "video device:" and "default input:" for each of the tuner cards?

I forgot to ask, do you have a zap2it account set up?

I must have been tired[excuse #1]. The program guide is the same for both and the unknowns were because I told Zap2It not to include those channels. I need to tell Mythtv about it. Haven't had a chance to work on it today, but have done a backup and will delete the first tuner and then redo it. I think that I confused "scan for channels" and "fetch from listing source" which I have not found a good description for.

When you set up the capture cards, you don't want to use "scan for channels". You should use "fetch from listing source".