Hauppauge Colossus HD-PVR

[Wayne]

Originally Posted by ScaryBob

Someone is working on adding support in MediaPortal. I wouldn't be surprised if SageTV adds support as well.

SageTV released a beta version that supports the Colossus a few weeks ago.

[pipette]

Not sure which box I have ( I'm at work now) but I jsut bought it a month ago ( it is their old stock, I only paid 100$ or something like that, as it doesn't have a HD).

Like I said, the problem I had was not Colossus or Hauppauge's fault, but was videotron-related. Still don't like their connector, though. I guess they have to put it that way, due to the size of the card, and it is solid once it is in.

I am tempted to buy a HD-PVR BOx for my second tv, though. THey are on sale at 100$ in Dumoulin.... Had I seen this before, this is what I would have bought, and not the Colossus card, due to the additional connectors the box probably has ( didn't check) that the card simply doesn't have any place to put.

[danbcman]

An update since my last post here I removed my video card and place my tuner in the 16x slot turned on the onboard video and all is working great together. I don't use the system for viewing the results so it gives me all recording cards in on box great until I decide to add another PCIe card. Glad I dropped in on this post it motivated me to solve the slot problem.

Of all the reading I did on the two PVR's Hauppauge has I never read in any on the many forums I visited ever hearing of problems with the Ir setups.

[Wayne]

Originally Posted by pipette

Not sure which box I have ( I'm at work now) but I jsut bought it a month ago ( it is their old stock, I only paid 100$ or something like that, as it doesn't have a HD).

The IR blaster essentially just acts like a remote control. As long as the IR blaster can send the correct remote commands then you should be good. I would be surprised if Videotron uses unique codes and I think that Videotron uses the same Cisco (formerly know as Scientific Atlanta) boxes used by Rogers and in Ontario.

[ScaryBob]

Some people have reported problems when using the IR blaster in the HD PVR. That's why I am interested in how it works for the Colossus.

[pipette]

OK, I have a cisco explorer 4642HD. Still haven't tried connecting it, though. My daughter is monopolizing the tv, so I can't really do anything at this point....
One of the questions I have is the iR blaster has two devices connected to it. Why, and which one should I use?

I'il look at what the people with Rogers say...

[danbcman]

cisco explorer 4642HD

This may be the wrong area for your question?

[pipette]

Possibly. I was just answering Wayne's question.

In any case, I can't say it works or not, I haven't tried yet. A going to hopefully tonight, my daughter has some reading to do, which means tv is mine....

[pipette]

I have tried and tried, but still can't get the correct code for the videotron box with the colossus. Can't say if it's the colossus's fault or mine, but I am pretty fed up at this point....

The autosearch feature is a waste of time, it turns around and around, always going back to the same things to try. And trying all codes is an exercise in patience, which I am short of these days.

[ScaryBob]

You should be able to teach the Colossus the codes from the original remote. At least that's how the HD PVR and other similar devices work. It may be worthwhile doing an internet search as well. I've found codes that other people programmed that way.

[pipette]

I looked in this forum, and didn't find anything. I'll look around elsewhere. Thanks, Bob...

[pipette]

OK, a little more on my experience with Colossus.

Got the iR blaster to work. I can easily change channels from the htpc and record from it. The problem was easy so slve once I understood its source: I had not understood how much of a short-range their gadget was. I was putting it near the ir detector. What was needed was to glue it directly over it, vertically. Well, the first time I tried, it fell down in 5 minutes. So I had glued it on with fun tack. IR was not passing through.

Once I found a warning on the very short rang of this gadget on the web, I put the ir thing directly at the right position, and used fun-tack AROUND it to old it in place. SO now this works fine, but looks horrible.

And the software really sucks. Problem is, Window media center does not recognize the Colossus card ( checked on other web sites: this is a known problem). And of coursse this is what I was planningto use...

Media portal has a fix, but I haven't tried it yet. And Sage is supposed to work, but I don't, want a paying solution right now.

As it is, I have to program anything I want to record at most three hours before record time ( can be another day: I can program a 11 oclock show for tomorrow, but I have to program it between 9 and 12....) Unless I am not doing something right... I'll get it tested by my daughter ( she's 17, if she can't how am I supposed to be able to?)

So basically, in a few weeks, once I have ironed out all the interface problems, this will be a great card. Right now, i'ts more of a great pain in the ....

Hope this helps someone...

[inocent]

Will this work on 16x or 4x PCIe slot? I don't have any 1x slots on my mobo.

[garbageman]

I have one in a x1 slot and one in a x16 slot on and Acer dual core and they both work. I installed and the computer recognized both of them.

[takeaim]

are there any negatives for running it on a x16 slot? i'm thinking about doing the same as my htpc has much more room near a x16 slot than trying to force it into a x1 slot.

thanks