[snowbird72]

I just picked up an HDHomerun Dual the other day to connect to a mac mini (also new), among other devices in the house. Unfortunately, I am having a problem with video stuttering and getting all the OTA channels I had without the HDHR.

My setup is as follows:

• Cable Internet plugged into wireless router (DIR-655)
• Network is wired from w/l router to the basement where I have a couple of old computers setup for the kids as well as my home entertainment area (distribution via a 5-port gigabit switch)
• The HDHR is setup next to Mac Mini in front of a Panny TV.
• OTA cable is routed via a distribution amp to the HDHR
• HDHR is plugged into network via CAT5e cable
• Mac Mini is plugged into network via CAT5e cable

I solved the stuttering problem by plugging the ethernet cable directly from HDHR to the MAC. This is only a temp solution since it is now off the network. Its seems it was too much to send the signal all the way back to the wireless router (across the house through a switch), then back wirelessly to the Mini. I'll need to think about network layout for the perm solution.

The second problem seems to be a tougher one to figure out a fix. I guess I could try moving the modem, router and hdhr closer to the breaker panel where the distribution is just to see if the shorter cable run helps but i cant do this as a perm solution.

I swore I would not connect anything other than the internet to my dedicated photography computer (Win7) but the Media Centre was calling my name to see if I could get OTA/HDHR to work there. I set it up and Bingo, it worked. I set it up to a Niagara area zip code and get all the channels and guide info. Looks great but why do I get all the channels in WMC but not EyeTV3. This test proved to me the hardware works. It seems the software is the issue.

I decided against building my own HTPC and went Mac figuring it would be easier to navigate for the rest of the family and less prone to crashing. This was all part of my case for cutting the cable. While I'm not ready to give up yet, its looking like WMC may have been the better way to go. Has anyone else come across this problem? Any thoughts you may have on this are welcome and appreciated.

 

[Danno100]

I have two HDHomeRun devices on my network. Make sure you have a good splitter or place the device near the incoming cable/OTA connections. I'd stay away from anything wireless with HD OTA for direct viewing. My WMC PC stays on 24/7 and runs for months with no issues recording up to 15 shows a day. I record to a 2 TB drive, so it holds about 500 TV shows at any one time. Managing what to delete is automatic as is the TV guide in WMC.

Remote Potato HD is an great app for the iPad/iPod that will let you stream recorded TV, movies, music pictures from WMC to those devices or other PC's. It is also easy to share recorded TV from one computer to another using Win 7. Set up is only required once.

There is also a "WMC Guide Tool" that will let you edit WMC channels (outside of Media Centre) that the system may not pick up automatically. Tuner Salad is a great Windows app that can add up to 12 tuners (WMC default max is 4). Good luck.

 

[snowbird72]

Thanks for the comments Danno .

I am hoping to resolve the issue with EyeTV and Mac otherwise I will likely return the MacMini and revert to a htpc build. It seems the hdhomerun isn't the issue given my WMD experiment. My only splitter is a distribution amp and my OTA setup works otherwise.

 

[envirogeek]

My HDHomeRun to EyeTV install is attic antenna->20 foot run of Rg59->HD HomeRun->Cat5 patch cable->wall mount keystone jack->Cat5 run->patch panel->Cat5 patch cable->GigSwitch->Cat5 patch cable->AirPortExtreme->Cat5 patch cable->GigSwitch->Cat5 patch cable->patch panel->Cat5 run->wall mount keystone jack->Cat5 patch cable->100BASE-T->G4 Mini.

Long story but... the main point is I still get 100 percent signal and quality on 5 of the 6 channels, and 98% quality on one. So, you should be able to eliminate the local network variable in your situation if you hardwire while testing.

We don't have anywhere near the same number of channels out here, but in both Edmonton and Calgary I have been able to tune all the channels on my HDHomeRun that I can get on any other OTA device I have in use at either location. I've been recording OTA in Calgary from my HDHomeRun with my old 1.25 GHz G4 mini on the last version of EyeTV that supports PPC hardware.

I saw some differences in how the virtual channels were being assigned to the real channels on the tuners in EyeTV versus the Signal GH software on my iPad before I did a firmware upgrade through the hdhomerun_config_gui app. Maybe checking for a firmware upgrade will help.

I have also noticed some small differences between the frequency reported by EyeTV when it has tuned in a channel, and what frequency the station says it is transmitting. Don't know if that means anything or not, or what really to do with the information. I wonder if you see the correct frequency in WMC and an almost correct frequency in EyeTV? Perhaps out by 1 Mhz?

If you see that also, have you tried the "extensive" or "advanced" scan? I don't have the software right in front of me to know for sure if I'm giving you the correct wording...

 

[snowbird72]

Thanks enviro geek.

I was watching tv again tonight and had the same lag/stuttering problem. I connected the hdhr and Mac directly with the network cable and the problem disappears. I think hard wiring the Mac to the network will be a must for this to work.

I did another channel scan and this time it found all the channels but the reception still isn't as good as the direct connect to the TV or when connected to the other computer with WMC. Ultimately the Mac is going in the family room where I won't be able to hard wire it so I think I see a power line setup in my future.