Can't record sound in Media Center after upgrading to the 722 dual-mode receivcer

[Digital Jim]

I have an HP Pavillion running Windows Vista Premium (with Windows Media Center) and a ViXS PureTV - U 48B0 (NTSC/ATSC Combo) TV tuner card. My sound card is a Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio. Using my old HD only receiver, I ran an RG-6 cable from the output of the set-top box to the input on the TV card. I then ran an RG-6 to my Panasonic 56" widescreen. I ran a fiber optic cable from the TV tuner card to the DVD optical input on my 5.1 receiver. So, when I watched a recorded TV show, all I had to do was hit the DVD button on the receiver's remote. Everything worked fine.

After upgrading, I tried to get a TV signal using the same setup, but since Windows Media Center only allows channels 2,3,4, composite, video1, or video2, I could not get a signal after a scan of channels. I then used the s-video out on the 722 to the s-video in on the TV card. I know had a signal, but no sound after recording.

I then tried using the analog red and white cables to the TV and then the receiver with no luck.

I recently worked on a computer with an older Hauppage WinTV card and when scanning, it identified channel 73 as the correct one and it worked fine on that computer, but it wasn't running Media Center.

Anybody with a similar system setup?

Thanks,

Jim

 

[HobbyTalk]

S-video does not carry audio. You will need to run audio (red/white) from the 722 to your PC.

 

[Digital Jim]

Thanks, but I've already tried that......Clarification:

I then tried using the analog red and white cables (from the TV card) to the TV and then the (722) receiver with no luck. I tried it again just to be sure. I also tried the PC2 connection as well.

My system has no speakers, I run the fiber optic cable to my 5.1 channel receiver. I can hear all sounds in Windows except for live TV in Windows Media Center.

I just tried the 3.5mm jack from the TV card to the Panasonic TV....When I went to Test, I could not hear any sounds.

I think what I might need is another fiber optic cable from the fiber optic out on the Panasonic TV to the fiber optic in on the TV card.

When I go to Sound in Control Panel under Playback it lists the Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio Digital Output Device (SPDIF) which is correct. Under Recording it lists the Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio Digital Input Device (SPDIF) as working, but it is not connected. I can't change the default device.

Jim

 

[Scott6760]

The 722 has 4 audio outputs...coax, RCA(red & white), HDMI, and Optical. You can set TV1 to ch 3 or 4 (Menu, 6, 1, 5), but I have installed on Windows Media Center and been able to use channel 21, 60, 73, whatever. If it was me I would set TV1 to ch 3 and run coax to the PC. I would feed the TV directly off the Component or HDMI of the 722. Do you have a second room running off your 722 or is it single mode?

 

[Skibum]

The 722 does not have a TV1 coax output; only composite, S-video, component, or HDMI. For audio on the TV1 output, you have RCA (red/white), optical, or the HDMI. If it's just the S-video between your 722 and tuner card, you will never get sound because it's only digital SD video. You have to run audio separately. That "Home Distribution" coax output on the back of your 722 is for TV2 output only and you will only be able to select air channels 21-69 or cable channels 73-125.

 

[Scott6760]

The 722 does not have a TV1 coax output; only composite, S-video, component, or HDMI. For audio on the TV1 output, you have RCA (red/white), optical, or the HDMI. If it's just the S-video between your 722 and tuner card, you will never get sound because it's only digital SD video. You have to run audio separately. That "Home Distribution" coax output on the back of your 722 is for TV2 output only and you will only be able to select air channels 21-69 or cable channels 73-125.

Next time you install a 722 press Menu...6...1...5 and look at the modulator screen. For TV1 you can choose 3, 4, or OFF(default), and for TV2 you have the standard 21-69 or 73-125. Both outputs run off the 'Home Distribution' port. If you want to run coax to both TV1 and TV2 you will need to put a splitter on the Home Dist. output.

 

[Digital Jim]

Thanks for the advice, now we're getting somewhere.

I just tried changing TV 1 output, but it will only allow channels 73-125. Same thing on TV 2 (only it allowed 21-69 when mode was on Air

I'm running a fiber optic cable from the 722 to my 5.1 to receive sounds. The 722 is connected with an HDMI cable to the Panasonic TV.

I do have the Home Distribution RG-6 cable running to my TV tuner card and then output to the Panasonic TV.

Still no sound after changing TV 2 to channel 73.

How are you able to change TV 1 to channel 3? That's the only way Windows Media Center will recognize a signal.

Jim

 

[Skibum]

Next time you install a 722 press Menu...6...1...5 and look at the modulator screen. For TV1 you can choose 3, 4, or OFF(default), and for TV2 you have the standard 21-69 or 73-125. Both outputs run off the 'Home Distribution' port. If you want to run coax to both TV1 and TV2 you will need to put a splitter on the Home Dist. output.

Ah, I thought the TV1 could only be output on air 21-69 or cable 73-125 like TV2. I'll definitely look closer next time.

Jim, there's no area under the TV1 section of the modulator screen to select "air", "cable", or channels 3 or 4 to output the TV1 signal?

 

[Digital Jim]

Hi again, thankls for your reply.

Under Modulator Setup (TV1) you can choose Air, Cable, or Off (off is default) and the channel (62) is greyed out and not changeable. If I select Cable, it only allows channels 73-125. If I choose Air, it allows channels 21-69,

There is no option for setting it to channel 3 or 4

Jim

 

[Skibum]

I see! Are you sure you're not muting other sound inputs on your computer? I can't imagine why you're not getting sound if you're running optical from your 722 to your computer. What about an RCA-to-3.5mm plug for analog sound input directly into your sound card?

 

[Mike_H]

This sounds quite confusing. Let's start with how TV cards work. TV cards typically work by taking both video and sound into them. Then have a pass through cable for the sound to go into the sound input on your sound card. This is because the sound that comes off the coax input is typically line level, and will need to be amplified through the sound card.

Then the TV recording app will record sound either from the sound card input, or the Wave out of the sound card. This input is usually either the Mic input, or the Line In input on the sound card.

I suggest grabbing a headphone set you can plug into the various ports on the sound card and video card to figure out where the sound is coming in from.

 

[Digital Jim]

You're right, it is a confusing setup yet worked perfectly untill the upgrade to the 722 dual-tuner.

Like I stated before, I have no speakers connected to the pc through the soundcard. My videocard (Nvidea GeForce 8500GT is connected by an HDMI from the videocard to the Panasonic TV HDMI in and a DVI cable to the Digital PC monitor. I could care less about Windows sounds, so when I wanted to use appications to play video or audio, I just pushed the DVD button on my remote control on my 5.1 channel receiver and it played back in very high quality Dolby Pro Logic mode.

Old setup was like this.........RG-6 from the back of the old HD receiver to the Vid input on the TV tuner card. An RG-6 cable to the VHF/UHF cable in on the Panasonic TV. I then ran the fiber optic cable from the TV tuner card to the DVD input on my 5.1 receiver for sound. That's it and it worked correctly.

There never was a passthrough cable as there is no 3.5mm jack on the TV card.

Skibum, I tried the 3.5mm jack from the sound card to the 3.5mm jack in on the Panasonic TV. I then tried the analog cables from the TV tuner card to the HDMI audio in on the Panasonic TV. I tried recording on both, but didn't review them immediately. One of those combinations worked, but I have to figure out which one again.

If I record in this fashion, will I loose the 5.1 channel output when replaying recorded TV?

Jim