Re: Freeview Hauppauge DEC2000-T, PC software now crashes


Keith W wrote:
> <poster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:1133470785.363209.25880@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >
> > rja.carnegie@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> > > If this is the place to bring it up... I'm in central Scotland.
> > > Recently, the PC software for my Hauppauge DEC2000-T USB/set-top box,
> > > older model, has started crashing its interface sporadically, on two
> > > different PCs, usually within a minute of changing channel. The crash
> > > also seems to stop recording, although audio can still be heard. But
> > > as of yesterday, tuning to BBC Radio 4 (704) is an immediate crash...
> > > maybe I'm just less observant than I thought. Most, not all, other TV
> > > and radio stations are okay. Is something new and unpleasant being
> > > transmitted?
> > >
> > > I was thinking of getting a Nebula card anyway. I'd already got
> > > sufficiently fed up with the Hauppauge box's stupid recording system to
> > > replace it with AutoHotkey automation scripts to push the buttons at
> > > timed intervals, with a fair amount of success. The box itself wants
> > > to perform recording by starting its application from Windows Task
> > > Scheduler (rebooting the set-top box) and stopping the app when
> > > finished (again rebooting the box). So if you want to record one
> > > programme after another, it's tricky. And sometimes it simply doesn't
> > > run.
> > >
> > > This isn't Hauppauge's latest model, of course.
> > >
> > > Possible other factors:
> > > - Microsoft Windows updates and Internet Explorer updates
> > > - Upgraded driver software (but the upgrade might have been to fix the
> > > problem)
> > > - Electronic program guide (tried turning off onscreen display, no
> > > help)
> > > - Hardware fault (why does it affect specific stations?)
> > >
> > > There are 2 crash states - sometimes the set-top box needs power off
> > > and on before it'll play again, sometimes not.
> > >
> > > Any suggestions are invited, including that upgrade to a Nebula.
>
> A similar thing happened to me about three weeks back - the 2000 was working
> passably well (only the usual crashing of scripts during start of recording)
> until I tuned to E4+1. Box immediately caused a reboot, and attempts to get
> into any other progs also failed immediately. A complete clean out and
> reinstall hasn't made any difference - no channels will now play more than a
> few seconds before either the software is closed by Windows, or a reboot
> occurs. Not managed to find a way around it yet - but just got a Humax
> 9200T, so probably will consign the 2000 to being a dumb box on a spare tele
> in one of the bedrooms. Must confess that I wish I hadn't bothered to be an
> early adopter of the 2000 - I notice that the hardware seems to have changed
> a couple of times since I got the box.

Thanks - I'll be interested in how you get on with the new kit.

Channels still okay on my own DEC seem to include BBC 7 (708), BBC
World Service (710), Oneword (717) and probably BBC 1 - I tend not to
use it for TV or without the PC. On the other hand, BBC Radio 2 does
it - I'm pretty sure I recorded something on 2 last week without
trouble - and I think ITV did it as well.

If it kicked in on your box at the same time as mine, it suggests it's
the signal that does it - but any chance of a software fix from
Hauppauge? I suppose if you don't ask, you don't get - but it may be
wise to collect information first. And obviously the broadcasters
haven't slaughtered all PC-based Freeview receivers at a stroke, or
there'd be a lot more noise.

I think it's also still possible that a Windows Update has clobbered
the components of Hauppauge's interrface that seem to be implemente
through Internet Explorer - but the laptop hasn't been updated for a
while; it isn't online at the moment. (It will be, at my earliest
convenience, even with this thing - it won't get any worse.)

Since in fact I've only noticed certain channels being definite kills
after switching the box to the laptop (a USB hard disk backup somehow
did something nasty to the desktop PC's disk, involving scattering bad
sectors across it - far-fetched but I'm looking at it), a Windows
Update of the laptop (Windows XP Tablet Edition, by the way, and the
desktop is XP Professional) might even improve matters.

.