DVB Software, Arcsoft TotalMedia SUCKS!

Soldato
Joined
27 Jan 2005
Posts
3,655
Location
Expat in HK
Recently just got the Freecom USB DVB-T Analog/Digital and the software provided is abysmal. Cannot resize screen to accomodate a widescreen television and can't swap channels around, so for example i have Ch5 as Ch1. Frustration!
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Jan 2006
Posts
3,091
Location
Norwich
I've had this problem up to a point as well. You'll find that with the cheap(er) Phillips like yours tuner cards only the digital tends to work properly, and analouge solely with the supplied app, which I think is something to do with the BDA driver implementation. Personally I use Cyberlink Power Cinema, as this is the only thing that recognises the analouge properly other than the MFG software & was actually supplied with the card. Its a little bloaty & still slow on my machine:
A64 3700+ @2.7ghz
2gb Geil Value
Geforce 7600GT 256mb heavily overclocked
Lifeview FlyDVB-T Hybrid Duo (Separate digital & analouge tuners)
XP Pro

Better than the generic manufacturers app though.

-Leezer-
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Jan 2006
Posts
3,091
Location
Norwich
Kaiju said:
Thanks for the heads up, most appreciated. Fellow Narwich OCUKer too. ;)

Yup, that would be Uni :D
Mary Chapman Court last year, now just off Unthank.

Back on topic, the stick in question is an extremely generic Phillips tuner model. Most of the cheap(er) USB TV sticks are based on this model, & I note that Freecom haven't even provided BDA drivers. Basically these provide access to some core Windows functionality & allow other apps than the MFG's specificly written app to access the driver. You'll want to install the Yakumo drivers before just about any TV app other than the supplied one will work, & the supplied ones may want removing, I dunno?

MCE requires BDA drivers to use TV tuners, plain XP doesn't need them other than if you're trying to use something other than the supplied app.

-Leezer-
 
Soldato
OP
Joined
27 Jan 2005
Posts
3,655
Location
Expat in HK
Cool, i'm at the UEA too (Business Info Systems course). I was in Constable for my first year autumn semester, found it full of snobs so moved into Wolfson for the parties in the spring. Then moved just off the campus drive for my first year retake, before last year staying in Bowthorpe. Now going back home to Bradwell on the coast for my third and final year and commuting. :)

On topic, i will need the BDA to run Cyberlinks Power Cinema then? Can ya link me if at all possible? (That is to the drivers of course.)
 
Last edited:
Soldato
Joined
18 Jan 2006
Posts
3,091
Location
Norwich
Yup, Power Cinema requires BDA drivers. Instructions I've shamelessly nicked from elsewhere:


NB: I've only tested this for about 20 minutes. There are likely to be areas where I have screwed up!

Step 1. Remove the old Freecom software and drivers (skip this step if it's not already installed)

Un-install the software from Control Panel

Go into c:\windows\inf and delete the files dtv*.inf and then look at the files that begin oem*.inf. You can double click these files and open them in notepad, If you look at the last few of these files you'll see that one of them refers to the Freecom dtv, delete that file (it was oem16.inf on my system).

Now go into Device Manager and choose View/Show hidden devices. Go down to the 'Sound, video and game controllers' section and delete the 'digital tv device'.

Now physically REMOVE the Freecom device!

Step 2. Download the BDA drivers

Download this file: http://www.yakumo.de/downloads/drivers/DVB-T/Quickstick/BDA_Driver.zip

Unzip the archive.

Step 3. Install the driver

Plug the Freecom device back in, I would recommend that you use a different USB port, I had problems using the same one.

When promted for the driver, choose the option to select it's location manually and point to the driver folder you created in step 2. Most of the drivers will be installed but you will recieve an error that it could not find one of the components - ignore this.

Unplug your Freecom wait 10 seconds then plug in back into the same USB port, it will now find the driver for the missing component and all should be well.

You can also download & install the YakumoTvViewer8.11.05 application at this point. It's worth installing as it allows to make sure your FreeCom device is working and it's actually much better than the original Freecom software.


However, the saga goes on- Sticks purchased after around Feb of this year appear to have a different hardware revision & don't work with any other drivers/ software ATM.

Personally if at all possible I'd be attempting to get a refund & exchange for something with proper drivers.

-Leezer-
 
Soldato
Joined
29 Oct 2004
Posts
10,884
I don't have the same card but the best software I've used with my (PCI) DVB-T card is Windows Media Centre Edition 2005.

A friend of mine uses MediaPortal and seems to like it, you need the BDA drivers for that as explained above though.


[offtopic]
I'm starting at UEA in September :D
[/offtopic]
 
Soldato
Joined
9 May 2005
Posts
4,524
Location
Nottingham
I have used GB-PVR (free) with my Hauppauge WinTV-Nova T PCI which was one of the very first DVB cards availiable in the UK and with BDA drivers installed it works perfectly. The software supplied with mine was pretty good considering it's age but it hasn't been updated for years.
 
Back
Top Bottom