Malfunction of TwinhanDTV Cab-CI model 2033

[jmheino2]

Hi,

 

let's start with my hardware setups:

 

Hardware setup 1:

 

ASUS M2N AM2 NF430 MCP DDR2 SATA2 GBL 6CH

AMD Athlon 64 x2 3800+ AM2

PQI DIMM DDR2 800 512MB CL5 NOT INTEL M

PQI DIMM DDR2 800 512MB CL5 NOT INTEL M

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB Serial-ATA-II

ASUS GF 7600GT PCI-E 256MB 2X DVI

TwinhanDTV Cab-CI model 2033

DVD+/-RW IDE

Microsoft Windows® XP Home Edition

DVBViewer Version: V3.5.0

 

 

Hardware setup 2:

 

ASUS A8V-XE S939 K8T890 Sata2 raid ddr pci-e

AMD Ahlon 64 3000+ 1.8 GHz S939

512MB DDR 400MHz PC-3200

eagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB Serial-ATA-II

ASUS EN6600 silent/td/512M nVidia FeForce 6600 PCI-E

Technisat CableStar 2 DVB-C PCI

TwinhanDTV Cab-CI model 2033

DVD+/-RW IDE

Microsoft Windows® XP Home Edition

DVBViewer Version: V3.5.0

Included support.zip is from this computer. However software setup is identical in both machines.

 

 

I got my hardware setup 2 working perfectly with CableStar 2 receiver (few small drawbacks, nothing signifficant). I found allmoust all free to air channels with DVBViewers scan option. Missing channels started to work after I configured them manually in accordance with instructions of our local cabel company (Channel parameter can be found here: http://dvb.swelcom.fi/cable.php). From that channel list first 18 TV channels and 7 radio channels are free to air, if that helps. Parameters for HD1 channel are not incluted in that table, but lukilly scan option found it. All 26 channels are working nicely with CableStar 2.

 

Problems occurs when I start to use TwinhanDTV Cab-CI (Model 2033) receiver. (I have read from this forum that there is, or at least has been, problems with receiving encrypted channels with this card. Let’s say I’m not there jet, so let’s keep our minds in free to air channels only.) Channels with transport stream ID 2 does not show at all. Screen stays black and speakers stay dumbed. However, EPG-data can be received, but teletext would not work. Other channels are working just fine (not as smoothly as with CableStar, but still). When I change channel from bad ones to good ones, picture and sound starts to freeze every other second. Only solution for this seems to be restart DVBViewer. How can I get my TwinhanDTV Cab-CI working correctly?

 

TwinhanDTV problems occur in both hardware setups. Hardware setup 2 has been tested with and without CableStar 2. Double receiver setup has been tested in all receiver priority combination, same result. In those cases where CableStar 2 has had higher priority, I have recorded one channel with CableStar 2 and tryed to view another channel (from different cannel group) with TwinhanDTV. Software setup is similar in both computers. Support.zip is from hardware setup 2.

 

So, any suggestions?

 

-Jukka-

 

 

channellist.ini

support.zip

[Engelbert]

Delete all log-files.

 

Update PRO with PRO-Beta V 3.5.0.100, as well DVB filter (pushsource.ax) on V 2.8.2 (register !).

 

Adjust audio Renderer to 'Default DirectSound Device.'

 

And the tool TransEdit (member area) for scanning with your transponder list has a try.

Edited November 16, 2006 by Engelbert

[jmheino2]

Hello.

 

Thank You for a fast reply. I installed DVBViewer beta in new directory, get latest drivers / codecs and made changes You suggested. By using TransEdit, I found all channels with Twinhan receiver (not during the first try, but still). However, problems still remain. Occasionally I can see picture and hear sound from every channel. After a while, especially after chancing the cannel broadcasting starts freeze again. I already tried to use signal amplifier (with adjustable amplification) with and without ground breaker (device that disconnects the electric circuit between zero-potential (from electric plug) and ground-potential (from cable) and that way prevents disturbances at frequency 50Hz). Both amplifier and ground breaker made it only worst. I’m starting to believe, that the root of my problems is Twinhan receiver and I’m going to return it to seller quite soon. Still I’m keen to try once again, if someone has new ideas.

 

I almost forgot, DVBViewer and CableStar 2 works now better than ever!

 

-Jukka-

 

P.S. New support.zip included.

support.zip

[Klaus_1250]

I'm not particulair happy with the Twinhan Cab-CI Mantis either :-( I've been trying to get in touch with Twinhan support, but to no avail. I did see some new drivers and software on their website, though it doesn't seem to fix any issue. Worst of all is that there doesn't seem to be any software available which can properly function with a Twinhan Cab-CI Mantis, even though is is just one of the few DVB-C PCI cards and the only one with integrated CI-slot :-(

 

I also use a signal amplifier and a groundbraker (in fact, have one of the latter before every tv/computer), though those aren't giving me any problems. Importing thing with signal amplifiers is that they must have good input signal. Amplifying a bad/noisy signal is going to make matters worse :-(

 

As for your problems (they seem to be worse than mine). The Twinhan cards seem to need a dedicated/own IRQ, so check one those.

Also, if you are on one of those channels with no picture and sound, what does the output of View (top menu, third item) --> Filters --> DVB Source say? ( Video State / Audio State / Discontinuities / Last Error / ... ) Does Rebuild Graph do anything?

 

PS: Out of curiosity, what kind of Coax Cables are you using?

[jmheino2]

Hi.

 

No hardware conflicts reported. Twinhan has it's own IRQ, not shared with anything. I put screenshot of DVB Source as attachment. Figures shown in first picture (DVB_Source.jpg) seems to be ok, am I right? When picture and sound stops, those figures feeze as well (remaining the latest value). When I hit the totally black channel all figures are zero and DVB Source window look like picture DVB_Source_2.jpg. Rebuild graph does nothing (it worked earlier, when I had bad codec). I use shortest possible coax cables with moulted ends (=not self made), with no golden connections and no LeGo-bricks under the cable. Basic market stuff in other words.

 

You were absolutely right in amplifier issue. I got the best amplified result with lowest amplification and best overall result with no amplifier at all.

 

Tomorrow I am going to repeat tests in my friends flat with his computer. I will report later what happened.

 

-Jukka-

[Klaus_1250]

Hi.

 

No hardware conflicts reported. Twinhan has it's own IRQ, not shared with anything. I put screenshot of DVB Source as attachment. Figures shown in first picture (DVB_Source.jpg) seems to be ok, am I right? When picture and sound stops, those figures feeze as well (remaining the latest value). When I hit the totally black channel all figures are zero and DVB Source window look like picture DVB_Source_2.jpg. Rebuild graph does nothing (it worked earlier, when I had bad codec).

 

Looks good AFAICS. Not sure which dvb-card you have, but is there any way you could get a signal quality percentage or even better, error statistics?

 

I use shortest possible coax cables with moulted ends (=not self made), with no golden connections and no LeGo-bricks under the cable. Basic market stuff in other words.

Golden connections are overrated so that ok (in fact, you can even find them on low quality cable). Selfmade cables are not necessarily better as prefab with molden ends either, though the vast majority of prefab cables are just of poor quality. But because the connectors are molded, you can't peek inside to find that out. LeGo bricks under the cable won't do you any good I think. I know that some audiophiles use them, but I doubt that it can/will make any difference.

 

You were absolutely right in amplifier issue. I got the best amplified result with lowest amplification and best overall result with no amplifier at all.

In that case, where is the amplifier located in the cable-circuitry? Is in at the very start (e.g. where the cable enters your house / apartment) or further down? Tried connecting your computer directly to that cable? Any visible artifact when watching analogue tv?

 

My best advice would be to make very sure that you have good cabling all around, including those in the walls. Poor cabling will work ok for lower range frequencies, but will fail utterly when transmitting higher frequency ones. Using an amplifier in such a case might do some good for the higher frequencies, but will overboost / distort the lower ones.

[mijuny]

Hi! I'm having almost the same kind of problem (and i'm also living in finland). I have twinhan cab-ci 2033. mantis. I get 11 muxes from my cable provider and 10 of 11 of them work without any problems. The mux giving me the problems is the "YLE" mux (for finnish people reading this). When i start DVBViewer directly to that mux there is no problem, everything is ok. But when I first watch some other channel (free or encrypted, does not matter) from some other mux and then change to that problem mux picture starts to freeze/lock and DVBViewer tries to retune it after it locks again and again. The mux is not the lowest or highest (mhz) of the ones i'm receiving. Problems remain with amplifier and/or with 1 meter cable. Jmheino2 - what is the mux giving you the problems and what is your cable provider? Could it be a problem in the mux/data received? I also have a technotrend card and it works fine (but does not have CI...).

 

So, any ideas?

[Engelbert]

Other frequencies are used in the nordic countries.

 

A current transponder list, not transmitter list, would be interesting also if one cannot test this here in Germany.

 

Current BDA drivers are important for the TwinHan card (Mantis 2033).

 

Further information is needed:

http://www.DVBViewer.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=2210