[EN] Twinhan Cab-CI 2033 1.0.5.8 driver

[maju]

... and BSOD's only appear when starting DVBViewer first?

No BSOD appears if you start DigitalTV before DVBViewer or have no CAM in the slot, right?

So no BSOD appears, when only using DigitalTV?

If this is correct, it doesn't look like a driver bug, it looks like a DVBViewer hardware init bug ...

 

Regards,

Martin

[Klaus_1250]

I did manage to startup DVBViewer once without a BSOD (1 out of 40 times), with CAM and without starting DigitalTV first. Also, starting up DVBViewer with CI support for the card without the CAM inserted, doesn't trigger a BSOD. In earlier versions of the Mantis driver, I could get the same BSOD spontaneously without running DVBViewer.

 

To me it sounds more like DVBViewer exposes a driver bug. If it was purely a DVBViewer hardware init bug, it should BSOD with 1.0.8.0 as well, but it doesn't (works flawlessly, except slow channel change from encrypted to encrypted).

 

But, can't the developer of the driver (twinhan/azurewave) make something out of these observations (would write them myself, but, they don't to anything with mail)? I already asked here in an other thread, but I don't think anyone has enough knowledge to make a good guess about the issue without having seen the codebase for either applications or the driver.

 

[EDIT]Just tried the driver (1.1.0.100) under Driver Verifier and it won't even boot (DRIVER_VERIFIER_DETECTED_VIOLATION)[/EDIT]

 

[EDIT]Tried Twinhan's own Capture Tool with the latest driver, instant BSOD as well...[/EDIT]

Edited October 21, 2007 by Klaus_1250

[NanoBot]

Hi,

 

after a few month I gave boulders hint concerning a better shielding for the Mantis 2033 a second try. This time I connected the aluminium foil used to the PC cabinet using a cable with alligator clips, which of course is absolutely necessary. And I really can't believe it, ATM I am receiving a QAM256 multiplex for 2:54h without any discontinuties.

 

So at last I can confirm that this method seems to be able to solve the problem with the discontinuties. I will do longer tests this night, also using the card with linux, and I will report the results later.

 

BTW.: Does anybody of you tried to construct a more "solid" shielding, e.g. by soldering a larger tinplate shielding to the existing metal case of the tuner or something like that ?

 

C.U. NanoBot

 

Edit: I made a mistake when selecting the card DVBViewer should use and did the test ( without errors ) with my cablestar2 card. With the Twinhan card, even with the "correct" shielding, the problem with the TS packets missing is still there. So please forget about the positive feedback above.

Edited November 4, 2007 by NanoBot

[NanoBot]

Hi again,

 

I am very happy to report that I finally was able to solve the problem with the discontinuity errors on my Twinhan Mantis 2033 card.

 

Yesterday I upgraded my computer with a new mainboard and a new CPU. The old system was an A64 x2 3800+ running on an Asus A8N-SLI mainboard ( NForce4 chipset ). The new system is an Intel Q6600 running on a Gigabyte P35-DS3R mainboard ( Intel P35 chipset ). With the new system, the Twincard card is running hour after hour without any discontinuity error. And yes, this time I am really testing the Twinhan card, and not the Cablestar2 as last time the problem seems to be solved :-)

 

C.U. NanoBot

[sw4y]

hi,

 

still working without discontinuities ?

 

I got the same probs with the twinhan mantis 2033 and an abit f-i90hd mainboard.

i think i'll try that gigabyte mainboard too, maybe its works for me as well as for you.

 

will report that later.

 

regards,

 

sw4y

[NanoBot]

Hi,

 

no, unfortunately the card is not working without discontinuities. I did two major changes to the system:

 

I replaced the F4 BIOS the board was shipped with by the newest F9 BIOS. And I changed the mode of the ICH9R SATA ports from IDE to RAID. I will revert those changes within the next one or two days and will test, if the card will work flawless again after reverting the changes.

 

And yes, I am using the 1.1.0.100 drivers all the time since I got the new system.

 

C.U. NanoBot

[sw4y]

i will get my mainboard within the next two hours and try...

[Orbmu2k]

I also experienced the discontinues problem on the mantis 2033 card.

What i have noticed was that the card produces much more discontinues if there is no CAM attached.

 

PS: Currently iam using BETA Driver 1.1.0.200

[Klaus_1250]

1.1.0.400 drivers are out. What are peoples experiences? I'm seeing serious performance regression. Zapping times have increased, but more annoying, CI/CAM communication leads to discontinuities in the stream :-( sigh...

 

...Just checked, peak DPC-latencies of 183000µs :-s

Edited May 23, 2008 by Klaus_1250

[uibo]

Hi,

 

no, unfortunately the card is not working without discontinuities. I did two major changes to the system:

 

I replaced the F4 BIOS the board was shipped with by the newest F9 BIOS. And I changed the mode of the ICH9R SATA ports from IDE to RAID. I will revert those changes within the next one or two days and will test, if the card will work flawless again after reverting the changes.

 

And yes, I am using the 1.1.0.100 drivers all the time since I got the new system.

 

C.U. NanoBot

 

Did you get it working without discontinuities?

 

BTW my memory recalls reading something about a PCI TV-card and a necessary mod to get it working properly. Replacing the short cable connecting the connector on the bracket and the tuner. What did it improve and what card was it- I don't remember and can't find now.

 

The only dvb-c card I can find on sale locally is a second hand Twinhan Cab-CI 2031

[NanoBot]

Hi,

 

a few weeks ago I was able to improve the situation with my 2033 card by flashing the F12 BIOS for my mobo. This BIOS contains a fix for a bug concerning the DPC latency. With the new BIOS, the number of discontinuities decreased a lot, but I still have 1-2 lost packets per hour.

 

C.U. NanoBot