Need pointers on how to proceed

[igiwardog]

Hi all,

 

First to familiarize you, with my equipment. I have build a HTPC based around Antec Case and Asus P5Q-EM, with Intel E7400 and ATI 4350 on Vista Ultimate SP2 32bit with Asus BlueRay SATA player. The goal is to completely replace my satellite receiver (by the way DB500) and standalone DVD and gain HD reception and BlueRay capability. To that end I added TechniSat SkyStar HD2 Pci card to my HTPC. Everything is working as it should no major problems and I'm very happy that I have bought DVBViewer.

Saying that I need some help in finding instructions on how to do certain things. The search didn't help much for what I want to do. So here is my plea:

 

Can more experienced members point me in the right direction on how to do the following things?

 

-regarding can DVBViewer do it

 

1. Can DVBViewer be a total replacement for VistaMediaCenter? I have seen pictures and videos and read of something along this line but I'm not able to get to that point. Where to look?

 

-regarding experience in UI

 

2. What OSD skin to use for FullHD resolution in full screen mode (my HTPC main output is 1920x1080p@24Hz, natural for my FullHD LcdTV)? Something on the line of VistaMediaCenter. Current situation is that the channel list, EPG guide and everything else is too small for normal use on that resolution.

3. No problem with the picture on HD materials it fills the whole TV, problem is with the size of broadcasts of SD materials. Where to find information on how to stretch all video to fill the TV? Remarks: Have not tried DVD playback I suspect it will be same. Playback in VistaMediaCenter is OK.

4. What is the tool for making your own skin? How steep is the learning curve on this tool?

5. I have seen that iMon remote is working with DVBViewer in lot of posts but I didn't find some kind of How-To for this remote, this applies also to iMon VFD. Is there a How-To somewhere, if not can someone point me what do I have to have and what do I have to do to make it work to control DVBViewer?

 

-regarding channels

 

6. Are there updates for transponders for the satellites from 40E to 30W (my range). Or do I have to blind scan all of them? Is blind scan even possible?

7. Since I just tried watching on fixed sat positions 19.2 and 13. Where to find out more on how to setup my motor with DVBViewer? (STRONG SRT DM 2100)

 

Ok, that is a lot for a first post but men has to start somewhere .

 

Thanks to all who read and support this genial piece of software and special Thanks to all who help.

[Devastation]

The goal is to completely replace my satellite receiver

maybe you need for payTV (if wanted or needed) a CAM for your SkyStar (if availible, or is there already?)

 

BlueRay capability.

For this you will need PowerDVD or Arcsoft Home Theater, because DVBV can not handle the Blu-ray copyright protection that is needed for most Blu-rays.

 

2. What OSD skin to use for FullHD resolution

Depends on your likings. For me Concinity 3D is very good looking. See here for some OSD Skins. The Page is in German but you will see whats availible. For the concinity3D there is a english thread

 

channel list, EPG guide .... too small for normal use on that resolution.

Should not be. How far away from the TV?

 

how to stretch all video to fill the TV?

SD material will sometimes be none 16:9. So if you want to fill the whole screen you either have cutted some parts of the picture or the video will be warped.

You can try with zoom presets how you like it.

 

Is blind scan even possible?

you should try Transedit in the members section. You can do all sort of scans and afterwards update your channellist of DVBV.

[igiwardog]

Devastation, thanks for the effort.

No problem with the first two quotes you gave me. That is all OK.

 

I will try concinity3D, as I understand you it will be good for 1920X1080 resolution. I suppose I should try to see will it suit me. This applies also for the next quote.

 

So on SD material I have to go with the Display options(zoom, pan&scan etc.)....

Is upscaling of this material possible solution for this problem. If yes where to find further info on how to achive that. I'm looking now to setup Video A for decoder without upscaling and Video B with decoder which will do upscale to FullHD resolution, hope that will work.

 

Thanks for Transedit tip I will look into it.

 

On another note: for some reason my browser doesn't show edit button on my post. In help of this forum it states that edit button should be available on top of your post. But I don't have it! Is there somewher on this forum a place for technical support regarding the forum itself?

 

Edit : I see that on this post I can do editing, but still no button in the starting post.

Edited June 26, 2009 by igiwardog

[Tjod]

4. What is the tool for making your own skin?

the (OSD) Skin Editor

http://www.DVBViewer.com/download/skineditor.zip

the best way is changing an existing OSD Skin step by step

 

5. I have seen that iMon remote is working with DVBViewer in lot of posts but I didn't find some kind of How-To for this remote, this applies also to iMon VFD. Is there a How-To somewhere, if not can someone point me what do I have to have and what do I have to do to make it work to control DVBViewer?

there is a german version

http://www.DVBViewer.info/forum/index.php?...=30235&st=0

 

a translation is in progress

http://www.DVBViewer.info/forum/index.php?...st&p=248514

 

 

6. Are there updates for transponders for the satellites from 40E to 30W (my range). Or do I have to blind scan all of them? Is blind scan even possible?

http://www.DVBViewer.com/griga/TransEdit%2....html#BlindScan

http://www.DVBViewer.com/griga/TransEdit%2...w.html#Uptodate

 

Edit : I see that on this post I can do editing, but still no button in the starting post.

You can only edit your post for 15 min.

[igiwardog]

Good, I've allready download that tool suspecting that I will need it Now I suppose I have to learn it.

 

Great links for the remote and for transponders. Thanks.

 

I do not understand that edit limitation of 15 min.(is there a special reason??) , but if that is the policy OK.

 

Thanks again Tjod

[jf2020]

I do not understand that edit limitation of 15 min.(is there a special reason??) , but if that is the policy OK.

 

I think that when you're editing some state about it is maintained on the forum server (a session is open) and this uses resources that have to be freed at some point or the server won't be able to cope with it. Also someone could achieve some denial of service by opening plenty of edit sessions and not closing them.

Edited June 26, 2009 by jf2020

[Devastation]

Is upscaling of this material possible solution for this problem.

No. Its not a resolution problem.

First: your ATI does the upscaling. You set output for your TV at 1920X1080 (you already have so, saying your first post) and the ATI will do upscaling to 1920X1080 and send the signal to your TV. There is no need for other upscaling progs (normally).

 

Second: The problem is that the sended TV-material is (not always, some channels never, commercials allmost ever) not the aspect ratio your TV (16:9) needs to show the picture filling the whole screen.

So if you have (for ex.) 4:3 TV-show you will have black borders on the right and left side. To fill such film to the whole screen you can zoom it and loose some parts of the picture on top and bottom. (if you dont miss this parts - good)

Or you can only stretch the video (make it more broad) till it fills the screen completly. But this will also broadening the peoples (yes, models look fat then ). (if you like this - good)

Or you can find a compromise between zoom (loosing parts) and stretch (broadening) that will fit the screen.

 

Same goes for all other aspects. Only originally 16:9 videos will fill the screen without borders an with no warpings.

[igiwardog]

@Devastation...

Nice tips, thanks

Already played around display settings. And now I'm happy with the way I set it up.

Figured that out about the upscaling business, you are correct that the Ati already does what is needed.

 

@jf2020

Thanks for the explanation.

 

@all Is there a manual somewhere for SkinEditor

 

Thanks...