Blackgold - BGT3620 (DVB-T2)

[anarky]

I've just installed the new Blackgold - BGT3620 (DVB-T2)

All works fine HD channels are picked up EPG finds data but upon selecting the channel I get a blank screen and the status bar is empty.

I reinstalled the latest K-pack and the new power DVD codecs plus a Nvidia update and still blank.

I think I've tried every setting there is so can you guys help?

[cp2]

You're several steps ahead of me!

I've installed the card today and when I go to Options... Hardware it isn't listed there.

It is working in Media Centre though.

[Griga]

Please read this thread:

 

http://www.DVBViewer.tv/forum/topic/43530-any-work-on-dvb-t2/

 

...analyzing the situation with TransEdit may shed more light on it than watching a black screen

[anarky]

Media Centre see's it fine just does mot find HD channels, but have heard it has worked for one guy in Media Centre let me know if you crack it.

[cp2]

My Media Centre sees the HD channels but cannot get sound other than through Media Centre playback. (Converted the file from wtv to ts using VideoReDoPlus and the sound 'disappeared'.)

 

However, I have now applied myself to DVBViewer and got it to use the BGT3620 tuner. All SD and HD channels are there in picture and sound. So, things are looking pretty good. There is still plenty of time for a problem to appear though!

[Griga]

Converted the file from wtv to ts using VideoReDoPlus and the sound 'disappeared'.

VideoReDo Plus doesn't support AAC audio (MPEG4 audio standard). It requires VideoReDo TVSuite H.264:

 

http://www.videoredo.com/en/Compare.htm

[cp2]

VideoReDo Plus doesn't support AAC audio (MPEG4 audio standard). It requires VideoReDo TVSuite H.264:

 

http://www.videoredo.com/en/Compare.htm

 

Perhaps I should have been more specific. I'm using that version with the sound problem. Support for wtv in VideoRedoPlus is still evolving.

[cp2]

As I feared problems have arisen.

Switched to the BGT3620 tuner this morning and got a blank screen and no sound. EPG is present. Card is working fine in Media Centre though.

Given that it worked once it surely cannot be a serious problem.

[cp2]

As I feared problems have arisen.

Switched to the BGT3620 tuner this morning and got a blank screen and no sound. EPG is present. Card is working fine in Media Centre though.

Given that it worked once it surely cannot be a serious problem.

 

Sure enough. A Transedit scan didn't find any channels but I switched the PC off completely and started it up again. Opened DVBViewer and the card was working again.

Any thoughts as to how this could be?

[anarky]

What sort of signal strength are you getting?

[cp2]

I can see the Winter Hill transmitter from my street and have a rooftop aerial so signal strength shouldn't be a problem for me. The percentage in the Status Bar shows 100% when I am on a HD channel but only 4% on Five and 9% on 4Music so I think it might be buggy. Reception on all channels is fine.

 

The tuner continues to work in DVBViewer but I haven't tried to use Windows Media Centre on it since I switched the PC fully off an on. I will try that at some point though to see whether Windows may not be fully releasing the tuner card.

[cp2]

Update: The BGT3620 continues to work fine in MCE and I no longer think it conflicts with DVBViewer.

DVBViewer 'lost' video and audio again. I switched the computer fully off and on and DVBViewer displayed video and audio OK.

I think did a 'Restart' and was back to no video and audio again. Obviously there is a difference between a complete switch off and a restart but I wouldn't expect this sort of behaviour.

Ah well, at least I've got a work around.

[xtonys]

Update: The BGT3620 continues to work fine in MCE and I no longer think it conflicts with DVBViewer.

DVBViewer 'lost' video and audio again. I switched the computer fully off and on and DVBViewer displayed video and audio OK.

I think did a 'Restart' and was back to no video and audio again. Obviously there is a difference between a complete switch off and a restart but I wouldn't expect this sort of behaviour.

Ah well, at least I've got a work around.

 

 

Hi

I have been using my BGT3620...

Using v8.0.0.0 driver from Blackgold's btinternet download site.

I found ehreceiver service for MC7 seemed to lock-up the 3620. I stopped it to solve the problem and eventually uninstalled MC7 - works fine all the time... Will be nice to get MHEG on the next beta.

Using ffdshow with Nvidia GT430 gives great video and sound.. Using EVR renderer.

 

I am only 2 miles from the Bromsgrove repeater mast. There is a descrepency between the status bar signal and signal strength shown on the mini epg. Even bigger descrepency when comparing ch34 (BBC1) with my LG TV on same cable.

40-50% signal on TV, 1-5% within DVBViewer. Reception fine even with recent snow. Brand new CAI aerial and cabling.

 

Cant test Freeview HD channels until we get this service in April. SD is working well though.

 

I get black screen bursts typically when rewinding, ffwd, skip, pause.

I found choosing overlay gives a less sharp image but allows the OSD graphics to appear even when no signal/video.

 

Tony

[uglyned]

Hi

I found ehreceiver service for MC7 seemed to lock-up the 3620. I stopped it to solve the problem and eventually uninstalled MC7 - works fine all the time...

 

 

This is a very good point. In the past, whenever I've had a very brief flirtation with Windows MC7, the same thing happens. If I assign it a tuner, it grabs and locks that tuner, refusing any other application access to it. And there was no easy way to unlock the tuner, apart from remove MC7.

 

In fact the only thing I like about Windows Media Centre 7 is that you can completely remove it from Winodws 7. Everything else about it is rubbish.

[beachcomber]

Hi,

 

Have my BGT23620 running pretty good now. For Audio and Video codecs I am using PowerDVD 9 and have no sound or vision problems and can now watch one program and record another.

 

Only problem now is no EPG in HD channels and signal strength meter showing incorrect reading as 5%. Windows media centre is faultless for what it's worth.

 

Cheers,

 

beachcomber.

Edited December 27, 2010 by beachcomber

[cp2]

Beachcomber...

 

You can do better than record one watch one... DVBViewer will record 2 channels using one tuner if those two channels are on the same multiplex. All the Freeview HD channels are on the same multiplex.

I have full EPG on all channels from Winter Hill so maybe it is a transmitter problem. I do know that Media Centre has a problem with HD but the workaround is to 'borrow' the SD channels' EPG on ITV1, BBC1 and C4 as these are simulcast. This doesn't work for BBC HD as this is not simulcast. Though, if you have an satellite tuner too you can borrow from that.

 

The tuner strength indication does seem 'broken'.

[Griga]

Only problem now is no EPG in HD channels

The sample that I got contains a standard DVB EPG (via the Event Information Table PID 18), but the text is Huffman coded UTF-8, like on Astra 28° E (where the EPG comes in special private EIT sections, the normal EIT only contains now / next entries).

 

Nevertheless DVBViewer should receive / display the EPG, provided Huffman.dll is present. TransEdit has no problems to process the EPG data in the sample. However, I don't know if Freeview has switched over to some other system in the meantime, requiring a special handling. In this case we would need additional samples / transponder dumps.

 

and signal strength meter showing incorrect reading as 5%

Same in the TransEdit Analyzer (see "Quality")? If yes it is a driver bug.

[beachcomber]

Hi cp2,

 

Yes you are correct all HD on frequency 682 MHz at Redruth Mux in Cornwall. Picture appears to me better on Freeview but the Sound is in Stereo which is a shame.

 

There is an extra PID on each channel but I cannot get any sound from it.

 

Regards,

beachcomber

[Derrick]

..according to a test sample, there are 2 AAC audio tracks/HD service. Alas the sample only contains SI but not the video and audio streams.

[uglyned]

The audio on the DVB-T2 mux is AAC encoded. TV Programmes which have 5.1 available are broadcast in 5.1 but the 'usual' sound setup that you would use for decoding (ac3 not aac) 5.1 audio from satellite (in my case ac3filter) isn't compatible. As yet I've only been able to find aac filters that decode to and output in stereo to my amp. The problem isn't with the broadcast, it's with the directshow filter setup on your system, which is not sending the 5.1 signal to your sound system. You need to install an AAC filter then select in in the DirectX audio options within DVBViewer.

 

But, like I said, I don't understand them fully yet and haven't got 5.1 coming into my amp. I tried installing the ffdshow software which has an aac decoder, but it doesn't show up in the list of available aac filters within DVBViewer.

 

EPG for the DVB-T2 channels is still fine here.

[Derrick]

..a test recording would be helpful.

[Griga]

I tried installing the ffdshow software which has an aac decoder, but it doesn't show up in the list of available aac filters within DVBViewer.

It isn't suitable for DVB requirements, because it can't cope with LOAS/LATM packaged AAC data.

 

and haven't got 5.1 coming into my amp.

Try the libfaad2 wrapper (see members area -> plugins) and read the included ReadMe! The wrapper requires an additional file that is part of your ffdshow installation (or can easily be found in the web, if ffdshow is not installed).

 

The libfaad2 wrapper is taylored for DVB requirements. It should handle AAC 5.1 audio and even on-the-fly 2.0 <-> 5.1 changes correctly (if not I'll need another sample...).

 

However, the libfaad2 wrapper cannot send AAC 5.1 via SPDIF to an external amp, since SPDIF is not specified for AAC or PCM 5.1. In this case you need the postprocessor plugin for selecting the AC3 Filter as audio postprocessor, in order to let it re-encode the decoded AAC as AC3 and output it via SPDIF.

[uglyned]

Thanks Griga - that worked.

[Griga]

that worked.

What worked? Please be more specific. You will not be the last one who encounters this problem.

[uglyned]

Ah OK. Pretty much what you suggested.

 

I downloaded the libfaad wrapper and read the readme. Registered it and copied the libfaad2.dll to the filters folder (although the one in ffdshow is now called ff_libfaad2.dll - it initially didn't work by just copying it - I had to remane it to libfaad2.dll first, then DVBViewer started using the filter).

 

Then installed the post processor. Tuned an aac audio channel, clicked plugins -> audio postporocessor -> ac3filter.

 

Realised I didn't want ac3filter to postprocess ac3 or mpeg audio as I didn't need it so tuned to a satellite hd channel, clicked plugins -> audio postprocessor -> exclude for current decoder and exclude for current media type. Then did the same for a satellite SD channel.

 

aac is now being picked up as ac3 by my amp.

 

What I haven't been able to test yet is whether it's direct channel to channel audio (ie left right channel in aac feed goes direct to left right channel in ac3 output) or whether there are two conversions - aac to stareo, then stereo to simulated 5.1 (like Dolby ProLogic II). I suspect it's the latter but I've only been able to test with a 2.0 input as yet. Bad fog has blocked my DVB-T2 signal (it's only weak as my local transmitter has not gone through digital switchover yet).

 

I guess that if I was sending audio to an amp via HDMI rather than SPDIF, multichannel aac would just work - I wouldn't need a workaround but as my amp is old and doesn't have HDMI, this is the best I can do for now.

[cp2]

I’m feeling really lucky! I’ve got sound without having to play with filters or codecs. The only problem I’ve have with sound has been when video editing but that was down to the wrong audio stream being used leading to silence.

I’ve given the BGT3620 a fair workout over Christmas in conjunction with a Hauppauge DVB-S2 card. Recording has been problem free apart from severe breakup on one recorded programme which could have been a transmission glitch. 3 programmes recorded at once at times.

I also have a Pinnacle DVB-T twin tuner installed and I think that I’ll be taking it out as superfluous. Hopefully this could resolve the only installation issue I have - rebooting the PC causes the BGT3620 to go missing. Easily resolved by a restart from the PC being powered off.

[MaKa_]

Received my card yesterday and works well with DVBViewer (v4.5) under Windows 7 x64. Had no problems with it detecting the card, scanning for channels and receiving the EPG for all channels including HD.

 

Had the initial restart issue too but not since, card still functions after sleep (S3 mode).

 

Playback appears to be flawless bar my issue with the audio. Signal strength/quality doesn't appear to function correctly like others have reported too. SD used to show 100% but then simply showed single digits like HD channels, TransEdit reports 100% quality for frequency 738 Mhz (HD) which then seemed to kickstart DVBViewer's signal to show 100%.

 

Is anyone experiencing intermittent volume levels on AAC 5.1? AAC stereo seems unaffected. DVB Source shows no errors or discontinuities.

 

The audio levels, for the most part, seem to constantly jump between very quiet and normal/loud. This doesn't just happen between scenes but often mid-sentence during vocals and other sounds too. Happens on both the BBC HD previews and BBC One HD. Alternating between the libfaad2 Wrapper (with FFDshow 3707 dll) and MONOGRAM AAC Decoder both produce this problem for me on a 5.1 speaker configuration. While I've been able to output 5.1 via SPDIF using the method detailed above, the audio remains to change volume and simply becomes unwatchable due to the constant changes.

 

This doesn't seem to be solely related to DVBViewer in my case, VLC (v1.1.5) also has the problem with the playback. Both with a recorded .ts (I can upload a sample or two) and by tuning to the channel via the capture device. Windows Media Center plays AAC 5.1 content without any issues, though the overall audio volume appears to be lower.

 

Demuxing a recording with DGAVCIndex, putting the AAC file through Winamp's Disk Writer -> PCM has the file playing back perfectly (or as close to...) in VLC with 5.1 and no volume changes.

 

Edit: Sample - http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9072841/12-31_15-55-50_BBC%20One%20HD_The%20Sound%20of%20Music.ts (93MB)

Edited December 31, 2010 by MaKa_

[Griga]

Is anyone experiencing intermittent volume levels on AAC 5.1?

Thanks for the sample. Same here with the libfaad2 wrapper. I guess libfaad2 (open source AAC decoding library) doesn't handle it correctly for some reason. The MONOGRAM decoder (and most likely VLC) are also libfaad2 based.

 

Windows Media Center plays AAC 5.1 content without any issues

So the MS AAC decoder (only available under Windows 7) should do a better job. Is it selectable in the DVBViewer options?

 

Another AAC decoder without intermittent volume levels is the one from DivX:

 

http://www.divx.com/en/software/divx-plus/codec-pack

 

However, this codec pack tries to install all kind of stuff that you probably don't want on your PC. So take care to untick everything on installation, and clean up your auto start afterwards by using MSConfig.

[MaKa_]

So the MS AAC decoder (only available under Windows 7) should do a better job. Is it selectable in the DVBViewer options?

 

Another AAC decoder without intermittent volume levels is the one from DivX:

 

http://www.divx.com/en/software/divx-plus/codec-pack

 

However, this codec pack tries to install all kind of stuff that you probably don't want on your PC. So take care to untick everything on installation, and clean up your auto start afterwards by using MSConfig.

Much appreciated Griga, previously recorded and current programs with AAC 5.1 function as expected with DivX AAC Decoder selected. I was a little hesitant in trying this as I didn't want it to take over the system, seems to be behaving with only the codec pack installed.

 

I have an option for Microsoft DTV-DVD Audio Decoder, however it seems to limit itself to 2 channel only.

 

While The Sound of Music sample gives an example of the problem, it's far worse on a programme with a much more punchier soundtrack e.g Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. If you need any more (with perhaps smaller filesizes) for yourself, or to be forwarded on for others, just let me know.

[uglyned]

Can confirm that using the method above, DVBViewer does receivea 5.1 signal from 5.1 AAC broadcasts. There is no downsample to 2.0 in between, as I'd wrongly imagined...

 

I heard th weird volume changes too.

[beachcomber]

Re BGT3620 (DVB-T2)

 

Hi,

 

The signal strength recorded on DVBViewer that was incorrectly showing as 5% has now started to show the correct reading (100%)and it now not a problem.

 

Video: H.264 Codec used Cyberlink H.264/AVC Decoder (PDV9)

 

Audio: AAC Audio Decoder libfaad2 Wrapper

No idea how this has happened unless DVBViewer sent correction over Internet.

 

Regards anyway,

 

beachcomber.

[beachcomber]

Re BGT3620 (DVBT2)

 

Hi,

Signal strength meter is now showing signal at incorrect reading again of 5%.

 

beachcomber.