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Seriously big thanks, and a few ideas

May 11 2009 7:53am#1 (permalink)

CharredPC

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First off, I just want to say that this is simply the best, most intuitive DVB software I have had the pleasure to use! For years I used MyTheatre, but it drove me nuts (horrid motor control, lousy EPG, and has a fairly hefty cost). This past week I decided once again to fruitlessly try finding a suitable replacement. I went through GB-PVR and several others, but nothing had what I needed. I then found your posting on the DVBN forums, and now I'm a loyal SichboPVR fan :)

My setup is a Twinhan 1025 in an XP home theatre PC, outputting to an 800x600 TV. My dish is a 30" on an SG2100 motor. Obviously I prefer to control everything via the 52-button remote. With your software, everything simply worked! This is the first program I've encountered where USALS actually functions as it should. The EPG is excellent (no third-party plugins required), filling in channel and program data quickly and flawlessly. I'm never going back to MT! When I have the cash, I am definitely going to register this software.

I have nothing to critique, so can only offer a few tidbits of suggestion on possible future features:

1. USALS is wonderful, but the ability to manually move and save positions would be excellent. Yes, it's my fault my dish is slightly off the arc, but until I get back on the roof... nudging and saving would be great.

2. I miss the ability to turn on the program using the remote. It turns it off, but not on. I imagine you'd just have to use a shortcut key in a desktop shortcut like MT does, but I haven't been able to get one working for SichboPVR. On the rare occasion I have to restart the app, I have to get out the mouse.

3. Font size / color tweaking would be pretty spiffy. Usually it's fine, but everyone has their own idea of a pretty GUI. Maybe even themes.

Anyway, even if it never gets another update, I only use SichboPVR now. The Cyberlink PDVD 8 codec + VMR9 combo works smoothly on my ATI card, and ffdshow handles all the audio. The latest MDAPI runs plugins nicely... who could ask for more? So huge congrats on a fantastic piece of pretty-much-freeware. I'm only shocked that word about it isn't spreading quicker.
May 11 2009 8:16am#2 (permalink)

CharredPC

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Oh, I forgot the most important new feature (unless I'm dense and missed it). There's no audio player... I can't access any of the audio channels I scan in. Is there some secret way to switch from video to audio program guides? I've tried everything on the remote, and I don't see an option in the menus.
May 13 2009 12:05pm#3 (permalink)

Sichbo

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Hey dude, thanks for the really great feedback. Glad its working OK.

For USALS, what I do with my "some-days-misaligned motor" is just tweak the usalige value. You don't have to use the Lat/Log calcs that first come up, in fact if you know the number off-hand (e.g -45), just plug it in and don't even bother with lat/log. Hit "try lock" to tweak it.. -45.5 for instance. Then just save changes when you're happy with the quality.

I have this thing about software running in the background, starting up with windows, sitting in the tray or wasting resources -- they tend to annoy the piss out of me. I probably won't ever implement a hidden system tray "listen for a wake up remote command" type of thing.

Themes are a possibility, it's WPF after all, so it's inherently themeable. Just haven't looked into it yet.

For radio, try the latest v1.0.1.31 on the settings screen update (re-uploaded just now.) If you go to Guide, hit F12, it should bring up channels having no Video PID. They may/may not play, as I'm not sure if my source filter will handle the lack of video PID gracefully. I'll probably run some tests next weekend.

Cheers,

- Si
May 13 2009 2:39pm#4 (permalink)

CharredPC

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Thanks! ... though, I tried to do the upgrade, and now SichboPVR no longer functions :(

It now opens to a D'oh! screen, that it encountered an unexpected error. I did the "send to Simon" option, hoping that data will help. Ouch! I may have to reinstall the previous version to watch TV tonight, but I'll continue to test any builds you have immediately. Thanks for the fast response!
May 13 2009 2:53pm#5 (permalink)

CharredPC

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Quick note: I replaced the 1.0.1.31 executable with the 1.0.1.30 one, and everything's good again. Maybe it's just my setup, but '.31 won't go.
May 17 2009 3:39am#6 (permalink)

Sichbo

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Bummer, I think maybe the download didn't quite complete all the way, or my upload was a dud -- sorry about that. Maybe try 1.0.1.32
May 17 2009 10:47am#7 (permalink)

CharredPC

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Thanks! That one does indeed start properly.

F12 does bring up the audio channels, but selecting one brings up a flashing "scrambled or invalid video" error. I guess your source filter doesn't like it.

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