Cable card (Ceton 6 tuner) setup???

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user001

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Cable card (Ceton 6 tuner) setup???

#1

Post by user001 » Tue Jul 04, 2017 6:02 am

I am NOT a newbie. I have read the "guide" and watched the video but my setup is different than what is shown/written in the guide.

Is there a walk-through for a Ceton 6 tuner WITH cable card setup. The "antenna" steps in the PDF and video guide result in failure for me.

Thanks in advance.
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garyan2

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#2

Post by garyan2 » Tue Jul 04, 2017 6:35 am

Did a quick search and found this thread (http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... 20#p114920).

Relevant excerpt:
... Initialize Mediacenter with EPG123. This kills tuner salad / Ceton driver config - kicking myself for not writing down that registry key when I saw it years ago (that is all it is). So I then have to reinstall the Ceton driver to fix. Ceton driver breaks SD install - it just behaves flakily. So I have to run through SD Homerun setup. Now I can run through the media center live tv setup...
- Gary
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user001

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#3

Post by user001 » Tue Jul 04, 2017 6:45 am

garyan2 wrote:Did a quick search and found this thread (http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... 20#p114920).

Relevant excerpt:
... Initialize Mediacenter with EPG123. This kills tuner salad / Ceton driver config - kicking myself for not writing down that registry key when I saw it years ago (that is all it is). So I then have to reinstall the Ceton driver to fix. Ceton driver breaks SD install - it just behaves flakily. So I have to run through SD Homerun setup. Now I can run through the media center live tv setup...
Thanks for the reply but...

I already directly sent that user a DM hoping they might share some insight. Again, thanks for the reply, but the post you referenced does NOT tell someone how to make it successfully thru setup using EPG123 with a cable card Ceton. It simply mentions EPG123 + Ceton + cable card. No specific steps (changed from supplied video/PDF guides) as to how to make it work with a cable card Ceton.

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#4

Post by garyan2 » Tue Jul 04, 2017 7:19 am

Everything covered in the "guide" and video are the steps that are common to all configurations. I would say the only hardware unique feature I've added in software and the guide is for the Hauppauge HD PVR Colossus because they simply needed something special.

What I was pointing out in the other thread was that performing a Step 1 clean start, wiping out the ehome directory, can cause some issues with the InfiniTV tuners and a possible corrective action was to reinstall the drivers. This is not unique to the InfiniTV tuners ... the HDHomeRun Primes can have a similar problem. Luckily for the primes, a simple reboot is all that is required.

So other than telling me that the guide sucks and the video sucks because it doesn't cover your exact setup, what have you done to try and get past that point. Failing at that stage of TV Setup appears to me that WMC does not recognize that your tuners exist... hence probably needing the drivers to be reinstalled. Hopefully SciFiGeek, or anyone else, will respond with the key to making everything work for you.

... and yes, before anyone says it, a FAQ on the website or in the guide would be a perfect place for issues like this.
- Gary
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#5

Post by glorp » Tue Jul 04, 2017 1:35 pm

I use a Ceton ETH 6 and have set up EPG123 several times on multiple WMCs. There's nothing unusual beyond the fact that nuking the ehome directory will usually lose the tuner set up if it's existing. The solution is to reinstall the Ceton drivers or, easier, just run the Ceton Diagnostics tool, delete the tuners then rediscover them. This process also fixes the case i ran in to once where WMC still sees that it has tuners but only 4 of the 6. Discovering tuners lifts that restriction by applying whatever change WMC needs to lift the 4 tuners per type restriction home users had with it. I do the tuner rediscovery step, if needed, right after nuking the ehome directory and before proceeding with the set up because you can't do a set up if you don't have tuners.

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#6

Post by captain_video » Tue Jul 04, 2017 1:54 pm

I've got a Ceton InfiniTV6, a HDHR Prime, and three HDHR Connects. I had no problems getting them installed and configured with WMC and EPG123. I recently removed the HDHR Connects and replaced them with a Hauppauge WinTV-QuadHD tuner. The Prime is used with several other HTPCs for live TV only. The ATSC tuners and InfiniTV6 are used by my primary HTPC for recording.

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#7

Post by garyan2 » Thu Jul 06, 2017 3:00 pm

user001 wrote:Thanks for the reply but...

I already directly sent that user a DM hoping they might share some insight. Again, thanks for the reply, but the post you referenced does NOT tell someone how to make it successfully thru setup using EPG123 with a cable card Ceton. It simply mentions EPG123 + Ceton + cable card. No specific steps (changed from supplied video/PDF guides) as to how to make it work with a cable card Ceton.
@user001: were you able to get everything set up and working? Did a 'rediscover' or 'reinstall' work?
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

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#8

Post by traford » Fri Jul 07, 2017 8:37 pm

I am glad to have discovered EPG123 as a replacement for the WMC/Rovi EPG after receiving the “No Data Available” on 7/3/2017, and still no update as of 7/7. After installing EPG123, I have seen a noticeable improvement over the WMC EPG. This event was a so called 'silver lining' as the WMC/Rovi issue forced me to a replacement, and all for the better! So I thought it would be a benefit to other users who have a Ceton setup, to provide them the confidence to make the switch to EPG123. I was encouraged by GLORP's post, and I want to expand on my experience to make it easier for other Ceton users as well. Some of my content may even be associated to similar products.

First: do the diligence in reviewing the EPG123 Installation and User's Guide from back to front, make any notations along the way which pertains to your setup.

Second: create a check list for the prep work (i.e. create a Schedules Direct Account, obtain Ceton Software, obtain any additional software associated to your WMC, Cable ID's and etc.) – I always plan on the worst case scenario to happen – such as a re-install!

Third: create a backup of the entire PC – I use Acronis to make a clone disk and a backup file, that is just the way I am. Then I can restore super fast, and my downtime is way less.

Fourth: I planned a 2 hour time frame for the entire replacement process – and ended up doing it all in 1 hour and 30 minutes, but then again I always double check everything. Again, I am not highly involved with tweaking WMC on a daily basis. I like to set things once and forget about them (which is why I document all my procedures for later use).

My HTPC consists of 2 Centon InfiniTV PCIe adapters (a 4 InfiniTV and a 6 InfiniTV) and 2 CableCards – giving me a 10 tuner setup for my families use. The Win7Pro PC is only used for WMC and is accessed by 5 Ceton Echo extenders from other rooms in the home. I've utilized this setup for several years now, and expect to extend it on through to 2019 when Win7Pro support is supposed to end. It only took 18 months for the Ceton investments to pay for itself by not using the cable company's set top cable boxes. And because the HTPC incorporates very LARGE hard drives, everyone can record programs to their hearts content. This little upgrade with EPG123 breaths new life into my WMC setup, after issues with WMC/Rovi over the years.

Anyway, I digressed a little, so here are some of the highlights of my experience during the EPG123 install.

1). During the first step of removing the WMC eHome folder, EPG123 notified me that I would have to complete the removal in SAFE MODE, then reboot back into NORMAL Mode. No biggie, anyone using a PC day in and day out, should have this as general knowledge should this occur when trying to remove a program or folder. It does not need documented, and if you should not happen to understand this, stop at that point and Google 'Windows Safe Mode' to understand the process and how to execute.

2). I followed GLORP's post to verify that my 2 Ceton InfiniTV tuners were still recognized after the eHome folder removal. They were, and I did not have to utilize the Ceton Diagnostics tool for any resetting, but I was ready if needed to do so.

3). I did have to execute my TunerSalad program so that WMC would use the remaining 6 tuners beyond the limited 4 of WMC, and TunerSalad was posted in the EPG123 installation, right at the exact point needed.

4). It did take WMC between 5 and 10 minutes to configure all 10 tuners – go figure, but that is WMC, not EPG123.

5). My cable provider had multiple LineUp listings, so I loaded them all, then determined which one I needed for the CableCard. I then removed the LineUps not needed from EPG123.

6). Utilize the 'Clear Cache' button in EPG123.exe to clean up any 'ghosted' (the term I use) for data left in the channel lineup, after conducting any edits to the LineUp. Yes, it will require a database rebuild. Once I learned more about how to edit channels and lineups, I wanted to reduce the amount of overhead data I did not need. This reduces the build process time a lot.

7). It was not necessary to re-install My Channel Logos, as the ones incorporated from Schedules Direct, filled the same requirement, and resized very nicely to display within WMC.

When all was said and done, the previously recorded programs were still obtainable and viewable, but the scheduled recordings were gone – but no surprise as that is documented in the EPG123 Installation and User's Guide. And I had screen shots of all the scheduled recordings to re-schedule.

The layout in the WMC Program Guide is awesomely better, in both display and information. Like I said earlier, it's like breathing new life into an old geezer.

I am always impressed with people's passion to make a difference in the way we use things in our lives. So kudos to garyan2 for being one of those people. So I encourage you to make a donation if you are just as happy with the outcome as I am, I know I am going to make a donation once I've had a chance to experience the changes over the next 7 days. Why 7, because that is the trial period Schedules Direct provides when you create an account with them. Yes, they do charge an annual subscription fee of $25, but look at all the headache you avoid with WMC/Rovi, and the reduced Cable Company cost of not having a set top cable box. And from what I can see, garyan2 makes updates to his EPG123, so my donation is a way of encouraging people to continue with their efforts that I benefit from in huge ways.

So, garyan2, if you want to utilize the info I was able to provide, please do so in whatever fashion you see fit. I'm fairly new at posting in this forum, so I am not sure if this location was the best place to post my EPG123 experience with a Ceton setup.

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#9

Post by glorp » Fri Jul 07, 2017 10:42 pm

traford wrote:3). I did have to execute my TunerSalad program so that WMC would use the remaining 6 tuners beyond the limited 4 of WMC, and TunerSalad was posted in the EPG123 installation, right at the exact point needed.
Deleting and redicovering tuners with the Ceton Diagnostics Tool will do the same. I've had that happen on one occasion and the fix was using CDT the same way as if no tuners were found.

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#10

Post by Toys7505 » Thu Jul 13, 2017 3:36 pm

How do I obtain a copy of Tuner Salad? Goto the website and the Download link is not working, something about the server is offline. I just switched to EPG123 and I guess need this program in order for WMC "to see" ALL 8 of my Ceton tuners. Right now, WMC is only picking up for 4 of them. I have run the CDT to delete and rediscover but not having luck in getting ALL 8 discovered by WMC.

Thanks for your help,
Toys

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#11

Post by Space » Thu Jul 13, 2017 9:07 pm

The Ceton drivers should already have this capability built-in (without the need for Tuner Salad). You may need to reinstall the drivers to get it working again (or deleting and rediscovering the tuners as mentioned earlier in this thread).

I personally think that Gary should enable this functionality as part of EPG123. I know he doesn't want to step on any toes, but he is already kind of doing that with the guide logos and supposedly the change that is required is so minor that it would take very little to implement. Plus, isn't Ceton already stepping on the toes of Tuner Salad by enabling the functionality in the drivers (I'm not sure which one came first)?

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#12

Post by garyan2 » Thu Jul 13, 2017 9:12 pm

Yah, I'm thinking pretty hard about it. Stay tuned.
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

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#13

Post by Toys7505 » Fri Jul 14, 2017 2:53 am

Space wrote:The Ceton drivers should already have this capability built-in (without the need for Tuner Salad). You may need to reinstall the drivers to get it working again (or deleting and rediscovering the tuners as mentioned earlier in this thread).

I personally think that Gary should enable this functionality as part of EPG123. I know he doesn't want to step on any toes, but he is already kind of doing that with the guide logos and supposedly the change that is required is so minor that it would take very little to implement. Plus, isn't Ceton already stepping on the toes of Tuner Salad by enabling the functionality in the drivers (I'm not sure which one came first)?
Yeah - I tried the deleting and rediscovering tuners in Ceton's Diagnostic Tool - No Joy..........will have to look into re-installing Drivers to see if that works.

Toys

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#14

Post by garyan2 » Fri Jul 14, 2017 3:38 am

Okay, just to let everyone know what I've been doing concerning the Ceton and TunerSalad tweaks ... discovered they do exactly the same thing except TunerSalad accommodates regions outside the US, though I honestly don't know if that even matters.

I also downloaded the InfiniTV network tuner drivers and discovered ... to apply the tweak without all the discovery and all that, just run from the command prompt:

"C:\Program Files\Ceton\Ceton InfiniTV\InfiniTVSvc.exe" /tweakmediacenter
- Gary
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#15

Post by Space » Fri Jul 14, 2017 5:06 am

Amazing that it took this long for someone to figure that one out... Thanks Gary!

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#16

Post by garyan2 » Fri Jul 14, 2017 2:35 pm

Space wrote:The Ceton drivers should already have this capability built-in (without the need for Tuner Salad). You may need to reinstall the drivers to get it working again (or deleting and rediscovering the tuners as mentioned earlier in this thread).

I personally think that Gary should enable this functionality as part of EPG123. I know he doesn't want to step on any toes, but he is already kind of doing that with the guide logos and supposedly the change that is required is so minor that it would take very little to implement. Plus, isn't Ceton already stepping on the toes of Tuner Salad by enabling the functionality in the drivers (I'm not sure which one came first)?
Okay, the capability to increase the maximum tuners allowed per type will be part of EPG123 on next release and will be part of the Step 1 clean start process. The files necessary (.reg and .mxf) will be available to import manually if necessary.

As far as logos, I don't feel like I'm stepping on anyone's toes by providing logos. This was something easy to discover how to do and Schedules Direct provides them in their data. What MCL XL certainly provides that I won't venture into is the ability to increase the guide rows and large logos. The process for this is a bit more involved and alters a .dll file which I don't want to do. MCL XL also has some pretty nice logos for WMC, especially the Big logos. So they still have a market and still relevant.
- Gary
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#17

Post by Toys7505 » Fri Jul 14, 2017 2:48 pm

Gary, appreciate the responses around this. Just because this is new to me as far as EPG 123, where do I get those files and how do I manually import them?

Thanks,
Toys

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#18

Post by garyan2 » Fri Jul 14, 2017 2:54 pm

Toys7505 wrote:Gary, appreciate the responses around this. Just because this is new to me as far as EPG 123, where do I get those files and how do I manually import them?

Thanks,
Toys
They will be part of the next release. If you need something immediately, let me know and I can send them to you later with instructions on how to apply them.
- Gary
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#19

Post by Space » Fri Jul 14, 2017 3:02 pm

Toys7505 wrote:Gary, appreciate the responses around this. Just because this is new to me as far as EPG 123, where do I get those files and how do I manually import them?

Thanks,
Toys
You have Ceton tuners so you can just run the command:

"C:\Program Files\Ceton\Ceton InfiniTV\InfiniTVSvc.exe" /tweakmediacenter

As indicated earlier in this thread to do the same thing.

I think anyone can install the Ceton software (even if you don't have Ceton hardware) and use this tool (or just extract the needed executable from the install package), but since the functionality will now be a part of EPG123, this is no longer necessary.

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#20

Post by garyan2 » Fri Jul 14, 2017 3:18 pm

True that anyone can install. That's how I figured out what it did and the commandline argument to do it.

Thanks, Space ... completely missed Toys already has the Ceton software.
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

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