No Sound - Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro (USB) with VLC

[enaybee]

Hello All,
Let me first say thanks to all of the people who are behind VLC Media Player Project. Simply amazing and inspiring.
I have been a silent reader from a long time but my new experiment (kinda late) prompted me to start writing this post. I have been reading different threads on similar issues but mostly people are either using Linux (command lines - which I don't understand) or Internal Tuner Cards. So if there is a thread where this issue has already been discussed and resolved please direct me to it. Thanks in advance. Now the question,

I am trying to watch TV (Over-The-Air) using VLC media player and Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro USB (PCTV 330e/800e Device). Video is fine but there is no sound.
When I refresh Video Device Name List, I can see and select "PCTV 330e/800e Device", but when I refresh Audio Device Name List I can only see

1. Default
2. BlueTooth Hands free audio
3. SoundMAX Digital (Onboard Sound device)
4. None

There is no Pinnacle Audio Device.
This is what I see when I select different options in: File -> Open Capture Device -> Advanced Options

dshow:// :dshow-vdev="PCTV 330e/800e Device" :dshow-adev="" :dshow-size="" :dshow-amtuner-mode=1 :dshow-caching=300 :dshow-chroma="" :dshow-fps=0.000000 :no-dshow-config :no-dshow-tuner :dshow-tuner-channel=62 :dshow-tuner-country=1 :dshow-tuner-input=2 :dshow-video-input=-1 :dshow-audio-input=-1 :dshow-video-output=-1 :dshow-audio-output=-1

As you can see that - dshow-adev="" ... empty. I don't know what to do. (BTW Tuner Input =2 is actually Antenna)

My device works fine with Pinnacle TV Center Pro Software and PowerCinema 5. Great Audio and Great Sound, both for NTSC and ATSC.
Computer Specs are P4 - 3.0Ghz, 2 GB SDRAM (553 Mhz), On Board SoundMAX Digital, nVidia 7600 GT, Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro USB Stick (ATSC/NTSC)on WinXp SP2.
All other process and softwares are fine (WMedia, VLC, WinDVD7 during file, DVD etc playback. I get the video and sound just fine).
Please help me resolve this.

[enaybee]

I thought I was specific about the details of my question. I would really appreciate if somebody could help me out here. I am literally pulling my hairs out right now.
I did run a small utility to see that my device supports WDM drivers for both audio and video ... I could see a PCTV WDM Audio driver for this device. I also checked the stream information (ctrl+i) to see that my audio stream has audio codec = araw. I can't change that codec.

Please help

[enaybee]

Okay Guys. I found the solution. Somewhere in the forum, I found a thread where somebody was looking for a solution for similar problem. Somebody suggested using "iuvcr" software and from the crossbar tab, activating the audio input pin. While iuvcr is running in the background (with the preview disabled, run VLC and leave the sound to default. In Tuner properties, it will pick the correct input pin for the Audio Device and will show video and sound at the same time.

I am not sure what is going on in the background, but looks like somehow VLC cannot trigger the audio driver to activate correct audio input pin, iuvcr can. With correct pin being enabled by iuvcr, VLC tuner crossbar property could detect the correct pin and fixes the problem.

I know its not a good or permenant fix as everytime I run VLC I have to run iuvcr in the background (even though once VLC starts running for 10 secs, I shut down iuvcr). But I am happy for right now and will figure out something else to fix this problem without making use of iuvcr or till somebody in these forums will look into.

Thanks all for leaving so much to read in the forums that any or many problems could be fixed by going through these pages.

cya

[enaybee]

Well another update.
Problem fixed.

I am no software or a hardware geek so don't expect technical wabangi. This device has a single driver (Pinnacle) to control video and audio. Even though the driver is WDM audio but its still difficult for some softwares to recognize this device as both video/audio device within the same driver.

On August 2007, Microsoft released a new driver to fix this issue. This is a universal driver for all PCTV 8x0e devices (PCTV 330e/8x0e WDM Audio Driver). After downloading and installing this driver I am successfully using Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro USB stick with VLC for watching and streaming live TV, Video Input (S-video/Composite).
Also, Plextor ConvertX PVR PX-TV100U also works with VLC with the original drivers to watch and stream TV over the network or internet. I tried various formats with Pinnacle and Plextor devices and it worked to my satisfaction. I can't really list all compatible formats, because I didn't test all of them.

Thanks.

[pdeg]

I too have similar problems with a couple of PCI based TV cards. VLC has no problems in finding the video, but
seems unable to find to audio. I did manage to get it "once" but not any more. I cannot see the audio in
Windows Media encoder either. However the WInamp TV plug in seems to have no troubles.

I am hoping that a driver update will solve the problem .. assuming it is not hardware specific.

I have tried in vein to find the download you mentioned. Could you please post a link where I can get hold of the update.

Many Thanks
Regards
Peter

[diovanti]

I'm in desperate need of this new Micosoft driver as well. Please help.

[diovanti]

Bump

[diovanti]

bump...

[enaybee]

First of all, let me first appologize for not getting back to this forum in a long time as I was out of country.
I am back and this is what I messaged avitcom, I am posting it in the thread so that everybody can see it ...

You don't really have to do anything special. Simply plugin your TV tuner stick into USB port and then go to microsoft windows update website. Run "update check" to see what updates are available for your machine. After when the webpage will show you all the updates that are available to download you will notice that in "hardware" section on left it has the Pinnacle driver listed. Simply add to install list and then download and install.
Hope this helps.
Have fun.

[Kingston]

You don't really have to do anything special. Simply plugin your TV tuner stick into USB port and then go to microsoft windows update website. Run "update check" to see what updates are available for your machine. After when the webpage will show you all the updates that are available to download you will notice that in "hardware" section on left it has the Pinnacle driver listed. Simply add to install list and then download and install.

Hi enaybee!
I tried to do this. But, on the list of "Hardwares" didn't show up the Pinnacle driver.


What can i do???


Thanks a lot!

[dbrunt@sapient.com]

We're also having this same issue and Windows Update does not give us this other driver mentioned.
I've done some poking about google and can't find anyone with it.

Please help

[swegs]

bump, ive tryed the iuvcr thing but cant seem to get it to work dont know if im just doing some thing wrong or what, anyone who has got it to work that would if you would post a step up step instructions id appreciate it, also have tryed searching for this "mythical driver" as well will no luck, windows update shows me nothing as other shave pointed out. i know this topic is kinda old but im desperate. thanks in advance.

-swegs