DirecTV2PC Advisor issues/discussion

[veryoldschool]

Seems like the current version could use some tweaking.
I've got a 3.0 PentiumD that is "listed" [930] that shows red [no].
I've got an old 3.4 Pentium 4 HT [478 pin] that isn't listed and yet it shows yellow [upgrade].

The PentiumD should show green.

I don't think a "normal" customer would be able to figure out the first PC should have a video card upgrade and the CPU is fine.

My 3.4 Pentium 4 HT shows yellow and my ATI 3600 shows green. Since this works fine the CPU should show green, since it has worked fine for all MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 recordings.
In fact, with a green video card, I've played MPEG-4 fine with the CPU slowed down to below 2 GHz. MPEG-2 HD playback is where CPU speed/power is needed and 3 GHz works well. The advisor should report green for 3 GHz [and above] and yellow for 2.8 GHz [and below], as this is where the end user "may have" problems and the "more info" should list MPEG-2 verses MPEG-4 playback issues.

If this ever gets out of beta and customers call in for help, how many are going to know what's in their PC?

The audio driver errors are still an ongoing problem and should be addressed.
Since it looks like only Realtek has drivers supporting HDCP, anybody using other chips will need to disable there digital outputs.
Wouldn't it help if this was part of the Advisor?
Click on "more info" and find out you need to disable the digital output?

[bobnielsen]

I have a Radeon 3450 graphics card (ASUS EAH3450) which it doesn't even seem to recognize (grey ball). If I click for information it lists the 3400 series as one of the recommended types (it works fine with Directv2PC). I wonder how much of the information comes from actual tests and how much from a database?

[veryoldschool]

I have a Radeon 3450 graphics card (ASUS EAH3450) which it doesn't even seem to recognize (grey ball). If I click for information it lists the 3400 series as one of the recommended types (it works fine with Directv2PC). I wonder how much of the information comes from actual tests and how much from a database?
Looks like the FAQ page is more up to date than the app. [kind of the point of this thread]

The file dates on the Advisor go back to Mar.

[bakers12]

Should the thread title be changed to indicate version 1525? I assume that's still current.

BTW, DirecTV2PC works well for me and my PC is nothing to brag about. I have a red flag on my Pentium 4 2.8GHz.

[afulkerson]

It shows all green on my system and plays just fine. The previous version did not recognize the cpu (Q9200) and NVIDIA 9600 gt running Vista.

[mdavej]

Early beta's work fine on my 3 yr old hardware. But later ones don't work at all. So first, I'd like to see the app work on more than 2 video card models so more than a dozen people on the planet can actually use it. Is that too much to ask? Second, I'd like to see some keyboard shortcuts for playback controls. Third, I'd like to see a way to hide the playback bar during pause (a second press of play does the trick on a real HR2x).

[veryoldschool]

Early beta's work fine on my 3 yr old hardware. But later ones don't work at all. So first, I'd like to see the app work on more than 2 video card models so more than a dozen people on the planet can actually use it. Is that too much to ask? Second, I'd like to see some keyboard shortcuts for playback controls. Third, I'd like to see a way to hide the playback bar during pause (a second press of play does the trick on a real HR2x).
While none of this really has to do with the advisor,
I've got it running on (2) five year old PCs.
"Two video cards?"
Two chip makers [nVidia & ATI], but is there any other [video] chip maker, other than intel?
h.264 & HDCP support is fairly important, though I do have one PC without either and it's working [on a dual core though].
Without a poll to know how many are using this, "I'd bet" there are a few more than "a dozen people on the planet".
"Shortcuts": http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=155986

"Normally" once you move the cursor away from the playback bar, it goes anyway.

Now I'm guessing you just wanted to vent [though this is the wrong thread] and hope I've helped you "some what".
If you have further problems/issues, why not post in the DirecTV2PC thread with your hardware/problem and see if some of us might be able to help.

[mdavej]

Sorry. Wrong thread. Glossed right over the "Advisor" bit in the title. And yes, I am venting. No, the playback bar stays forever in pause mode. I admit, it may work for at least two dozen people on the planet. I see plenty of posts saying it doesn't work anymore. I've got an nvidia card, latest drivers, etc. and get all green on the advisor, and STILL get the protected content error. I've tried every trick in the book. So I'm beyond frustrated. But it's not important enough to waste too much time or money on.

I do appreciate your help though. Thanks for the shortcut list. I had no idea. Can you make that a sticky?

I'll post in the right thread next time.

[veryoldschool]

Sorry. Wrong thread. Glossed right over the "Advisor" bit in the title. And yes, I am venting. No, the playback bar stays forever in pause mode. I admit, it may work for at least two dozen people on the planet. I see plenty of posts saying it doesn't work anymore. I've got an nvidia card, latest drivers, etc. and get all green on the advisor, and STILL get the protected content error. I've tried every trick in the book. So I'm beyond frustrated. But it's not important enough to waste too much time or money on.

I do appreciate your help though. Thanks for the shortcut list. I had no idea. Can you make that a sticky?

I'll post in the right thread next time.
Me make it a sticky? :lol:
They only let me start threads when I've been good for a long time. :lol:
During paused playback, I think all of us have the bar in view. How else could we restart playback?

Now if your Advisor shows "all green", and you "STILL get the protected content error", this is something that may belong in this thread.

Is this the audio error, or is your monitor not supporting HDCP over DVI?

The audio error "should be" cleared by disabling the digital audio outputs as posted several times in the other thread.
If it's the video error, try using the analog [VGA] connection. This works on monitors [my old analog Viewsonic] that don't support HDCP. If this doesn't work, then it may be in Windows, which means a fresh install.

[mdavej]

Yes!!! I just discovered the latest beta. It works!!! Thanks again for all your advice, VOS.

I'm all set with shortcuts. My only complaint is still the playback bar in pause. Maybe I should clarify that a bit more, because I think we're talking about different things. There are transport controls at the bottom of the screen, which I agree need to be visible for control. I'm talking about the timeline banner that covers part of the picture whenever your start/stop playback. Exit makes it disappear during pause on a real HR2x. I just want the same funcitonality on this app.

(I know, I'm still in the wrong thread. Just wanted to close the loop on this one).

[bsboggs]

Unless I'm doing something wrong (always a possibility) the parental controls are basically useless. I lock the parental controls after I start the program and for as long as the program runs they stay locked. But simply quitting and restarting the program unlocks the parental controls again. My children could bypass the locked state of the parental controls by just restarting the program. That's no good.

[veryoldschool]

Unless I'm doing something wrong (always a possibility) the parental controls are basically useless. I lock the parental controls after I start the program and for as long as the program runs they stay locked. But simply quitting and restarting the program unlocks the parental controls again. My children could bypass the locked state of the parental controls by just restarting the program. That's no good.
And this has to do with the Advisor, how?
I think you might want to post this in the issues thread.

[azdave7042]

I had downloaded and licensed Direct2PC software about 8 months ago for the only PC i have that passed the advisors test.

I did receive the license key via email at that time.

Unfortunately, that pc had dual monitors and the software wouldn't work properly. Now i understand that the newest version supports a dual monitor system.

I cannot find the email or the keys. I have re-registerred on the cyberlink website to download the app using several email addresses but i never receive a key via email. I have looked in my junk mail folder and monitored my inbox for over a week; still no License.

Is it still possible to receive a new license for this software or have they stopped issuing new keys? Anyone know how I can get a new license to test on my dual monitor setup?

Thanks,
Dave

[veryoldschool]

I had downloaded and licensed Direct2PC software about 8 months ago for the only PC i have that passed the advisors test.

I did receive the license key via email at that time.

Unfortunately, that pc had dual monitors and the software wouldn't work properly. Now i understand that the newest version supports a dual monitor system.

I cannot find the email or the keys. I have re-registerred on the cyberlink website to download the app using several email addresses but i never receive a key via email. I have looked in my junk mail folder and monitored my inbox for over a week; still no License.

Is it still possible to receive a new license for this software or have they stopped issuing new keys? Anyone know how I can get a new license to test on my dual monitor setup?

Thanks,
Dave
[Again not really an Advisor issue/discussion]
There seem to be times the the key issuing server seems to go down for a while [weekends mostly] and with each release a lot of new keys get requested.
From the other thread, serial numbers are still being sent out.

I find it a good idea to copy them into a text file and save them in the same folder and the app. Then I simply open up this file each time I update the software.

[azdave7042]

Thanks for your help.

Yes, I have a folder on one of my servers that i keep text files for serial numbers etc...

Unfortunately, that HD died sometime after i got the keys, and of course I hadn't fully backed it up. That is why I was searching through my emails.

I will keep trying to see if it can get one, I just wanted to know if they are still issuing.

Thanks