Diamond Multimedia XtremeTV PVR550 PCI Power Pack Review Official Thread

[rampy]

*phew* this was almost like 4 reviews in one 

Posted the Diamond Multimedia XtremeTV PVR550 PCI Power Pack in the BYOPVR Reviews Section

official XtremeTV PVR550 PCI power pack product page

Feel free to make comments or ask questions about the review in this thread.

The Diamond Multimedia XtremeTV PVR-550 “Power Pack” is an intriguing new entry into the DIY PVR marketplace. For $130 they manage to package nearly everything you would need (sans PC) to make your PC into a PVR / Media Center.


The PVR550 Power Pack comes with:
• Conexant “Falcon” hardware MPEG encoding tuner card
• FireFly RF remote control & batteries
• BeyondTV Subscriber Edition
• Beyond Media (full)
• Misc A/V cables


So what are you waiting for? Go Check out the XtremeTV PVR550 PCI review!

rampy

[rampy]

For comparison's sake here's "hot" hardware's review of the PVR550 PCI power pack and tom's hardware xtremeTV pvr550 review

[SHS]

rampy there should be no reason it wouldn't work in SageTV or GBPVR
If ask me thoese two last screenshot don't look good I see color problem

[rampy]

rampy there should be no reason it wouldn't work in SageTV or GBPVR
If ask me thoese two last screenshot don't look good I see color problem

I did try it with sagetv 2.2... and it installed/setup... but it locked up when I went to view live TV. I was going to try GBPVR, but didn't get to it =)

rampy

[SHS]

Have you adding to the registry

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Frey Technologies\Common\AdditionalCaptureSetups\Conexant Falcon Video Capture]
"CaptureMask"=dword:00000800
"ChipsetMask"=dword:00000002

Also try rename Conexant Falcon Video Capture to Conexant Falcon Encoder
And don't forget to reboot
Have even try just recording only then try play back

[SHS]

Also forgot try changing "ChipsetMask"=dword:00000000

[rampy]

I'll give that a shot when I get a chance, SHS... thanks for the detailed info 

For now, my next move is playing with sageTV 3.03 beta on the pvr350 mini-itx box...

rampy

[AJ]

Well, based on this I purchased one today at Micro Center.

Installed the hardware and went to install the driver software...
Inserted the disk and nothing happened.

The disk has the Diamond label and the instruction book has both keycodes, but lo and behold...
the disk is blank as can be.  It was never recorded.

I wrote to Diamond immediately, but on a Friday... they are gone and their website does not contain any support info on this device.  No driver... nothing.

I was able to download trial versions of the application software form snapstream for use while I chase Diamond for a disk, but perhaps someone here would be kind enough to email me a zip of the driver and other goodies (WDM capture) so I can actually make it work.  I'm about 100 miles round-trip to the store, and the price of gas is ridiculous.

Any help appreciated.  Thanks in advance!

[rampy]

did you get the bundle with firefly remote?  SHould be able to get that driver straight from SnapStream...

anyways...  here's the core pvr550 "driver"

pvr550 driver folder / files grabbed from CD

hope that helps, and I hope that Diamond is able to get back to you soon-ish and rectify the "blank" CD.

rampy

[Craig]

Hey Rampy,

Based on your review I also purchased the Diamond 550 Power Pack.

You will be happy to learn that Diamond did put all drivers (Beyond TV, Beyond Media and Firefly) on one CD.  Could you now suggest adding a microwave popcorn pack and a coupon for some beer.

My one con is that I don't get the 60 day free trial to the Snapstream.net guide.  When I go to subscribe it tells me I have 0 days left.  Seeing how I only loaded it three days ago something is wrong.  Are there free guides I can use with my PVR?

As for the quality I can tell a slight difference between the video from my computer versus the analog feed but I am not that picky and after a bit I don't even notice. 

I do like the fact that I have 50 hours of record time.  Sure beats the 6 hours on the VHS.  The live record is cool too, especially during sunday's football game (was his foot really out, let's see).

All in all I do like the purchase.

Thanks.

Craig

[rampy]

you could probably rig up something with XMLTV (the same thing folks do if SnapStream, or the like, doesn't support their native country with listings)

What I suggest is just emailing/opening up a ticket with snapstream directly and hopefully they can figure it out and bump your snapstream.net account from 0 to 60 (I don't know that they can, but I *assume* they are able to...)

It's worth filling out a webform/email...  IS there anything funny about your system, like you had a previous snapstream.net account from a previous beyondTV regular trial period?

Glad you like the package... I always feel really bad when someone buys something based upon one of the site's reviews and their experience doesn't match mine (it just happens, weird driver compatibilities, the random bum card/hardware, my expectations/perceptions different than others, solar flares, etc ) *shrug*

Oh before I forget, here's your  =P

rampy

[kylefischbach]

I recently bought the PVR550 and have been having problems with my system recognizing the RF controller when I turn the power on.  The system recognizes the remote after a restart, but not after a total shut down and then a re start.


Any ideas?

[rampy]

I recently bought the PVR550 and have been having problems with my system recognizing the RF controller when I turn the power on.  The system recognizes the remote after a restart, but not after a total shut down and then a re start.


Any ideas?

I'd poke around the snapstream site and in their support knowledgebase... (they are the ones that make the firefly remote) have you tried a different USB port?    It's a pretty odd symptom you have.

rampy

[Kevin Meyer]

Hi,
Does anyone know if one could use an IR remote and wireless keyboard with the PVR550?
It's got a small jack next to the coax connection that isn't documented anywhere that I can find.  Is it an RFU output for old TV's, an IR output for an IR blaster cable, or (I hope) an IR input line for IR remotes etc.

I bought an old Philips Magnavox WebTV with keyboard and remote in hopes of using with my PC PVR.

I think I need an IR receiver and drivers.  The BeyondTV software doesn't list a remote I recognize for my hardware.

Thanks,
Kevin

[DiskHead]

I found this site while looking for documentation on the pvr-550 I recently purchased. I really need an IR Blaster but I was hoping that the port on my card the port marked = "R/M" was for a 1/8 mini plug for a Tivo IR transmitter seen here http://cgi.ebay.ca/New-TiVo-IR-Blaster-IR-Emitter-Guaranteed_W0QQitemZ5873424644QQcategoryZ11725QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem but I have yet to find any information. I don't suppose you guys just have one lying around you could plug in and give it a try? Thx