Experience with the Prof 7300 PC card

[Grimgnaw]

I acquired a Prof 7300 card and have had excellent results with 32 bit XP SP2 installed on 32 bit machine. Using a Tektronix digital scope with a breakout box on the lnb input the Diseqc transmissions are as expected. Dvb Dream has been the application used and the PROF drivers were the original 1.1.0.4 version.

When installed with 32 bit XP SP3 on a 64 bit machine results are not consistent. The Diseqc transmissions are seldom present. The bda.log file shows they were sent but the scope does not trigger (single sweep recording with either plus or minus 250mv level ). Tests with the 22Khz were also made. Once in a while something shows up.

I have updated the bios and all the motherboard drivers on the 64 bit Gigabyte mainboard to no avail and am using the latest online drivers version 1.1.0.5 after originally trying the 1.1.0.4 version.

While PROF limits the operating system to being 32 bit there is no mention of such a limit on the hardware requirements.

A friend is getting the PROF 7500 USB version which I hope to evaluate on both machines.

 

[zamar23]

While PROF limits the operating system to being 32 bit there is no mention of such a limit on the hardware requirements. A friend is getting the PROF 7500 USB version which I hope to evaluate on both machines.

Where did you get this idea? Why don't you try a 64-bit driver for Prof 7300 from here? Similar 64-bit driver for Prof 7300 is available, and for Prof 7500 USB is expected later.

 

[Grimgnaw]

Where did you get this idea? Why don't you try a 64-bit driver for Prof 7300 from here? Similar 64-bit driver for Prof 7300 is available, and for Prof 7500 USB is expected later.

See the page of the PROF web site at the following link:
Prof Red Series DVB-S2 7300 PCI

The first line under System Requirements reads as follows:
OS: Microsoft Windows 32bit 2000/XP/Vista/Win7


The drivers you referenced are for a 64 bit Operating System as can be noted in their respective INF files. My prior post referenced a 32 bit operating system on 64 bit hardware.

 

[zamar23]

The page you mentioned wasn't corrected yet. The 64-bit drivers are in beta. Nice dishes though on your avatar.

 

[Grimgnaw]

I very much appreciate you referencing of the 64 bit beta drivers for the PROF 7300 as that opens up a whole new ballgame for me on the 64 bit machine.

It was looking like I would have to continue network streaming from the 32 bit machine to the 64 which in turn forwards it over HDMI (60 feet) to the principal TV.

 

[Grimgnaw]

Whoops, I may now have to eat my last words on the "whole new ballgame" at least for a while. I just received a reply from dong.prof.tuners as follows:

Jerry,

Driver here:
Index of /download/beta/64bit

But we don't know good DVB-S/S2 TV-player for x64. You will have problem with 32bit software (DVBViewer, DVBDream, etc) on x64 system. Sometimes you will have BSOD, because all satellite software 32 bit.

x64 not for satellite TV

 

[zamar23]

Of course, its just a matter of time for all DVB packages to start moving towards 64 bit support. Don't take this reply to your bank.

 

[Grimgnaw]

I installed a fresh copy of XP x64 (evaluation) along with the beta x64 drivers (referenced by both zamar23 and PROF) on the 64 bit computer (using Dvb Dream, an x86 app) and the results were consistent with installing Win x86 and the x86 drivers on that 64 bit computer -- similarly limited success even when bypassing the Diseqc. Interface problems between bios and drivers for the x86 case or between the x86 application and the x64 drivers in the other do not seem to be the only problems as I initially surmised.

Previous usage in Win 7 RC x86 with the x86 drivers, also had no more success. I hesitate to even experiment in the Win 7 RC x64 drive at this point.

 

[zamar23]

Interesting report. Did you post your findings on DVBDream's site, asking to update to x64 version? I think, lack of a complete solution for x64 bit support will start hitting all card makes pretty soon, as North American users actively move to newer hardware. But the front runners with x64 drivers available will always feel the heat first.

Do you know any card make that supports x64 hardware with its own complient driver and viewer application? Such suggestion may help.

 

[Grimgnaw]

64 bit hardware normally does not require any changes to 32 bit applications or drivers from that used on the 32 bit hardware when using an x86 Operating System (OS). When using an x64 OS then x64 drivers are required but the x86 application is still normally compatible although likely not as efficient as if it were written to take advantage of the extended x64 instruction set. Coders or programmers can take liberties (short cuts usually for speed) in their x86 coding which sometimes kills that compatibility.

Looking at the hardware of the users on the Dvb Dream Forum, as suggested, there are at least three who list 64 bit hardware and those users have the following:

Skywalker I
Genpix Electronics Store - What is SkyWalker-1? (Powered by CubeCart)

TechniSat SkyStar S2 PCI used with Win 7 x64 as well as XP x64

Pinnacle PCTV Sat + Terratec Cinergy 1200 DVB-S / Athlon 64 3500+ (processor indicates 64 bit hardware)

There are most likely lots others but even this sample indicates that the x86 Dvb Dream application itself has no problems on 64 bit hardware. This would center the problem on the x86 drivers included with the 7300 for the x86 XP and the x64 drivers when the OS is x64.

From my tests both have failed on 64 bit hardware but on 32 bit hardware the 7300 works great. I would like to be shown to have "goofed up" here as I do so want to use this card on my faster 64 bit hardware.

 

[Stephan1]

64 bit hardware normally does not require any changes to 32 bit applications or drivers from that used on the 32 bit hardware when using an x86 Operating System (OS).

This is marketing For good sales x64 CPU

 

[Grimgnaw]

Prof 7300 Works with 64 bit Hardware wi PROGDVBx64

Success was achieved on the use of the Prof 7300 PC card on a 64 bit machine with both the Win 7-RC x64 and XP x64 operating systems. The PROGDVB program exists in an x64 version and of course requires x64 drivers and codecs which are available, many (codecs) within Win 7. When I inadvertently attempted to use 32 bit codecs with the XPx64 install it crashed in a hurry and for some reason its functionallity was also dependent on some unknown XP updates. I initiated the Win 7 install in parallel on a separate drive when I got discouraged with XPx64 progress. Both did work out.

The ProgDVB program is administratively awkward to use when the dish is slaved to a Motorola 922 for a dual lnb C-band dish or a C/Ku setup, but it can be managed. The DVB Dream program would be more convenient but its 32 bit format has a Diseqc control compatibility problem, where the solution is not obvious.

 

[zamar23]

Grimgnaw

You findings are very useful for others, but they're irrelevant to this thread, and feel like hijacking. Prof 7300 cards employ CX chipset and use entirely different drivers than Prof 7301, 7500 and 8000 (the last ain't exist so far as a product for sale), which are based on STM chipset. Hence, they perform differently with various viewers in different OS versions.

First: please create a new thread on Prof 7300, indicate the chipset used, and ask the Moderator by PM to move all posts related to Prof 7300 to it. List separately relevant posts to move by their number in your request.

Also, you mentioned having DiSEqC control problems with 7300 in Win x64, which you seems to have resolved with ProgDVB for x64. Did you have any other relevant problems, such as motor control, signal locking, channel watching stability, etc.? Prof 7300 series was widely reported to have serious hardware deficiencies, manifested in particular in locking DVB-S2 signals. Did you try to watch any HD H.264 or 4.2.2 encoded signals, using what exact hardware profile, and what was the outcome? Did you try to lock any DVB-S2 signals, which ones in particular, using what dish setup, and how it went?

 

[Mr Tony]

split some posts from the other thread to this one per request

 

[Grimgnaw]

Grimgnaw
Also, you mentioned having DiSEqC control problems with 7300 in Win x64, which you seems to have resolved with ProgDVB for x64. Did you have any other relevant problems, such as motor control, signal locking, channel watching stability, etc.? Prof 7300 series was widely reported to have serious hardware deficiencies, manifested in particular in locking DVB-S2 signals. Did you try to watch any HD H.264 or 4.2.2 encoded signals, using what exact hardware profile, and what was the outcome? Did you try to lock any DVB-S2 signals, which ones in particular, using what dish setup, and how it went?

I cannot report on motor control. I have yet to use (other than test) my 39" Ku dish which has the Diseqc controlled motor. At this point I am only controlling a 2x1 Diseqc switch for polarity on a dual lnb 7.5' C-band dish (Satellite changes are accomplished via the 922 receiver).

I have seen no stability or lock problems on DVB-S HD or SD. The longest single HD usage stint was the Ohio State/Iowa game from a feed. The HD watched has been MPEG-2 and not H.264. For this the picture was more stable on the 7300 than on the Pansat 9200HD on its larger 9' Dish as mentioned before.

DVB-S2 signals are so seldom available that I have yet to really try any. The NBC set on 105W are no longer listed and I have not really concentrated on finding a feed with it. Please advise where any are consistently viewable.

The 4:2:2 ABC-Net signals on Galaxy 16 come in fine and are viewable so long as the proper codec is selected. This again is DVB-S and the 7300 card does not have or need any clue as to whether the signal is a 4:2:0 or 4:2:2 format.

Also I would be interested in your source for the "7300 widely reported serious hardware deficiencies" as maybe I could learn something from that discussion.

All prior reported progress is now applicable to a recent install of a "Genuine" Win-7 x64 Home Premium (prior meaning the Win 7 RC x64).

Thanks for your interest. Your suggested thread split was quite appropriate.

 

[zamar23]

Regarding DVB-S2 channels, look through Updated DVB-S2 channel list for North America and other similar threads, using also forum Search function. The "source of 7300 issues with DVB-S2 locking" requires accurate translation effort.

 

[Grimgnaw]

Experience with DVB-S2 channels including the four NBC HD broadcasts on AMC 18 (105W) and six ABC channels on Galaxy 16 (99W) has shown solid performance using the Prof 7300 with the ProgDVB Pro x86, XPx86 system on a 64 bit PC. The NBC channels have required use of my 9' dish (rather than the 7.5' dish ) apparently due to the relatively low signal level.

The Athlon X2 5800+ runs at about 90% capability on the NBC channels with the DivX codec and VMR-7 renderer (according to XP task manager). For these NBC channels ProgDVB shows a 1920 x1088 incoming signal and the Panasonic G10 indicates it to be a 1080p HDMI input from the PC.

The Cyberlink H.264 codec (PowerDVD 9) generally works well too although I have seen it go into oscillation in CPU load and yield a picture jumping in time. Today it seems to be working fine. To my knowledge it shares the load with the onboard video gpu. It shows a processor load of about 70%.

The Elecard H.264 codec has not yet provided clean reception of these NBC channels. The Elecard places a far heavier load on one cpu than on the other, smears the pixels and has audio problems.

I have had no success yet with the two fddshow H.264 codecs for these NBC channels.

As is obvious from prior posts I have backed off of the Win 7 x64 for DVB-S2 since there is a severe problem with ProgDVB x64 which I reported in the ProgDVB forum. No solutions have come forth although a moderator has commented.

I found that the antivirus, screensaver and all other background programs need be eliminated otherwise video anomolies occur.

For the Vancouver Olympics I am operating it for the full NBC (East) coverage from noon till about 10:30pm (pacific time) each day and so far only a total of 4 freezes have occurred since the start of the Olympics. That is almost as good as my Pansat 9200HD on a DVB-S signal.

As mentioned earlier ProgDVB is the program of choice since it has been the only one which will control the Diseqc switch with the Prof 7300 card (or maybe with any BDA device).

 

[Stephan1]

Newest driver for Prof-7300 (XP, 32bit):
http://www.prof-tuners.com/download/cd/Prof7300_Driver_1.1.0.7_W32.zip

 

[Grimgnaw]

Newest driver for Prof-7300 (XP, 32bit):
http://www.prof-tuners.com/download/cd/Prof7300_Driver_1.1.0.7_W32.zip

Thanks Stephan1 for the reference to a later set of drivers for the Prof 7300.

I have installed them in one of my XP systems and they seem to work fine. It is curious that they were in the "cd" folder on the Prof site rather than the "beta" or the "drivers prof" folder. Maybe they are in a state of trial by the developer?

Two CBS HD (4:2:2 color, DVB-S2, 8psk, MPEG-2, 1080i) channels on Galaxy 28 (89W) have come in handy for watching the NCAA "March Madness". The Descaler Video Codec with the Video Mixing Renderer and the Elecard Audio codec with the Default Direct Sound Renderer in DVBDream provided excellent reception. When there were 2 games being played at the same time one could switch between the channels to see both.

One observation was that the FTA reception of these CBS channels was strikingly sharper and more brilliant than the over-the-air HD reception from the local CBS station. These channels were upconverted from 1080i to 1080p by the computer before sending it over the HDMI to the TV but I am not convinced that that was significant enough to yield that increased definition or sharpness. The 4:2:2 was likely responsible for the increased brilliance. According to DVBDream the incoming signal was 1920x1080 at 29.9fps. The Panasonic G10 identified the incoming HDMI as 1080p and the incoming OTA as 1080i.

 

[Stephan1]

It is curious that they were in the "cd" folder on the Prof site rather than the "beta" or the "drivers prof" folder. Maybe they are in a state of trial by the developer?

This is the secret the latest driver PTG Engine for Prof 7300.

The driver is in a hidden folder, so that dishonest Ukrainian hackers do not know about them. Ukrainian hackers are breaking drivers PTG Engine for Prof-7300 (version 4 and 5) and use them for other DVB-card to a reference design from Conexant (Conexant chip 24118 + Conexant CX24116), clones and fakes. We spent a lot of effort, time and money developing drivers PTG Engine. But we have lost much of investments in Prof-7300. This dishonest people hinder the development of our products. Software thieves from Ukraine, Russia and the CIS using hacked drivers PTG Engine.

Now this driver is posted on this forum, the Thailand satforum and the satforum of Arab countries.