WinTV-PVR-250/350 Troubleshooting notes

What Operating Systems are supported by the WinTV-PVR-250/350?

The WinTV-PVR-250/350 will function under Windows XP and Windows Vista. It will not function under Windows 95 or NT 4.0

For previous WinTV owners before installing the WinTV-PVR-250/350

If a different model WinTV was installed on the system at another time, it is recommended to run the HCWCLEAR utility first before installing the WinTV-PVR-250/350, to assure that no left over files from the older model are still on the system. Run the HCWCLEAR program from your WinTV-PVR-250/350 CD and choose 'total removal' as well as putting a checkmark in the box to 'search for conflicting hardware' and click ok. Once complete, proceed with the installation as normal.

General information regarding updating the software

The WinTV must be initially installed from the provided WinTV CD rom disc. It may then be updated accordingly from the Hauppauge website when updates become available. If you uninstall completely, it first must be reinstalled from CD before updating from the internet.

Black screen issues

The following information is ONLY a workaround for video cards that do not support Overlay.

• Black screens when channels have been scanned
• Lockups after channel scan or adding a channel
• Errors when changing MPEG quality level
• Can only display video in MPEG1 setting

You can set the WinTV to run in Primary display mode to get the video in the WinTV2000. You must have the latest version of the Hauppauge Software decoders and version 1.6 or higher of the PVR-250/350 drivers.

Open the Primary applet located in the Start - Programs - Hauppauge WinTV program group. Select Force Primary and close out. Open WinTV and try adding a channel and see if the video and audio play. Also verify that you can change the MPEG quality settings in the Pref - Capture - MPEG settings.

Remember, this is just a workaround; the PVR 250/350 is designed and meant to work in Overlay. You may need to upgrade the video card drivers or change your video.

Also, you can try recording a short MPEG1 VCD file and play it back to see if the decoder is working properly. If you can record and playback a VCD file, then the problem would indicate a Conflict with pre-installed decoders.

Decoder Issues - Conflicts with DVD playback software

The PVR-250/350 is a hardware based encoder so the MPEG1 and MPEG2 encoding is done right on the WinTV board itself. The PVR-250/350 does not do hardware-based playback (decoding). It installs a software-based decoder to play back the captured MPEG files. An example of a software MPEG decoder is DVD playback software such as WinDVD or PowerDVD.

Occasionally, the software decoder that the WinTV PVR-250/350 requires and a preinstalled decoder (ie. WinDVD or PwerDVD) may conflict and cause problems on your system. Some examples of these problems:

• Fatal errors or blue screens when launching WinTV2000
• WinTV2000 will function for a short amount of time and then lock or crash
• You receive audio but no video (black screen)
• You have no audio or video but all your channels scanned in properly
• “Stream Operation” errors when clicking on Record or Pause
• “Pin” errors when changing from one MPEG format to another
• “Dshow” errors when launching the application, or when recording or playing back files
• “Kernal 32.dll" crash on shutdown of WinTV2000

In all these cases, the cause is usually a problem with the software decoder the WinTV is trying to use. Either the decoders are not installed properly or they are conflicting with a decoder already installed in the system or they are not installed at all.

A company called InterVideo writes the decoders used by the PVR-250/350. They also produce very popular DVD playback software called WinDVD, which very often conflicts with our decoders. However, this problem is not limited to WinDVD.

The easiest way to troubleshoot a decoder problem is to first uninstall any DVD playback software on your computer and then reinstalling the WinTV decoders by browsing the WinTV installation CD and going into the folder called SMD and running the executable located there. These decoders are also available for download from our website. The WinTV decoders cannot be used to playback DVDs. If your WinDVD software is in conflict with the WinTV decoders and you would still like to use your playback software you can try our updated decoders which have improved compatibility with WinDVD. They can be found here.

Does the WinTV-PVR-250 do MPEG decoding as well as encoding?

The WinTV PVR 250 has MPEG encoding hardware only. It will use software decoding for the playback and pause functions.

The WinTV PVR 350 has Hardware decoding only on the video output. Local playback (on the PC monitor) is still software decoding.

Can I record one show while watching another with the WinTV-PVR-250/350?

No, the WinTV PVR 250/350 will only be able to record the program that is being viewed.

What is the difference between the WinTV-PVR-250 and 350 models?

Both models will have the same capture and TV functionality. The PVR 350 adds FM radio, as well as a video output(S-video/Composite video), so you can output captured MPEG videos to an external monitor of VCR.

Video out is only S-Video or Composite, there is no RF output.

When Video Out is enabled, turning off the local playback will lower CPU usage considerably. To access that option, click and hold right mouse button then go down to video out and uncheck Local Playback. You can also turn off Video Out in the same menu selection.

Can I view Closed Captioning with the WinTV-PVR-250/350?

Not currently, however, this feature is planned for a future update.

Can I connect Video game systems to the WinTV-PVR-250/350?

No. The PVR-250/350 may not display game system video properly.

Failed to create TV window. hTV=0xd6a950 Err=1.

This error will occur if the Software decoders have not been installed. These can be reinstalled by running the HCWSMD02.EXE file from the SMD folder located on the WinTV PVR 250/350 installation CD.

"There is no common media type between these pins" HCWSnapshot, Video Renderer.

This error will occur if Overlay is not working properly on your system. Your VGA card MUST support Overlay in order for the WinTV-PVR-250/350 to work. Make sure your graphics card supports Overlay. Also make sure that there are no other programs running that require overlay. ie. Windows Media Player. These programs will take over the Overlay surface and prevent the WinTV PVR 250/350 from working.

This error may also come up if the Software Decoders have not been installed. Reinstall the software codecs. You can download them from here.

Also, be sure that the VGA cards hardware acceleration settings are on Full. (control panel/display/settings/advanced).

"WinTV Initialization Error.hTV=10" when trying to open the WinTV program.

This error will only come up if the VFW drivers have been installed on the system. For example, if you had a different model WinTV installed that requires VFW drivers and installed the PVR 250/350 software over it, you may get this error. You may also get this error if you have downloaded and installed the PVR PCI updated drivers mistakenly. 

The WinTV PVR 250/350 DOES NOT USE VFW drivers. To correct this error, run the PVR48xxx.exe file from the PVR folder on the WinTV-PVR-250/350 installation CD. The latest versions are available here.

Also, if this error is seen during the driver installation procedure, try reseating or moving the WinTV board into another PCI slot(s), making sure that it is firmly in place.

IVAC not found error

Indicates that the hardware is not being seen correctly by the system. Try reseating the WinTV Board into a different PCI slot(s) in the system, and confirm that the board is firmly in place.

Error in MSVCRT.DLL when trying to open the WinTV program.

If you get an error in MSVCRT.DLL  please try updating to the latest version of the software currently available on our site

DVD MovieFactory: "Error: cannot read from file" when creating VCD.

ULead DVD MovieFactory application update

The latest updates to MovieFactory can be found at: www.ulead.com/tech/dmf/dmf_ftp.htm
A fix for a hang when burning VCD's is now available.

DVD MovieFactory: "Failed to initialize capture driver"

DVD MovieFactory is provided as an editing and authoring program only. It cannot capture the video directly. You must capture the MPEG video files using the WinTV2000 application and then import them into DVD MovieFactory to edit them.

Third party capture applications not supported

The WinTV-PVR-250/350 records directly to MPEG using onboard Hardware encoders. Most third party capture applications are looking to attach to a card or driver that supports uncompressed video recordings. Like AVI files. These programs cannot capture video directly using the PVR-250/350.

Hibernate and Power Management options not supported

When the WinTV is running, any Power Management routines configured on the computer will not run. Including Hibernate.

Can I create SVCD's as well as VCD's with the PVR-250/350?

Yes, the PVR-250/350 has VCD and SVCD settings in the MPEG Capture Preferences. In the WinTV2000 application, click on the PREF button. In here click on the Capture tab and then the MPEG Tab. You can then select the Quality Level desired.

To create an SVCD, simply choose one of the SVCD settings in the list and Record your video. Then in Ulead Movie Factory you can burn it onto a CD using the Authoring options. The same can be done with the VCD files.

Can I edit the captured Videos created with the WinTV-PVR-250/350?

Yes, you can edit the MPEG files with Ulead's Movie Factory (included). Please refer to Ulead's User Manual for instructions. This is located in the Ulead DVD Movie Factory program group. Click on Start - Programs - Ulead DVD Movie Factory

An MPEG editor called Nano Editor is available directly from Hauppauge. This will allow you to cut out commercials. This is a "cut only" editor, and may be downloaded here.

Approximate file sizes captured with the WinTV-PVR-250/350?

The WinTV-PVR-250 will be able to capture MPEG1 up to 352 X 480(NTSC), 352 X 576(PAL/SECAM) and MPEG2 up to 720 X 480(NTSC), 704 X 576(PAL/SECAM).

Approximate file sizes per minute of capture, depending on the format chosen:

All Bit Rates are VBR (Variable Bit Rate) unless otherwise noted. 

Can I use the WinTV-PVR-250/350 on a dual CPU system?

The stability of the WinTV operation or hardware functioning correctly may be impaired on dual CPU systems. The latest driver updates should correct these issues. Download the latest driver, Software Video Decoders and WinTV application from here.

Windows Media Center

The WinTV-PVR-250/350 is compatible with Windows media Center for Windows XP. For support on media center, contact the providing OEM or Microsoft. For further info on the PVR-250/350 and Media Center click here. Microsoft does not currently support video out with the PVR-350 on its Media Center OS.