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  • Arrghh! RRG no worky!

    Hi,

    I would *really* appreciate any help with this!

    I just bought a spanking new G400 & RRG, stuck em in, and then wasted four hours trying to get video input on the RRG to work...

    When I load PC-VCR, the TV window is either half covered in bright pink and green vertical stripes, or half bright green and half dark green (seems to be random which shows). It is tuning OK (I hear the sound from TV programs). The area of pink stripes (or bright green) seems to be fixed relative to the monitor, not the PC-VCR window. Hope that makes sense.

    When I run Matrox Quick Connect it reports "Rainbow Runner Hardware Not Detected" and a whole load of crap about making sure the cables are OK etc etc. I have checked and double checked the cables, tried different PCI slots, different bios settings etc etc.

    When I run the capture application that comes with Ulead Mediastudio, or just VidCap32, it sais "Loading Capture Driver" and then hangs for a while. Then I get a msg: "Video Capture is unable to access the capture device. Make sure that the capture driver has been installed and is not being used by another program" I can see that the driver is installed; it's listed as "Matrox VidCap Driver" under "Video Capture Devices" in Windows' Multimedia Properties. Status is listed as "Driver is enabled" and "use this video capture device" is selected. And no, it is not being used by another program. Selecting "Line" and using a VCR as the source on the composite input gives exactly the same result.


    Here's the PC spec:

    Abit BH6 bios rev. LN
    Celeron300A @ 464Mhz
    256MB RAM
    10GB & 4GB EIDE HDDs
    ISDN adapter
    SB Live
    G400 & RRG UK version

    Software:

    Video Tools 1.50.017
    Powerdesk 5.15.022
    BIOS 1.5-22 (I updated to 1.04?)
    DirectX 6.1

    The G400 works great. Under the Powerdesk "Information" panel (Properties>Settings>Advanced>Information) in the "Extra Hardware" box it reports:

    TV Output (built-in)
    TV Tuner (add-on)
    Video input (built-in)

    The last two items only appeared after installing the RRG, as I would expect.

    However, the RRG is not reported anywhere by windows (Control Panel>System) or the BIOS on startup (in the PCI device listings).


    I bought this stuff to do video editing goddamit! I'll call tech support when they open but i've got more faith in you guys.

    Thanks in advance...

    Smiff

  • #2
    HI Smiff,

    Under "video capture devices" is the Matrox vidcap driver the only one listed? Do a search in your registry for bt848. If you find it, delete it.

    Ciao
    J

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi Smiff,

      in your "Extra Hardware" box there is the following entry missing:

      MJPEG encoder/decoder

      I had the same problem some days ago and I could solve it by pressing my cards more firmly into their sockets.

      Which G400 card do you have ?
      Normal G400, OEM, MAX, SH, DH ?

      Bye, Uwe.

      Comment


      • #4
        Hi,

        You didn't mention what graphics card you had installed before the G400+RRG combo.
        Have yo made absolutely sure that no traces of the old card are remaining in you setup (files or registry entries) ?

        Are you sharing the G400 IRQ with some other card, and have you assigned one for the G400 ?

        Right click on the desktop and find the tab where you can choose NTSC/PAL and choose PAL.

        Best Regards,
        Pertti

        Comment


        • #5
          Hi Smiff,

          My experience of the Matrox cards has been that they appear to like IRQ11 the best.
          The RRG doesn't need an IRQ (using the same as the G400), so there shouldn't be any problems having it in the current location. The "IRQ holder for PCI steering" is no problem.

          If you have an other HD to do some troubleshooting, you could remove the ISDN adapter, take the system down to normal (for troubleshooting) and try installing Windows again (btw. are you using W95, W98 or W98SE ?)

          The SB live has also created some problems in the past, so if you have some "good old" ISA soundcards, you could try that also.

          Best Regards,
          Pertti

          Comment


          • #6
            Hi Smiff,

            Pertti´s idea should be the solution.
            My Matrox cards worked fine with all IRQs from 9 to 12, but I ever have had lots of problems with other IRQs (especially IRQ 5).

            Bye, Uwe.

            Comment


            • #7
              OK right here goes...its a long one.

              Pertti: i'm using plain old Windows 98.

              uwe: I'm missing "MJPEG encoder/decoder". How can only part of the card be working? I'm not having a go at you, i'm just angry with this pile of wires and shit in front of me, sorry presumably the G400 is detecting the RRG via the two ribbon cables. Is it possible that one cable is damaged? They look fine. The cards seem to be properly seated but how can I be sure? If the alignment between the motherboard and case is not right the maybe the card isn't making good contact with the slot, but it all looks OK and i've tried the RRG in all 5 PCI slots!! I noticed the RRG edge connector only uses a few of the PCI pins, is that normal? Of course, i have no choice where to put the G400....


              OK (lack-of) progress report:

              I stripped out all the PCI cards. The G400 went to IRQ11 by itself. Then I put the RRG back in. Still no luck So I tried it in all 5 PCI slots in turn; no difference, except the keyboard stopped working when it was in Slot 3 ! (see below). I did not reinstall windows 'cos i've done it twice in as many days and frankly im sick of it, and i really don't think it would help anyway.

              Sooooo. Now i've put everything back in, and lo and behold the keyboard doesn't work when I switch on (can't even get into the bios). Anyway, the long and short of it is that the keyboard works so long as I don't screw the RRG into the slot. Seriously! I checked it. Also, I noticed sometimes my keyboard stopped working in windows for no apparent reason (no crashes etc.) so maybe its a dodgy slot or dodgy edge connector on the card? (Though why that would effect the keyboard I don't know). I think the slot is OK 'cos other cards work in it. Or maybe I'm barking up totally the wrong proverbial tree here...

              With everything else back in the G400 went back to IRQ5. So I used the bios to force everything else away from IRQ11, and so now the G400 is happily ensconced (good word eh?) on IRQ11. Does it make any difference? Have a guess....er, no

              Do Matrox poeple read these forums? I'm gonna give 'em a call tomorrow but I have no faith in them; i have never once recieved a correct or in any way useful response from a tech support line

              As you can probably tell i'm getting fed up with this; my computer worked just fine with the old TNT but i need the video stuff bad. Grrrrrrrrrr!

              Thanks a lot for your suggestions anyways guys....looks like i've got a dead card. Or i've just broken it. Or am I missing something obvious here?! I don't think IRQs are relevant.

              I'm going to bed but i'll check back first thing tomorrow. Bummer of a day. Goodnight All


              Smiff

              Comment


              • #8
                Wow!
                you guys are fast. I'm impresssed

                JAZZ: Matrox Vidcap is the only driver listed. There are no matches for "bt848" in the registry at all. Is that good?

                Uwe: my G400 is a retail 32MB DH, It's not a MAX but the ram chips end in -5 (?). I have tried reinserting the cards several times, I'll try again in a minute. Am I right in thinking the two ribbon cables cannot be put on the wrong way around (both ends are keyed?) I don't want to push the cards through the back of my motherboard...

                Pertti: My old card was a Creative TNT. I thought the same as you so I did a clean install of Windows, but it made no difference at all The G400 is on IRQ5, not shared (except with "IRQ holder for PCI steering" but does that count?). The RRG does not appear to be using any resources at all (!). Since the Motherboard is a BH6, does it matter if the RRG is in the PCI slot next to the AGP? I tried it there and one slot further away, but that made no difference either. I am already set to PAL

                Any flashes of inspiration?

                Smiff

                Comment


                • #9
                  Pertti: Nice idea using a different hard drive, hadn't thought of that one. I like to live dangerously though so I risk it and windows usually lets me get away with it! BTW, I always "format c: /s", what does /u do?

                  Here's my situation for anyone who cares :

                  I've been talking to tech support, the usuall "Have you got the latest drivers?" and "Is the computer plugged in (just kidding about that one ). The guy was basically stumped, but at least he did try...

                  I stripped down and rebuilt the PC. The good news is it fixed the wierd keyboard-not-working when-the PCI-cards-are-screwed-in problem (the screws holding the motherboard to the case had come undone!). The bad news is the RRG is just as dead as it was before. Sooo... I'm told to send it back to Matrox, but I can't without an RMA and the bloody "customer services" (what a joke) closed at 2:30pm (!). Grrrrr. Very Grrrrr.

                  So I'll hopefully be gettings another RRG in a few days (or weeks?!) and then the fun starts all over again. Hmmm, I can hardly wait. (dripping with sarcasm ). And I have to pay shipping! I get the feeling "send it back" means "buggered if I know mate" but then I haven't got any better ideas.

                  Just in case it sounds like I'm being unfair on Matrox, I've got to say the G400 is superb. Mine runs happily at 190Mhz, giving stupid framerates like 130FPS in Forsaken @ 1152*864 32bit colour and even 50FPS in Quake2 at the same res/bit depth! (compare with TNT: 29FPS at same res. but 16bit colour) Quake3 is butter smooth with all detail options at max (apart from texture detail which is one notch down) also at 1152*864! This really does kick some serious ass, to use an overused expression. On the downside, Voodoo Lights (screensaver) is a mess (maybe that's its own fault though), 3D Studio is slooooow (worse than my old TNT), and there's all sorts of strange glitches on OpenGL. Despite this, Quake2 overall looks a lot better (the filtering is luvverly smoooth). Of course Direct3D games (Blood2, AvP) are just superb. Only thing I don't understand is all this "amazing 2D performance" stuff; I mean what's the difference between instant and more instant??!

                  Jesus I ramble on
                  I'll be around the forum for a bit to see if I can help anyone out.

                  Smiff

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Hi,

                    Who knows? If you know of anyone with a G200 or G400 that would let you stick in your RRG in their system, then I'd go for it. It would be painful to see the feature or extra hardware box show the MJPEG encoder/decoder show up but it would save the shipping costs. Also, before shipping it, try downclocking your system to 300. I wouldn't be surprised to see your RRG work.

                    Ciao
                    J

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Hi Smiff,

                      These things can be a royal pain in the A** (PC:s in general), and the newer MicroS**t OS you are using, the more pain you will enjoy ;-)

                      Just a week ago I was troubleshooting my second computer (OEM W98), and if some device was having "Problems", Windows just decided to ignore the device from there on, no matter which drivers I tried to install, no matter where I put the device and the only solution really was to start with Format C:/U (did it ~5 times), and I am more or less doing this all the time.

                      That was why I was asking if you had an other HD for some troubleshooting, that way you could have your regular installation in tackt while you make a minimal installation of W98 + the latest Display drivers and VideoTools, to determine if you have faulty hardware.

                      When doing this, I always copy the W98 installation files and all the needed updates and drivers on the second partition of the HD, so that lack of CD or Network drivers at different stages of the installation doesn't stop me from finishing (of course before Format C:/U), then I will boot the machine with a boot disk and go to D:\Win98 and start the installation.

                      Good Luck,
                      Pertti

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Pertti: Nice idea using a different hard drive, hadn't thought of that one. I like to live dangerously though so I risk it and windows usually lets me get away with it! BTW, I always "format c: /s", what does /u do?

                        Here's my situation for anyone who cares :

                        I've been talking to tech support, the usuall "Have you got the latest drivers?" and "Is the computer plugged in (just kidding about that one ). The guy was basically stumped, but at least he did try...

                        I stripped down and rebuilt the PC. The good news is it fixed the wierd keyboard-not-working when-the PCI-cards-are-screwed-in problem (the screws holding the motherboard to the case had come undone!). The bad news is the RRG is just as dead as it was before. Sooo... I'm told to send it back to Matrox, but I can't without an RMA and the bloody "customer services" (what a joke) closed at 2:30pm (!). Grrrrr. Very Grrrrr.

                        So I'll hopefully be gettings another RRG in a few days (or weeks?!) and then the fun starts all over again. Hmmm, I can hardly wait. (dripping with sarcasm ). And I have to pay shipping! I get the feeling "send it back" means "buggered if I know mate" but then I haven't got any better ideas.

                        Just in case it sounds like I'm being unfair on Matrox, I've got to say the G400 is superb. Mine runs happily at 190Mhz, giving stupid framerates like 130FPS in Forsaken @ 1152*864 32bit colour and even 50FPS in Quake2 at the same res/bit depth! (compare with TNT: 29FPS at same res. but 16bit colour) Quake3 is butter smooth with all detail options at max (apart from texture detail which is one notch down) also at 1152*864! This really does kick some serious ass, to use an overused expression. On the downside, Voodoo Lights (screensaver) is a mess (maybe that's its own fault though), 3D Studio is slooooow (worse than my old TNT), and there's all sorts of strange glitches on OpenGL. Despite this, Quake2 overall looks a lot better (the filtering is luvverly smoooth). Of course Direct3D games (Blood2, AvP) are just superb. Only thing I don't understand is all this "amazing 2D performance" stuff; I mean what's the difference between instant and more instant??!

                        Jesus I ramble on
                        I'll be around the forum for a bit to see if I can help anyone out.

                        Smiff

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Oops, sorry about the double post - the first one didn't show up 10 hours after i sent it!

                          Anyways, its a bit late to try the RRG in another poota - it's in its way back to Ireland - a very well travelled RRG methinks

                          They're gonna send me another - I just had a bad thought: What if its the connectors on my *G400* that are screwed?! Arghhhh. I'll sacrifice a goat. That'll help.

                          Smiff

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Hi,

                            Okay... my turn.

                            1) SB Liveware 2.0 + screwed up my PC-VCR... RR-G really badly... I would try getting rid of that if you have it.

                            2) Cables from RR-G to G400 installed correctly.

                            3) Uninstall RR-G drivers, and re-install... the software goes bad sometimes, hence beta version. I have had to do 5 re-installs of RR-G drivers with my G400 since I got it 2 weeks ago.

                            4) Good Cooling

                            5) If all that fails, good old format, and install windows with only G400 and RR-G

                            Good Luck,
                            Andrew

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              RealSmiff, did you note the serial no of the RRG UK? I think I have been sent your old card! It's got exactly the same problem but with a G200 & win95!

                              Comment

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