New TBS6981 - Nothing but problems :(

[DragonQ]

I got my brand new TBS6981 yesterday and installed it alongside my existing BGT3630. However, I've run into nothing but trouble. Here's a list, roughly in chronological order

- First two boots froze at Windows logo.
- Installed 2.0.0.18 driver as it supposedly gives the fastest channel changes with MediaPortal
- Tuners didn't appear in MediaPortal TV-Server Configuration, so I rebooted.
- Tuners now appeared but when I tried to view my first channel using the Preview function of MediaPortal (BBC One HD), it was all blocky and eventually the video just cut out. I know the satellite and LNB are fine as I've used them with my other tuner card for months.
- Rebooted, now tuner wasn't working at all. Device Manager said "cannot start device code 10".
- Rebooted again, tuner reappeared so I tried an SD channel (BBC Two) and it worked. I then tried to get MDAPI working but couldn't get it to make a directory for the tuner, despite telling MediaPortal it has a CAM. I discovered this was because the name of the tuner has a slash in it ("/") and directory names can't have slashes in them. So I changed the name of the tuner in the MDAPI XML file and it then made the directory. However, I couldn't get my CCCam client to connect to OSCam, even when using the same settings I know worked for my other tuner. MediaPortal just kept saying "channel encrypted" and I saw no connections in the OSCam command window. Could be because the name of the tuner MDAPI had doesn't match what MediaPortal has...but then how am I supposed to use MDAPI with this tuner?
- PC randomly froze whilst trying to tune to a channel.
- Next 4-5 reboots froze at Windows logo.
- Finally got to Windows and thought I'd try upgrading to the latest driver (2.0.1.5). Tried it manually and Windows just said the current drivers were newer. Tried to run the installer and the PC froze - had to do a hard reset. Tried running the installer about 2-3 more times and each time it either froze the PC or produced a BSOD (STOP 0X0000007E).
- Tried going to the Device Manager and uninstalling the device and ticking "also remove drivers". Then installed newest drivers once more and, again, it froze.


So now I'm stuck with a tuner that kinda works sometimes but causes freezes, that doesn't work with MDAPI and that I can't update the drivers for. Could it be because I haven't plugged in card's the secondary power source? Surely that wouldn't cause all of these problems, would it? Other than that all I can think of is there's some crappy incompatibility with my motherboard (or even my other tuner), or the card is faulty. My specs are below:

- MSI H67MA-E35 (B3)
- Intel Celeron G530
- nVidia GT430 (Asus passively cooled, plugged into PCI-E 16x slot)
- 4 GB of 1066 MHz RAM
- Latest BIOS
- Windows 7 x64
- BGT3630 (plugged into PCI-E 1x slot)
- TBS6981 (plugged into PCI-E 1x slot)

[steven]

Hi DragonQ

Would you mind removing BGT3630 and have a test again.Maybe PCI-e Power supply is not enough.
And can you have a setting like this.
http://www.tbsdtv.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=7740

Just have a try too.

Kind Regards

steven

[DragonQ]

Thanks for the suggestion. I have a few things on my list to try:

- Removing BGT3630 and trying the TBS6981 by itself
- Swapping the cards around (not ideal because that would restrict airflow from GPU)
- Adding extra power connector (can this be a straight 6-pin connector or do I have to use the adapter provided?)
- Disabling PCI-E Link Management

I probably won't have a chance to test it all until the weekend but I'll post the results when I can!

[steven]

Hi DragonQ

Good ,just wait your test report.And Please do not worry about this problem.
We will help you solve this.

Kind Regards

steven

[DragonQ]

OK I managed to get the 2.0.1.5 drivers installed without it freezing. However, the PC freezes whenever I timeshift for about 10-15 seconds. I tried removing the BGT3630 and got the same result. I tried moving the TBS6981 to the other PCI-E 1x slot (still have the BGT3630 removed), got the same result.

Plugged in the PSU's 6-pin GPU power cable into the TBS6981, will try that once the TV is free...

[DragonQ]

Disabled PCI-E link management and also have the extra power connector plugged in...still freezes when restarting or tuning to a channel.

Guess it's defective?

[DragonQ]

Turns out it worked fine in my other machine. I'm going to try another tuner card and if that has similar problems I'll maybe try a new PSU and/or motherboard. :/

[steven]

Hi DragonQ

You mean that i your other machine it is ok?

Kind Regards

steven

[DragonQ]

Yes, the card works fine in another machine. So there's something about my HTPC that the card doesn't like. After some investigation with various card combinations and communication with TBS staff, I think it's likely to be the 3.3 V rail causing issues. It seems that the card(s) start to have issues somewhere between 4 W and 5.8 W peak power usage:

BGT3630 = 1.8 W / 0.6 A = fine
BGT3600 = 4.0 W / 1.2 A = fine
BGT3600 + BGT3630 = 5.8 W / 1.8 A = freezes/BSODs
TBS6981 = 7.3 W / 2.2 A = freezes/BSODs
TBS6981 + BGT3630 = 9.1 W / 2.8 A = freezes/BSODs

I'll get a new PSU at some point and try that. If that doesn't work it's probably the motherboard which is a pain in the *** but I might be able to RMA it without causing too much of a headache!

[steven]

Hi DragonQ

Is the another machine is the same system as your first one machine? if it is the same
Maybe your first one have some power consumption protect. or other things..

Kind Regards

steven