Dear TheGreenbutton.com,

Recently AVerMedia Technologies, Inc. released a new PCIe TV Tuner: AVerTVHD Duet A188.

Today I uploaded new QAM tool that support AVerTVHD Duet Dual Clear QAM tunning under Media Center (both XP and Vista) and this QAM tool support both x32 and x64  bit OS.

Please follow instruction in PDF files

Please use official drivers with this QAM tool.

Note: If you are using  Windows Vista TV Pack 2008 or Windows 7, you don't need QAM tool at all, QAM tool will not run if your have TV Pack 2008 or Windows 7.

You can download QAM tool from the following FTP:

ftp.aver.com/Duet

User Name: beta, password: betatest

Felix,

I need to know a few things about the Duet:

1. Will it work with GB-PVR? (deal braker)

2. Will it work with XP 64? (not really a deal braker, but it'd be extra nice)

3. When will AverMedia get us Linux drivers for this card, or will they at all (not a deal breaker)? 

Thank you much, sylva.

 

Sylva,
1. Will it work with GB-PVR? (deal braker)
Felix: Ideally it should work, AVerTVHD Duet drivers are based on standard Microsoft driver architerture and if GB-PVR based on this, it will work, personally I have not try it (yet). If not, ball on GB-PVR side, I can provide them with sample/support. In pass all of our cards support by GB-PVR.

2. Will it work with XP 64? (not really a deal braker, but it'd be extra nice)
Felix: Yes, we include XP x64 drivers, or you can use Vista x64 drivers, it's sam. Keep in mind that Microsoft stopped XP driver certification WHQL and only Vista and Win7 now.

3. When will AverMedia get us Linux drivers for this card, or will they at all (not a deal breaker)?
Felix: Not in this moment, but we are considering Linux, sorry I dont have exact days

Thank you Felix. I ordered the Duet from Newegg today. I'll play with it and let you know. Maybe some other people will be curious about the things I asked.

Sylva.

So, let me get this straight, you are claiming that the QAM tool will allow for QAM tuning in VMC without use of the TV pack update?

I plan to order one of these and test it out - will post soon on my results...

johnmorton:

So, let me get this straight, you are claiming that the QAM tool will allow for QAM tuning in VMC without use of the TV pack update?

I plan to order one of these and test it out - will post soon on my results...

 

John,  I can attest the QAM tool Felix and his team developed for the "AverTV Combo" card (an NTSC/ATSC combo) allowed for QAM tunining in VMC without the use of the TV pack update.  I have two of those cards in a vista x64 machine and have had zero problems for over a year now.  I only use the ATSC tuners in each.  This card offers a substantial savings for users like me who only use the ATSC tuners.  I am very pleased with the Aver TV tuners I own and their QAM tool, and recommend this card based on past performance of Aver's products.

So you say you're using the tuners for ATSC broadcasts - have you used them to tune QAM at all? I would buy a couple of these tonight if this works - The new WTV format is fine, but I miss commercial skipping and also I have a portable media center that only supports the dvr-ms format -

Hi all!

So here I am, got the tuner. It's recognized by XP Pro 32 Sp3, meaning the driver works.

1. I tried to run it with Avermedia's MCS1.5.1+AP6.0.7.exe but it won't even recognize the card, that is, it's coming up with "Can't find TV card" or something of that order. Is it the card or I need a different Media Center? For the time being I don't have any other software for it. On Avermedia's site I tried to find a Media Center dedicated to the Duet (like some for other cards) to no avail. I know, I know, everyone would say: what's the big deal, just download Win7 and case closed. Yeah, but I don't have broad band and my friends who have are out of town. By the time they came back opportunity for RMA would have elapsed :)

Felix, please if you read this: Someone on Newegg says he is using Avermedia's Media Center 1.7.5 Beta with success. Is there a package like this? I spent hours on your site but no such thing to be found.

2. I tried to run it with GB-PVR but that program doesn't even have this card in its configuration fields. I tried out all of the links that were in the pull-down list but there was none that could recognize the Duet.

3. Does XBMC have a TV plugin? I downloaded the program, but it does only video, at least if one runs it as is.

4. I know that the Duet will be found by some commercial program, but so far I am reluctant to pay another $99 for a $60 card. Otherwise, it's much less expensive to buy a Hauppauge 2250 that runs with GB-PVR.

Thanks in advance, Sylva.

Sylva, Current versions of AVer MediaCenter includind 1.7.5 does not support AVerTVHD Duet White Box, we are about to release a new trial version (60 days limit) for all tuners and this version will support AVerTVHD Duet White Box. As far GB-PVR, they need to enable support for this card. Please understand that White box is design to work with Microsoft Media Center (all flawors) only, and soon we'll launch retail box with AVer MediaCenter 1.7.5 included And I am not sure what do you mean by XBMC?

Thank you Felix!

Your answer was very prompt and thank you for taking care of Avermedia's customers. Sorry, I didn't know that the Duet was only meant for Media Center. Many manufacturers also say so, but their cards work with just about any software (that supports the card of course). At this chapter, I know that at fault is GB-PVR. Since the card is an OEM, Newegg will NOT reimburse money, just exchange for another Duet. I wanted this card very much, but why is the customer obligated to buy $99 software for a $60 card? Anyway, I'll take the card as a loss, but that does not diminish your excellent support work. You're very good at helping.

XBMC (team-xbmc.org) is another free package for video gear. But I don't know whether it will work with the Duet. I asked around in their forum, but no answer so far.

Thanks again, Sylva.

Followup to my message above:

Felix, here are some comments on GB-PVR's forum to my inquiry as to GB-PVR's capability to run with the Duet.

"...As Avermedia said in their reply though, if their drivers follow the BDA standard, they will usually work with GB-PVR, but some info like filternames etc may need to be collected to create a new entry in bda.ini so that card is recognised by GB-PVR. Those Avermedia cards that are listed, are those that users have created the bda.ini entries for their cards, found they worked, and have posted the entry on the forums.

#3   Yesterday, 02:25 AM

whurlston vbmenu_register("postmenu_340000", true); Senior Member   Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Louisville, KY, USA Posts: 4,103

The Duet A188 is an digital only card (ATSC/QAM) so the hardware encoder is a non issue. We just need someone to post the filter names and we can get ATSC working for sure. QAM may or may not work but we won't know until someone tries it." Felix, can Avermedia provide these gentlemen what GB-PVR needs to recognize the Duet? I think many more people would become interested in this great card. Yours, John.

Felix,

I just got this card from newegg and I am using windows 7 RC and this does not work. It did not install drivers on its own. I installed drivers from CD and Media Center detected nothing.
I then got the Win7 Beta drivers and still nothing. It shows in device manager. I then use beyond tv 409 with Qam support and it only saw the card as a digital antena but when I tried to setup it locked up the computer. If i try to manually go into tv in media center it locks up there too. Is this a lemon or is your card just crap. Am I doing something wrong?

I bought this card from Newegg a few days ago myself, and have had some issues with it so far.  For reference I have a Gigabyte 770 based motherboard with Phenom 9600 and 4gb of ddr2 memory.  System is running fine otherwise and Win7 RC was loaded two weeks ago. There is also a Hauppage 1600 card in there working great using the ATSC tuner only.

1) I had a hell of a time getting Windows 7 to recognize the card was in a PCIe slot.  I've been a computer tech for over 15 years so I know it was in right, Windows just didn't see it.  After some googleing and a lot of rebooting amazingly it finally found it and I loaded the most recent beta drivers.  WMC detected the signal and everything was OK for a few days (the PQ and signal was great for the most part - see item 3 below).

2) Now today I go to watch TV while something is recording and bam, only one tuner again. Check device mangaer and it's nowhere to be found. I have the system set to go to S3 sleep after 20 mins, I don't know if that was the cause.  I rebooted and it came back fine.

3) One of my channels that detects fine on the Hauppage card had no signal on the AverTVHD Duet. It also works fine on my STB. Funny thing is, after my issue 2 above and rebooting now I have FULL signal on this channel.  Hopefully it will stay that way...

Any comments?

jspenc3:

I bought this card from Newegg a few days ago myself, and have had some issues with it so far.  For reference I have a Gigabyte 770 based motherboard with Phenom 9600 and 4gb of ddr2 memory.  System is running fine otherwise and Win7 RC was loaded two weeks ago. There is also a Hauppage 1600 card in there working great using the ATSC tuner only.

1) I had a hell of a time getting Windows 7 to recognize the card was in a PCIe slot.  I've been a computer tech for over 15 years so I know it was in right, Windows just didn't see it.  After some googleing and a lot of rebooting amazingly it finally found it and I loaded the most recent beta drivers.  WMC detected the signal and everything was OK for a few days (the PQ and signal was great for the most part - see item 3 below).

2) Now today I go to watch TV while something is recording and bam, only one tuner again. Check device mangaer and it's nowhere to be found. I have the system set to go to S3 sleep after 20 mins, I don't know if that was the cause.  I rebooted and it came back fine.

3) One of my channels that detects fine on the Hauppage card had no signal on the AverTVHD Duet. It also works fine on my STB. Funny thing is, after my issue 2 above and rebooting now I have FULL signal on this channel.  Hopefully it will stay that way...

Any comments?

The only suggestion is to make sure there are no IRQ conflicts on that PCIe slot... and make sure it's plug in fully. Otherwise you might have gotten a defective one....

Anyone else had this issue where media center does not detect this card. I am thinking of either going to best buy and buy an ATI and refund from newegg or get a replacement. Which one do you suggest