System does not detect infiniTV card

[R315r4z0r]

EDIT: This issue has been SOLVED. See post #17

I recently bought a slew of upgrades for my computer including a new motherboard, CPU, RAM as well as a Ceton InfiniTV4 card. This is the first time I've attempted to use a TV tuner on a computer so you'll have to bare with me on this. One other important thing I want to note is that upon researching all these components before my purchase I learned that the InfiniTV doesn't work with motherboards with an Nvidia chipset; using this information I avoided buying such a motherboard and instead ended up with an Intel chipset.

I assembled all my new components including physically installing my InfiniTV4 card onto a PCIe x1 slot on my motherboard. (Also as a point of reference, I run two Nvidia Geforce 560 graphics cards in the other PCIe slots on my motherboard. I note this for two reasons: #1 because I've seen topics where graphics card installations have impacted the detection of the InfiniTV card. #2 because there is physically no room left on my motherboard for me to switch my InfiniTV4 card to another PCIe slot).

Anyway, I assembled all of this about 4 days ago and the system has been working excellently. However I held off on doing anything with InfiniTV until I got my CableCARD. I will note, however, that upon powering on my computer, the InfiniTV card does do it's little flashy light show and ending on a solid blue light.

Well, today I got my CableCARD and followed all necessary installation steps. I downloaded and installed the drivers from the Ceton website.

Now here is my problem, and this is the first time I've noticed it since I got my computer running, the InfiniTV card is not detected at all on my system. I cannot find it in the device manager, the diagnostics tool is unable to detect it on my system and Windows Media Center reports that a tuner is not installed on my computer.

Since I've learned this, I've uninstalled/reinstalled the drivers and tools, completely turned off and disabled all firewall systems, removed the card and reseated it carefully and have even attempted installing the beta drivers that are also listed on Ceton's website. I'm all out of ideas, which is why I'm posting this thread. I will also be making a support ticket, so if I get a solution from them I'll be sure to update this thread as well.

Any help at all would be appreciated!

[JohnW248]

I would do this to start:

1. If you are running any AVS other than MS Security Essentials, remove it completely (that includes getting the removal tool from McAfee, Norton, or who ever).
2. Turn on the Windows Firewall along with Security Essentials.
3. See if you can find your Ceton Card in a web browser, it has by default 192.168.200.1. If you can't get to the web page then
4. Take out one of the Nvidia cards. (The dual cards might be a problem later with DRM as well)
5. Reboot and see if you can see the card in the web browser. If you can, start the diagnostic tool and see if it can see the card now.

6. If this is a new install you must then run the digital cable advisor in Media Center. Start MC, but not full screen. Go to the extras gallery and you should see a coax cable icon, from that run the DCA, pass it, tell it that it is ok to make system changes and then watch for a UAC alter and approve that.

If all that worked you can now start TV set-up which will install the cableCARD tuner and PlayReady. Once you have the card installed and working you can then put in you second graphic card and see if it still works. If not, then you have a choice--tv or graphics.

Remember you should run ONLY the Windows FW and ONLY MS Security Essentials. The other stuff is just a nightmare to get working--it can be done, we had to do it back in the Vista Days with the ATI DCT and OEM CableCARD versions of Vista and it would keep breaking on scans and updates of the AVS.

[R315r4z0r]

Thanks for the quick reply.

I followed what you said.

1. Turned off all firewalls. (since this is a new build, I haven't installed any anti-virus programs yet.)
2. I attempted to connect to 192.168.200.1, no luck.
3. I removed my secondary Nvidia card from my computer.
4. I rebooted and attempted to connect 192.168.200.1 again. Still no luck.

Device manager and diagnostic tool still do not show the infiniTV card on my system.

[Crash2009]

The Infini4 light show ending in solid blue is normal. Maybe you just need a simple bios adjustment. What is the model number of the motherboard?

[R315r4z0r]

Motherboard is an ASUS SABERTOOTH Z87. The Ceton InfiniTV 4 is listed as a compatible component.

[Crash2009]

Motherboard is an ASUS SABERTOOTH Z87. The Ceton InfiniTV 4 is listed as a compatible component.

I don't see anything in the manual regarding enable or disable slot 1.

My suggestion would be to remove all add-in cards and just make the TV work.

[barnabas1969]

I don't know if the InfiniTV4 still has this problem, but back when I bought mine... the metal bracket on the cards were all bent. The bent bracket caused the card not to seat properly in the PCIe slot. My first card was not recognized, and neither was the replacement card that Ceton shipped me. Both had a slightly bent bracket. The solution was to bend the bracket a little so that the card could seat properly in the PCIe slot.

Look closely at the card while it is installed in a slot. Is it inserted all the way, or is it a little crooked?

[R315r4z0r]

Question about seating it: Since the blue/red light on the device works like it should, doesn't that indicate that it is properly seated? Or can it sill be seated wrong even if the lights are coming on?

[barnabas1969]

My blue light would come on solid when the card was not seated properly. I'm just guessing, but I think as long as the card is getting power, it will boot up. When it's finished booting, the blue light stays on solid (not flashing).

The first card I had would intermittently work and be recognized by Windows and Media Center. Then, it would mysteriously disappear. I spent a lot of time trying to troubleshoot it. Then, I did something really stupid. Even as I was doing it, I wondered why I was doing it. I pushed down on the card while the PC was running. There was a bright flash of light, and the card was fried.

That's when I realized that the metal bracket was bent and keeping the card from seating correctly. I searched and found a thread on the old green button site where quite a few other people reported the same thing. I think Kingwr or JohnW248 started that thread.

Anyway, Ceton shipped me a replacement card. It had the exact same bend in the bracket. This time, I bent the bracket to make the card seat correctly, and it worked perfectly.

[barnabas1969]

Well, I guess I was wrong about who started that thread. See the thread at the link below. I've linked specifically to a post that has a picture of the bent bracket.

http://experts.windows.com/frms/windows ... spx#493509

[JohnW248]

Question about seating it: Since the blue/red light on the device works like it should, doesn't that indicate that it is properly seated? Or can it sill be seated wrong even if the lights are coming on?

It's certainly and easy test and worth doing. Shut down the computer, remove the card and then seat it again without any clamping to the case. Start the computer and see if you can navigate to 192.168.200.1. If so bend the bracket to keep it connected. You can have a card rocked just enough that it gets power and boots but doesn't show on the bus.

You can also check your system to see if there is anything in that slot. Then if you have another system just try the card in that box (without installing any drivers) and see if you can navigate to the card.

[foxwood]

Well, I guess I was wrong about who started that thread. See the thread at the link below. I've linked specifically to a post that has a picture of the bent bracket.

http://experts.windows.com/frms/windows ... spx#493509

That thread is about a user with a visibly bent backplate. If I remember correctly, some people had a problem seating their cards, even if the backplate itself was straight. Screwing the plate down would tip the rear of the card just far enough out of the slot to cause problems. So it's worth checking that the card is properly seated, even if the bracket isn't visibly bent. Loosen the screw in the bracket, and see if you can push the card back down into the slot. (Obviously, make sure the PC is turned off when you do this!)

[barnabas1969]

Yep, both of my cards had a visibly bent back plate.

And don't just "turn off" the computer. Unplug the power cord (or turn off the power switch on the power supply, if it has one).

[grinchy]

Well, I guess I was wrong about who started that thread. See the thread at the link below. I've linked specifically to a post that has a picture of the bent bracket.

http://experts.windows.com/frms/windows ... spx#493509

That thread is about a user with a visibly bent backplate. If I remember correctly, some people had a problem seating their cards, even if the backplate itself was straight. Screwing the plate down would tip the rear of the card just far enough out of the slot to cause problems. So it's worth checking that the card is properly seated, even if the bracket isn't visibly bent. Loosen the screw in the bracket, and see if you can push the card back down into the slot. (Obviously, make sure the PC is turned off when you do this!)

This is good advice - I remember that I had a similar issue to this when I went to install it. Only it was opposite - the backplate was bent which wouldn't allow it to seat properly; I had to straighten it.

[R315r4z0r]

I have already attempted to re-seat it 3 times. Looking into my case's window, it looks like it's in their properly. The bracket on the back is flush against the back panel and the PCIe connection looks to be alined straight. However I will go and look at it once more. Will get back to you in a little while.

[JohnW248]

Go to the orb and click all programs, then accessories, system tools and open System Information. Then look at hardware and see if there is any card on any IRQ. If not, then perhaps there is either an issue with the card or with the PCIe Bus.

[R315r4z0r]

SOLVED

Ok, good news: I got it working!

Upon you guys request I opened the case and reseated the card. I don't believe it was seated incorrectly and I don't believe that my reseating it did anything really. However, upon starting my computer, I decided to enter the BIOS menu and do some more exploring.

I have an ASUS Sabertooth Z87 motherboard, so if anyone with this motherboard has similar problems doing the following might help you:

I did this earlier but didn't find anything however I decided to give it another look. I actually found a setting hidden in the advanced menu that, when setup a certain way, disables all 3 PCIe x1 slots on the motherboard.

The Z87 has 3 PCIe x16 (1_1, 1_2, and 1_3) slots and 3 PCIe X1 (1_1, 1_2, and 1_3). I have my graphics cards in PCIe x16 1_1 and PCIe x16 1_2. The InfiniTV is in PCIe x1 1_1. The option I found in the BIOS was specifically for the PCIe x16 1_3 slot. Basically it said that when set to a certain setting ("X4") it disables all PCIe x1 slots to save power. So I adjusted this setting, which was on "Auto", to "X1" which allowed all slots to receive power.

I saved, booted the computer, checked the devise manager and lo and behold there it was.


I've already gone ahead with finishing the setup and contacting my cable company to bind the card and everything is now working perfectly.

I want to thank everyone for their help here, I really appreciate it.

[Crash2009]

Simple bios adjustment. Well, maybe not so simple. Glad you got it working. How are you liking that Sabertooth? I was thinking about getting one. Has the price dropped yet?

[R315r4z0r]

I'm loving it. It has a crap ton of features and it has a graphical BIOS that has mouse support. Has lots of room for expansion and its whole front side is one large heat sink. I only recently looked into it so I don't know if the price has dropped any. The one I bought, which was for the LGA1150 socket, was $249.