Hauppage WinTV-HVR-1950 stopped working, any way to test?

[Des]

I have a WinTV-HVR-1950 that I have been using with an NPVR build for about a year and a half now in my basement office. Never had an issue, the PC it is on is in a cool and very well vented area.
I've been recording some programs to watch later recently so last night I decided to install a 2nd HDD for the recordings.
Up until that point everything had been on and working for about 2 weeks, I shut it off sometimes, but not if I'm down here a lot which I have been.
Anyway, I was watching TV and decided I would do my little upgrade. I powered off the PC, installed the 2nd HDD and started it back up. Upon restarting the WinTV-HVR-1950 no longer had it's red light on, but now the IR blaster light was glowing red which it never did. Thought maybe it was a PC PSU issue so I powered down and unplugged the 2nd HDD, powered up and same problem.
I tested the voltage coming off the Hauppage wall wart and it's at 6.1 volts (6v is it's listed output).
Plugged everything into a 2nd PC and it did not recognize the the WinTV-HVR-1950 but I did not install the drivers for it, not sure if they need to be installed first.

Any other suggestions for testing?
These units still seem to sell for about $130. Hauppage lists repairs as $35 plus parts, so not sure if it's worth sending to them, any suggestions there?

I do have other devices that can be used for this but none of them have an integrated IR blaster to control the cable box and I don't have a stand alone one.

Any insight or advice is appreciated.

--dES

[Des]

Decided to put an ATI 650 card back to use by installing it in this machine. Ordered a blaster (HP) from a guy on Ebay. Maybe after the holidays I'll look into the getting the 1950 fixed. Weird that it stopped like it did Shame because it did it's job super well as a DVR type device, also made it very easy to configure NPVR. After the blaster arrives the fun will begin <sigh>

--dES

[exbngr]

Bought a PVR2 & it stopped working after only two days.

Is this the only way to record HD gaming footage -- by using these capture cards?

[jman98]

exbngr - This was a thread specific to the Hauppauge HVR 1950 and not any old Hauppauge card. Plus you have hijacked the thread with your post. Just make a new thread next time.

Des - The only thing I can think of would be to install the drivers on the 2nd PC to test it. I'm not sure that the card can be recognized at all without them. It definitely won't work to capture without the drivers.

[Des]

jman98, good point, it didn't occur to me that the drivers might have gotten mussed up some how. Been too busy to install the ATI card, but tonight I will reinstall the Hauppage drivers and keep my fingers crossed!

--dES

[Des]

No joy Drivers disk comes back with 'No Compatible Hardware Found Drivers Not Installed.'
I have verified that the 1950 is receiving power, used new known good USB cable and have tried all 6 USB slots on the PC.

Back to plan B.

Thanks, jman98, it was worth a try.

--dES

[SHS]

Des if the hardware wizard is pick up the hardware then problem with device hardware id which doesn't match inf file.

[Des]

Des if the hardware wizard is pick up the hardware then problem with device hardware id which doesn't match inf file.

I have a feeling the computer isn't recognizing the device anymore. The 2nd one I tried it on on didn't see it either.
The power supply tests good with a volt meter, not sure about amps. The IR blaster is staying lit if the plug is pushed all the way into the jack on the unit, so there is power there. If I wiggle the IR blaster plug just a little then the light goes out. Funny thing is this never stayed lit before...

BTW-Nice site, SHS
--dES

[jman98]

I wonder about the longevity of some of the Hauppauge cards. I have an old PVR-350 and it stopped working too. The PC it was in was just barely functional and in the end it proved more trouble than it was worth to try to figure out if the problem was the card or the PC. I just bought a Hauppauge Collosus card instead (honestly, it's a better fit for my current needs than the 350 anyway) for a new PC I was in the process of building.

[Des]

I had a 350 for a few years that I used to watch TV on the PC with, maybe 5 years. I think I still have the card. ATI 650 replaced it when I built a new machine. The 1950 was my 'portable' capture solution for a while, then settled onto the PC I run NPVR on.
If I had not been using the system at the time it died, actually when I powered off and back on, I think I would be less puzzled than I am now.

After New Years I'll contact Hauppage and see what they will charge to repair it. It's a nice little device.

--dES

[Des]

Wow! I have a resolution to this problem!
I was talking with my neighbor on Saturday and he has a Hauppage 1212. Last night he came by with his to see if it worked on my setup and was going to loan it to me. Before we started he asked about the power supply, I said it seems to be working, but he plugged it into the 1950 and a few Windows chimes later it was all working again!!
So, it was the power supply. We put the VOM meter on the supply and it's delivering 6.1 volts, as it should, but neither one of us were sure how to test the amps. My meter does have a DCa setting, but we don't know what we were reading.
I have his power supply, but this morning I am ordering a replacement on EBay.

May install the ATI card after the holidays anyway just to have two tuners, one for the cable box and one for over the air so I can record and watch something else at the same time.

--dES