Hauppauge TV Tuner limits RAM to under 4 GB in 64 bit Vista?

Hello all:

If like me you've had any problems with your Hauppauge TV tuner in Vista
64 Bit, I just came upon this comment on the Hauppauge website:

"Currently, WinTV receivers used with the 64-bit version of the Vista Media
Center application are limited to less than 4GB of memory."

Here the url for more complete info on the Hauppauge tv tuners:

http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/support/vista.html

I now wonder if there are other drivers that Vista 64 bit won't work right
with 4GB+ RAM?

xiowan..........in tucson

DevilsPGD
Wed Apr 30 13:17:42 PDT 2008

In message <3845C273-5496-46A1-BA16-FD0A979D76FA@microsoft.com> xiowan
<xiowan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>I now wonder if there are other drivers that Vista 64 bit won't work right
>with 4GB+ RAM?

It's not impossible, but it takes a special type of stupid to code that
sort of limitation into your drivers.

xiowan
Wed Apr 30 13:36:03 PDT 2008

Hello DevilsPGD:
The sad thing is these drivers are included right on the Windows Vista
64 bit installation disk.......the version that I installed specifically so I
could use 8 GB of RAM. I bought the RAM and had to return it to NewEgg
because the O.S. seemed unstable using 8 GBs. I lost 15% of the cost of
the 8 GB's because Microsoft furnished drivers that won't work with 4GBs and
up of RAM. That kinda upsets me a tiny bit! The 64 bit version of Vista is
selected by most people just so they can use more than 3 GBs of RAM. I was
under the impression that the drivers on the Vista installation disk would be
"Vista Certified" and designed to use with the operating system.

xiowan.........in tucson

"DevilsPGD" wrote:

> In message <3845C273-5496-46A1-BA16-FD0A979D76FA@microsoft.com> xiowan
> <xiowan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> >I now wonder if there are other drivers that Vista 64 bit won't work right
> >with 4GB+ RAM?
>
> It's not impossible, but it takes a special type of stupid to code that
> sort of limitation into your drivers.
>

Tom
Wed Apr 30 15:28:50 PDT 2008



"xiowan" <xiowan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:3845C273-5496-46A1-BA16-FD0A979D76FA@microsoft.com...
> Hello all:
>
> If like me you've had any problems with your Hauppauge TV tuner in Vista
> 64 Bit, I just came upon this comment on the Hauppauge website:
>
> "Currently, WinTV receivers used with the 64-bit version of the Vista
> Media
> Center application are limited to less than 4GB of memory."

The problem is the PCI drivers don't access more than 4GB RAM.
The PCIExpress cards don't seem to have that limitation. My
HVR-1800 works OK.

Tom Lake

xiowan
Wed Apr 30 20:10:13 PDT 2008

Hello Tom Lake:
Are you using over 4 GB of RAM with your HVR-1800 tuner? Would it be
worth my time to switch the Hauppauge PVR-150 with an ATI Theatre Pro 550
PCIEx1 tuner from my 32 bit XP Media Center pc so that I can use more than 3
GB of RAM? Or is the tuner a likely suspect for causing system instability
with 8 GB of RAM? I'm using Vista Ultimate 64-bit with SP1 and can't even
use 4 GB without causing slow boots and instability. My board is rated for
up to 8 GB of DDR2 667 Mhz or 4 GBs of 800 Mhz.

xiowan..........in tucson

"Tom Lake" wrote:

>
>
> "xiowan" <xiowan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:3845C273-5496-46A1-BA16-FD0A979D76FA@microsoft.com...
> > Hello all:
> >
> > If like me you've had any problems with your Hauppauge TV tuner in Vista
> > 64 Bit, I just came upon this comment on the Hauppauge website:
> >
> > "Currently, WinTV receivers used with the 64-bit version of the Vista
> > Media
> > Center application are limited to less than 4GB of memory."
>
> The problem is the PCI drivers don't access more than 4GB RAM.
> The PCIExpress cards don't seem to have that limitation. My
> HVR-1800 works OK.
>
> Tom Lake
>

Tom
Thu May 01 07:37:29 PDT 2008


"xiowan" <xiowan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:08AA7882-1472-4EED-A0A7-74A4F07D320B@microsoft.com...
> Hello Tom Lake:
> Are you using over 4 GB of RAM with your HVR-1800 tuner? Would it be
> worth my time to switch the Hauppauge PVR-150 with an ATI Theatre Pro 550
> PCIEx1 tuner from my 32 bit XP Media Center pc so that I can use more than 3
> GB of RAM? Or is the tuner a likely suspect for causing system instability
> with 8 GB of RAM? I'm using Vista Ultimate 64-bit with SP1 and can't even
> use 4 GB without causing slow boots and instability. My board is rated for
> up to 8 GB of DDR2 667 Mhz or 4 GBs of 800 Mhz.

Before buying a new board, you could pull the TV card, run the system for a few
days and see if stability improves. If it doesn't then buying a new card won't help.
Some motherboards just have a problem when all RAM slots are filled.

I do know people with 8GB RAM use the ATI TV cards with no problem.

Tom Lake

Paul
Thu May 01 08:44:58 PDT 2008

Maybe the stability problem isn't related to the tuner card? Lots of people
have needed to reduce RAM speeds a bit in the bios when all 4 modules are
populated. You could try that if you still see stability issues running your
system without the tuner.

"Tom Lake" <toml_12953@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:AF499882-9024-4F8B-8046-B1C5A2700E34@microsoft.com...
>
> "xiowan" <xiowan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:08AA7882-1472-4EED-A0A7-74A4F07D320B@microsoft.com...
>> Hello Tom Lake:
>> Are you using over 4 GB of RAM with your HVR-1800 tuner? Would it be
>> worth my time to switch the Hauppauge PVR-150 with an ATI Theatre Pro 550
>> PCIEx1 tuner from my 32 bit XP Media Center pc so that I can use more
>> than 3
>> GB of RAM? Or is the tuner a likely suspect for causing system
>> instability
>> with 8 GB of RAM? I'm using Vista Ultimate 64-bit with SP1 and can't
>> even
>> use 4 GB without causing slow boots and instability. My board is rated
>> for
>> up to 8 GB of DDR2 667 Mhz or 4 GBs of 800 Mhz.
>
> Before buying a new board, you could pull the TV card, run the system for
> a few
> days and see if stability improves. If it doesn't then buying a new card
> won't help.
> Some motherboards just have a problem when all RAM slots are filled.
>
> I do know people with 8GB RAM use the ATI TV cards with no problem.
>
> Tom Lake

Colin
Thu May 01 08:53:32 PDT 2008

Or raise the dram voltage by 0.1 volts. That also helps sometimes.

"Paul Shapiro" <paul@hideme.broadwayData.com> wrote in message
news:uEchEJ6qIHA.4848@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Maybe the stability problem isn't related to the tuner card? Lots of
> people have needed to reduce RAM speeds a bit in the bios when all 4
> modules are populated. You could try that if you still see stability
> issues running your system without the tuner.
>
> "Tom Lake" <toml_12953@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:AF499882-9024-4F8B-8046-B1C5A2700E34@microsoft.com...
>>
>> "xiowan" <xiowan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:08AA7882-1472-4EED-A0A7-74A4F07D320B@microsoft.com...
>>> Hello Tom Lake:
>>> Are you using over 4 GB of RAM with your HVR-1800 tuner? Would it be
>>> worth my time to switch the Hauppauge PVR-150 with an ATI Theatre Pro
>>> 550
>>> PCIEx1 tuner from my 32 bit XP Media Center pc so that I can use more
>>> than 3
>>> GB of RAM? Or is the tuner a likely suspect for causing system
>>> instability
>>> with 8 GB of RAM? I'm using Vista Ultimate 64-bit with SP1 and can't
>>> even
>>> use 4 GB without causing slow boots and instability. My board is rated
>>> for
>>> up to 8 GB of DDR2 667 Mhz or 4 GBs of 800 Mhz.
>>
>> Before buying a new board, you could pull the TV card, run the system for
>> a few
>> days and see if stability improves. If it doesn't then buying a new card
>> won't help.
>> Some motherboards just have a problem when all RAM slots are filled.
>>
>> I do know people with 8GB RAM use the ATI TV cards with no problem.
>>
>> Tom Lake
>

xiowan
Thu May 01 15:01:01 PDT 2008

Hello "Paul Shapiro":
All 3 of my pc's are using an Intel DG965WH board which is designed as a
Media board mostly but did supposedly support up to 8 GB of DDR2 667Mhz. I
don't see anything in the bios allowing any change in the memory speed. The
RAM modules were selected because they were listed on Intel's site as being
tested and approved for the board. 4 GBs+ seems to be the problem more so
than 4 modules. 2 modules of 2 GBs DDR2 800 Mhz causes some instability and
slow boots, shutdowns. Using 2@1GB along with 2@ 512 MB modules for a total
of 3 GBs seems to work flawlessly. I wanted more RAM though to experiment
with other operating systems using Intel's Virtualization technology.

xiowan...........in tucson

"Paul Shapiro" wrote:

> Maybe the stability problem isn't related to the tuner card? Lots of people
> have needed to reduce RAM speeds a bit in the bios when all 4 modules are
> populated. You could try that if you still see stability issues running your
> system without the tuner.
>
> "Tom Lake" <toml_12953@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:AF499882-9024-4F8B-8046-B1C5A2700E34@microsoft.com...
> >
> > "xiowan" <xiowan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:08AA7882-1472-4EED-A0A7-74A4F07D320B@microsoft.com...
> >> Hello Tom Lake:
> >> Are you using over 4 GB of RAM with your HVR-1800 tuner? Would it be
> >> worth my time to switch the Hauppauge PVR-150 with an ATI Theatre Pro 550
> >> PCIEx1 tuner from my 32 bit XP Media Center pc so that I can use more
> >> than 3
> >> GB of RAM? Or is the tuner a likely suspect for causing system
> >> instability
> >> with 8 GB of RAM? I'm using Vista Ultimate 64-bit with SP1 and can't
> >> even
> >> use 4 GB without causing slow boots and instability. My board is rated
> >> for
> >> up to 8 GB of DDR2 667 Mhz or 4 GBs of 800 Mhz.
> >
> > Before buying a new board, you could pull the TV card, run the system for
> > a few
> > days and see if stability improves. If it doesn't then buying a new card
> > won't help.
> > Some motherboards just have a problem when all RAM slots are filled.
> >
> > I do know people with 8GB RAM use the ATI TV cards with no problem.
> >
> > Tom Lake
>
>

xiowan
Thu May 01 15:08:31 PDT 2008

Hello "Colin Barnhorst":
I think you are probably right. I don't think the RAM is getting enough
voltage when 8 GB's are installed but unfortunately I don't see anything in
the bios allowing changes in voltage or RAM speed. I'm thinking about
picking up one of Intel's DX38BT Extreme motherboards......they have them
"open box" for $129 at NewEgg and re-installing my Vista Ultimate system and
Q6600 cpu to that board and see if it will offer me more options with RAM.
Thanks for the advise!

xiowan.........in tucson

"Colin Barnhorst" wrote:

> Or raise the dram voltage by 0.1 volts. That also helps sometimes.
>
> "Paul Shapiro" <paul@hideme.broadwayData.com> wrote in message
> news:uEchEJ6qIHA.4848@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> > Maybe the stability problem isn't related to the tuner card? Lots of
> > people have needed to reduce RAM speeds a bit in the bios when all 4
> > modules are populated. You could try that if you still see stability
> > issues running your system without the tuner.
> >
> > "Tom Lake" <toml_12953@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:AF499882-9024-4F8B-8046-B1C5A2700E34@microsoft.com...
> >>
> >> "xiowan" <xiowan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:08AA7882-1472-4EED-A0A7-74A4F07D320B@microsoft.com...
> >>> Hello Tom Lake:
> >>> Are you using over 4 GB of RAM with your HVR-1800 tuner? Would it be
> >>> worth my time to switch the Hauppauge PVR-150 with an ATI Theatre Pro
> >>> 550
> >>> PCIEx1 tuner from my 32 bit XP Media Center pc so that I can use more
> >>> than 3
> >>> GB of RAM? Or is the tuner a likely suspect for causing system
> >>> instability
> >>> with 8 GB of RAM? I'm using Vista Ultimate 64-bit with SP1 and can't
> >>> even
> >>> use 4 GB without causing slow boots and instability. My board is rated
> >>> for
> >>> up to 8 GB of DDR2 667 Mhz or 4 GBs of 800 Mhz.
> >>
> >> Before buying a new board, you could pull the TV card, run the system for
> >> a few
> >> days and see if stability improves. If it doesn't then buying a new card
> >> won't help.
> >> Some motherboards just have a problem when all RAM slots are filled.
> >>
> >> I do know people with 8GB RAM use the ATI TV cards with no problem.
> >>
> >> Tom Lake
> >
>

Colin
Thu May 01 16:13:10 PDT 2008

Don't do it until you read some forums where there are knowledgeable users
of the board or get confirmation from Intel support that the board will do
what you want.

"xiowan" <xiowan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:DB1770EA-84A0-4E23-9E74-57228E8BAF80@microsoft.com...
> Hello "Colin Barnhorst":
> I think you are probably right. I don't think the RAM is getting
> enough
> voltage when 8 GB's are installed but unfortunately I don't see anything
> in
> the bios allowing changes in voltage or RAM speed. I'm thinking about
> picking up one of Intel's DX38BT Extreme