The accompanying instructions refer to the also supplied WinTV version7 cd-rom and as such, while I've not yet tried installing either the dongle, drivers and/or the WinTV software, I'm left to asking the following as I'd like not to bunk the install. Of issue are the dongle's instructions which neglect to pictorialize anything regarding the composite "and" (?) s-video connections for this dongle's supposed design use. By that I mean the instruction's pictorial indicates that WinTV's open window affords channel up and down functionality (via it's on-screen arrow buttons), and in as much as that to me strongly indicates the need for a tv signal source that is essentially a source that provides an 'all channel' signal (assumedly like that of a coax cable supplied by a cable tv connection), but I'm unaware of any traditional vcr's or tv's that afford an out-going composite and s-video set of jacks (or if both are necessary as opposed to using one or the other). I wrote to Hauppauge's support and unbelieveably their support's reply was that their/my dongle does not support an 'all channel' signal input source (from an 'all channel' output source) regardless that 'clearly' the dongle's instructions indicate a channel up-down functionality. Anyone have any idea why Hauppauge would market such a device and not disclose what hardware's needed for use with the channel up/down aspects of the dongle's Hauppauge/WinTV software? I'm left to guess that maybe I need to secure some sort of converter or cable box, one that affords an 'all channel' signal sourcing that includes one or both composite and s-video ouput jacks. There again, it's unclear in instructions and/or my own head, if both types of all channel outputs are needed (as opposed to only composite or only s-video) and/or if the dongle is/is not designed to function with WinTV's mentioned channel up/down feature. App's for the ignorance, but I'm pretty familiar with this issue and have for years never quite gotten a handle on understanding this related aspect of dongles and TV capturing. As such, I've always been left to using a vcr's such output connectors (both composite and s-video), manually changing the vcr's channel and thus simply living without usage of the dongles software's channel up and down feature (not to mention the inability to watch another channel while capturing). Maybe the pc and/or video card has everything to do with this, but I've never had a pc that came equipped with a cable tv input jack, so there you have it (the issue of identifying if Hauppauge's WinTV software applies to the dongle is this respect and if it does, what does one need to do, aside from buying another laptop, one having a coax input jack)?
This 'issue' was/is the result of the lack of properly describing Hauppauge HVR-850 dongle's useage, ie; the '850 dongle is incapable of using it accompanying WinTV 'all channel' features as the dongle is not even connecting to cable tv coax (unlike the 950Q which I was left to 're-order' at the loss of $17 return shipping, plus a $6 loss in re-crediting/apparently a re-stock fee for the returned 850Q). The resulting receipt and use of the HVR-950Q dongle and the WinTV7 software are found acceptable but with two exceptions, the accompanying remote control does not properly function and H's support's replies to date, indicate nothing to resolve the issue (albeit their replies have been surprisingly prompt and not surprisingly somewhat inattentive to focusing on means of how to try resolving the issue of the identifying what the possible cause might be with respect to either WinTV's software, the supporting Hauppauge InfradRed utility, or potential conflicts with laptop infrared (which is tied into Windows Media Center, ie; the HP has it's own remote control for WMC and Hauppauge's also is supposed to interact with WMC, likely conflict that H' is ignoring either testing and/or support to resolve the issue). Nor has H's support to date, even offered suggestions for troubleshooting or attempting to explain the remote control's issues, ie; if the remote does anything at all, which is infrequent, it randomly only works for but a single button's pressing and after that, pressing any other of the dongle's remote control buttons, does absolutely nothing. As for the second issue, the latest afforded WinTV v7 that the Hauppauge website affords its Customers, results in occasionally WinTV stalls and/or goes to a black screen when started and sometimes too when simply trying to change the channel (and despite the supposed fix for that, ie; unticking the WinTV's options for "use hardware acceleration when possible" which doesn't help), plus neither does it help to disable my AV, nor does it matter that my system resources are 50% free, plus my Verizon DSL does seem to be capping or metering my access or internet speed (wouldn't surprise me at all that they are and I simply don't know where to look to prove it), but the viewing issue is semi-infrequent and given the apparent quality afforded H's support, it looks like I'm going either going to have to live with these issues or return the dongle for a refund and try someone else's dongle. Again, while H's support has been at least somewhat responsive, it seems rather disingenuous and/or intent of focusing on expending much effort at resolving the issue (even so much as to suggest that perhaps I might be afforded either a replacement remote control and/or that I might be afforded sending it into their repair center to see if indeed the issue might simply be with the remote control itself).
