# Asus usb tv tuner u3100 mini dvb-t - picture 'brief freeze'



## sydjazz1 (Jan 27, 2009)

Hi,

Firstly, I'm new to this forum, and I live in Sydney Australia.

I've got an Asus usb tv tuner u3100 mini dvb-t dongle on my MSI VR321XP notebook computer. It works fine, picks up all the digital TV channels in the Sydney area. Perfect picture and sound quality!

Just one problem though - about once every 8-10 seconds the picture will very very briefly freeze, then continues as normal again. 

Occasionally the sound will do likewise. This will happen on all channels. I'm in a very strong signal area of Sydney's inner suburbs, and I'm using the outdoor antenna.

Incidentally, I'm running Windows XP. I might add that I'm no computer wiz, so please be a little 'easy' on me! (grin)

Any ideas how I can overcome this 'brief freeze' problem? As it's really got me puzzled! As mentioned earlier, everything works perfectly except for this little niggling problem.


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## geslink (Jul 1, 2008)

sydjazz1 said:


> Hi,
> 
> Firstly, I'm new to this forum, and I live in Sydney Australia.
> 
> ...


Hi sydjazz1,
I'm using ASUS USB tv hybrid tuner U3000 on my notebook, both under WindowsXP.SP3+ and Vista Business SP1+ (+ means fully updated since) and I tried it on my stationary PC too, both under WindowsXP.SP3+ and Vista Home Premium SP1+. Furtheron I updated the included and excellent Cyberlink/Asus Power Cinema 5 software too. 
First question: did you update all of them too?
Next: do you run the tuner with Cyberlink/Asus Power Cinema 5?
I am surprised that you have these problems running XP because there the TVprogram runs best with me and only with approx. 15% processorload of a 1,8 GHz single processor.
I checked your PC's specs on Google and they look much equal mines, unless your processor is at max. 1,6 Ghz.

Freezing frames can have several reasons:
1) the processor load is about 100% or peeks frequently to that level > check this by the joblist window (rightclick in the procesbar > joblist > tab Performance* > CPU-use ..% in the bottom og the window and graphically on the top of it)
*) my system is in danish and the english translations are my guess

If the processor is contineously at about 100% than check if there are programs or services running in the background that cause this (by stopped TV-software) as you can see in the same joblist > tab Processes > column CPU (click CPU for as/decending order). Only the SYSTEM should show a high relative percentage. All others nearly zero.
If other are at high CPU than click Procesnavn and, if you recognize* the program, mark it and stop it by Close process and see if your TV runs well now.
If you don't recognize the program > rightclik on its name > Properties > see its folder.
If there is such unwished programrun on from systemstart you can stop this either under that program properties and/or by removing it from Start on the startmenue or by running RUN from the startmenue and type msconfig > OK > tab Start and remove the mark for that program (and other unwished ones - NOT the antivirus or System, of course).

If the processorload, running the TV-application, is mainly at approx 15 %, but frequently peaks in the pattern you see the TV picture freeze, you have to find out what background program causes this.
Note: it can be caused by disturbances in the digitalTV signal, but you see these on all channels; are the TVsignals coming from one or different free-air transmitters?
If background problems are suspected you can, for trial, close as many as possible as described above.

Other reasons can be:
2) System activity on the USB. How do you connect the tuner: directly in an USB-port or via a hub? Connect it directly to USB.
Note: Only under Vista I have USB interference on analogTV and having a hub for other devices as the tuner connected.

3) Bagground activity on the internet: check this under properties of your LAN-connection and deactivate it temporarely as a trial.

Goodluck with your attemps
Regards Geslink, DK.


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## sydjazz1 (Jan 27, 2009)

Geslink...thank you! 

You've given me a rather 'loaded' reply. However, if I start with an answer to your first question. Yes, they are all updated. But with regard to: [do you run the tuner with Cyberlink/Asus Power Cinema 5?] No, I haven't got those in my system. I didn't realise they were needed!

Perhaps before I follow your other suggestions, I should download those first. Before proceeding any further, I'll give that a try.

I guess I'll take it one step at a time.

I'm very greatful for your suggestions. Thank you Geslink.


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## geslink (Jul 1, 2008)

Hi sydjazz1,
I looked in the U3100 manual and found that the Power Cinema software is optional. When it is not included on your tuners CD, you can't download it and you have to use the driver and application/utility software as delivered on the CD.
Look also for the possibility of disabling timeshift in your TV-utility as to find under Options/Settings if applied.
Hi again, Geslink.


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