[SOLVED] Capture card/Mythtv setup - help please

[b4rney]

I am still running 710 and I am trying to get lmce to control my sky satellite box using a usbuirt. I imagine the process is the same under 810.

I have a PVR150 which is working fine and I have added the s-video 1 as a source in mythtv. I created a video source (guessed at the eit guide data) and did a full scan. This gave me 83 channels of the s-video connection in mythtv. Weird.

I can watch this under the TV option in lmce. However, I'm trying to add the av device (sky box) as av equipment controlled by the usbuirt.

I have done this and my 'sky box' appears under the media menu but does not work when clicked although the menu on the left reads Satellite Radio and has options (Direct a/v, resend a/v codes etc).

Is this the right procedure? I have already trawled the wiki and forums.

[lmwashere]

if your using a sat box for tv over svideo, you should not be scanning for channels.

I am not sure if it is the same for sky as it is for Dish, but you should have a channel grabber that gets you listings for you if it is. Then you will have to configure myth with the TuneToChannel.sh so that LMCE can change the channels. search the forums and wiki for this, it is explained pretty well in there.

Scanning for channels is for tuners and ota capture so that is probably where you have your wires crossed.

Get started here:
http://wiki.linuxmce.com/index.php/Setting_up_MythTV

Hope this helps,
Josh

[b4rney]

Thanks for the guidance Josh.

I already followed that page but there was no mention of what to do at the 'video sources' section other than '...eit is a good start choice'. I don't particularly need a channel grabber as the sky plus box has it all. So do I just leave the video source blank?

There is no specific 'capture only' guide that I can find.

Thanks for the pointers.
Barney

[lmwashere]

Maybe I am misunderstanding what you want to do but to make it work like it is supposed to, where you can change channels with LinuxMCE, the channel guide info needs to be in myth.

in order to get the channel information into myth, you need to use a channel grabber to get the info from somewhere. for dish I use schedules direct. If you want to use the guide on your sky box you can either

1) set up the channels, and use the sky remote anyway
2) run inputs from your sat box to another input on the tv, then set up LinuxMCE to switch the inputs for you when you want to watch it
3) or you may be able to set it up as a security camera feed but I have some pretty serious doubts about the quality of that idea.

Those would bypass the features of mythtv though and are not really the way that things are meant to be set up. You would also experience a few seconds of delay between pressing a button on your remote and seeing the results on your screen if you are using 1 or 3 because of the video processing taking place.
I would not recommend doing those things though. (except choice 2 but there is a time and place for that one)

Your sky box does have a guide, however there is no way that I am aware of to get the guide info from your sky box into myth. That info won't go over the svideo cable.  The channel data and guide information must be downloaded and brought into the database from an external source.


Fortunately for me and unfortunately for you, things seem to be streamlined a bit for US users. If I remember correctly from my 8.10 b install, when you get to the video sources setup section there is a long list of grabbers that you can set up. Highlight the grabber section and press the over arrow.  Choose one that provides listings for the UK and then visit their website. You may have to register or pay a small subscription fee. Once that is done, select your chosen grabber and complete the setup. Myth or LinuxMCE will download the listings and set up the channel db. After that you can complete your setup, make sure your sources and inputs are selected correctly and your system should work.

Another hiccup you may run into is the channel change script but do some rooting around in the wiki and you will find it explained pretty well. If that script is not set up properly myth will not work either. I think that the setup wizard is supposed to take care of that for you but on 2 or 3 occasions it has left the section blank for me.

It can be tough to figure out if you are a noob like me and are converting from a Win box. You certainly have to do a bit more digging to use Linux based systems, but when you get it working it is much more satisfying.

[b4rney]

Thanks again Josh. I think you're right about the US having better support for listings.

I have now moved to 810, and I am impressed. I managed to replicate my stupidity in exactly the same way by selecting SatelliteRadio (the default option when creating a new AV device under the SKY/Satellite AV category). The clue is in the name!!! It ignored the video stream. I selected LiveTV and guess what .... It works.

I will now program the IR commands and I should be able to simply use the orbiters to control the receiver and see the on screen listings. Hopefully there won't be too much lag.

Thanks for taking the time to help me out.
Barney