tv card in core server?

[drjenk]

Hello,
I'm getting ready to purchase hardware for a core and 1 media director, and I notice in the core hardware section the sentence "Further, it is best to have the TV card in the Core server".  I am wondering why this is, because I intend the server to be in a closet, with no tv hooked to it.  Is this because one may want to hook an OTA antenna to it, and record shows?  This is the only reason I can think of for the card to be there.  In my situation, I intend for one of the media directors to be capturing from my directv PVR, with an IR blaster to control it from another room.  Anyone know why a tv card would be in the core?

Thanks

[OldBob]

I presume because the core must run all the time and as you may wish to program a recording that is the logical place to put your card.   Media directors don't have to run continuously but can share what they have so there is no reason (apart from the preceding) why you couldn't place your card in one of them away from your closet.

[cirion]

If you intend on using VDR, your only option will be to have your TV cards in the Core.
If you intend on using Myth, you can install the TV cards in any MD.

[totallymaxed]

If you intend on using VDR, your only option will be to have your TV cards in the Core.
If you intend on using Myth, you can install the TV cards in any MD.

Yes thats true currently of vdr... but it may not be true in the future. Even now the limitation of having all cards in the Core is a self imposed one as VDR can be configured outside of LinuxMCE with DVB cards distributed into client boxes.

All the best

Andrew

[secs]

Whats VDR?

[totallymaxed]

Whats VDR?

VDR is a popular PVR software project focussed on DVB. See here http://www.cadsoft.de/vdr/

When you install LinuxMCE you can configure it to use either MythTV or VDR. Both are PVR's and offer many of the same capabilities with vdr currently offering better usage of TV tuners if your region uses DVB for digital TV (it allows all channels on a single multiplex to be watched live or recorded simultaneously using a single tuner - as opposed to one tuner per TV channel). MythTV is your best choice if you are not in a region that uses DVB however.

See here for MythTV http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/MythTV

See here for vdr http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/VDR

All the best

Andrew

[secs]

Ok. How does one tell if he can use VDR or MYTH?


I am in Canberra Australia and mainly watch free to air tv as I am never home so pay tv such as foxtel etc isn't realy worth it.

However I do use a simalar cheaper SelectTV from satalite.

I have a decoder box with a smart cart type thingo.

Now I have seen pci cards that seem to allow this type of smart card to be plugged in and then placed in the pc.

Idealy, I would like to be able to watch different channels on different tvs (kids in lounge and me somewhere else) with the minumum cards here in Aus so which way do I go?

[cirion]

You Sat receiver could be DVB-S.... It's the most common std.

For now, I would recommend a PVR150 card from Hauppauge.
Connect it to your receiver, and all your MD's will be able to watch the same channel on all TV's simultaneously.

A DVB Card, with a CAM slot could replace your receiver.
I have not been able to use a CAM in LinuxMCE yet, but in the future it should be possible

You will need the following:
1. DVB-S or DVB-S2 Card (DVB-S2 is not supported yet...)
2. CAM slot for your DVB-S Card (Not supported yet... I  think...)
3. CAM with the encryption type used by your subscription. (Smartcard reader)

The fun part with a Sat dish, is when you want to receive multiple channels simultaneously.
Channels that are located on the same transponder, can be received simultaneously.
Changing the LNB on your dish to a dual or a quad output one, will let you have several DVB cards receiving different transponders.

Instead of the CAM slot and CAM you could look in to CardSharing...
I use CardSharing because I can not get my CAM and CAMslot working.

[hari]

girls and guys, please discuss pay tv hacking elsewhere.

thank you and best regards,
Hari

[secs]

Sorry. I am not looking at HACKING anything. I would like to be able to feed my system with my sat feed pay tv LEGALY. All I wanted to know if it can be done with Linuxmce....

Peter

[colinjones]

Secs

With SelecTV you can use a DVB-S card, and VDR to feed direct into LMCE - I intend to do the same myself. You need them CAM/CI module from SelecTV to plug into the card to do the decoding. And Hari - no this is not "hacking" it is perfectly legal and so just fine to discuss here!

SelecTV are more than happy for you to do this. Unfortunately, they have recently reduced there installation options. Previously, you could choose whichever components you wanted. Now the only two options are a complete install (including sat dish, cabling, STB and decoder, plus labour) or just the decoder. Basically you are looking for an Irdeto CAM compatible DVB-S card (that is also compatible with Linux of course), and the SelecTV decoder plugs into that.

You can buy the decoder direct from SelecTV or other locations. Here is a site that also mentions a card that may work (it was SelecTV that actually pointed me to this site when asking about doing exactly this) http://www.satplus.com.au/category13_1.htm

So the problem becomes getting someone to do the install for you. In your case it sounds like you already have the other hardware, so you just need the PCI card and CAM module to plug your smart card into. Either way, SelecTV are pretty helpful in getting this going - let me know how you go as I am interested myself!

[secs]

Thanks for that. Yes I actually pay for my Pay tv and have the dish etc. I just want a simple way of feeding it to most rooms and this appears to be the answer. Isn't it funny how if you mention Paytv and computers together evryone assumes your hacking into it so you can get it for free.

[totallymaxed]

Secs

With SelecTV you can use a DVB-S card, and VDR to feed direct into LMCE - I intend to do the same myself. You need them CAM/CI module from SelecTV to plug into the card to do the decoding. And Hari - no this is not "hacking" it is perfectly legal and so just fine to discuss here!

SelecTV are more than happy for you to do this. Unfortunately, they have recently reduced there installation options. Previously, you could choose whichever components you wanted. Now the only two options are a complete install (including sat dish, cabling, STB and decoder, plus labour) or just the decoder. Basically you are looking for an Irdeto CAM compatible DVB-S card (that is also compatible with Linux of course), and the SelecTV decoder plugs into that.

You can buy the decoder direct from SelecTV or other locations. Here is a site that also mentions a card that may work (it was SelecTV that actually pointed me to this site when asking about doing exactly this) http://www.satplus.com.au/category13_1.htm

So the problem becomes getting someone to do the install for you. In your case it sounds like you already have the other hardware, so you just need the PCI card and CAM module to plug your smart card into. Either way, SelecTV are pretty helpful in getting this going - let me know how you go as I am interested myself!

There is nothing wrong at all with discussing a legal use of a CAM from a provider that actively promotes this as an option to its customers.

I just wish more providers had such an open and enlightened approach...

All the best

Andrew

[hari]

Sorry. I am not looking at HACKING anything. I would like to be able to feed my system with my sat feed pay tv LEGALY. All I wanted to know if it can be done with Linuxmce....

Peter

why do you feel offended? I was pointing at this:

Instead of the CAM slot and CAM you could look in to CardSharing...
I use CardSharing because I can not get my CAM and CAMslot working.

Hari

[hari]

And Hari - no this is not "hacking" it is perfectly legal and so just fine to discuss here!

colin, please read the posts.

We don't discuss topics like softcams, special CAM firmwares, card sharing or smart card emulations here. There are other information sources for that.
Do you girls and guys want to put our hoster in troubles? They donate all the bandwith and resources to us.

Discussing legal CAM/card usage is fine, just to make that clear.

best regards,
Hari