Thread: Got MythTV going - sort of

Hello everybody
Just got started with MythTV running on LMDE with HVR-1600 card on midwest USA analog cable. The card has another input but that will come later after I get the analog input running as it should.

After initial hardware and firmware install I could watch and listen to a single TV channel by opening /dev/video1 in VLC (webcam claimed video0). But I could not change channels or get TVtime to work. So on to MythTV. After two more evenings of battle I can watch TV on Myth.

I am running MythTV in a small window in the corner of dual monitors and controling with the keyboard. Now for a few questions. Please to point me in the right direction to get me going further with MythTV.

The video quality in MythTV does not seem as good as /dev/video1 run in VLC. What should I check first.

I can't get a channel grabber to work so I just use the Cable Companys website for listings. Is there a way to set up a grabber without subscibing to a paid service?

The record key "R" (?) does not start recording the current program being watched even though MythTV is filling up the storage folder I set up on a slave drive.



The Mythtv concept appeals to me - I just need to straighten out the kinks one at a time

thanks for any tips you can provide

Originally Posted by Dadzmad

But I could not change channels or get TVtime to work.

TVTime only operates using framegrabbers. It cannot make use of MPEG encoders such as the HVR-1600.

Originally Posted by Dadzmad

The video quality in MythTV does not seem as good as /dev/video1 run in VLC. What should I check first.

Try increasing the bitrate. The default encoder profiles for that card run between 2200Kbps and 4400Kbps. I used to run my PVR-150s at 7000Kbps.

Originally Posted by Dadzmad

I can't get a channel grabber to work so I just use the Cable Companys website for listings. Is there a way to set up a grabber without subscibing to a paid service?

We used to get free guide data through Zap2It, however the service was limited to non-commercial use. However, certain commercial applications were having their users sign up for accounts rather than paying for access, so Tribune terminated the service in response to the abuse. Schedules Direct was set up by members by the MythTV and XMLTV communities, and several other open source projects to license the content for a nominal fee for their users. The alternative in North America is EIT, sent through broadcast television. However, EIT data is only going to be on the order of 12 hours to a few days, is likely to be poor quality, and won't be available for analog or cable content.

Originally Posted by Dadzmad

The record key "R" (?) does not start recording the current program being watched even though MythTV is filling up the storage folder I set up on a slave drive.

Everything you watch in MythTV is recorded. LiveTV is nothing more than a recording performed a few seconds ahead of playback. The recordings will show up on the filesystem regardless. Hitting 'R' merely tells MythTV to mark it as a full fledged recording, and continue recording if you change channels or exit LiveTV. LiveTV will be automatically deleted after 24 hours.

wagnerrp
Thanks for the tips - got a nice picture now after cranking up the bitrate. and thanks for the explainations
cheers