[mythtv] Channel lineup with invalid channel numbers

[Michael T. Dean]

On 03/18/2007 12:26 PM, DaveD wrote:
>
> I am receiving 33 clear QAM digital channels on Comcast cable in 
> Everett, WA, North America.  Comcast provides listing data for two 
> services to labs.zap2it.com; one for analog and one for digital.  Their 
> analog lineup (obviously) does not provide any information about digital 
> channels and I don't seem to get anything by specifying an EIT scan.
>
> Comcast's digital lineup assumes the customer is using their cable box 
> and channel numbers in their digital lineup continue upward to over 400. 
>   My analog channel lineup works fine and I can manually schedule 
> digital recordings but I would like to get the digital lineup's channels 
> cross-referenced to the actual digital channels I receive.
>
> I set up a second, digital lineup on zap2it.  I am trying to get the 
> xmltv data into my database and then manually put the xmltvid into the 
> correct channel record to get listings data for my digital channels. 
> When I set up a video source in MythTV it asks that I specify a channel 
> frequency table and then, when it retrieves the channels from the 
> source, it seems to only get channels from my digital lineup that have 
> "valid" channel numbers (< 110?)

Actually, Myth's US analog frequency tables go to channel 125 and the US
digital tables (currently) go to 159.  We'll probably be extending the
digital tables to include channels up to 178 in the future (as cable
companies begin to use the higher frequencies, but I'd be willing to bet
yours doesn't, yet.  Note, also, that the frequency ID's have nothing to
do with the digital channel "numbers."

However, if you wanted to try higher channel frequencies, simply change
the value in the line "#define US_MAX_CHAN 159" in
libs/libmythtv/frequencytables.cpp in SVN trunk (we've cleaned up the
frequency tables in trunk, so it's much easier to change).  If you do, I
will almost guarantee that you won't find any channels using freqid's >
159 once you do a proper scan for channels.

Note, also, that you can _not_ downgrade (i.e. to 0.20-fixes SVN--which
is being used by packagers) once you start using SVN trunk, and you are
expected to subscribe to, read, and keep up with mythtv-dev and
mythtv-commits lists if you're using SVN trunk.


>  from the us-cable frequency table. 
> This results in only 4 channels retrieved when I have specified 33 in my 
> zap2it configuration.
>   

You need to scan for digital channels (not EIT scan (which gives program
listings data)--scan for channels in mythtv-setup)--you can't just
"pull" them from zap2it.

> If I am not understanding the situation, I would really appreciate a 
> better explanation and help toward getting my problem resolved.
>   

For more detailed information, please post to the mythtv-users list, as
this is really a -users question.  There, you will find a lot of people
who can help you configure your digital channels.

To prove that Myth will work with your cable company's service, an even
easier approach than changing the source of SVN trunk, is to find
someone else in your local area who has digital working in Myth with
Comcast's service.  Chances are if you post your question to the -users
list, you'll find several--each of whom would be willing to help you
configure your system.

Mike