[mythtv-users] DRAFT of proposed new FAQ (or HowTo section)

Ray Olszewski ray at comarre.com
Tue Jun 24 16:05:06 EDT 2003


I though ti might be useful to gather in one convenient place the 
information we have about what capture cards do and do not work with Myth. 
What follows is most likely NOT ACCURATE; it represents my best guesses 
based on searching through the myth-users list and sometimes trying to make 
sense of ambiguous messages and to resolve disagreements. If people would 
read it and post corrections, including information about cards not 
mentioned, I will revise it, then send it to Robert for possible inclusion 
in the HowTo. (I don't know how to submit proposed additions to the FAQ; 
can someone tell me?)

You will note that for most cards, I found no information as to whether 
they work with btaudio. If people could add thay information, it would be a 
good part of a FAQ.

Once more: people should NOT RELY on the information below. It is a DRAFT, 
posted here so people who use the various cards can correct errors. 
Personally, the only 3 cards I've worked with are older WInTV Go cards 
(successful), AverTV PVR cards (some successful,  others not), and an ATI 
AIW7500 (unsuccessful).

-----------------DRAFT begins--------------------

Q. What video capture cards work with MythTV?

A. As a general matter, any capture card that works with the video4linux 
(v4l) extensions to the Linux kernel will work with MythTV. Any video card 
can provide audio through a patch cable to a sound card's Line-In jack; 
some allow you to record sound directly, for example by use of the btaudio 
driver.

No one individual can personally identify all the cards that do and do not 
work with MythTV. The following card list is based on reports that appear 
on the myth-users mailing list. It is current as of late June 2003. From 
time to time, we will try to update the information here based on reports 
to the list, but for the most current information, search the list's recent 
archives.

The Linux kernel source includes, in 
./Documentation/video4linux/bttv/CARDLIST, a list of the cards believed to 
work with the bttv kernel driver. More information about bttv can be found 
at http://bytesex.org/bttv/ .

Newer capture cards use the experimental IVTV driver, not included as part 
of standard 2.4.x kernel sources. More information about IVTV can be found 
at http://ivtv.sourceforge.net/ .

If a card is not mentioned below, then there are no recent reports about it 
on the myth-users list.

ATI All-In-Wonder 7500. Video capture does NOT work under Linux (We know 
there are reports around saying it does work; we have seen them too. We 
cannot confirm any of these reports. Please send us a correction for this 
entry ONLY if you personally have this card working and will take the time 
to tell us how you did it.)

ATI All-In-Wonder 8500.  Video capture  does NOT work under Linux. (We know 
there are reports around saying it does work; we have seen them too. We 
cannot confirm any of these reports. Please send us a correction for this 
entry ONLY if you personally have this card working and will take the time 
to tell us how you did it.)

ATI Wonder VE. Video capture  works using the bttv kernel driver.There are 
some reports that bttv autodetects the wrong card type or tuner type, so 
check the CARDLIST documentation if you have problems there. Audio ??


AverTV Desktop TV PVR. Video capture works using the bttv kernel driver, 
though there are some reports of unreliability for an older version of this 
card (the one with the Sony daughterboard).  Audio requires using a jumper 
to a sound card; btaudio does NOT work.

AverTV Studio. Video capture works using the bttv kernel driver. Audio ?? 
There are reports of problems getting audio to select the proper audio 
source (main versus SAP).


Hauppauge WinTV Go.  Video capture  works with older versions of this card, 
which uses a bt878-compatible chip; newer versions use a different chips 
that si not yet supported by v4l. Audio requires using a jumper to a sound 
card; btaudio does NOT work.

Hauppauge WinTV dbx TV/FM Radio. Video capture works using the bttv kernel 
driver; we beliece this is the only Hauppauge card currently shipping that 
works with bttv. Audio does work with btaudio.

Hauppauge WinTV HDTV. Video capture  does NOT work under Linux.

Hauppauge Win PVR 250. Video capture  works using the IVTV kernel driver. 
Audio ??

Hauppauge WIn PVR 350. Video capture works using the IVTV kernel driver. 
Audio ??


Matrox G200 TV. VIdeo capture probably works with this card, though reports 
on the lista re not completely clear. Audio ??


Pinnacle PCTV. Video capture works with some versions of this card; there 
are reports that newer versions have a tuner that is not supported by 
v4l.Audio requires using a jumper to a sound card; btaudio does NOT work.


-----------------DRAFT ends----------------------



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