[mythtv-users] Watch TV works, but recording doesn't.

[Darius Hardy]

Andrew Haigh wrote:
> Jens Baumeister wrote:
> 
>> Hi!
>>
>> On 8/24/05, Andrew Haigh <andrewhaigh at ntlworld.com> wrote:
>> This paragraph contains two important nuggets of info you forgot to
>> mention in your first question:
>> a) You didn't finish the setup properly. 
> 
> 
> Perhaps not, otherwise it would presumably all work :-)
> 
>> b) You apparently have an external device (a cable box?) that needs to
>> be controlled via IR to change the channels.
> 
> 
> I don't see why this is essential. I am perfectly content to change the 
> channels myself for the moment.
> 
The whole point is that MythTV really needs to know what channel your 
cable box is showing, it can't do that if it can't control the box.

>> Just a hint: Many of the people on this list spend considerable time
>> working on this software without getting paid for it. They're the
>> people who'd be best suited to help you, however they're
>> understandably passionate about their piece of work and won't
>> appreciate it if you start calling it names. In a nutshell: Yes MythTV
>> is more complex to set up than an ordinary VCR, however it's more
>> powerful, as well.
> 
> 
> Just because its free, it doesn't mean it cannot be improved. There's 
> lots of free software that 'works' but lots of it is lacking in the 
> out-of-the-box experience.
> 
MythTV works very well... It just _has_ to be set up first!

> If I used the Hauppage windows software supplied with my tv card, I 
> seriously suspect I would have had it running within 1 hour, instead of 
> spending three weeks compiling/updating/editing setup scripts/learning 
> about sql/downloading pre-requisite software/wondering why it had to be 
> so difficult.
> 
Erm, not with anything like what MythTV gives you, the windows software 
is a basic VCR, if you want that MythTV is not for you.

>> As for your problem, some basic questions need to be answered first:
>> What is your setup? Which devices are connected? And which part of the
>> installation process did you choose to skip?
> 
> 
> I didn't spend much time setting up the channel guide, as it seemed to 
> lack a configuration suitable for ntl digital cable in the uk (I 
> appreciate it cannot cover all possibilites, thats fair enough).
> 
The basic UK set-up gives you just about everything you need. You have 
to tell it which channels you're subscribed to but that takes all of 
about half an hour (you'll need to know the xmltvid names that 
radiotimes uses for each channel [tv_grab_uk_rt --list-channels] gives 
you them - they look like URLs.)

> I figured I should be able to use it just record the current input 
> stream - much like a vcr. But it doesn't seem to work that way.
> 
MythTV isn't a VCR, it's a PVR - it relies on knowing what is on and when.

>> Without that info, it's hard to give you a meaningful answer.
> 
> 
> A few more bits and pieces:
> I've got a Zen shuttle (ST62K) with a Hauppauge PVR-350 I somehow 
> squeezed into its tiny frame. I'm using the PVR as the output to the TV 
> and as a X-display too. (all composite video stuff - didn't need/want 
> the UHF tuner to be used).
> 
> I installed Fedora Core 4, and ran yum update about a month ago. (I've 
> kept it up-to-date since).
> 
> I then tried installing the latest release of myth (0.18.1), only to 
> find it wouldn't compile, so I grabbed the svn version instead. 
> (probably playing with fire not using a 'release' version!)
> 
> I also used ivtv 0.2releasej, only to find it wouldn't play ball either, 
> so I patched it 0.2k instead.
> 
> Currently I have a perfectly usable X desktop on my widescreen PAL TV, 
> and it automatically logs in the mythtv user and starts the mythfrontend.
> 
> At this point, I can chug around the menus with the hauppage remote, 
> watch live tv (albeit with an annoying three second buffer which I may 
> reduce later). I can see the the program guide, although the channel 
> numbers don't relate at all to the cable channels. Lots of the channels 
> have 'unknown' written all over them, but many have sensible program 
> data that looks right to me.
> 
You might be able to reduce the delay if you alter the source and 
re-compile, otherwise get used to it. Once you have everything working 
you'll not be watching live tv much ;-) The minor delay (due to 
buffering) is worth it to be able to pause & rewind.

> I've run mythfilldatabase recently, though it moaned that some channel 
> data was unavailable (I presume the websites were down/changed).
> 
If you've not set it up properly it won't know which (radiotimes) 
channel maps to which (in Myth).

> Does this give any more clues? Is the 'record' function really 
> predicated on the channel info being available?
> 
Yes because when you tell it to record it uses the tv-guide to know when 
the program ends.

Once you've got it set up you'll never go back ;-) A few hours fiddling 
around is really worth it!

-- 
   Darius,
     She who travels light, forgot something.