[mythtv-users] Getting All Channels with Rogers Digital Cable

[Steven Adeff]

On 8/30/06, catfish <catfish at halfdone.com> wrote:
> > I have the full TV
> > package from Rogers Digital Cable in Toronto, Canada. When I run the
> > cable connection directly to my PVR-350's tuner input, I only seem to
> > be able to see the first 30 channels or so (the basic package) on
> > MythTV. The rest of the channels only show static.
>
>         PVR350 is an analog SD tuner only, the Digital in Digital Cable will
> not work. I believe most digital cable (I only have analog cable) have
> the basic package in analog and the rest digital. You need to connect
> the coax to cable box to convert them.
>
>  > I can of course run the cable through the Rogers Digital Receiver and
>  > fix MythTV on one channel (3). Then I can see all the channels by
>  > using the receiver, but that beats the whole purpose of setting up a
>  > MythTV box.
>
>         Not really, mythtv takes this problem into account by allowing you to
> setup an IR Blaster. It sends commands to the cable box to change
> channels as if you pressed the remote yourself using it's own ir
> transmitter. You can make your own blaster or purchase one. I don't have
> this setup so I'm not sure how to set this up.
>         Also if the cable box supports SVideo it's suggest to use that instead
> of ch3 but works either way.
>
>  > I found some information on the wiki about the channels.conf file and
>  > the QAM cable layout, but I have no idea where the channels.conf file
>  > is located.
>
> I believe QAM and related are used with HDTV which is something else.
> You would need a special HDTV card to use it.

QAM is the system which cable operators in N.A. use to transmit
digital channels, this includes HDTV and SDTV in the extended range
(Digital Cable packages). Note though that because it is digital many
providors "encrypt" the channels and require a digital cable box to
"unencrypt" them.

What you see at
http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/Working_QAM_cable_layout are the
QAM channel information people have found on their cable lines. This
is so users in the same area do not have to go through the "hassle"
(which should be quite easy with some of the new features in 0.20 if I
understand correctly) of scanning for these channels. The
'channels.conf' reference comes from this process of scanning for
channels and is used to import the information into Myth.

To receive these QAM channels you will need an HDTV tuner car that
supports QAM, which most do. You will not receive all the digital
channels this way though, so following the advice of catfish in
connecting your digital cable box via your PVR card is you best option
to get the rest of the channels.

-- 
Steve
Before you ask, read the FAQ!
http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/Frequently_Asked_Questions
then search the Wiki, and this list,
http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/mythtv/
Mailinglist etiquette -
http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/Mailing_List_etiquette