[mythtv-users] Problem getting AverTVHD A180 going.

[mike]

> Hve you tried using the dvb-apps and scanning for your channels?
>
> I have had problems with the myth scanner not prodicuing any output. I
> had to use the long route which is:
>
> You have to either a) know what the dtv_multiplex, serviceid and
> xmltvids are for your channels, or b) have a channels.conf which
> contains enough of that info for myth to figure it out and put the right
> stuff in the right places, so mythfilldatabase can complete things.
>
> So (and all of this is on the wiki). get the dvb-apps.
> Run atscscan -c US-Cable-Standard-Frequencies-QAM256 -a 0 -f 0 -d 0 or
> whatever is required for your setup, and grab the output. This is a raw
> channels.conf.
>
> Using azap to tune a partciualr channel+serviceid combo, use mplayer to
> see if it is a watchable channel. Delete if not. This produces a real
> channels.conf which can be (if yoo are lucky) imported into myth.
>
> At present, you probably get nothing, because your card is tuned to
> nothing.
>
> Geoff

Thanks Geoff,
 
I actually have dvb-utils, as it's called here in Debian land. The programs 
are :

av7110_loadkeys - tool to load keyfiles of ir-remotes
evtest - find out events-keys to generate a keyfile for your remote
femon  - monitor the signal-strength... of your card
scan   - scan all transponders and generate a channels.conf
czap   - simple zapping tool for the Linux DVB API (DVB-C-Cards)
szap   - simple zapping tool for the Linux DVB API (DVB-S-Cards)
tzap   - simple zapping tool for the Linux DVB API (DVB-T-Cards) 

I have tried this, which doesn't get anywhere... It's likely I'm not doing 
this right, since the commands are nothing like what you just described:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
mike at localhost:~$ scan
initial tuning data files:

usage: scan [options...] [-c | initial-tuning-data-file]
        atsc/dvbscan doesn't do frequency scans, hence it needs initial
        tuning data for at least one transponder/channel.
        -c      scan on currently tuned transponder only
        -v      verbose (repeat for more)
        -q      quiet (repeat for less)
        -a N    use DVB /dev/dvb/adapterN/
        -f N    use DVB /dev/dvb/adapter?/frontendN
        -d N    use DVB /dev/dvb/adapter?/demuxN
        -s N    use DiSEqC switch position N (DVB-S only)
        -i N    spectral inversion setting (0: off, 1: on, 2: auto [default])
        -n      evaluate NIT-other for full network scan (slow!)
        -5      multiply all filter timeouts by factor 5
                for non-DVB-compliant section repitition rates
        -o fmt  output format: 'zap' (default), 'vdr' or 'pids' (default 
with -c)
        -x N    Conditional Axcess, (default 1)
                N=0 gets only FTA channels
                N=xxx sets ca field in vdr output to :xxx:
        -t N    Service select, Combined bitfield parameter.
                1 = TV, 2 = Radio, 4 = Other, (default 7)
        -p      for vdr output format: dump provider name
        -e N    VDR version, default 2 for VDR-1.2.x
                ANYTHING ELSE GIVES NONZERO NIT and TID
                Vdr version 1.3.x and up implies -p.
        -l lnb-type (DVB-S Only) (use -l help to print types) or
        -l low[,high[,switch]] in Mhz
        -u      UK DVB-T Freeview channel numbering for VDR

        -P do not use ATSC PSIP tables for scanning
            (but only PAT and PMT) (applies for ATSC only)
        -A N    check for ATSC 1=Terrestrial [default], 2=Cable or 3=both
        -U      Uniquely name unknown services
mike at localhost:~$

mike at localhost:~$ scan -c
using '/dev/dvb/adapter0/frontend0' and '/dev/dvb/adapter0/demux0'
WARNING: filter timeout pid 0x0000
WARNING: filter timeout pid 0x1ffb
dumping lists (0 services)
Done.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At this point, I'm thinking I have a bad A-180 card. It doesn't get anything 
on a windows box I tried, either. 
That, or we just don't get high definition TV.
Thanks again.