[mythtv-users] switching to composite input kills backend

[Robert M. Riches Jr.]

> Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2011 22:19:29 -0500
> From: Raymond Wagner <raymond at wagnerrp.com>
> To: Discussion about MythTV <mythtv-users at mythtv.org>
>
>
>
> On 12/30/2011 21:58, Robert McNamara wrote:
> > On Fri, Dec 30, 2011 at 6:50 PM, Robert M. Riches Jr. 
> > <rm.riches at jacob21819.net <mailto:rm.riches at jacob21819.net>> wrote:
> >
> >     Now, I'm trying to set up so I can use the composite (and S-Video)
> >     inputs to digitize some old VHS tapes.
> >
> >
> > First things first, an HVR-1950 is an MPEG encoder, not a v4l capture 
> > card type.
>
> Second thing, you shouldn't be using MythTV for that anyway.  MythTV is 
> designed to record content using rules applied against guide data.  
> Recording something without guide data using MythTV is painful at best, 
> especially when your choice of capture card offers you much better 
> options.  The '/dev/video0' node outputs nice, compressed MPEG2 audio 
> and video.  Use the 'v4l2-ctl' utility to select the input and quality 
> settings you want, and then 'cat /dev/video0 > some_file.mpg' and hit 
> play on the VCR.  When it's done playing, hit ctrl+c on the terminal to 
> stop capture.  If these are home videos, you really don't have any other 
> option than to capture them.  If these are retail VHS tapes, you would 
> be much better off just re-purchasing them on DVD.


Robert and Raymond, thank you both for the suggestions.  You
are right that the HVR-1950 is an MPEG encoder not a V4L
capture card.  Also, using v4l2-ctl to set input and etc.,
then a simple "cat /dev/video0 > some-file.mpg" works well--
_PROVIDED_ mythbackend is stopped while doing that.  Of course,
I'll have to remember to restart mythbackend and/or maybe make
a cron job to start it if it is not running, then have the cron
job run 15 minutes or so before when my automated recordings
should be starting.

Again, thank you for the excellent guidance.

Robert Riches