Fw: [mythtv] [PATCH] DVB support

[ramon.roca at xcombo.com]

Hi Edward!

Well, I just talk about satellite, wich is the thing that i know a little
bit:

> > What about chanid? Let the users choose wich column do they want to use?
>
> I currently have no idea how this is done (there is code in VDR though),
but you should be able to get the EPG info directly from the transmitted
datastream
>


I was suggesting this as the way fot tune using the remote to a given stored
channel using a simple numer. i.e. vdr just gives a sequencial number to
each valid channel defined at channels.conf. The channel number doesn't come
in the transmitted datastream, and, if it is, will be just for a given
provider, and each user can tune to many satellites/providers (one of the
nice things of mythtv compared to the commercial paltform-related receivers
is that mythtv will be able to receive *any* provider which the user has
rights to isn't?)

> For DVB-T users in many countries such as the UK, this info is incomplete
and a standard fill method from xmltv will be required. (there is some code
in a recent VDR patch to do exactly this and if I get some time over the
weekend I will see if it is a good way to update the mythfilldatabase code)
>
ah, ok. But I guess that you are talking about tv listings no? I was
refering to channel data in terms of frequency, orientation, etc... (tune
information).

> So I think the channel loading code can be directly derived from "scan"
for most users.  This gives exactly the params that are needed.  For DVB-S
and DVB-C users, I should think that mythfilldatabase will then grab the epg
directly from the data stream.  For DVB-T users and
mythfilldatabase --manual is still going to be
required, although it may be possible to steal the mapping functions from
that VDR patch described above to give an automatic mapping.

for DVB-s yes, futher we might be able to get program listings from the data
stream (although not all of them provide it, so still some external grabber
could be also interesting), but to get the EPG you still need to tune first
using a list of transponders for each satellite, configure your diseq if you
have it, etc. Anyway definitely you are right, we will have to think how to
insert the epg info at the program table, that should not be very difficult
and will provide "on air" updated listings info.

>
> Probably a fairly big project to make the mapping work reliably in all
countries.  However, I hope that manually filling the DB using the output of
"scan" will at least get the data into the database.  I think "scan" is
better than dvbtune because the format is quite readable and it works a bit
better for DVB-T users who have variable "QAM" settings (these settings are
hard compiled into dvbtune...)
>
Well, to be honest, I still have to look at dvbscan or scan to be able to
compare them. Probably the "satellite" users like me are used to just get a
channels.conf list from a given satellite grabbed online and therefore never
did a "tune" at all.

> Just my 2p.  If you have some time to test Ben's update then I would
encourage you to do so and try to fix anything you find.

YES! That's what I have to do! I've already compiled (well, I'm sure that
Ben has done already more versions again!), now I have to use it!

By the way, if anyone of you is planing to come to this sunny country this
summer and thinking that I'm in Barcelona, let me know so then I can invite
to a paella ;-)

Ramon.