[mythtv] YUAN PG600/DIAMOND PVR-550 (CX FALCON2) issues...

[Robert Kohler]

I'm using a Diamond ExtremeTV PVR-550.  It has an encoder chip built 
in.  No decoder.
Also known as YUAN PG600.
Tuner is Q1236/F.
MPEG II Encoder is CX23416-12
Smaller Chip ( I think sound ) is CX25843-23.

I've been struggling to get this card working, and managed to get with 
the ivtv developers and actually get the card working.
So, I can load the ivtv driver, and get V4L options if needed.
I can run mplayer on /dev/video0 and see live video/audio..
I can run their ptune-ui.pl script, and change channels as well.

Question is on MythTV.

Should I select Hardware Encoder or Video for Linux?
   I'm trying the Hardware Encoder PVR250-350... option...
   Do I get the benefits of the hardware encoder by specifying the V4L 
option?

Multiple issues seen:
1)  Watching live TV, shows program for 3 seconds, then freezes.  After 
ESC, and another 10 seconds, it seems to go back to
the menu.
2)  Watching pre-recorded shows seem to work fine.
3)  Recording a show, seems to work fine in the background.  (I get 
video and sound, with no freezes).
3)  Tuner seems broken.  It records, but it records whatever channel I 
set it to last using the ivtv ptune utility.

Is this a ivtv driver issue, or a MythTV issue?
If this is MythTV, I'd really like to dig into the source and resolve, 
seeing how I have a working ivtv driver to reference.

I ran MythTV successfully with a BT848 card prior, and am now trying to 
step up to the hardware encoders to free up CPU resources.
So, I don't think it is anything wrong on my setup, just a hardware 
incompatibility I'm assuming.

Please point me in the right direction.

Running on Fedora Core 3, ... mythtv-0.18-108.rhfc3.at
Also playing on my Xbox running Xebian, making it my frontend. It seems 
to work, short of the issue I've seen locally as well with the card.
Until I resolve the local issues, my Xbox is not in the equation.. :)