[mythtv-users] Watch TV works, but recording doesn't.

Andrew Haigh andrewhaigh at ntlworld.com
Wed Aug 24 15:09:14 UTC 2005


Jens Baumeister wrote:
> Hi!
> 
> On 8/24/05, Andrew Haigh <andrewhaigh at ntlworld.com> wrote:
> This paragraph contains two important nuggets of info you forgot to
> mention in your first question:
> a) You didn't finish the setup properly. 

Perhaps not, otherwise it would presumably all work :-)

> b) You apparently have an external device (a cable box?) that needs to
> be controlled via IR to change the channels.

I don't see why this is essential. I am perfectly content to change the 
channels myself for the moment.

> Just a hint: Many of the people on this list spend considerable time
> working on this software without getting paid for it. They're the
> people who'd be best suited to help you, however they're
> understandably passionate about their piece of work and won't
> appreciate it if you start calling it names. In a nutshell: Yes MythTV
> is more complex to set up than an ordinary VCR, however it's more
> powerful, as well.

Just because its free, it doesn't mean it cannot be improved. There's 
lots of free software that 'works' but lots of it is lacking in the 
out-of-the-box experience.

If I used the Hauppage windows software supplied with my tv card, I 
seriously suspect I would have had it running within 1 hour, instead of 
spending three weeks compiling/updating/editing setup scripts/learning 
about sql/downloading pre-requisite software/wondering why it had to be 
so difficult.

> As for your problem, some basic questions need to be answered first:
> What is your setup? Which devices are connected? And which part of the
> installation process did you choose to skip?

I didn't spend much time setting up the channel guide, as it seemed to 
lack a configuration suitable for ntl digital cable in the uk (I 
appreciate it cannot cover all possibilites, thats fair enough).

I figured I should be able to use it just record the current input 
stream - much like a vcr. But it doesn't seem to work that way.

> Without that info, it's hard to give you a meaningful answer.

A few more bits and pieces:
I've got a Zen shuttle (ST62K) with a Hauppauge PVR-350 I somehow 
squeezed into its tiny frame. I'm using the PVR as the output to the TV 
and as a X-display too. (all composite video stuff - didn't need/want 
the UHF tuner to be used).

I installed Fedora Core 4, and ran yum update about a month ago. (I've 
kept it up-to-date since).

I then tried installing the latest release of myth (0.18.1), only to 
find it wouldn't compile, so I grabbed the svn version instead. 
(probably playing with fire not using a 'release' version!)

I also used ivtv 0.2releasej, only to find it wouldn't play ball either, 
so I patched it 0.2k instead.

Currently I have a perfectly usable X desktop on my widescreen PAL TV, 
and it automatically logs in the mythtv user and starts the mythfrontend.

At this point, I can chug around the menus with the hauppage remote, 
watch live tv (albeit with an annoying three second buffer which I may 
reduce later). I can see the the program guide, although the channel 
numbers don't relate at all to the cable channels. Lots of the channels 
have 'unknown' written all over them, but many have sensible program 
data that looks right to me.

I've run mythfilldatabase recently, though it moaned that some channel 
data was unavailable (I presume the websites were down/changed).

Does this give any more clues? Is the 'record' function really 
predicated on the channel info being available?

Bye,
-- Andrew

> Jens
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