[mythtv-users] HD-PVR Channel Changing Inquiry

[Christian Szpilfogel]

On 03/08/2010 9:05 AM, Johnny Walker wrote:
> On Mon, Aug 2, 2010 at 7:36 PM, Larry K<lunchtimelarry at gmail.com>  wrote:
>    
>> I am successfully using firewire and the 6200ch script to change channels.
>>
>> On Tue, Jul 20, 2010 at 5:24 PM, Johnny Walker<johnnyjboss at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>      
>>> On Sat, Jul 17, 2010 at 2:25 PM, Larry K<lunchtimelarry at gmail.com>  wrote:
>>>        
>>>> On Sat, Jul 17, 2010 at 11:22 AM, Kenneth Emerson
>>>> <kenneth.emerson at gmail.com>  wrote:
>>>>          
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sat, Jul 17, 2010 at 7:50 AM, Larry K<lunchtimelarry at gmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>            
>>>>>> Since Comcast hosed pretty much all my unencrypted QAM (except the
>>>>>> networks, of course), I just picked up an HD-PVR, another STB, and
>>>>>> have been
>>>>>> reading through all the materials I can find.
>>>>>> On this wiki ->  http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Hauppauge_HD-PVR
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Larry:
>>>>>>              
>>>>> A lot depends on what STB Comcast gave you.
>>>>>            
>>>> I have the Motorola DCX3200 HD box.  It comes with an IR remote.
>>>>
>>>>          
>>> I have this box too and I record using HD-PVR but I channel change
>>> using 6200c over firewire.
>>>
>>> It's your MythTv install and therefore your decision.
>>>
>>> -JohnnyJ
>>>
>>>        
>>>>> People on this list seem to have had good luck using firewire to change
>>>>> channels on STB's (as do I).  If your STB has a firewire port AND it is
>>>>> enabled I'd suggest you look at 6200ch which AFAIK is included in the
>>>>> mythtv
>>>>> packages
>>>>> (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MythTV_External_Channel_Changer)
>>>>> or try mythchanger (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/majoridiot).  Personally I
>>>>> use
>>>>> mythchanger because it produced better debug for me to understand what
>>>>> was
>>>>> going on when I was attempting to record over the firewire. I since
>>>>> gave up
>>>>> that goal and purchased an HDPVR, as you did.
>>>>>            
>>>> I guess my question is, given my STB, should I pursue channel changing
>>>> with
>>>> the HD-PVR builtin IR blaster, since my STB can respond to IR commands,
>>>> or
>>>> should I go with a channel changing script, which I assume requires a
>>>> firewire connection?  It's not clear to me if the myth - HD-PVR USB
>>>> connection is just to receive content, or if that is bi-directional and
>>>> can
>>>> support commands to the HD-PVR as well.  For instance, the HDHR I have
>>>> uses
>>>> the Ethernet connection bidirectionally, both to receive channel change
>>>> commands, and to dump content back on the wire for myth to pick up.
>>>>
>>>>          
>>>>> If you cannot get the firewire to work (BTW, if it has a firewire port
>>>>> but
>>>>> is not enabled, I'd try complaining to Comcast first) you'd have to go
>>>>> the
>>>>> way of an IR blaster.  There has been a lot of discussion on this list
>>>>> on
>>>>> getting the HD-PVR blaster to work.  You'll need to search the list.
>>>>> But
>>>>> firewire is the way to go if possible.  Very reliable and easy.  My
>>>>> entry
>>>>> for the script is:
>>>>> mythchanger -c and mythtv fills in the channel.
>>>>>
>>>>> Good luck.
>>>>>
>>>>> -- Ken E.
>>>>>
>>>>>            
> I also recommend using the '-g GUID' option since if either the STB or
> your backend restart the NODE can change. The GUID will also allow you
> to control 2 different STB's, should you decide to add another one
> later.
>
> One can obtain the GUID by reviewing the output of plugreport

Absolutely. And depending on how predictable your USB discovery performs 
you may also have to create a udev rule for each HD-PVR so that it comes 
up on a consistent /dev device. On reboots, mine would swap every once 
in a while between video0 and video1 which of course meant that I would 
end up changing the channel on one device and record from the other!