[mythtv-users] Using PVR-350 to record old VCR video

[Gordon McCrae]

On 24/05/12 04:41, Ben Kamen wrote:
> On 2012-05-23 6:48 PM, Michael T. Dean wrote:
>>
>> Maybe try using v4l2-ctl (or whatever it's called) to tune the 
>> channel, then just use cat or dd to record from /dev/video*
>
> Did that -- I get a 0byte length  file.
>
> In other news, if I put the composite video on the pcHDTV-5500 card (I 
> have 2, both do the same thing) - I get pretty bad video... but on the 
> tuner of the pcHDTV, I do get video that looks pretty close to the 
> original format minus the conversion from the capture format of the 
> card to what mencoder dumps out.. (which looks to require a lot of 
> tweaking)
>
> but once I go back to trying the PVR-350... mencoder either complains 
> it can't open the demuxer or mplayer just sits at that same deal.
>
> v4l2-ctl let's me to stuff to the card, but it doesn't help. (although 
> --log-status shows some interesting stuff... )
>
> Thanks for the help though - I can see Myth isn't trying to commandeer 
> the card anyway. (and I shut down the backend just  to be sure anyway)
>
>
If you run "v4l2-ctl -n" this will list the available inputs like:

Input   : 0
Name    : Tuner 1

Input   : 1
Name    : S-Video 1

Input   : 2
Name    : Composite 1

etc.

Then you put the following in a script (let's call it "record").

v4l2-ctl -i 1
Minutes=$1
Seconds=`expr ${Minutes} \* 60`
File="/tmp/`date '+%s'`.mpg"
cat /dev/video0 > "${File}" &
PID=$!
echo "Wait ${Minutes} minutes for programme to end..."
sleep ${Seconds}
kill ${PID}

run the script with "record 1" and it will record one minute of video 
from the desired input.

This is the script I used a couple of years back to record old home 
videos via my PVR-250. I use the SVideo input (1), but if you want to 
use composite, just use "v4l2-ctl -i 2". If you need to use the RF tuner 
use "v4l-ctl -i 0" and you'll also need to set the frequency using 
"v4l2-ctl -f FREQUENCY".

Cheers
Gordon