[mythtv] detecting activity - not signal. > cablebox_on.sh

[MythTV]

Peter Hartmann wrote:
>>> Have you had a look for discrete "on" IR codes for your cable box? You
>>> could just fire one of these on every channel change to ensure the
>>> cable box is on?
>>>       
> My cable box doesn't have a discreet 'on' code. I don't get the
> feeling that they work this way in general but I only have so can't
> say for sure.   But I do have script almost done that does the job.
> It's modified from a motion detection script i found.  The only
> problem is that it only works if Myth is recording.  Is there a way to
> call a script when you start recording a program within Mythtv?  If
> not I'll have to figure out how to cat /dev/video0 > testsample.mpg
> for 5 seconds in bash.  I'm not sure how to do that.   I can't wait to
> gloat a little bit to my sister  whose Tivo box doesn't have this
> functionality.  ;)
>   

Use something like

dd if=/dev/video0 of=testsample.mpg bs=1024 count=XXX

Adjust XXX until you get about a 5 second stream.

Michael