[mythtv-users] FW: Multiple PVR-250 (OEM) Help and Observations

[Sean]

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From: Sean Oglesby <sean at oglesbydigital.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 09:33:02 -0500
To: Discussion about mythtv <mythtv-users at mythtv.org>
Subject: Multiple PVR-250 (OEM) Help and Observations

You know, I have discovered that MythTV is a lot like an old hot-rod that
you restore...its a pain to get working, but once you do... :)

That would put me in the tweaking of the engine stage to get that last
little carb glitch out. For me that means the setting up for 2 tuners...and
for one, brief, shining moment last night I was running on all cylinders.

Right now the issue is that Myth is locking up no matter what when I switch
to LiveTV. Just prior to that, it would lock up when switching to LiveTV if
I was recording something else. Just prior to THAT I was successful in
watching Live TV and recording at the same time (joy).

Based on suggetions from a similar thread in the IVTV list, I added this
line to modules.conf:

alias char-major-81-1 ivtv

Now, right after doing this, I was able to $cat /dev/video1 > sample.mpeg
where I hadn't before so I knew I was getting somewhere. I then set up Myth
to startup with the computer via Jarod's instructions. Now, whenever I go
into Myth and select LiveTV the frontend dumps out and I end up restarting
the backend and frontend and THEN I could watch TV.

It seems to me (the Linux/Myth nOOb of the month) that perhaps Myth backend
loads before the ivtv modules do and that is causing confusion. While I
haven't tried it yet, another fellow on the ivtv list suggested this for a
BTTV/IVTV system he had.

Edit rc.local:

     modprobe i2c-core
     modprobe i2c-algo-bit
     modprobe tuner type=1
     modprobe msp3400 once=1
     modprobe videodev
     modprobe saa7115
     modprobe bttv
     modprobe ivtv debug=1
     device=/dev/video1
     test_ioctl -d $device -u 0xff
     test_ioctl -d $device -f width=720,height=576
     test_ioctl -d $device -c stream_type=14,gop_closure=1
     test_ioctl -d $device -c dnr_mode=0,dnr_temporal=0
     test_ioctl -d $device -c bitrate=2500000,bitrate_peak=8000000

Now, this was his second card while is first was a BTTV based one and he is
in Switzerland instead of the US so by that theory, mine would look like
this:

     modprobe i2c-core
     modprobe i2c-algo-bit
     modprobe tuner type=1
     modprobe msp3400 once=1
     modprobe videodev
     modprobe saa7115
     modprobe bttv
     modprobe ivtv debug=1
     device=/dev/video0
     device=/dev/video1
     test_ioctl -d $device -u 0xff
     test_ioctl -d $device -f width=720,height=480
     test_ioctl -d $device -c stream_type=14,gop_closure=1
     test_ioctl -d $device -c dnr_mode=0,dnr_temporal=0
     test_ioctl -d $device -c bitrate=2500000,bitrate_peak=8000000


The bitrate section also interests me as the system keeps resetting the
custom bitrates I add (per Jarod's tutorial) to the stock levels, which is
too high for my uses.

And then there was the guy trying 3 cards who got video but had audio issues
who edited his module.conf file like so:

 alias char-major-81 videodev
 alias char-major-81-0 ivtv
 options ivtv debug=1 num_devices=3
 options tuner debug=1 type=3
 options msp3400 once=1 simple=1 debug=1
 add above ivtv msp3400 saa7115 tuner


The million dollar question of course is what has worked for everyone else?
It seems that quite a few people have talked about adding 2 PVR series cards
so there must be some working configs out there, right?

I AM learning, thanks to you guys. It goes without saying that not only is
the MythTV community growing (I mean EVERY other forum I have looked in has
Myth as the example to follow) but it is also very helpful and friendly.
Thanks in advance for any advice you can throw my way!

My system:

Shuttle MN31/N MOBO
512 MB RAM
WD2000JB 200 GB HD
(2) OEM "Freestyle" PVR-250 capture cards

(all on a sesame seed bun)



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