[mythtv-users] Newbie Program Guide Setup Help

[Bruce Markey]

LKO wrote:
...
> 	The only input currently in use on the PVR-250 is the coax 
> in. That gets me the local stations, PLUS channel 46, which is 
> actually the 4DTV receiver. I have a couple of stereo multi-port 
> modulators that I use to turn video/audio inputs into unused 
> antenna channels.

Lose the modulator.

That makes sense if you are watching a TV set so that all video
is on the same input to the set and just play with remotes for
the two video sources. However, this hurts rather than helps for
myth. You could use myth with your current setup by some
unsupported manual hacks to the database but that is not your
best route.

Think of the myth box as serving the function of your modulator.
If you run cable to the coax input on your card and s-video from
the 4DTV to the s-video on your card the there is still one tv-out
from your myth box to one input on TV set and one remote control
to control the mythfrontend for any video sources.

Presumably there is an s-video or at least composite output on
the 4DTV box and you should have an s-video or at least composite
input on your capture card. by connecting these you will get better
video quality than through a modulator and you can associate your
4DTV source with the s-video input.

> Tuning and recording a local TV station works fine from the Guide. 
> The problem is when I attempt to use the guide to tune to or record 
> something off the 4DTV. Now, I know that until I get an IR blaster 
> working and an external tuning program going, I can't have Myth 
> change the channel on the 4DTV reciever. At first, I'd just like to get 
> it so that I can use the Guide to at least record something off the 
> 4DTV.

Until you have a working blaster, you can look ahead in the
"Upcoming Recordings" and set the channel on the box to the
channel of the next recording. If there is a VCR timer feature,
you can set timers for the next several scheduled shows. I had
a digital box that had 8 timer slots and was able to have a
couple days of automatic channel changes ready to go without
a blaster.

> If I go to channel 46 on the Guide, which is the channel the 4DTV is 
> on, it shows "Unknown" as it's only listing, which makes sense. 
> BUT, if I try to set any sort of manual scheduled recording for 
> channel 46, MythTV refuses to schedule the recording. I have not 
> been able to convince MythTV to record at all from channel 46. 
> This kinda-sorta makes sense, since channel 46 is "unknown" to the 
> Guide, but why can't I at least tell it to record channel 46 from some 
> time to another time? I have also tried to set up manual recording 
> off channel 46, to no avail.

Manual recordings can work on a valid channel ( + source + input)
where there are no listings but I think you're barking up the
wrong tree here and it is wasted time to debug this ill advised
test.

> So, in a nutshell, and at the very least, how do I get MythTV to 
> record a 4DTV show? 

Plug it into a separate input on your card and get on with the
rest of your life.

> Is there some unknown-to-me machinations I 

Yes but it's a bad idea.

> can do through MySQL to fix the Guide or something? What I'd 
> really like is to be able to fix the Guide so that if I select a 4DTV 
> channel, it will tune the tuner to channel 46. I can get the 
> IR/external program thing working later (one step at a time).

But I think these are steps in the wrong direction.

--  bjm