[mythtv-users] New to list

Nick knowledgejunkie at gmail.com
Fri Jun 24 13:42:18 UTC 2005


On 6/24/05, Nick Rout <nick at rout.co.nz> wrote:
> Hi I just wanted to introduce myself as I have just joined. I am a myth
> user from New Zealand. I just upgraded to 0.18. It is running on an epia
> M9000 with gentoo.

Welcome Nick

> 
> I have just been using myth to watch pre-recorded shows and dvd's so
> far, but I just invested in a Hauppauge PVR-150MCE so hopefully by the
> end of the weekend I will be watching and recording live TV through it
> too.

It will change your life (almost...!)

> 
> As all my TV comes through an external SkyTV satellite decoder I will be
> using composite in, has anyone got any tips on changing channels on a
> SkyTV box programmatically - I am thinking I will have to make a IR
> transmitter and use it to emulate the decoder's remote control?

This is probably the most common way users control their boxes (I do
this to control a cable box in the UK). One alternative (if your sat
decoder supports it) is to connect it to the PC via a serial cable and
control it that way. This only works if a) your decoder has a suitable
serial port and b) it is known to support this method of changing
channels (dont just connect a cable and start issuing commands over
the serial port or you could damage the decoder, the PC, or both ...)
Setting up the IR blaster is quite straightforward and I've not had
any problems with mine since installing it.

I rarely watch live TV on the myth box, so the only channel changing
occurs when the machine is recording from the cable box. Changing
channels takes a couple of seconds, but this isn't an issue for
recordings. It does become an issue though if trying to surf channels
quickly in LiveTV mode as each channel change seems to take an age.

Good luck with the box,
Nick


More information about the mythtv-users mailing list