[mythtv-users] POLL *** How many people on the list are running UK combined Freeview and Freesat setups?

Nick Rout nick.rout at gmail.com
Tue Sep 8 02:34:48 UTC 2009


On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 2:06 PM, Another
Sillyname<anothersname at googlemail.com> wrote:
> 2009/9/7 Yeechang Lee <ylee at pobox.com>:
>>
>> As a non-Briton I'm curious as to how combining Freeview and Freesat
>> is different from similar situations elsewhere. As an American my
>> setup has integrated both over-the-air and cable almost from MythTV
>> day one. One schedule source (DataDirect then, SchedulesDirect now)
>> provides listings for every conceivable TV source (OTA, cable, and
>> satellite), and as long as I make sure identical channels on each
>> source carry identical callsigns, the scheduler just works
>> (<URL:http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/mythtv/users/216512#216512>).
>>
>> I know Britons don't have one comprehensive listings source, but what
>> else would be different between my setup and someone running Freeview
>> and Freesat?
>>
>> --
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>>
>
> Hi
>
> The UK has two comprehensive sources of data from DVB depending on
> whether you're using DVB-T or DVB-S.  The data source is referred to
> as the EIT (Event Information Table). This EIT transmits date for a
> set period ahead (usually 8 days) and also for the "Now and Next"
> programs to allow late program changes to be transferred.
>
> Combining these is fairly straighforward and allows maximum
> flexibility for your system.
>
> The DVB-T Muxes in the UK usually carry about 4-8 TV Channels (some on
> a timeshare basis) and then some carry assorted radio channels and
> other data feeds, you can see the list here.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_channels_on_Freeview_(UK)
>
> As there is a high incidence of Muxes sharing channels you can often
> use one physical tuner to record three channels using myth's multirec
> facility.
>
> On DVB-S because the channels tend to be spread over many more muxes
> it's rare that multirec gets used.
>
> You can also get listing data from The Radio Times which I believe
> uses XML (I don't use it myself).
>
> The main advantage in the UK is say on Freesat, if you so desired, you
> can record as many channels as you have DVB-S(2) cards.  Usually with
> cable as I understand it you are limited to recording one (or two?)
> channels per subscription you pay for.
>
> There are way's to record satellite subscription channels using a
> legitimate viewing card that cannot be discussed on this list. Using
> virtual card sharers you can in effect record as many subscription
> channels as you desire using only one subscription card (the dedicated
> STB supplied by Sky is limited to two channels recording per card
> similar to cables limitations).
>
> Hope this clears up some of your questions.

I'm not sure that your answer (whilst informative) answers the
question of why it seems to be difficult to combine -S and -T
successfully from a EPG point of view.

In NZ freeview broadcasts simultaneously on DVB-S and DVB-T. DVB-S is
all SD/mpeg2 while -T is a mix of HD & SD (depending on the channel)
but all in h.264. By and large the two services run the exact same
channels, although there is the odd one that appears only on one of
the services. Therefore when combining the problem can be
prioritisation - you want all your Dr Who in HD but you don't care
about the daily news being in SD or HD.

Like you, we in NZ have EIT info on satellite (terrestrial uses MHEG
instead of EIT). The trouble is the data is often crap. One week its
Dr Who, the next its Doctor Who, the next its Dr Who:The Sontaran
Strategem (yes thats right put the subtitle in with the title,
idiots). Therefore some clever fella has written a program to gather
the EIT and then massage the common faults out, producing a xmltv file
that can be used with myth. The same data can be used for -T as the
programming is identical (bar those few channels that appear only on
one service).


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