[mythtv-users] Working HVR-1800

Barry Fawthrop barry at isscp.com
Tue Apr 20 13:42:24 UTC 2010


To Kenneth

Great explanations thank you that helpful alot.

Just a few points, 
I must be getting come clear signals as I can connect and oldish TV
directly into the cable feed and get channel 2 - 70 (TV only allow 2
digit channel numbers)

Now on the HD STB (Set Top Box) I can get many, many more channels

Whether these are digital or analog I don't know.  But according to the
provider and according to Schedules Direct I would go with Digital not
analog, but I DO NOT know.


Whenever I connect my cable to the third connector, (the one closest to
the RCA and s-video) I don't get anything at all.  I would agree from
the labeling that this would be the right connector (as it is labels
Digital Cable).  However, I DO get a signal on the middle which is
(labeled Analog Cable / TV).  (So adds to the confusion above Digital or
Analog)


You mentioned cable companies use QAM64 and QAM128 IRC

If I use/select QAM256 what effects would I see?  Would this make the
picture purple and green?  Or just not work at all.



I have subscribed to Schedules Direct they have the following:
Zip Code   34442     
Location   Crystal River, US
Name       Bright House Networks Citrus County - Digital
Type       CableDigital




Using this in Myth-Backend It lists all the channels including the HD or
high value 1000+ channel numbers.

On Mythtv-setup
General      -> Channel frequency table:   us-cable-irc

Capture Card ->  Card Type:      Analog V4L capture card      (selected)
        other options include    MJPEG capture card (Matrox G200, DC10)
                                 IVTV MPEG-2 encoder card
                                 H.264 encoder card (HD-PVR)
                                 DVB DTV capture card (v3.x)
This might be my first mistake

                 Video device:   /dev/video0                  (selected)
        other options include    /dev/video1

The first four Card types have these options the DVB DTV capture 
card has       /dev/dvb/adapter0/frontend0

                 Probed Info:    Hauppauge WinTV-HVR1800 [cx23885]
                 VBI device:     blank

                 Audio device:   /dev/dsp                     (selected)
Might be my second mistake
        other options include    ALSA:default
                                (None)

                 Default input:  Television                   (selected)
        other options include    Composite1
                                 S-Video
These other options are there for /dev/video0   only  with /dev/video1
is has      (unset)


I know I'm probably messing up with the cable in the wrong connector
AND/OR the setting in mythtv-backend


Great Help before thanks again Ken.

Barry



On Mon, 2010-04-19 at 23:43 -0500, Kenneth Emerson wrote:
> 
> 
>         Mine goes on to that also
>         Much like yours does
>         
> This looks good; the kernel is recognizing your card.
>  
> 
>         I have looked at that link but it did not help much (for me)
>         
> I don't think there is anything more there for you except that analog
> is not supported. 
> 
>         
>         Let me ask some simple questions to all
>         
>         What is the difference between DVB and ASTC ?
> 
> DVB is just the generic term for Digital Video Broadcast and
> encompasses all of the different ways around the world that video is
> transmitted digitally. 
> 
>         
>         With the USA change to Digital TV or DTV in June 2009 (last
>         year)
>         Which do standard home fed cable providers offer?
>         DVB or ATSC ?
> 
> ATSC is what is used in North America for broadcast stations. It is
> commonly called "Over The Air" or OTA for short.  This is what you
> receive if you put up an antenna (indoor or outdoor).  All TVs sold in
> the US now must have an ATSC tuner.
>  
>         
>         How can I check what I am getting ?
>         
> If you are trying to receive OTA and you are in NA, you are receiving
> ATSC. 
> 
>         When I'm capable of getting TV direct from the Cable is this
>         Digital or
>         Analog , DVB or ATSC ?
>         
>         When I'm getting HDTV through a Set Top Box (provider by the
>         provider)
>         direct from Cable is this Digital or Analog , DBV or ATSC ?
> 
> When you are getting your TV signals from a cable company, you are
> probably getting a combination of analog and digital and not ATSC.
> Most cable companies transmit their digital video using QAM64 or
> QAM128 (IIRC).  Your HVR-1800 can receive both ATSC and QAM on the
> ATSC input (third connector).  The problem you may (probably will)
> encounter is your cable company may not rebroadcast its media to you
> in what is called "clear QAM".  Instead, they may encrypt it (used to
> be called scramble) so it would require either a cable card (if your
> hardware supports it and your cable company offers it) or a cable
> company-supplied set top box (STB).  The STB handles decrypting the
> channels that you are paying for.  Your HVR-1800 will not help you
> with encrypted digital channels. 
> 
>         
>         The provider says "I'm paying and getting digital cable"
>         They gave me a frequency table
>         Common    EIA   Standard   IRC       HRC       Band
>         CATV H    21    163.25     163.25    162.00    MID
>         CATV I    22    169.25     169.25    168.00    MID
>         CATV J    23    217.25     217.25    216.00    SUPER
>         CATV K    24    223.25     223.25    222.00    SUPER
>         CATV L    25    229.25     229.25    228.00    SUPER
>         CATV M    26    235.25     235.25    234.00    SUPER
>         ...
>         ...
>         CATV EEE  67    481.25     481.25    480.00    HYPER
>         CATV FFF  68    487.25     487.25    486.00    HYPER
>         ...
>         
>         What is this DVB , ATSC ???
>         
> Answered above.
> 
> 
> Are you subscribing to Schedules Direct?  Have you gone through the
> capture card setup in mythtv-setup?  I am assuming from your questions
> that you are trying to receive digital cable and not OTA; therefore,
> what I would do, once you have a working configuration in
> mythtv-setup, is to try to scan for digital channels and see what you
> get.  If you haven't read the mythtv-howto, here is a link for the
> backend setup: http://www.mythtv.org/docs/mythtv-HOWTO-9.html. Even if
> you don't have any schedule data (this is a guess on my part), if
> digital channels show up you could try watching them through the Watch
> TV menu item.
> 
> --  Ken E.
> 
> 




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