[mythtv-users] HW CAMs, CI support, legal subscription viewing (DVB-S2)

Johan johan.vanderkolk at dommel.be
Sun Jan 17 23:05:42 UTC 2010


>>
>>
> In parts of the world other than the US, cards and hardware to use 
> them in a PC are freely available - even if the software to access the 
> hardware is often spotty in linux. We don't have restrictions such as 
> you have with CableCard (thank goodness). This is a legitimate topic 
> for discussion.
>
Used to have a working configuration under mythtv, using a Nexus-s with 
a double CI and 1 paid subscription card. Using both cam slots, Myth did 
not handle it well, so I reverted to VDR which did handle it well. Since 
0.22 introduced multirec, I get loads of errors even with one CAM in 
use. (Even if i keep the amount of tuners to 1 in the recording section 
of the capture card in myth-setup). So I decided to retire my Nexus. 
Hauppauge are now just using the USB CI, for which no support exist yet.

Although I don't like to do it (I have the CAMs and the subscription ) I 
am "forced" to use an alternative solution. (still using my paid 
subscription)

I am not sure if the solution for this problem should be found in 
MythTv. If there is no linux driver for the USB CI from Hauppauge, there 
is not much MythTv can do. MythTV relies on the drivers that are 
available for the capture cards. The hauppauge USB CI would permit a 
universal solution.....if there would be a generic driver for the CI box 
with a kind of CI API. No driver exists at the moment

The code in Myth, supporting the use of CI's is pretty old. And I can 
understand that the motivation to develop this is low in the USA, as in 
the US there are some different "rules".
I can legally use my smartcard, with or without a cam  in any device 
that can receive satellite transmission. We only have recommended 
receivers, not mandatory. I can (and did) only buy the smartcard, bought 
the CAM's later.

That being said, what if someone would develop a driver for a USB CI, 
independent of MythTV but on a lower layer ? Would that solve the 
dilemma for the MythTv developers ?
Would Mythtv developers make use of this API, or would that be 
considered illegal as well?

If I had the skills and the knowledge I would start myself, but the last 
"code" I wrote was in assembly and pascal, so figure how long ago that 
was :)

There are quite a few cards which do have support in the driver for CI 
interfaces. To help solving this discussion it might be a good idea to 
create a list of those and publish it on a wiki.
The linux-media list is also a good source of information, as well as 
the v4l website. (I follow this list and still decided to buy a card 
which has no CI support yet, mainly since I did not want to spend weeks 
researching, and some supported cards are just not easily available)

So to start the list:
Nexus-s: DVB-S, driver supports 2 CAMs, Mythtv can only use one CAM 
reliably, no Multirec capability
Hauppauge PVR4000: DVB-S2, receiver supported, multirec supported, 
however needs Hauppauge USB CI module for which no linux driver is 
available.



Johan






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