[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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