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

Emmanuel eallaud at gmail.com
Mon Jan 18 01:20:11 UTC 2010


Johan a écrit :
>
>>>
>>>
>> 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.
>
Well people interested in a driver for USB-CI type hardware can try to 
go to the linux-media ML where someone was basically saying that if 
people wanted a driver and a USB CI could be developped rapidly.
HTH
Bye
Manu


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