Setup Video Sources
This page is up-to-date as of MythTV version 0.28, the current release is 34.0
This article describes the Video Sources Setup page of MythTV Setup.
In Video Sources you set up the method of getting a program guide. The program guide enables you to automate the recording of TV programs and series.
Whether or not you are using a program guide, you have to set up a video source for each tuner type you are using. If different tuners have different channel lineups they need separate video sources. Also a tuner type that scans for channels must be on a different source than a type which does not support channel scanning. Tuners which use a cable card do not support channel scanning. DVB and ATSC tuners do support channel scanning.
Schedules Direct now supports listings for many countries. It is the primary service for the USA. There is a small annual fee for the service (1 year service of schedules direct costs about as much as 1 month of Tivo program schedules). In many countries there are free listing services.
Listings can be processed into mythtv in two formats. These are known as DataDirect and XMLTV. Schedules Direct supports both formats for the USA and supports XMLTV for other countries. In the USA, Schedules Direct DataDirect format gives 13 days of listings, while XMLTV format gives 21 days of listings. The Schedules Direct XMLTV option is also known as Schedules Direct json.
DataDirect format for Schedules direct (USA only) is supported natively by MythTV. To use XMLTV format with MythTV you need to install the XMLTV package.
XMLTV may be in your linux distribution package repository, but it may be out of date. See the XMLTV page for instructions.
You can set up the system with no schedules service, where programs are recorded strictly by time slot, but doing that loses much of the power of MythTV.
The initial menu presents options for adding a video source, deleting all video sources on the system, and a list of video sources already configured. You can highlight one of the existing video sources and either press enter to reconfigure it or press D to delete it.
| Setting | Default Value | Settings Page's Description | Additional Comments |
| Video Source name | Blank | Give each video source a reasonable name that will make sense in future. You can rename them later if your usage changes, for example you switch from a Homerun Prime to a Ceton tuner. | |
| Listings grabber | North America (SchedulesDirect.org) (Internal) | If you have installed xmltv you will see a selection of grabbers from which to choose. These include grabbers for various countries as well as grabbers for Schedules Direct XMLTV option. Otherwise you will only see Schedulesdirect, EIT Only and No Grabber. Select the appropriate source.
To use Schedules Direct XMLTV (json) for North America or other countries, select Schedules Direct json API (xmltv) or Multinational (Schedules Direct JSON web services with SQLite DB). | |
| North America (SchedulesDirect.org) (Internal)
Note that you will not see these prompts when using a schedules direct xmltv option. You will see the xmltv prompts below. | |||
| User ID | Blank | The user id you create at Schedules Direct when you create your subscription. | |
| Password | Blank | The password you create at Schedules Direct when you create your subscription. | |
| Retrieve Lineups | When you set up your user id on Schedules Direct you must create your lineup. You can create up to 4 lineups, for up to 4 types of reception or locations. This button will retrieve the list of lineups. | ||
| Data Direct lineup | List of Lineups | Select which of your lineups corresponds to this video source. The lineups must first be retrieved using the button above. | |
| Perform EIT scan | Not Checked | If enabled, program guide data for channels on this source will be updated with data provided by the channels themselves 'Over-the-Air'. | This may not be advisable, as the over the air data may be less reliable than the schedules direct data. |
| xmltv Selections | |||
| Perform EIT scan | Not Checked | If enabled, program guide data for channels on this source will be updated with data provided by the channels themselves 'Over-the-Air'. | This is a choice to be made depending on the reliability of over the air data. There is the potential for getting last minute program updates if this is reliable. |
| Configure | Run XMLTV configure command. | Click the button to be taken to a command line page where you will answer configuration questions on your location and channels. This will store data in your home directory in .mythtv and .xmltv directories. You will need to make sure this is available when running mythfilldatabase. See XMLTV for details. In the case of Schedules Direct XMLTV option, this also prompts for your Schedules Direct user id and password.
This configuration can also be done from a command line, which is preferable since the TV interface used with setup in not designed for the type of question and answer session that is used here. See XMLTV for details. | |
| Transmitted guide only (EIT) | |||
| Use only the transmitted guide data. This will usually only work with ATSC or DVB channels and generally provides data only for the next few days. | |||
| No grabber | |||
| Do not configure a grabber | With no grabber you can only schedule recordings manually using start times and length of program, like a VCR.
If you wish to schedule your mythfilldatabase runs manually you can use the No Grabber option and set up your own scripts to run XMLTV downloads and read them into mythfilldatabase. See mythfilldatabase for details. | ||
| Other Settings | |||
| Channel frequency table | default | Use default unless this source uses a different frequency table than the system wide table defined in the General settings. | If you have tuners for over the air as well as cable you will have to set this, or you may need it if you receive broadcasts from more than 1 country. |
| Network ID: | -1 | If your provider has asked you to configure a specific network identifier (Network_ID), enter it here. Leave it at -1 otherwise | This is used with DVB-C. In DVB-C a multiplex (transport stream) can be transmitted on different frequencies in different regions. The frequency information is for each region stored in a separate NIT (Network Information Table). The Network ID selects the NIT that will be used. |
