I see the attachment didn't make it. See below:
This is a rough guide on how to get Digital TV working in Australia
(DVB-T), using a channels.conf file with Mythtv!
Why am I doing this?
1. There are a few issues with Mythtv when using cheap TV cards.
2. Mythtv doesn't allow EIT data to come in when using a 'channels.conf'
file. (yes I know Shepherd is better, but some people don't have network
connections in their lounges or WIFI APs)
3. Mythtv Full scan does allow EIT data to flow, but it doesn't always
pickup some channels (usually NINE)
Who am I?
My name is Scott Waller, I love Linux and get frustrated with bad
documentation. wallerscot...@gmail.com
Things you'll need are:
PC with Linux installed, I'm using Ubuntu 10.10 (64 bit)
VLC to test your channels.conf file
Tuner (USB or PCI, PCIe)
Terminal
Antenna Mate (iPhone app) - optional
scan (dvb-apps, part of the V4L stuff)
w-scan or w_scan
Next you'll need a compatable DVB-T tuner, there are many USB, PCI 2.0
and PCIe tuners available that work well in Linux.
For this README, I used an ASUS U-3100 stick, (ebay or MSY have them for
around $33.00) the ASUS U-3000 also works the same.. we have also tested
the EyeTV stick and the Leadtek DVT1000S.
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1. Plug your USB tuner in, start a terminal, and type:
dmesg | grep DVB
You should see a bunch of stuff come onto the screen, something like:
[ 19.164342] dvb-usb: found a 'ASUS My Cinema U3100 Mini DVBT Tuner'
in cold state, will try to load a firmware
[ 21.021557] dvb-usb: found a 'ASUS My Cinema U3100 Mini DVBT Tuner'
in warm state.
[ 21.021715] DVB: registering new adapter (ASUS My Cinema U3100 Mini
DVBT Tuner)
[ 21.243451] DVB: registering adapter 0 frontend 0 (DiBcom 7000PC)...
[ 21.466933] input: IR-receiver inside an USB DVB receiver as
/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.7/usb2/2-3/input/input11
[ 21.467004] dvb-usb: ASUS My Cinema U3100 Mini DVBT Tuner
successfully initialized and connected.
If you are using an internal type tuner (PCI, PCIe), then once Linux has
booted, start a terminal session and type:
dmesg | grep DVB
The output should look like:
[ 19.164342] dvb-usb: found a 'ASUS My Cinema U3100 Mini DVBT Tuner'
in cold state, will try to load a firmware
[ 21.021557] dvb-usb: found a 'ASUS My Cinema U3100 Mini DVBT Tuner'
in warm state.
[ 21.021715] DVB: registering new adapter (ASUS My Cinema U3100 Mini
DVBT Tuner)
[ 21.243451] DVB: registering adapter 0 frontend 0 (DiBcom 7000PC)...
[ 21.466933] input: IR-receiver inside an USB DVB receiver as
/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.7/usb2/2-3/input/input11
[ 21.467004] dvb-usb: ASUS My Cinema U3100 Mini DVBT Tuner
successfully initialized and connected.
This means you tuner is ready for use.
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2. PLUG IN YOUR ANTENNA !
Don't use the crappy one that came in the box unless your 500M or less
from the TX tower. There is also an iPhone app called Antenna Mate,
It knows where you are, so you can point your antenna in the right
direction.
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3. Open a terminal session and type:
w_scan -ft -c AU > au-scan
The output should look something like:
w_scan version 20100316 (compiled for DVB API 5.1)
using settings for AUSTRALIA
DVB aerial
DVB-T AU
frontend_type DVB-T, channellist 3
output format vdr-1.6
Info: using DVB adapter auto detection.
/dev/dvb/adapter0/frontend0 -> DVB-T "DiBcom 7000PC": good :-)
Using DVB-T frontend (adapter /dev/dvb/adapter0/frontend0)
-_-_-_-_ Getting frontend capabilities-_-_-_-_
Using DVB API 5.1
frontend DiBcom 7000PC supports
INVERSION_AUTO
QAM_AUTO
TRANSMISSION_MODE_AUTO
GUARD_INTERVAL_AUTO
HIERARCHY_AUTO
FEC_AUTO
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Scanning 7MHz frequencies...
177500: (time: 00:00) (time: 00:03) signal ok:
QAM_AUTO f = 177500 kHz I999B7C999D999T999G999Y999
updating transponder:
(QAM_AUTO f = 177500 kHz I999B7C999D999T999G999Y999)
to (QAM_64 f = 177500 kHz I999B7C34D0T8G16Y0)
177625: skipped (already known transponder)
184500: (time: 00:16)
184625: (time: 00:19)
I am doing this as a round about way of getting Mythtv to behave when we
use a channels.conf file, this takes a while maybe 10 mins (coffee).
The generated au-scan file will give us some vital info we will need to
add to the mysql database.
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4. Create two copies of the au-scan file so we can open it in calc if we
want:
cp au-scan au-scan.cvs
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5. Getting the network ID info
There are 2 ways to do this, one is to read that file in gedit / VIM or
open it in OpenOffice Calc.
First way (easier, less stuffing around)
gedit au-scan
7 Digital;Seven
Network:177500:I999B7C34D0M64T8G16Y0:T:27500:513:514=eng:516:0:1312:4115:1282:0
NINE DIGITAL;Nine
Network:191625:I999B7C34D0M64T8G16Y0:T:27500:519+135:720=eng:583:0:1057:4114:1056:0
TEN Digital;Ten
Sydney:219500:I999B7C34D0M64T8G16Y0:T:27500:512+128:650=eng:576:0:1573:4116:1538:0
ABC1;ABC:226500:I999B7C34D0M64T8G16Y0:T:27500:512+128:650=eng:576:0:545:4112:545:0
TVS;TVS:536625:I999B7C23D0M0T8G8Y0:T:27500:100:101=eng:0:0:44:57:2:0
SBS
ONE;SBS:571500:I999B7C23D0M64T8G8Y0:T:27500:161:81=eng:41:0:769:12802:768:0
The info we need from here is:
Channel: 7 Digital
Freq: 177500
dvb: T
ServiceID: 1312
NetworkID: 4115
TransportID: 1282
<Channel> <name> <Freq> <?> <dvb> <?> <?> <?> <?> <?> <ServiceID>
<NetworkID> <TransportID> <?>
7 Digital ;Seven Network :177500 :I999B7C34D0M64T8G16Y0
:T :27500 :513: 514=eng :516 :0 :1312 :4115
:1282 :0
If you ignore the last 0 on each line, it's the last two fields that we
really want, eg networkid and transportid
Second way (bit more fiddly, but you get a nice spreadsheet at the end)
Open the au-scan.cvs file in OpenOffice Calc (or excel)
In the seperator options section, select 'Seperated by', then choose
'Semicolon' and 'Other', in the 'Other' section put a colon ':'
Select OK
You can then mess around making it look good, but remember it's those
last fields that we need later.
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6. Creating a new au-scan file.
Back into the terminal type:
w_scan -ft -c AU -x > au-scan
Now as I am close to Kings Cross (work) my au-scan file has some doubled
up transports, see below:
T 177500000 7MHz 3/4 NONE QAM64 8k 1/16 NONE # Seven Network
T 191625000 7MHz 3/4 NONE QAM64 8k 1/16 NONE # Nine Network
Australia
T 219500000 7MHz 3/4 NONE QAM64 8k 1/16 NONE # Network TEN
T 226500000 7MHz 3/4 NONE QAM64 8k 1/16 NONE # ABC Sydney
T 536625000 7MHz 2/3 NONE QPSK 8k 1/8 NONE # CTV
T 543500000 7MHz AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO # ABC Sydney
T 564500000 7MHz AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO # Nine Network
Australia
T 571500000 7MHz 2/3 NONE QAM64 8k 1/8 NONE # SBS Sydney
T 585500000 7MHz AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO
T 592500000 7MHz AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO
T 599500000 7MHz AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO
T 648500000 7MHz AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO
T 669500000 7MHz AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO # Seven Network
I am going to comment some lines out like this:
T 177500000 7MHz 3/4 NONE QAM64 8k 1/16 NONE # Seven Network
T 191625000 7MHz 3/4 NONE QAM64 8k 1/16 NONE # Nine Network
Australia
T 219500000 7MHz 3/4 NONE QAM64 8k 1/16 NONE # Network TEN
T 226500000 7MHz 3/4 NONE QAM64 8k 1/16 NONE # ABC Sydney
T 536625000 7MHz 2/3 NONE QPSK 8k 1/8 NONE # CTV
#T 543500000 7MHz AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO # ABC Sydney -
don't need this one
#T 564500000 7MHz AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO # Nine Network
Australia- don't need this one
T 571500000 7MHz 2/3 NONE QAM64 8k 1/8 NONE # SBS Sydney
#T 585500000 7MHz AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO #- don't need
this one
#T 592500000 7MHz AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO #- don't need
this one
#T 599500000 7MHz AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO #- don't need
this one
#T 648500000 7MHz AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO #- don't need
this one
#T 669500000 7MHz AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO # Seven Network-
don't need this one
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7. Create the'channels.conf' file.
Back into the terminal type:
scan au-scan > channels.conf
This should happen quick (40 to 60 sec)
You now have a complete channels.conf file for the area of Australia
your in, keep this handy and the networkid info for mythtv.
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8. Test it's working
The easiest way to see if your channels.conf file works is to use VLC.
Now if you haven't got it installed, in the terminal type:
sudo apt-get install vlc
Once it's installed, type:
vlc channels.conf
VLC should open, and you should be watching TV.
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Mythtv
This is not for the faint hearted, if you like to tinker with stuff
you'll love it. Mythtv is either working or completely stuffed up.
I suggest for beginners, get a machine you can trash when it doesn't
work. I once tried to do a fresh install of mythtv and you just can't.
There are heaps of articles on-line to help with setting up mythtv, you
can either go with an 'Appliance' distro like Mythbuntu or Mythdora, or
install your
favourite distro and add mythtv in. I prefer to install the latest
Ubuntu and then use the software centre thing to add mythtv in.
One of the things that I could never get my head around was how mythtv
works. Well here it is in plain english, there are 3 main types of systems
1. Frontend
2. Backend
3. Combo (that is Front and Back on the same machine)
A frontend wont work without a backend, a backend can work all by
itself, but you will need a front end to look at the content you are
recording.
At my place I have a Combo and three frontends. The combo machine is
our main computer in the house (Ubuntu 10.04), one frontend is a
Mythbuntu frontend install, and the other two fronts are running on Macs
(mini and pro)
To install mythtv in the terminal type:
sudo apt-get install mythtv
Once that's installed, go to System > Administration > Mythtv Backend Setup
TBC
On 2/05/11 9:47 AM, John Clarke wrote:
On Sun, May 01, 2011 at 09:47:27PM +1000, Jon and Hannah wrote:
I've tried google, and it just says "import channels.conf" - well how?
I did this when I setup my MythTV box 18 months ago but couldn't
remember exactly how. Google gave me this (search for "mythtv import
channels.conf" and it's the last link on the first page):
http://www.havetheknowhow.com/Install-the-software/MythTV-no-channels-found.html
Look for the section titled "Pull the channel information into MythTV".
I don't remember having to delete all the channels and rescan, but I'm
using Jean-Yves Avenard's MythTV packages (from avenard.org) which may
not have this bug.
John
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