[TIP] TV-Viewer, GUI for Hauppauge PVR and other ivtv based TV cards.

[Porpoise]

If you are using the cat command you will have to wait about 30 seconds. After that you can open the mpeg file with any video player you want. So you can see what is being recorded.
But you can't change stations now, because you only got one tuner.
This may also work with vlc but I'am not used to it.

Regards

I've done a bit of experimenting and this method also works with VLC. (With respect to another tuner - I have one built into my monitor, so I can watch something else while the system is recording from the Hauppauge).

My next step is to work out a script to allow me to do timed recordings via a cron.

Anyone have any suggestions, please?

Thanks for such a great, simple programme. I think it may be time to un-install MythTV and stuff!

:edit
I forgot to mention, by adding a channel for my VHS VCR, I can also record off tapes in the same manner. I am currently using this method to archive some old tapes to DVD.

[Porpoise]

When I was lazy I would just open the /dev/video0 file in VLC/Totem/etc (you might need to "show all files") and then change channels with ivtvtune -cXX from a terminal. You could always make a symlink to /dev/video0 called livetv.mpg or similar for easier access.

I've just tried this method and all I get is static on all channels - when I use TV-Viewer, it changes channels correctly

PS. It's ivtv-tune (with a hyphen).

[Porpoise]

After a bit more detective work and trial&error, I've managed to get the command-line channel changing sorted (using VLC and v4l2 instead of ivtv-tune) - also worked out how to use the composite input (from VCR) for better picture quality when recording from VHS tapes:

To set input for Hauppauge PVR-150: /dev/video0

Tuner 1:     v4l2-ctl --set-input=0
S-Video 1:      v4l2-ctl --set-input=1
Composite 1:      v4l2-ctl --set-input=2
S-Video 2:      v4l2-ctl --set-input=3
Composite 2:      v4l2-ctl --set-input=4

If using the Tuner input, here's how to set the Channel/Frequency:

Frequency: 11380 (711.250000 MHz) (BBC 1)  =>  v4l2-ctl -f 711.250
Frequency: 10484 (655.250000 MHz) (BBC 2)  =>  v4l2-ctl -f 655.250
Frequency: 10100 (631.250000 MHz) (ITV 1)  =>  v4l2-ctl -f 631.250
Frequency: 10868 (679.250000 MHz) (CHA 4)  =>  v4l2-ctl -f 679.250

This is for UK PAL of course - you will need to use the relevant frequencies for your area.

The command-line for recording the stream:

vlc pvr:// :pvr-device="/dev/video0" :pvr-radio-device="/dev/radio0" :pvr-norm=0 :pvr-frequency=-1 :pvr-bitrate=-1 --sout '#duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=ts,dst="/home/steve/Desktop/raid-partition/DVCR/filename.mpg"}}'

Obviously, you will need to set the path according to your own system setup.


So, the full sequence, if you wanted to record, say, BBC1, would be:

v4l2-ctl --set-input=0
v4l2-ctl -f 711.250

vlc pvr:// :pvr-device="/dev/video0" :pvr-radio-device="/dev/radio0" :pvr-norm=0 :pvr-frequency=-1 :pvr-bitrate=-1 --sout '#duplicate{dst=std{access=file,mux=ts,dst="/home/steve/Desktop/raid-partition/DVCR/filename.mpg"}}'

The next step is to work out how to enable VLC to view whilst recording, then to work out setting timed recordings

[Porpoise]

Phew! Finally figured out how to get VLC to display the stream whilst recording:

vlc pvr:// :pvr-device="/dev/video0" :pvr-radio-device="/dev/radio0" :pvr-norm=0 :pvr-frequency=-1 :pvr-bitrate=-1 --sout '#duplicate{dst=display,dst=std{access=file,mux=ts,dst="/home/steve/Desktop/raid-partition/DVCR/filename.mpg"}}'

Just needed to add "dst=display" into the correct position in the command line.

Although I've slightly hijacked this thread (it was originally for TV-Viewer - sorry saedelaere) I feel that there are probably other people out there that maybe reading this thread, that are trying to do the same thing and may benefit from this information.

(You can still benefit from using TV-Viewer to change Channel)

Steve

[redchief]

E: /var/cache/apt/archives/mysql-server_5.0.51a-3ubuntu5.1_all.deb: subprocess pre-installation script returned error exit status 1
hmmmm
punt?

[redchief]

won't let me log into server...
back to the manual.....

[saedelaere]

E: /var/cache/apt/archives/mysql-server_5.0.51a-3ubuntu5.1_all.deb: subprocess pre-installation script returned error exit status 1
hmmmm
punt?

won't let me log into server...
back to the manual.....

Are you sure you wanted to post in this Thread?

[saedelaere]

Today I make a new version of TV-Viewer available. Actually the next planed release was Version 0.8. But the new gui is'nt ready yet and this may take a bit more time. Meanwhile lot's of users asked for a record function so I decided to bring the development of this feature forward.

Bugfixes:

• TV-Cards which do not provide a VBI device node could no longer be used. This problem has been solved.
• The tool v4l2-ctl was not recognized by the configuration wizard from version 1.2.0 (ivtv) upwards. Fixed.
• Some text improvements.
• Smaller things in the source code.

New features:

• Record wizard, which can be operated from a terminal. Time controlled recordings and many more.
• TV-Viewer was previously installed into the users home directory. This has been changed. Now only the configuration files are located there.
• Diagnostic routine is now part of TV-Viewer and can be started from within the GUI.
• New installer.
• Packages for various distributions.

The installation has changed, more informations in the Download section and in the user guide.
The record-wizard only supports recordings from the tuner of the tv-card. This will be changed soon see roadmap.
New Screenshots are available soon.
If you encounter any problems, or you have improvement suggestions, contact me.

Best regards
Saedelaere

[herteljt]

Thank you so much for all the work. I have been using tv-viewer for the last month and absolutely loving it! I just installed the updated version and I am trying out the recording option.

[saedelaere]

It's good to hear something like that

Please let me know what you think of the record function. Don't forget to read the user guide it provides some really important infos.

Best Regards