Same channel used by 2 tuners

hexed · 2007-01-18, 04:42

Hi All.

I want to have a a group of TV channels accessible by both my tuners. I'm hoping to switch from GB-PVR to MediaPortal and this is the only thing left in my way!!

I've successfully got MediaPortal working with my PVR500MCE TV card. I'm using XMLTV for my guide.

1 tuner receives it's signal from my Sky box via a composite (priority =1) input while the other uses the antenna (priority = 2).

I can recieve 4 channels with the antenna, but I want to have the option of receiving these channels with the Sky box too, as well as the remaining Sky channels. The idea here is that the Sky tuner is the one that's used the most and has a higher priority, and when 2 things are on at the same time, the antenna can be used.

Using the TV1 channel as an example - I've been able to access this channel on both tuners by creating a channel called "TV1" which is setup to use the external Sky box and another called "TV1 a" which uses the antenna. These show up in TV guide in MediaPortal and I can select all channels and they work correctly with the relevant tuner - but since you have to name your channels the same as what's in the tvguide.xml output of XMLTV, there are no listings for "TV1 a".

So, I thought I could name both to "TV1" and it would automatically use the tuner which I'd given the highest priority to - the Sky one. Instead, it doesn't like this. I even tried creating 2 channel groupings - Analog and Digital and placing the relevant channels in each option. Still no luck.

It seems to me that it doesn't know how to tell that the 2 "TV1" channels are different, even though it's obvious, given that they're assigned to different tuners and have different sources.

I was wondering is there a way around this? How do people usually set their channels up for situations like this? Surely the answer isn't to just use 1 tuner for my antenna channels and the other for the remaining Sky ones? In theory, I should be able to record TV1 on both tuners simultaneously.

I'd appreciate any help on this issue as I'm really keen to use this as my main PVR software

Cheers.

Taipan · 2007-01-18, 06:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by hexed

- but since you have to name your channels the same as what's in the tvguide.xml output of XMLTV, there are no listings for "TV1 a".

I am not sure if this will help you, but if you are using WebEPG to create the tvguide.xml, then you can have a separate listing created for each of "TV1" and "TV1 a", from the same source schedule. WebEPG will recognise that they are the same data and make a duplicate entry for the second channel name ...

hexed · 2007-01-18, 10:24

Thanks Taipan, I think I'll check that out. I actually use XMLTVNZ and have no experience with WebEPG - not even sure if it's compatible. I'll look into it though.

I'm currently using GB-PVR and you can assign a different tvguide.xml for each tuner. This is handy for GB-PVR as it means I can have an analog only tvguide.xml for the analog tuner and a digital one for the Sky tuner. In the TV guide, it just shows up once (ie no duplicate channels for each tvguide.xml) and it always tries to use the digital tuner first (both contain the 4 local channels), and if it's in use, it'll try the analog one...it's a bit clunky sometimes with priorities etc. I just like the way it takes care of the logic behind which tuner to use...

Thanks for your quick response.

I thought the 'combine' setting in the tv channels setup for MediaPortal might have done something - if you combined 2 channels of the same name, 1 analog and the other digital, I thought it might have associated them somehow...It didn't seem to work that way.

Do you happen to know what the purpose of the 'combine' option is?

hexed · 2007-01-19, 05:03

I played about with this some more. Tried various combinations of combining channels etc, but no luck.

It looks like a last resort may be having the channels duplicated with a different name - eg 'TV1' (digital) and 'TV1 Analog' (analog, obviously!).

This goes along with what Taipan mentions above - although I suppose it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing if they both showed up in the guide, provided that I hacked my tvguide.xml to duplicate the info for 'TV1 Analog' - that would remove any misunderstanding with what tuner is being used.

At the end of the day though, I'll be very surprised if there isn't a way to do what I want and have MediaPortal take care of it all behind the scenes - this is a very important function of a PVR (more important that skins and other fancy functionality)...

AScott · 2007-08-14, 12:38

Hi Hexed,

I am new to MP and have been trying to get it working for a few weeks, off and on. I am in NZ and I currently use MCE with XMLTVNZ but I would like to switch to MP. I have a very similiar steup and I would like to do exactly what you outline in your first Post on this Thread but I am having a few problems, which I was hoping you might be able to help with.

I have a PVR500MCE TV Card and a Sky Digital STB which I am trying to feed into the Tuner2 Composite Input and then use the Antenna on Tuner1. I can get the 4 Analog Channels no problem but I can't get the Composite to work, all I get is a Black Screen in myTV. I have the CVBS channels installed and have External STB Channels setup for Sky. Can you tell me how you have your Tuner settings and Channel Settings configured so i can compare?

Also did you ever find a solution to your problem described in this Post? This was the next hurdle that I was trying to think about how i would solve it.

Thanks in advance for you help.

Cheers.

hexed · 2007-08-15, 00:24

I actually gave up on it and moved back to GB-PVR. It's a lot easier to set up. Not sure if it has all the fancy features of MP, but it works well.

My only problems are getting XMLTVNZ to update correctly. Not sure if it's a bandwidth issue, but it's a real pain!!!!

Sorry I can't be of more help...

AScott · 2007-08-15, 09:47

Hi Hexed,

Thanks anyway.

Yeah I am having real trouble with XMLTVNZ as well. For the last month or so I have not been able to get Sky working properly. I get TV1 & TV2 & Prime consistently, but Sky is very random. One day it works and then it won't for the next five or so. Very strange as I don't think it is anything with my setup. Coincidentally I think that it has got worse since upgrading to version 2.5.0.3.

Cheers

2007-01-18, 04:42	#1 (permalink)
hexed Portal Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 10 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country:	Same channel used by 2 tuners Hi All. I want to have a a group of TV channels accessible by both my tuners. I'm hoping to switch from GB-PVR to MediaPortal and this is the only thing left in my way!! I've successfully got MediaPortal working with my PVR500MCE TV card. I'm using XMLTV for my guide. 1 tuner receives it's signal from my Sky box via a composite (priority =1) input while the other uses the antenna (priority = 2). I can recieve 4 channels with the antenna, but I want to have the option of receiving these channels with the Sky box too, as well as the remaining Sky channels. The idea here is that the Sky tuner is the one that's used the most and has a higher priority, and when 2 things are on at the same time, the antenna can be used. Using the TV1 channel as an example - I've been able to access this channel on both tuners by creating a channel called "TV1" which is setup to use the external Sky box and another called "TV1 a" which uses the antenna. These show up in TV guide in MediaPortal and I can select all channels and they work correctly with the relevant tuner - but since you have to name your channels the same as what's in the tvguide.xml output of XMLTV, there are no listings for "TV1 a". So, I thought I could name both to "TV1" and it would automatically use the tuner which I'd given the highest priority to - the Sky one. Instead, it doesn't like this. I even tried creating 2 channel groupings - Analog and Digital and placing the relevant channels in each option. Still no luck. It seems to me that it doesn't know how to tell that the 2 "TV1" channels are different, even though it's obvious, given that they're assigned to different tuners and have different sources. I was wondering is there a way around this? How do people usually set their channels up for situations like this? Surely the answer isn't to just use 1 tuner for my antenna channels and the other for the remaining Sky ones? In theory, I should be able to record TV1 on both tuners simultaneously. I'd appreciate any help on this issue as I'm really keen to use this as my main PVR software Cheers.

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2007-01-18, 10:24	#3 (permalink)
hexed Portal Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 10 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country:	Thanks Taipan, I think I'll check that out. I actually use XMLTVNZ and have no experience with WebEPG - not even sure if it's compatible. I'll look into it though. I'm currently using GB-PVR and you can assign a different tvguide.xml for each tuner. This is handy for GB-PVR as it means I can have an analog only tvguide.xml for the analog tuner and a digital one for the Sky tuner. In the TV guide, it just shows up once (ie no duplicate channels for each tvguide.xml) and it always tries to use the digital tuner first (both contain the 4 local channels), and if it's in use, it'll try the analog one...it's a bit clunky sometimes with priorities etc. I just like the way it takes care of the logic behind which tuner to use... Thanks for your quick response. I thought the 'combine' setting in the tv channels setup for MediaPortal might have done something - if you combined 2 channels of the same name, 1 analog and the other digital, I thought it might have associated them somehow...It didn't seem to work that way. Do you happen to know what the purpose of the 'combine' option is?

2007-01-19, 05:03	#4 (permalink)
hexed Portal Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 10 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country:	I played about with this some more. Tried various combinations of combining channels etc, but no luck. It looks like a last resort may be having the channels duplicated with a different name - eg 'TV1' (digital) and 'TV1 Analog' (analog, obviously!). This goes along with what Taipan mentions above - although I suppose it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing if they both showed up in the guide, provided that I hacked my tvguide.xml to duplicate the info for 'TV1 Analog' - that would remove any misunderstanding with what tuner is being used. At the end of the day though, I'll be very surprised if there isn't a way to do what I want and have MediaPortal take care of it all behind the scenes - this is a very important function of a PVR (more important that skins and other fancy functionality)...

2007-08-14, 12:38	#5 (permalink)
AScott Portal User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Christchurch Age: 38 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	Hi Hexed, I am new to MP and have been trying to get it working for a few weeks, off and on. I am in NZ and I currently use MCE with XMLTVNZ but I would like to switch to MP. I have a very similiar steup and I would like to do exactly what you outline in your first Post on this Thread but I am having a few problems, which I was hoping you might be able to help with. I have a PVR500MCE TV Card and a Sky Digital STB which I am trying to feed into the Tuner2 Composite Input and then use the Antenna on Tuner1. I can get the 4 Analog Channels no problem but I can't get the Composite to work, all I get is a Black Screen in myTV. I have the CVBS channels installed and have External STB Channels setup for Sky. Can you tell me how you have your Tuner settings and Channel Settings configured so i can compare? Also did you ever find a solution to your problem described in this Post? This was the next hurdle that I was trying to think about how i would solve it. Thanks in advance for you help. Cheers.

2007-08-15, 00:24	#6 (permalink)
hexed Portal Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 10 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country:	I actually gave up on it and moved back to GB-PVR. It's a lot easier to set up. Not sure if it has all the fancy features of MP, but it works well. My only problems are getting XMLTVNZ to update correctly. Not sure if it's a bandwidth issue, but it's a real pain!!!! Sorry I can't be of more help...

2007-08-15, 09:47	#7 (permalink)
AScott Portal User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Christchurch Age: 38 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	Hi Hexed, Thanks anyway. Yeah I am having real trouble with XMLTVNZ as well. For the last month or so I have not been able to get Sky working properly. I get TV1 & TV2 & Prime consistently, but Sky is very random. One day it works and then it won't for the next five or so. Very strange as I don't think it is anything with my setup. Coincidentally I think that it has got worse since upgrading to version 2.5.0.3. Cheers