Can someone walk me through on setting up Live TV (1 Viewer)

[golfdude]

I want to try to setup my ceton infinity 6 pci with media portal, but am completely lost on how to set it up with tv server.. i have no idea whats options im supposed to use despite reading the wiki to set up the channels

the tv server program sees the 6 tuners (ATSC Ceton Inf Tv 6 Tuner (1-6 each listed) ...) but when i go to scan channels, it says out of band service

total tv channels new =0 updated=751 (digital cable option selected)

and in the tv channel area, all channels come up as encrypted (red T)

i seem to be getting stuck at this point.. am i doing this right? am i missing a step somewhere?

 

[mm1352000]

Hello and welcome!

From what you've said it actually sounds like you're on the right track already.

but when i go to scan channels, it says out of band service

That is completely normal.
Aside: it seems a lot of people get confused by this message. It just means that TV Server is gathering your lineup (channel list) from the tuner. This takes about 5 minutes usually.

total tv channels new =0 updated=751 (digital cable option selected)

Digital cable is right, as per the wiki.
Based on that you've got 751 channels. If you go to the TV channels section you should see them all listed.

i seem to be getting stuck at this point.. am i doing this right? am i missing a step somewhere?

It sounds like you're doing everything right.
In general the process for setup is:

1. Configure tuners and scan settings.
   
2. Scan for channels.
3. Link the channels to tuners.
4. [optional] Rename and/or organise channels into groups.
5. Configure EPG.
   
6. View live TV, setup schedules... whatever else you want to do.

From your description it sounds like you're at the end of step 2.

For step 3:
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_...Server_Configuration/03_TV_Channels/2_Mapping

Select tuner up top; select all channels on the right (select first channel, hold down shift, then press end); click ">>" button. Repeat for all other CableCARD tuners.

Step 4 is... well, optional. You don't have to do any of that if you don't want to, but if you're fussy about channel names, groups order etc. then that is the time to deal with it. I note that if a lot of your channels are named "Unknown... " you should stop, delete all channels, increase the SDT/VCT timeout mentioned in the wiki, and go back to step 2.

Step 5 is a bit more involved. First disable the DVB EPG grabber: TV Server configuration, DVB EPG section, untick the two "enabled" checkboxes for the timeshifting/recording and idle EPG grabbing. The DVB EPG grabber doesn't support grabbing EPG for people in the US or Canada, so save power and wear + tear on your tuners.
Your options for EPG: https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/threads/setup-help.124506/#post-1061869
Pick one and try it. I'd probably recommend mc2xml + XMLTV. Its free and probably a bit easier to get right than the other options.

Step 6 should hopefully be self explanatory (or at least it should be if you're familiar with MediaPortal). If you're new, here are a few highly recommended or required steps for getting live TV working in MediaPortal:

1. If you didn't already do this during MediaPortal installation: install the LAV codecs. This can be done using the MediaPortal Extension installer (link on your desktop or in the Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal folder in your start menu).
2. Configure codecs in MediaPortal configuration.
   1. Open MP configuration.
   2. Go to the Codecs and Renderer section, TV codecs tab. http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_...nfiguration/9_Codecs_and_Renderer/1_TV_Codecs
   3. Since you've installed LAV above, you should have LAV selected for everything except audio renderer as shown in the wiki.
3. Connect MediaPortal to the TV Server.
   1. Open MP configuration.
   2. Go to the TV/Radio section.
   3. Enter the name or IP address of the computer which TV Server is installed on (note: it is recommended to configure the server computer with static IP address [google for instructions] and enter that IP address here; if the server doesn't have a static IP address, enter the server's name).
   4. Test connection.
4. To save confusion, if you're used to using a remote control and selecting channels by their channel number.
   1. Open MP configuration.
   2. Expand the TV/Radio section, then select TV.
   3. Untick "select channels by index (non-US)".
   4. Tick "show channel numbers" if you want to see channel numbers in the guide.

That's all I have for you. Hope that helps.

mm

 

[golfdude]

now i do have double "listings" ( one sd feed, one hd feed) for pretty much every channel.. in the mapping step, should i just map the hd channels and ignore all the sd ones or both?) in windows media center you can alter the channel so say ch 2 is sd and 702 is the hd version, i can remap it so ch 2 loads the 702 hd feed instead.. what settings are there here that lets me set the lower channel # to the hd version of the channel .. i noticed that some channels arent even mapped correctly as it is to begin with, like typing in ch 62, is actually taking me to ch 65.. im assuming what i want to do is gonna be in the same area of fixing that?

also with me having 6 tuners.. will MP allow me to have multiple systems have its own tuner to view live tv at once when that system requests it in MP and allow me to record multiple shows at once while still watching a show (like in WMC)
ie:
(tuner 1 - PC1 Watch TV tuner 2- PC2 Watch TV tuner 3-recording tv (on pc1) tuner 4- recording tv show 2 (on pc1)?)

 

[mm1352000]

now i do have double "listings" ( one sd feed, one hd feed) for pretty much every channel.. in the mapping step, should i just map the hd channels and ignore all the sd ones or both?)

That's up to you really. That would be equivalent to saying "the tuner can't tune these channels".
If you want to have the SD channels not show up in the guide then I think a better way would be to map all the channels and untick the SD channels in the TV channels section. That is the equivalent of saying "the tuner can tune these channels, but I'm not interested in seeing them in the guide".

in windows media center you can alter the channel so say ch 2 is sd and 702 is the hd version, i can remap it so ch 2 loads the 702 hd feed instead.. what settings are there here that lets me set the lower channel # to the hd version of the channel

MP is not the same as WMC.
In MP you could merge the channels, however if you do that there is no way to prioritise the HD feed... so I wouldn't recommend that.

You can change/fix the channel numbers if you want in the TV channels section of TV Server configuration:
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_...or_Edit_a_Channel#Editing_an_existing_channel

Select channel, click edit; then the channel number (and name) are there for you to change. I'd advise not to mess with the tuning details though.

i noticed that some channels arent even mapped correctly as it is to begin with, like typing in ch 62, is actually taking me to ch 65.. im assuming what i want to do is gonna be in the same area of fixing that?

The channel numbers on all the channels should already be correct. If they're not I'd be interested to investigate... but I'll need a bit more detail.
If you go to the TV Channels section in TV Server configuration and increase the width of the window a bit you should be able to see channel number and name together for all your channels. Please take note of 5 or so channels that have incorrect channel numbers, and post the details here along with your log files:

1. In TV Server configuration click "open log directory" in the top left corner.
2. Zip up all the files in there.
3. Post the zip file here.

also with me having 6 tuners.. will MP allow me to have multiple systems have its own tuner to view live tv at once when that system requests it in MP and allow me to record multiple shows at once while still watching a show (like in WMC)
ie:
(tuner 1 - PC1 Watch TV tuner 2- PC2 Watch TV tuner 3-recording tv (on pc1) tuner 4- recording tv show 2 (on pc1)?)

Yes, multiple systems can use the tuners - we call that a multi-seat setup. You install TV Server on one PC and MediaPortal on the [other] PCs that want access to TV. TV Server and MediaPortal can and very often do coexist on the same PC - we call that a single-seat setup.

MP doesn't allow you to link tuners to specific systems/PCs. Rather, the tuners are available to be used by any system or for recording at any time. You can set the priority for access to the tuners in TV Server configuration here:
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_...n/TV-Server_Configuration/10a_User_Priorities

Enter the name (hostname) of the computer and assign it a priority. Higher numbers = higher priority.
If you get into a situation where all 6 tuners are in use and a recording [assumption: recordings are highest priority] needs to use a tuner, the system with lowest priority will be kicked off a tuner to enable the recording to happen.

Clear as mud?

mm

 

[golfdude]

so if i wanted channel 2 to be the hd feed, you are saying this type of edit isnt possible in MP? or i cant change the location of a channel itself? like moving Ch X to Empty Channel Y (creating a custom channel map like in WMC)?

 

[mm1352000]

so if i wanted channel 2 to be the hd feed, you are saying this type of edit isnt possible in MP?

It is definitely possible. As mentioned above, you can edit the channel numbers and names for any channel and make them whatever you like.

or i cant change the location of a channel itself? like moving Ch X to Empty Channel Y (creating a custom channel map like in WMC)?

Sorry I'm not 100% sure what you mean by "location" or "empty channel" or "custom channel map". I've only ever used WMC for about 5 minutes before deciding it absolutely wasn't right for me.
If I had to guess it sounds like you want to customise the channel numbers and order of channels. Both of those things are possible in TV Server. Maybe an example would help.

Say you have an HD channel XYZ which is channel 702, and you want to change the channel number to 2. To do that:

1. Open TV Server configuration.
2. Go to the TV Channels section, "Channels" tab.
   
3. Enter XYZ in the filter box to find the channel quickly.
4. Select channel XYZ and click edit (or double click).
5. Change 702 to 2 in the channel number field.
6. Click OK.

Done!

To hide channels that you don't want to see in the guide:

1. Open TV Server configuration.
2. Go to the TV Channels section, "Channels" tab.
   
3. Untick any channel you don't want to see in the guide.

To set the order of channels in the guide:

1. Open TV Server configuration.
2. Go to the TV Channels section.
3. Select the channel group tab (eg. "All Channels").
4. Use the buttons at the bottom to reorder.

Note that you can create your own groups (eg. Favourites or HD Channels):

1. Open TV Server configuration.
2. Go to the TV Channels section.
3. Click "add" in the "channel groups" section at the bottom.
4. Enter whatever name you like and click OK.
5. To add channels to the group: select any number of channels, right click, add to group, select group.

Does that help at all?

 

[golfdude]

ah yes .. thats the info i was hoping for ..

now when i change the hd channel from 702 to 2, do i need to also edit the sd channel listing to go from 2 to 702?

 

[mm1352000]

can that channel editing used for the sd/hd swap work in this case, moving a channel to a position that doesnt have a channel on it?

Yes, absolutely.
The channel numbers are entirely arbitrary. You can make them whatever you want them to be. TV Server doesn't even force you to make them unique, so you really can make them whatever you like. Note that if you have two channels with the same channel number in a group MediaPortal will probably select the first one when you enter the number with your remote/keyboard.