[solved] [Error]No free card available (1 Viewer)

[5n4r35]

Currently I am using WMC as my pvr via ServerWMC through Kodi. Microsoft has just announced that Win10 wont support WMC so I was looking into other options to get my PVR setup else ware. I noticed there is a plugin for Mediaportal in Kodi so I tried to give that a shot. I had a bit of trouble getting my Ceton 6 working but after so googling I found a thread on this forum with a patch for Comcast.(who is my provider) Once I applied that I managed to find 438 channels. I try to enter into MediaPortal and watch them on the TV section but it returns a "No free card available" error. I noticed that I don't have any of the channels Mapped. I dont know if this would be the cause of the error. I can't seem to figure out how to map them. I tried checking the box for "Perform mapping for EPG grabbing only" but that doesn't seem to help at all. I have been able to install the ScheduleDirect plugin to pull EPG data. Its all just a matter of getting the channels to play. I am so very close!! Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you for your time.

5n4r35

 

[mm1352000]

Hello and welcome!

Honestly, my suggestion would be to start over (delete all channels) and follow the instructions in this post.
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/threads/cablecard-tuner-support-for-mediaportal-1.112585/

Getting CableCARD tuners working requires careful configuration. Things must be done in the right order.

I found a thread on this forum with a patch for Comcast.(who is my provider)

My recommendation would be don't install any patches except this one (which is mentioned in the above post):
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...for-mediaportal-1.112585/page-63#post-1056643

Once I applied that I managed to find 438 channels.

That's good... as long as the channels were definitely found in the scan. The SchedulesDirect plugin may also create a bunch of channels which look really good (they have correct names, numbers and guide information against them)... but they won't work. You do not want any channels created by the SD plugin.

I try to enter into MediaPortal and watch them on the TV section but it returns a "No free card available" error. I noticed that I don't have any of the channels Mapped. I dont know if this would be the cause of the error.

It is the cause of the error.
Mapping is what tells TV Server that it can (or can't) use a tuner to tune a channel.
In other words: TV Server will use a tuner to tune a channel if (and only if) the channel is mapped to the tuner.
If a channel is not mapped to any tuners then TV Server won't be able to tune it.

I can't seem to figure out how to map them.

That's explained in the above link.

I tried checking the box for "Perform mapping for EPG grabbing only" but that doesn't seem to help at all.

No that won't help. Do not do that. You'll make the situation worse.

I have been able to install the ScheduleDirect plugin to pull EPG data.

I would recommend to uninstall the SD plugin and instead use mc2xml + the built-in XMLTV plugin.
As mentioned above, the SD plugin has a nasty habit of creating useless channels. Trust me, it just becomes a headache for cable TV.
You can use mc2xml to get the same SD guide data:
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_..._TV_Setup/4_TV_Guide_Setup_(EPG)/XMLTV_mc2xml

Regards,
mm

 

[5n4r35]

thank you for the response!

I started going through the guide you left me and got to the part where I scan. Unfortunately my Cards are list when I select my server but not individually in the left pain. What should I do to fix this? thanks again

 

[mm1352000]

What should I do to fix this?

Did you install this patch?
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...for-mediaportal-1.112585/page-63#post-1056643

If so, I think you can just restart TV Server configuration... and they should show in the left pane after that.

 

[5n4r35]

I just needed to be more patient. When I went back into TV server configuration to try restarting it they were all there. Everything scanned and mapped perfectly! Now all I need to do it setup the guide data. Surely the hardest part is over tho. Thank you very much for your help!

5n4r35

 

[mm1352000]

I just needed to be more patient.

Yep. This may happen on occasion when you change a setting that causes TV Server to restart. The reason it happens is that it takes a little time to detect the tuners, and TV Server configuration doesn't update the tuner list after it is started. A simple TV Server config restart should solve this problem every time.

Thank you very much for your help!

No problem, any time.

 

[5n4r35]

ok I have tv guide data working. I just need to map some missing channels. Now I would like to try and get Mediaportal to work through Kodi. Since I already have Kodi setup for everything else.I found the tutorial on how to setup kodi with the Mediaportal PVR add-on but when I go to select a channel it just says loading at the top of the screen and never loads.Would you be able to help me with this or would the Kodi forums be a better place to find assistance. While you seem to be a Mediaportal expert idk if you are as familiar with Kodi.Thank you again for any help.

Edit: I was working on this for over an hour before I posted here and right after I did I stumbled on the solution. It seems the EPG in Kodi was still using the data from WMC for Mediaportal. Once I deleted that database and have it reload everything worked.