Getting channels mapped with set top box (1 Viewer)

[duddingc]

Hello, MediaPortal is a great piece of software. I stumbled onto it online when looking at HTPC options, and the low system specs on the software led me to revive a seven-year old Dell 4300.

Works Great!...almost. Problem: I can't get external channels from my set top box working in MediaPortal.

• I've mapped the input from the set top box (connected by standard Cat3 cable to the HTPC) and Channel 4 previews perfectly in TV server.
• I used Schedules Direct to get my Armed Forces Network (AFN) channels showing up perfectly in the EPG
• I have configured the IR Blaster that came with the Hauppauge HVR-1600 working perfectly. The big red light lights up just like it's supposed to, and if I align it right the set top box receives in the input. The ServerBlaster plugin works as promised (a small miracle, given the lousy software that Hauppauge puts out).
• Once again, I preview Channel 4 from the set top box and I get perfect picture. Preview for the channels added by Schedules Direct results in a black screen or "input not detected."
• For the external channels I've tried CVBS input, SVBS input, tuner input, etc. and none work from 'edit channel' function.

I've been on the forum for several days now and can't find a specific solution. The SkyTV set top box appears to be very similar to what I am using, but I try the solutions from these threads and can't get them to work.

Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong?

Regards!

 

[x4mer]

Does the set top box switch to the correct channel when you select one of the AFN channels in MP?

How is the box connected to the HTPC CVBS, SVBS..etc?

You say CAT3, but I've only ever heard of network cables being referred to like that.

 

[duddingc]

I am trying to push through too many details. I am using standard coaxial cable to connect the Scientific Atlanta cable box with the HVR-1600.

 

[x4mer]

Go to the TV server config & go to the TV channels section. On the right you should see a number of channels with type analog listed. Highlight one & click edit at the bottom. Go to the analog tab in there. You should see something like

CH 3
FREQ 0
In Type Cable
Country England
Source Tuner


In this setup, it tells the card that it should tune to CH 3 everytime this channel is picked, since FREQ has no overriding value in it. If you have the blaster set up, 3 will also get sent to the blaster.

Since you have the box hooked to the card with coax, you don't want the card to ever change channels. You want the card to always be on the channel that your box outputs at. If your box was hooked directly to your TV in the same manner, what channel do you have to have your TV on to always display the boxes output?

Since you said earlier that CH 4 works, I assume that your box is outputting on CH 4.

If this is the case, you want to edit each channel in the TV server, & change the FREQ to the frequency of CH 4 for every channel. This way the card will always stay on 4, & the blaster will send the number in the channel field to the box to get the channel you want coming through on CH 4.

I just had a look around trying to find the frequency you should be plugging in to get it to always tune to 4, but PAL TV standards seem to be anything but standard. I don't know what country you are in, or if the CH 4 you mentioned was actually CH 4, or just a channel that calls themselves 4 & broadcasts on something else. I see the UK only uses UHF, so by North American standards, there should be no channel lower than 14.

Judging by old computers that hooked to the TV, they used CH4 frequencies in parts of Europe, & CH36 in the UK. Anybody else here maybe know what frequency (not channel) standard AV equipment may be outputting at on the RF port?