new plugin for changing channels (DirecTV w/serial port) (1 Viewer)

elektrik

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January 17, 2007
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elektrik,

I commented on your post but I guess you haven't seen it yet.

Try the settings for your DirecTV receiver. Try the advanced settings as well.

As long as you are able to change channels with the dtvcontrol utility, this plugin should work.

Actually, I did see it, and yes, I can use that utility to control it, however, when I change channels in MP, the screen is blank. Perhaps I have a tv card configuration error, instead of a Directv error, except that the "one" channel I get (channel 4 because that's the Directv access channel) comes in fine....weird
 

patrick

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elektrik,

I commented on your post but I guess you haven't seen it yet.

Try the settings for your DirecTV receiver. Try the advanced settings as well.

As long as you are able to change channels with the dtvcontrol utility, this plugin should work.

Actually, I did see it, and yes, I can use that utility to control it, however, when I change channels in MP, the screen is blank. Perhaps I have a tv card configuration error, instead of a Directv error, except that the "one" channel I get (channel 4 because that's the Directv access channel) comes in fine....weird


Can you tell if your DirecTV receiver changes channels when using the plugin in MP?
Can you enable the extra logging in the plugin and post the log file?
Just to check, are you using svideo/composite to go from the DirecTV box to your 150 TV card (meaning not coax)?

HTH,
patrick
 

elektrik

Portal Member
January 17, 2007
47
2
56
elektrik,

I commented on your post but I guess you haven't seen it yet.

Try the settings for your DirecTV receiver. Try the advanced settings as well.

As long as you are able to change channels with the dtvcontrol utility, this plugin should work.

Actually, I did see it, and yes, I can use that utility to control it, however, when I change channels in MP, the screen is blank. Perhaps I have a tv card configuration error, instead of a Directv error, except that the "one" channel I get (channel 4 because that's the Directv access channel) comes in fine....weird


Can you tell if your DirecTV receiver changes channels when using the plugin in MP?
Can you enable the extra logging in the plugin and post the log file?
Just to check, are you using svideo/composite to go from the DirecTV box to your 150 TV card (meaning not coax)?

HTH,
patrick

I'll try to answer your questions in order:
1. "Can you tell if your DirecTV receiver changes channels when using the plugin in MP?" Not that I can see. Using the DTVControl program I can, but not the plugin
2. I'm assuming you mean the "debug" level debugging in addition to the "extensive logging" checkbox in the plugin (I'm still a MP noob here)? If so, here's the mediaportal.log
3. I'm using the coax cable right now-tried the s-video cable and that was just all sorts of ugly.
 

natrlhy

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    elektrik,

    I think I see what's going on, but I may be wrong.

    I personally have not had any luck with the DirecTVTune.dll version of this plugin. There are two plugins on this thread and this is one of them. It has never worked for me (I have an HTL-HD receiver connected via S-Video).

    I will post the two files that are working for me. I always run the SVN versions, so hopefully it works for you if you are running just 0.2.2.0 stable and no SVN.
     

    natrlhy

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    Ok,

    Give this one a try from this post elektrik:

    https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...rectv_w_serial-t4025.html?p=111017#post111017

    I am using the SVN version, so try the one that applies to you.

    I just check to see if I have the DirecTV.SerialInterface.dll file in my main MP directory and I do. I don't think this is required anymore based on the posted link above from patrick. This plugin I am referencing use to be in two parts, but it's now just one plugin that needs to be placed in the plugins/process folder. Make sure you delete the DirecTVTune.dll in your plugins/process folder and copy over this new plugin.

    Give this one a try and post your log again.
     

    elektrik

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    January 17, 2007
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    Ok,

    Give this one a try from this post elektrik:

    https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...rectv_w_serial-t4025.html?p=111017#post111017

    I am using the SVN version, so try the one that applies to you.

    I just check to see if I have the DirecTV.SerialInterface.dll file in my main MP directory and I do. I don't think this is required anymore based on the posted link above from patrick. This plugin I am referencing use to be in two parts, but it's now just one plugin that needs to be placed in the plugins/process folder. Make sure you delete the DirecTVTune.dll in your plugins/process folder and copy over this new plugin.

    Give this one a try and post your log again.


    Done! Here's the log file...

    Update: Ok, I disconnected the directv output from my computer & directly connected to the TV. after adjusting some settings in the plugin, I can switch channels; However, I'm stuck with a blank screen in MP....on to the next support forum I suppose...any suggestions where to go from here?
     

    patrick

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    elektrik,

    OK, couple of things.

    1) IIRC, Mediaportal is not setup to allow external channels from a STB to come in over the coax to the PVR-150. Would be nice if it did. (I think someone got it working but had to manually hack the database to make it work). This is probably why you say you only get the one channel.
    Reason is, this type of setup requires 2 steps, 1-tuning the PVR-150 to a channel (maybe 4) to receive the signal, and then 2-tuning the STB to the channel you want to view.
    You will have to switch back to svideo.

    2) Your log indicates the external channel for the STB is not valid
    Code:
    DirecTV TUNE Message Recieved: woai
    It needs to be the channel number on the STB you want to view,
    either numeric like "2" or "24" (w/o quotes) or 2-1 if you are tuning
    a major/minor channel.

    HTH,
    patrick
     

    elektrik

    Portal Member
    January 17, 2007
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    elektrik,

    OK, couple of things.

    1) IIRC, Mediaportal is not setup to allow external channels from a STB to come in over the coax to the PVR-150. Would be nice if it did. (I think someone got it working but had to manually hack the database to make it work). This is probably why you say you only get the one channel.
    Reason is, this type of setup requires 2 steps, 1-tuning the PVR-150 to a channel (maybe 4) to receive the signal, and then 2-tuning the STB to the channel you want to view.
    You will have to switch back to svideo.

    2) Your log indicates the external channel for the STB is not valid
    Code:
    DirecTV TUNE Message Recieved: woai
    It needs to be the channel number on the STB you want to view,
    either numeric like "2" or "24" (w/o quotes) or 2-1 if you are tuning
    a major/minor channel.

    HTH,
    patrick


    Thanks-I had a fundamental misunderstanding of how the plugin worked. So, just so I'm clear, do I run the S-video from the STB for the video signal, and then the RCA connectors to the wintv card for the composite in for sound? If so, I'll try that. Thank you!
     

    spachti

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    Hi there,
    i'm the third one, who was dealing with the plug in. I hope, you know, how to set up the channels as external channels? If not, don't give up, come back here and ask. It is not easy, but it's worth it.

    Btw, hi Natrlhy and Patrick.
     

    patrick

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    Thanks-I had a fundamental misunderstanding of how the plugin worked. So, just so I'm clear, do I run the S-video from the STB for the video signal, and then the RCA connectors to the wintv card for the composite in for sound? If so, I'll try that. Thank you!

    NP, Run the s-video from the STB "out" to the s-video "in" on the PVR-150.
    (You could also use the composite but I have never tried it)

    I am not @ home atm so I cannot remember about audio.
    If you have RCA audio inputs on the card then yes you should be able to use that.
    I think I run the RCA audio "out" from the STB and have an
    adapter to the audio "in" plug on the card (but so many wires back there
    I would have to look to be sure.)

    I am not sure where you are located, but if you are in USA or Canada you
    may be able to use the zap2it plugin. It can auto-add your external channels
    for you, using the input you specify (SVHS for s-video) and proper channel settings. Handy for large lineups like DirecTV or digital cable.

    HTH,
    patrick
     

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