Please suggest a server setup (1 Viewer)

[skoka123]

1. TV Card: Leadtek Winfast PxPVR2200
1. TV Card Type: PCI-E Analog Conexant 23885

Hi,

I was using Vista Media Center all this while and life was really easy until a change in my Satellite STB caused VMC to stop recording programs because Vista, in its infinite wisdom, thinks the content is protected.

Thus started my search for a new DVR and Media Center configuration. I am trying to figure out if I can use Media Portal. The setup seems to be overwhelming and I might need some hand holding.

I would like to install Media Portal on 2 HTPCs and both of them would be recording TV shows. I would like to access the recorded and live TV from a third PC (Client?). I would also like to watch TV shows on HTPC1 that were recorded on HTPC2 and vice-versa.

I would like to have the ability to watch TV on all the three PCs (2 HTPCs and the Client PC).

1) What should be the ideal setup options for installation?
2) Is Leadtek Winfast PxPVR2200 based on Conexant 23885 PCI-Express card supported?
3) Do I have to turn off any services in Vista ultimate to give exclusive access to the TV Card?
4) Are there any particular Gudies/Manuals that I would have to read before I embark on this installation? (I have tried without reading any of the manuals and did not proceed for long before being confused.)

I would highly appreciate any help.

Thanks,
Srikanth

 

[zosoDK]

Why two TvServers?

I have a windows setup - with one server with all my tuners, harddrives, videos, dvds, mp3s etc.

All other clients (6) connect and watches

 

[Bagal]

The master/slave functionality of the TV-Server doesn't work correctly and the implementation was put back so the devs could get the 1.0 release out the door, no idea when or if this will ever be fixed.

In the meantime you've got 2 options for using 2 TV-Servers:
1. Share the recording folders on each HTPC and then add the the shared folder to the 'Video Folders' in the video section in the config. This way you'll be able to see all recordings from server1 and server2.
Unfortunately you'll only be able to watch live TV from one server, if you want to watch live tv from the other server you'll have to quit MP and change the server in the config.

2. Use the ForTheRecord app/MP plugin (MP Forum link) which is an external TV scheduling app that not only does advanced scheduling but can also utilise 2 or more TV servers, combining all channels from both servers into one TV guide and all recordings from both servers into a seamless experience and is the method I use that's been working great for me over the last couple of months.

Why two TvServers?

My lounge HTPC is connected to my Sky+ STB which is used to record some things from Sky and stream Sky TV around the house, it's only used occasionally for this purpose. I have a separate dedicated TV server tucked out of the way that has a couple of DVB-T cards and lots of storage that runs 24-7, this is really loud and not something I would want sitting in the living room. Moving the Sky+ STB is out of the question as we would then lose the ability to use the 2 tuners in this box, not to mention the WAF would go down to an all time low!

 

[skoka123]

Let me simplify the setup. Please suggest a setup for 1 server and 1 client. I would like to view and record TV programs on the server.

I am completely lost with the setup. Where is the option to tell MP that I am using analog cable with STB? MP keeps scanning the TV channels instead of looking for a signal on the Composite input. This is where VMC is so much better. It automatically searches for TV signal on Composite and S-Video. Is there something similar in MP?

I am certain there has to be a better and easy way of doing this. I would just like to know where to look for? Any guides or manual?

 

[Bagal]

Docs can be found here.

Unfortunately to add channels from your STB you have to do it manually:

1. Open the TV Server configuration
2. Click on 'TV Channels' in the left hand list.
3. Click on the 'Add' button.
4. On the 'General' tab enter the name of your channel.
5. Switch to the 'Analog' tab.
6. Enter the 'Channel' number that your STB uses to tune to this channel.
7. In the 'Source' drop down list choose the input that the STB is connected to, eg: CVBS #1 for composite, SVHS #1 for S-Video.
8. You can leave all the other options and then click 'OK'.

To get MediaPortal to tune the channel on your STB you'll need to setup some kind of blasting, which I'd recommend the IR Server suite for. Whatever way you do the blasting it will use the channel number you entered to send to your STB.

Even without the blasting configured you should now be able to save your changes and at least view something within MediaPortal.

As I said, unfortunately with MediaPortal you have to do this manually, so if you have 100 channels you have to configure each and everyone, VMC may do this automatically for you, but remember Microsoft can spend lots of money on this whereas MediaPortal is open source and worked on for free by the devs.

One thing to remember to do, once you've set this up, export your channels to a backup XML file so that if you ever have to re-set everything up from scratch you can just re-import this backup file.

Bagal.

 

[skoka123]

Hi,

Thanks for your response.

I am not trying to compare VMC to MP. It is just that having got used to VMC it is difficult understanding the setup in MP. Similar to how difficult it is getting used to OpenOffice having used MS Office for so long.

Couple of questions:

1) Is it possible to import the channel list from an XMLTV xml EPG? I am able to load the EPG into MP in the MP Configuration. So, is it necessary to add channels in TV server configuration? I can't imagining adding 258 channels. Here in India, there are at least 3 new channels being added every month. It would be a tough task modifying the TV Server Configuration every other week when ever there's a new channel that gets launched. I am trying not to compare VMC here but I am ... In VMC whenever there's a new channel that appears in the EPG, the channel automatically gets added. All that is required to do is to do the channel number mapping.

2) TV Server configuration recognizes my analog TV tuner card (Winfast PxPVR2200 Tuner). I am even able to watch and listen TV Video and Audio on the composite input by clicking on the 'Preview' button in 'TV Channels'.

Unfortunately, MediaPortal Configuration does not list the TV tuner in the Television | Capture Card list. When I try to add the capture card I get the message "No video capture card(s) were found, you won't be able to configure a capture card".

How can I make MediaPortal Configuration detect the tuner card? I am using Vista Ultimate 32 bit.

I would greatly appreciate any help.

Regarding the IR Remote: I am able to use MCE remote and it works beautifully in MP. I have yet to try the IR Blasting part of it though.

I think I just need to figure out a few things and I should be able to replace VMC with MP for good.

Thanks for all the help and support so far...

Srikanth

 

[Bagal]

1. As far as I'm aware there's no way to do this in MediaPortal. This is something that is easier for Microsoft todo simply because they control the EPG data going into VMC, whereas MediaPortal relies on lots of various sources for the EPG data, would be nice to have it as an option though especially when first setting things up.

2. This is because you don't have the TV Server client plugin installed. This can be very confusing for new users, the configuration you are seeing is for the old TV engine that was built directly into MediaPortal, which some users still use, if you had the new TV server client plugin installed, it would replace the TV configuration with its own version that would allow you to specify the server to connect to.
I believe re-running the setup should allow you to install the TV server client plugin.

With regards to the IR blasting, you won't be able to use the TV Server ServerBlaster plugin (which is pre-installed with the TV Server) as this doesn't work in Vista, so you'll have to use the IR server suite that I mentioned in my previous post.

Bagal.