Query re freesat channel provider shows up as BSkyB (1 Viewer)

[Mew]

Paul

Unless you change the channel group being displayed, the channels will display in the order in MediaPortal - TV Server Configuration --> TV Channels and then the "All Channels" tab.

Personally I add a Channel group (TV Channels, Channels tab, bottom right Channel groups Add button) and then add channels (by right clicking the channel and selecting "Add to group") to this to narrow down the volume of channels to those I mostly use (BBC, ITV, 4 and 5 variants and a few others). How this is selected in MediaPortal depends on the skin. In Titan it is shown to the left of the EPG. In other skins it may be in the hidden menu to the left.

Mew

 

[PaulMcI]

Mew

I followed your advice and created my own channel group and then added my selection of channels to the group.

In MediaPortal with the Titan skin I then chose my channel group and this showed my channels in the order that I had added them to the group. Thanks for this tip.

One thing I have noticed in the EPGs is that not all channels have values filled in e.g. Channel 4, Channel 5, ITV2, ITV4, 5 USA, 5* etc.

Is this normal?


Thanks


Paul

 

[Mew]

Paul

Those are Freesat channels so should populate. It can take a while for the EPG to populate from empty I assume that it is because it had to grab around 7 days of data for around 100 channels (+ regions). I think if it then updates (I set MediaPortal to wake up at 04:00 each day to update the EPG and then it hibernates again) it should be a lot quicker.

Mew

 

[PaulMcI]

Mew

I think the probable reason for the EPG being empty for some Freesat channels is because I forgot to tick them in MediaPortal --> TV Server Configuration --> DVB EPG --> TV Epg grabber in the Grab EPG for these channels: left window! After ticking more channels in this window there are now more in the EPG with programme details filled in.

You mention getting 'MediaPortal to wake up at 04:00 each day to update the EPG'. Please explain how you achieve this as I am thinking of how I could do the same.

Thanks again.

Paul

 

[Mew]

Paul

I only have the Freesat Info channel ticked in my main HTPC and that gets me the EPG for all the Freesat Channels. I do need the channels such as Dave ticked as I get this from Freeview (as it is encrypted on satellite). However, if it is working for you and you are getting a full 7 day EPG I would leave it as it is!

I use the Power Scheduler plugin to hibernate the HTPC when idle and wake for recordings (this is a single seat setup on a standalone HTPC). This has to be enabled in the Plugins section in both MediaPortal - TV Server Configuration and in MediaPortal - Configuration. Once the plugin has been enabled in TV Server the Power Scheduler configuration becomes available. There is an EPG tab which has EPG standby/wakeup settings. Hopefully it is fairly self explanatory. As I am using the internal grabber I leave the command box empty.

Mew

 

[PaulMcI]

Mew

I have just realised that the problem with my EPG is caused by in MediaPortal --> TV Server Configuration --> DVB EPG --> TV Epg grabber having ticked the Store data only for the selected channels box! I can't remember when I ticked it.

A question about PC hibernation - do you put your PC into hibernation at night?

My PC is an old Pentium 4 with PCI that I built myself some years ago (a few weeks ago I had to replace the motherboard with an Intel D865PERL I bought on eBay). This motherboard doesn't seem to do the full hibernate as fans are not switched off although I will need to investigate it more.


Thanks

Paul

 

[Mew]

Paul

I let the HTPC hibernate whenever I am not using it, so it spends most of the time in hibernate (all that is visibly on is the VFD display on the front which I have set to say, "MediaPortal Home Theatre PC" when the PC is not awake). I normally use a Humax Foxsat box to watch live TV. MediaPortal is used for making and watching recordings and watching films (and also comes on daily to update the EPG). It obviously does usually get switched on during the week at some point for me to fiddle with it make important updates. I usually let it hibernate by leaving it on the main screen. After 5 minutes of inactivity it then hibernates. I am not sure if it is still the case, but I think pressing the power button on the remote used to put it to sleep (in Windows XP) rather than hibernate, which made the power LED flash (which I found annoying).

The hardware is fairly modern (Intel Ivybridge Core i5 running Windows 8 Pro) and my second incarnation. The first I build in 2007 and was a new Intel Core 2 Duo. I have personally found hibernate to be more reliable in newer versions of Windows. In 2005 I used XP, but when I switched to Vista (and then Windows 7 and Windows 8)hibernate seemed more reliable.

Mew