Scan for TV channels gives No Signal (1 Viewer)

[jmd2011]

MediaPortal Version: 1.2.1.0
Windows Version: XP sp3
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 7300 LE
1. TV Card: Win TV pvr PCI II (26xxx)
Satelite/CableTV Provider: VIDEOTRON
Remote: remote came with my HP used for Media Center


Hi,

I'm new to Media Portal. I'm trying to set it up on my computer because my Media Center (2005) has a problem (incompatibility with .net framework 4). I find MP much more interesting than MC and I look forward to use all of its potential...

I was able to setup MP for Radio, Music, Video but I'm having trouble with the TV part. Here is a description of my situation:

My cable TV provider is Videotron (Montreal). The signal cable coming in the house goes to a PACE 511 terminal (Videotron). That terminal has a remote to choose the channel I want to see. The output of that Terminal is pluged either to a TV or to a computer (my case).

I can plug the terminal to my PC by using a coax cable, an S-video cable or a 3 wire RCA cable (L-R-Video). I use the S-Video connection between the Videotron terminal and the input of my Hauppauge WIN TV PVR PCI II. That setup was working just fine with Media center. It still is because I can look at TV with a Video recorder software.

My problem: in TV server configuration, I choose my card in TV Server, I set Canada for country and Cable as the source then I start "Scan for TV channels". I then get a "No Signal" message for each channel. If I bypass the PACE terminal and plug the cable coming in the house directly into my computer, then MP sees some channels, but not all of those I get through the Videotron terminal... Since I want to have access to all channels , I need help to get there !

The link between the Videotron box and the Media Center is done by the IR sensor (USB pluged into PC) attached to the Videotron box (on top of the IR sensor) wich transmit (IR) the MediaCenter commands to the Videotron box by "translating it" . That i why I could programm a recording in MC and it was able to "tell" Videotron box to change channel.

I hope I was clear in my explanation and that someone will be able to help me.

Have a good day

 

[robbo100]

If you have connected your set top box to your tuner card using an SVideo connector, your will never get a signal (because the antenna is not connected to the tuner).

The scanning function is for scanning for channels where the cable coax is connected directly to your tuner card and no set top box is connected in the system (that will never work). If (as you say) you want to connect the set top box using SVideo (and use an IR blaster to change channel), you will need to connect it as an analogue channel (which will require an analogue encoder to be installed - have a look at the wiki for details). It isn't a particularly neat way of doing things and the video and audio quality will be much reduced.

I presume that your Videotron box has some channel decryption which is why only some of the channels show in the list (does it have a subscription card with it? If so, you can not get these channels unless you use methods which are not permitted or supported by this forum).

 

[mm1352000]

Hi jmd2011

It sounds like what you want is a blaster setup.

Set Top Box Blasting - MediaPortal Wiki

As robbo100 says, you can use the s-video input but you'll need to add the channels to MP manually as described in the above link.

mm

 

[Andrew H]

I'm not familiar with the Canadian tv systems but using the STB, S-video + L&R, and an IR blaster will allow MP to do an analog capture of the video you've tuned on the STB, YES. The quality of the recording will be limited to s-video quality with stereo audio. You'll be limited to recording only what your STB is tuned to - only one program at a time. This is very limiting and while it could be done, is there HiDef broadcast there in Canada that you could buy a tuner (for your PC) or get a HD DVR box from your cable provider?

 

[jmd2011]

to Andrew H

Thank you for your comment. I will probably buy an HD PVR. But I will still have to manage the IR commands. I'm working on that !

to mm1352000

I knew that link and worked a lot with it. I still have problem in the IR Commands section of TV/ blaster plugin: I can not test the command, because the "test" button is gray (not activated).

Here is a capture of that screen and my logs

Thank you for looking at my problem

 

[Andrew H]

Hmmmm..... if you buy a HD PVR then it will manage everything by itself! If you buy a HD tuner for your PC then you use MP to tune the channels w/o any IR involvement. How will you "still have to manage the IR commands"?