TBS: CI/CAM support and other improvements (3 Viewers)

[mm1352000]

I also checked the changes, fine for me.

Thank you!

Only thing for my understanding: why it is necessary to make copies of this library for each tuner?

Good question. I'm not really sure about the answer. Best guess is that the DLL contains static/global variables that bind each DLL instance to a single tuner. Anyway, this "DLL copy" approach is based on the official recommendations from TBS. Other software (eg. DVBViewer) does the same.

 

[morpheus_xx]

I thought about the location of the dll copies. Would it be an option to place them under ProgramData folder? There are some pro and cons for this:

Pro:

• There are write permissions to ProgramData in every case, while for ProgramFiles UAC restrictions apply (when running as server no issue though)
• When used inside MP2, the uninstaller is not able to remove the additional copies (msi remembers all files it has installed by itself, others are ignored)

Con:

• Loading executable code from ProgramData might be considered less "safe", but I think this is only a theoretical issue

 

[mm1352000]

Wouldn't it be easier to have the code itself delete the DLL copy when the CI API is closed?

 

[morpheus_xx]

Of course, this would also be an option I think the file copy/delete calls are quite inexpensive and should not cause overhead.

 

[Owlsroost]

On that front, key things to check are:

1. After install, new TbsCIapi.dll should be present in the TV Server install directory.
2. Copies of TbsCIapi.dll named like "TbsCiApi[0-9]+.dll" created in the TV Server install directory when TV Server loads the TBS CI API for a tuner. Since you don't have a TBS tuner, you could simulate this by simply making a few copies of the DLL.
3. After uninstall, TbsCIapi.dll and all copies per point 2 should be deleted.

Thank you!

1,2 & 3 tested and work OK, and I haven't noticed any regressions - running on a system with three different (non-TBS) USB tuners installed (generically - 1 x Astrometa DVB-T2, 1 x Hauppauge PCTV DVB-T2, 1 x AF9015 DVB-T).

 

[Owlsroost]

Wouldn't it be easier to have the code itself delete the DLL copy when the CI API is closed?

That feels like a nice way to handle the situation/issue.

 

[te3hpurp]

Hi again.

I tested ci menu.
Main menu appeared okay, and item 1 in main menu ie. subscription status also worked okay, but not rest of the items in main menu.
But because I never have used ci menu in any stb, so I don't know how ci menu should behave.
Anyway logs are attached.

Br,

 

[ratata]

Hello fellow coders.
I purchased the fairly new TBS6590 today and was quite surprised that my CA modules didn't work with that card as they do with other TBS cards I have, now most recently a pair of the TBS6618. What you guys are up to right now (from reading the posts lately written), would it be fair to say that there's hope for the new TBS6590 to have proper CI functionality with the new DLL you're designing right now?

ratata

 

[mm1352000]

@te3hpurp Thank you. I'll take a look at the log files next week (when I get home).

@ratata Yes there is hope. Please try the new patch I already provided on page 81. If that doesn't work, please provide TV Server log files to enable us to investigate further.

 

[ratata]

Hello.
Success, it works. I can't come up with a thing that is in any way different in behaviour compared to using CI with earlier single tuner cards. Except from that I for the first time have to use the numeric updown-control to limit the number of channels simultaneously decoded (it's a dual tuner card with dual CA modules). If the limit of channels simultaneously decoded is left on the default zero (unlimited), the card tries to use just one CA module for both tuners. But that hasn't anything to do with the new DLL from what I understand, more to the nature of the dual tuner/dual CI design. Me very happy, thanks for the great job you've done with the TBS/CI functinality the last...five years now?

ratata