TV Channels Nightmare (1 Viewer)

[Danny Rego]

Wow...I can't believe what a nightmare setting up TV Channels is with media portal. I have an OTA tuner card, and a Hauppauge Colossus for my satellite STB, and wow...I it is so confusing, and time consuming. I am hoping that there's an easy trick to this that I am missing. (not justthe channels either...I cannot figure out how to get Media Portal to IR blast either...I have IR Server Suite setup, and working, but media portal is not talking to it)

How anyone is using media portal for TV is beyond my comprehension at this point.

 

[mm1352000]

Hello and welcome Danny

Setting up OTA should be easy.
Setting up a blaster setup is about the hardest thing you can attempt to do with TV Server because TV Server is simply not designed to support blasters.

How anyone is using media portal for TV is beyond my comprehension at this point.

Few people use blasters, so they don't encounter the problems you're having.

I am hoping that there's an easy trick to this that I am missing. (not justthe channels either...I cannot figure out how to get Media Portal to IR blast either...I have IR Server Suite setup, and working, but media portal is not talking to it)

What exactly have you done or not done?
Are you following the guide here?
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/3_IRSS_(IR_Server_Suite)/Set_Top_Box_Blasting

It sounds like you've started creating channels. There is a trick to speed that up: create one channel as per the instructions here:
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/3_IRSS_(IR_Server_Suite)/Set_Top_Box_Blasting#Getting_channels_into_TV_Server_Configuration

... then use the import/export section of TV Server configuration to export your channel list. Open the XML file in any text editor and use copy-paste to create the channels that you need. Much faster to work in a text file than do it all through TV Server configuration. Once you're done, reimport.

With the IR blaster... have you enabled and configured the TV3 Blaster Plugin in TV Server configuration?
That is installed when you install IRSS, but you must enable and configure it in order for TV Server to actually blast to your STB.
Also one trick for the new kids: make sure you restart the TV service after enabling and configuring the plugin, otherwise the plugin isn't properly activated.
MediaPortal has nothing to do with the blasting.

mm

 

[Danny Rego]

Hello and welcome Danny

Setting up OTA should be easy.
Setting up a blaster setup is about the hardest thing you can attempt to do with TV Server because TV Server is simply not designed to support blasters.

I noticed.

Few people use blasters, so they don't encounter the problems you're having.

It‘s also assigning the channels to which tuner. That is a confusing mess as well.

What exactly have you done or not done?
Are you following the guide here?
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/3_IRSS_(IR_Server_Suite)/Set_Top_Box_Blasting

This is where I was getting confused/stuck.

It sounds like you've started creating channels. There is a trick to speed that up: create one channel as per the instructions here:
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/3_IRSS_(IR_Server_Suite)/Set_Top_Box_Blasting#Getting_channels_into_TV_Server_Configuration

... then use the import/export section of TV Server configuration to export your channel list. Open the XML file in any text editor and use copy-paste to create the channels that you need. Much faster to work in a text file than do it all through TV Server configuration. Once you're done, reimport.

This sounds very useful ... thank you!!!

With the IR blaster... have you enabled and configured the TV3 Blaster Plugin in TV Server configuration?
That is installed when you install IRSS, but you must enable and configure it in order for TV Server to actually blast to your STB.
Also one trick for the new kids: make sure you restart the TV service after enabling and configuring the plugin, otherwise the plugin isn't properly activated.
MediaPortal has nothing to do with the blasting.

mm

I have not setup TV3 yet...will be my next step. Thanks again for the info.

I really hope this works out. I am just trying to get to where I can use my dual colossus cards to record from my satellite set-top box ... so I am basically evaluating mediaportal as a replacement for Windows Media Center. Other than the configuration, my only complaint so far would be that I like my media to feel more like a library than a folder structure. What I mean by that for example is, when I click on music, I just want too play all songs, or see all albums by my favorite artist regardless of where it is stored, where it seems like right now, I have to click on the location of my music first, and cannot play across locations. (Maybe nit-picky!?)

 

[mm1352000]

It‘s also assigning the channels to which tuner. That is a confusing mess as well.

This should be straightforward:
1. Open TV Server configuration.
2. Expand the TV Channels section.
3. Select the TV mapping sub section.
4. Select the tuner you want to link channels to up the top.
5. Select the channels you want to link on the left, then click >> , or select the channels you want to unlink on the right and click <<.

http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_...Server_Configuration/03_TV_Channels/2_Mapping

I really hope this works out. I am just trying to get to where I can use my dual colossus cards to record from my satellite set-top box ...

So do you have two STBs, or does your STB have twin independent outputs?
Normally it would only be possible to use one Colossus with one STB.

Other than the configuration, my only complaint so far would be that I like my media to feel more like a library than a folder structure. What I mean by that for example is, when I click on music, I just want too play all songs, or see all albums by my favorite artist regardless of where it is stored, where it seems like right now, I have to click on the location of my music first, and cannot play across locations. (Maybe nit-picky!?)

You're probably using folder view. If you import the music into a database then you should be able to do that:
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/1_...ion/00_Configuration/3_Music/2_Music_Database

 

[kiwijunglist]

Other than the configuration, my only complaint so far would be that I like my media to feel more like a library than a folder structure

click left arrow to access the hidden menu on the left side, click "View As" and choose "Album" "Album Artist" etc... You are currently in "View As: Shares".

 

[Danny Rego]

Other than the configuration, my only complaint so far would be that I like my media to feel more like a library than a folder structure

click left arrow to access the hidden menu on the left side, click "View As" and choose "Album" "Album Artist" etc... You are currently in "View As: Shares".

Awesome!!! Thanks! (extreme newbiness shown on that one...haahaa)

 

[Danny Rego]

Thanks for the help guys. I'm almost there. Just having trouble setting up TV3, and IRSS using the microsoft IR blaster now.

My channels are all setup, and that was the scariest thing so far. (wasn't so bad once I understood what was going on)