[mythtvnz] Is there a new user FAQ/Wiki? / new user setup questions

[Stephen Worthington]

On Wed, 10 Apr 2013 19:37:41 +1200, you wrote:

>Hi,
>
>Recently returned from the UK with a DVB-S2 setup and i got a few new nz
>user questions.  Is there a wiki that covers all this?

Not that I know of.  But the archives for this mailing list will cover
most of what you need.  It is just a little difficult to work out what
to search for.  Try "tv-grab-nz", "mhegepgsnoop", "nzepg.org",
"epg.org.nz", "xmltv-proc-nz".  Most of us get our epg by download
from epg.org.nz, as it is processed by the web site to remove a number
of anomalies and idiocies from the broadcast EPG.  That works for
Freeview (DVB-T or DVB-S/S2).  Or you can do your own EPG processing
using the same tools the site does.

If you want to do MythTV recordings from Sky TV (encrypted DVB-S/S2),
things are more difficult but we can do that too if you have the right
sort of Sky decoder card.  The EPG from Sky is normal EIT
(unencrypted).

>Does the over-the-air EIT EPG not work in NZ? Surprised to see
>posts about still using grabber scripts, and all the
>certified set-top boxes advertise the EPG functionality?

>I need to replace my satellite USB receiver box with a terrestrial receiver
>to get HD.  Are there any plans to move to DVB-T2 or can i use any old
>DVB-T receiver?

No-one has mentioned any plans for DVB-T2 that I know of - we probably
do not have enough channels to need it yet.  There are only three
DVB-T multiplexes, so you can guarantee to record everything on
Freeview with only three DVB-T tuners.

>And on that note, any recommendations for a cheap dual tuner USB or PCIe
>card?
>
>I'm thinking about the AverMedia TwinStar USB for 85+GST
>http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z=p&p=TVNAVM2619&name=AverMedia-A825-AVerTV-TwinStar-DVB-T-FM-Radio-Exte

Are you sure that the A825 is supported in Linux?  According to this
page:

  http://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/DVB-T_USB_Devices

it isn't, but that page can be out of date.  I did find there were
mentions about a patch for it in other places.  If it is supported,
then it would seem to be an excellent tuner (dual DVB-T tuners at a
good price).  The only other issue I can think of is sensitivity - are
you in a good signal area?  Do you have a good external aerial?  Some
tuners are more sensitive than others, and dual tuners typically have
to split the incoming signal to each tuner.  IIRC, a splitter
typically causes about 6 dB of loss.

>Would it make sense to install a satellite dish, and keep the
>satellite receiver to get an EPG while using terrestrial for the actual
>channels to get HD?

Now that mhegepgsnoop is working, it can be used instead of EIT from
satellite.

>Why'd they have to make it so complicated in NZ?

Because they want to push proprietary products - I presume Freeview
get a licensing fee for approving a product.  But for that fee they do
guarantee that approved products will be fully compatible.

I have not read the Freeview rules, but I understand that they require
that the easy way of skipping over the ads that MythTV does is not
available on approved products, as Sky also do in their boxes.  That
would be because the Freeview broadcasters want us all to watch their
ads so they will be able to make money, and they control the Freeview
specifications.

>Regards,
>Dan.