Make Capture devices exclusive?

[eobiont]

I have one PVR-150 and also a FireWire capture using SGraphEdit.

There are three capture devices listed in Sage.

1. Regular cable channels via the ttuner in the 150.
2. Digital cable channels via STB -> Svideo on 150
2. Basic cable and HDTV channels -> Firewire ->SGraphEdit

I can allow Sage to record using 1 and 3 at the same time, and the hardware prevents 1 and 2 from being used at the same time. I need to figure out a way to prevent 2 and 3 from being used at the same time as they share the external tuning device.

Any way to define that 1 and 3 can be used together, but 2 and 3 cannot?

[Crashless]

I first couldn't wrap my head around what you're doing, but I think I get it now.

If I'm understanding you right, you are using the same STB for both SD and HD reception, so you have split out the 'regular channels' to the coax so you can record another channel if the STB is doing HD.

If that's correct then:

Get another STB that is SD. That is the easiet solution I can come up with. They aren't that much extra from the cable co, and it probably would be worth it in your case. AFAIK, there isn't a way to do what you're asking. It _is_ possible to exclude channels from certain turners, but I don't think that will solve your problem. Best thing I can think of is remove #2, or get another STB that just does SD.

I don't think that was the answer you were looking for, but it's the only thing I can think of right now.

[eobiont]

You have the right idea.

If I am recording via Firewire, then that is using the STB. Hauppauge 150 could still record on the Coax input, but not the s-video. I have the firewire restricted to the HD only channels, so the only time this is a problem is when I want to record something in HD and at the same time record something in SD, but require digital. Sage doesn't know it can't do that. I think there actually is a setting in the Sage.Properties that will do what I want - something about crosslisting or somethinf like that, but looking at it seems complicated.

Usually there is no issue. For instance I am recording Nova on channel 13 using the Coax on the PVR150 and project greenlight on Bravo via STB -> Firewire.

I have the prefered devices order set up where the only time this causes a problem is when normally it would be a recording conflict. Instead of warning me about a conflict, Sage just records one of the programs twice. Once via STB-> Firewire and once s-video -> Hauppauge, and doesn't record the second program.

The problem with a second STB is that I would also need to buy a way to control the STB. Currently I am using my PVR150's blaster to control the STB. It seems like additional hardware is not necessary to solve what is essentially a software problem.

[Crashless]

hmmm, good luck with the cross linking thing...I know nothing about it.

If you need a device to control things - get a USB-UIRT. I HIGHLY recommend them. AND you can control up to 3 STBs, so expand away!

[spaceghost]

Can you forego the svideo and use your FW for HD and SD recording?

[eobiont]

This is also an option, but then I couldn't record two programs that happen to be on basic cable at once. I can do that now.

The other problem with recording everything but basic cable over FireWire is that the SGraphRecorder freezes up an awful lot when viewing the same thing you are recording. Also, I don't think there is a way to adjust quality when recording with SGraphRecorder and just recording the streams directly takes up quite a lot of drive space. The Hauppauge allows compression.

My habits are more to start watching a program about 20 minutes after it starts so that by the end, I am watching live TV. I don't know if I could wait until the shows I watch were completely over before starting to watch them.

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I think I have it set up the best way possible right now - just looking for ways to make it even better.

[ruel]

just an idea, but have you thought about going into your favorites and trying to assign specific timeslots for your digital cable shows and your HDTV shows to avoid conflicting with each other. like if you put priority on a particular HDTV show then you have that favorite use the specific timeslot in primetime that the HDTV show is on and then sagetv would take care of the other digital cable shows when they are rebroadcast at a different whenever timeslot later in the night. or you may have to assign specific timeslots for both your HDTV shows and your digital cable shows. you'll have to go about finding out when are the additional airrings of your shows that could conflict on your box. normally, moving the shows higher on your favorites list should help to manage the conflicts, but i think specifying the timeslots may work better for you since the shows are coming off different connections from the same box. i have a different setup for just regular TV but had a similar problem for a few shows but where i specifically have each of my three TV cards assigned to only specific channels but i also use three different lineups from different providers for each of the cards. for me, using the different lineups (although i had to remap the channels in the different lineups to the actual channels that i do have) helped to eliminate conflicts that i was having but for some shows i would assign particular timeslots to have the regular recording of those shows be specifically done at a later time.

ruel