How to be sure(ish) you DVB cards work before buying

[moamoa]

Hi,

I currently have a standalone sagetv windows server/client. I've just bought a HD extender and would like to move to a linux server.

However, my windows box currently uses a BlackGold DVB-T card, which works well, so I want to use this in the linux box.

I can not find anything that says it "is" supported. However, I notice that GeexBox has it listed as supported so I am am guessing that will be via standard linux kernel support.

I would not be please if i bought the linux version of sage and then found I could not use the card, so is there anyway I can pre-test stuff to the point where I can be pretty sure it will work.... before I buy a license?

Is is possible to use the windows license I already have and then remove sage from the windows box when I know it's working, or some workaround like that?

[rz888951]

I can only speak to the second question. Unfortunately, licenses for Windows and Linux are completely different. One can't enter a Windows license into Linux. Also, Sage does not allow for transferring a license from Windows to Linux either. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

[ntisdale]

According to LinuxTV.org - the home of the video4linux/DVB drivers the blackgold card is not supported:

http://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.ph...GDI_Black_Gold

I don't have this card so I couldn't tell you. However, if you would like to try the card under linux before buying a sagetv license it's easy enough to do. Most linux distributions that have a modern kernel will support a whole heap of DVB cards right out of the box - You mentioned GeexBox. So pick a distribution, install it and install one of the many free software programs capable of playing TV e.g. Kaffine etc... If you can get one of those working then sagetv should work fine because linux has a unified driver interface for DVB cards.

If the linux kernel doesn't support your card out of the box then it may be worth compiling the latest version of the DVB drivers as support may have been added. See the following link for more info:

http://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.ph...device_drivers

In general http://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php is an excellent resource to help you get your card up and running.

Neil