OpenDCT: An open source digital cable tuner.

[brandypuff]

OK, I was able to modify the sage.properties file and remove all the references to the Prime tuners and now there are no duplicate channel numbers. I now see all three prime tuners appearing in the Add New Source Dialog.

Before I add a Prime tuner, i need to understand if it will get guide data since I am using a OTA lineup that has subchannel names (4-1, 4-2, etc) for my OTA Hauppauge WinTV 1600 card but the prime only has regular channel names (2,3,4,189, etc.) so I don't know if I will get any guide data downloaded. What should I chose for the guide data (see attached image)

[EnterNoEscape]

Originally Posted by brandypuff

OK, I was able to modify the sage.properties file and remove all the references to the Prime tuners and now there are no duplicate channel numbers. I now see all three prime tuners appearing in the Add New Source Dialog.

Before I add a Prime tuner, i need to understand if it will get guide data since I am using a OTA lineup that has subchannel names (4-1, 4-2, etc) for my OTA Hauppauge WinTV 1600 card but the prime only has regular channel names (2,3,4,189, etc.) so I don't know if I will get any guide data downloaded. What should I chose for the guide data (see attached image)

You must create a new lineup for the CableCARD tuners.

1. You want to select Use US, Canada, or XMLTV Guide Data with this Source
2. Enter your zipcode.
3. Select your cable company from the list.
4. You can then do the channel scan if you want.

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by brandypuff

.....since I am using a OTA lineup that has subchannel names (4-1, 4-2, etc) for my OTA Hauppauge WinTV 1600 card but the prime only has regular channel names (2,3,4,189, etc.).....

In addition to the cable channel lineup EnterNoEscape mentioned above, you'll probably need to keep your OTA lineup as well so that you still get data for the sub-channels. Also, logical tuning numbers will be different in the two guides for the cable vs OTA tuners.

[KryptoNyte]

I recall some conversation regarding tuner priority, and that Sage's tuner priority is superseded when the tuner selection is passed to OpenDCT.

For troubleshooting purposes, if more than one Prime is involved, is there currently a way to force OpenDCT to use particular tuners first to isolate a Prime unit that may be malfunctioning?

[EnterNoEscape]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

I recall some conversation regarding tuner priority, and that Sage's tuner priority is superseded when the tuner selection is passed to OpenDCT.

For troubleshooting purposes, if more than one Prime is involved, is there currently a way to force OpenDCT to use particular tuners first to isolate a Prime unit that may be malfunctioning?

The functionality I believe you are referring to is tuner pooling and it's disabled by default in OpenDCT because it's not what most people would expect a network encoder to do for them.

If you enabled tuner pooling, you can change the merits in opendct.properties and control what tuners would have a higher priority. If your goal is only to have SageTV favor a specific tuner, I recommend changing the merit values in Sage.properties instead. Tuner pooling is really more oriented towards people who want to use their Primes outside of SageTV and want OpenDCT to work around their external use since SageTV has no concept of a shared tuner at present.

[EnterNoEscape]

Originally Posted by HelenWeathers

In addition to the cable channel lineup EnterNoEscape mentioned above, you'll probably need to keep your OTA lineup as well so that you still get data for the sub-channels. Also, logical tuning numbers will be different in the two guides for the cable vs OTA tuners.

Agreed. Don't remove your old OTA lineup. You'll want to keep both the old OTA lineup and the new cable lineup. You can even combine things with remapping within SageTV, but I would just focus on getting the lineups working first.

[brandypuff]

I can't seem to get any guide data for the single prime tuner I added to my setup to test. I added a new lineup choosing Digital Cable and then did a channel scan but still no program data. I did remap one channel - channel 5 to channel 5 WCVB but no program data still. playing both channel 5 (prime) and channel 5-1 (OTA) shows the same show so I would think program data would show for channel 5.

I don't need to play with merits because my Prime and OTA subchannel numbers are different so there won't be any confusion when recording.

[KryptoNyte]

Originally Posted by EnterNoEscape

The functionality I believe you are referring to is tuner pooling and it's disabled by default in OpenDCT because it's not what most people would expect a network encoder to do for them.

If you enabled tuner pooling, you can change the merits in opendct.properties and control what tuners would have a higher priority. If your goal is only to have SageTV favor a specific tuner, I recommend changing the merit values in Sage.properties instead. Tuner pooling is really more oriented towards people who want to use their Primes outside of SageTV and want OpenDCT to work around their external use since SageTV has no concept of a shared tuner at present.

Excellent. Thank you.

[EnterNoEscape]

brandypuff,

I know that it can take a little while to start seeing guide data when you add a new lineup, but it sounds like you didn't actually create a new lineup. You should actually see the callsigns for the channels and it sounds like you did not see them. I attached a screenshot of what my guide data looks like. I'm using Gemstone, so the colors might be a little different than your setup, but you get the idea.

I just want to make sure we're on the same page. Did you see a screen like New lineup.png that I attached to this post when you went to create a new lineup?

[mechling-burgh]

Not sure what is causing this but every time the computer restarts opendct crashes. I have attached the logs I have tried have the sage services start has a delay thinking the opendct did not have time to start up fully, but that did not help any idea on your end.

[EnterNoEscape]

You'll want to use the latest beta (0.4.18) to completely resolve this issue. The problem you're seeing is that all of the capture devices aren't being detected within the 30 second threshold. 0.3.16 isn't as aggressive at locating all of the devices, so it can take over a minute under the right conditions for anything come in. I can see that when it launches the second time it finds everything immediately.

[mechling-burgh]

Great I will try that tonight, I figured it was something I was missing.

[brandypuff]

Originally Posted by EnterNoEscape

brandypuff,

I know that it can take a little while to start seeing guide data when you add a new lineup, but it sounds like you didn't actually create a new lineup. You should actually see the callsigns for the channels and it sounds like you did not see them. I attached a screenshot of what my guide data looks like. I'm using Gemstone, so the colors might be a little different than your setup, but you get the idea.

I just want to make sure we're on the same page. Did you see a screen like New lineup.png that I attached to this post when you went to create a new lineup?

Ok, For the one Prime channel i remapped manually (5 WCVB), guide data is finally showing up. I did see a lineup like the image you posted when i added a new lineup, i wonder why the channels aren't showing guide data without manually remapping them, though. I think i may need to remap the reminders manually?

[EnterNoEscape]

I'm sorry I can't be of more help here. As far as I can tell you did exactly what I suggested, but are not getting the expected results. As long as you actually ended up with a new lineup for the Prime, it should look like normal guide data. Does anyone else have any ideas on what we might be missing here?

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by brandypuff

Ok, For the one Prime channel i remapped manually (5 WCVB), guide data is finally showing up. I did see a lineup like the image you posted when i added a new lineup, i wonder why the channels aren't showing guide data without manually remapping them, though. I think i may need to remap the reminders manually?

What is the name of the guide data provider you selected for the OTA tuners?

What is the name of the guide data provider you selected for the cable tuners?

Do they share the same channels? ie basic cable may only have the same local channels but perhaps with different call signs in the two lineup.

[brandypuff]

There is only one channel lineup for both cable and OTA: Charter Communications Digital Berlin. When configuring the OTA tuner, Sage said to go back and choose Cable for the input type. So basically i configure both OTA and Prime using the same provider. Maybe that's why i see both OTA and cable channels listed in the channels setup menu for the Prime tuner.

A lot of the upper cable channels got the guide data OK. These are the channels that don't have a corresponding OTA sub channel number (like channel 4 (cable) versus channel 4-1 (OTA). I was able to map some of the lower Prime channel numbers to the station call letter like WCVB and then it picked up guide data. But some of the channels still won't get any program data.

I also notice that when i have a favorite set to record for an OTA channel like 5-1, the Prime also picks up it's channel 5 and sets it to record too. I can't set the favorites to only record on only the OTA tuner or the Prime tuner.

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by brandypuff

I also notice that when i have a favorite set to record for an OTA channel like 5-1, the Prime also picks up it's channel 5 and sets it to record too. I can't set the favorites to only record on only the OTA tuner or the Prime tuner.

Your setup is unorthodox. Maybe someone else will chime in. I would try to set up a separate OTA guide just to see if you can see what call signs are available and maybe the OTA HiDef version will show a diffeerent call sign from some of the choices in the cable lineup. ie ABCDT in one as opposed to plain ABC in the other. That would allow you to control your favorites by channel if you can avoid the channel grouping by call sign.

Good Luck!!

[HelenWeathers]

So I set this up on my bench pc to illustrate what I believe should work best for you.

2 guides same channels but with different call signs and a shot of assigning a specific channel for a favorite.

1sources.jpg

2guide.jpg

3favorites.jpg

Hope it helps.

[mechling-burgh]

Still got the crash after the loading the beta is there a setting in proprieties to increase the length of time to check? Here are the logs but I think they look the same as the last under stable release.

[dranockcir]

Originally Posted by mechling-burgh

Still got the crash after the loading the beta is there a setting in proprieties to increase the length of time to check? Here are the logs but I think they look the same as the last under stable release.

I found that if I reboot my prime (power cord) OpenDCT finds it right away. I've seen it take several minutes, but found after an upgrade or whatever if I reboot the prime, OpenDCT finds it right away.