STB Firewire (IEEE-1394) Support

[ikurtram]

Originally Posted by gplasky

You need to STOP all Sage services and/or prgrams from running and then edit the .properties file.

Gerry

I don't run Sage in service mode. I just run SageTV.exe. And, I made sure I quit it before updating the sage.properties file. But even then, I see that when SageTV is launched after sage.properties is updated, SageTV restores the properties file to its previous state. I'm using SageTV 7 btw. I'm not sure if that makes any difference.

Also, I notice that some people are using Sage TS splitter/Mpeg Dump in their graphs. But i'm only using the SBDA recorder dump. If I try using Sage TS splitter/Mpeg Dump and hit play, the resultant dump.ts file is only 0 bytes in size and does not grow. Which filters should I be using?

Thank you for your help.

[ikurtram]

Originally Posted by ikurtram

I don't run Sage in service mode. I just run SageTV.exe. And, I made sure I quit it before updating the sage.properties file. But even then, I see that when SageTV is launched after sage.properties is updated, SageTV restores the properties file to its previous state. I'm using SageTV 7 btw. I'm not sure if that makes any difference.

Also, I notice that some people are using Sage TS splitter/Mpeg Dump in their graphs. But i'm only using the SBDA recorder dump. If I try using Sage TS splitter/Mpeg Dump and hit play, the resultant dump.ts file is only 0 bytes in size and does not grow. Which filters should I be using?

Thank you for your help.

Sorry, I was wrong. It looks like Sage was not restoring the Sage.properties file. I think the ordering of the encoders in Sage.properties was changing. So, the encoder I added was towards the top of list. I still don't get SGraphRenderer as a video source option. I'm continuing investigation.

[tvmaster2]

All I would like to do is change channels, via Firewire - 1394 - from the SageTV interface.

Motorola DCH3200 in Orange County, Ca., Cox Communications.

I am not even sure if Cox allowed 1394 comm with their version.

Any advice from someone who may have this combo working?

[FlyingDoc]

Hi TVMaster

I am also in OC with Cox. I have a 32xx and 64xx running on firewire (Video and Channel change). This set up was achieved using the info from this thread. I think i did need to use the -f option in the channel program for the 32xx box.

I did have one box from Cox that i couldnt get the firewire to work on (sorry i dont remember if it was a motorola or one of the other models). I just took it back and asked for one with a working firewire.

If you have some specific questions i will try to help but everything you need should be in here somewhere.

[FlyingDoc]

While i am here i have a question on Firewire capture

I know that the traditional wisdom was that for firewire capture it was required to use the original TSSplitter 1.0 and the Dump filter that came with SGraphRecorder. I have this working but i am suffering from the occational Halt in recording 1min after the hour so I was wondering if anyone has tested the TSSplitter 3.0 and/or the latest MPEG2DUMP filters? Is there a better capture graph set than TSSplitter 1.0 and Dump.ax?

Thanks for any suggestions

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by FlyingDoc

Hi TVMaster

I am also in OC with Cox. I have a 32xx and 64xx running on firewire (Video and Channel change). This set up was achieved using the info from this thread. I think i did need to use the -f option in the channel program for the 32xx box.

I did have one box from Cox that i couldnt get the firewire to work on (sorry i dont remember if it was a motorola or one of the other models). I just took it back and asked for one with a working firewire.

If you have some specific questions i will try to help but everything you need should be in here somewhere.

haha okay, I've been sifting thru the pages, one at a time - eventually I will get thru all 107! So far I have got the 3200 drivers, and it's been recognized by W7, so I know the 1394 port on it is working.
I also got the multituner.dll installed and recognized by Sage, but I think I am stuck on naming the ir file so correctly so that Sage can pair it with the Hauppauge card I want to use it with

[FlyingDoc]

Sorry i cant help much with that as i am capturing everything via firewire. just one suggestion did you revert to the "Legacy" firewire drivers in W7?

I cant remember if they showed up but didnt work or just didnt show up with the default driver.

Good luck getting it going

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by FlyingDoc

Sorry i cant help much with that as i am capturing everything via firewire. just one suggestion did you revert to the "Legacy" firewire drivers in W7?

I cant remember if they showed up but didnt work or just didnt show up with the default driver.

Good luck getting it going

What are the 'legacy' W7 drivers? What driver package are you using with your 3200?

[jbuszkie]

see This thread for more info about the W7 legacy driver...

[tvmaster2]

Since I'm not much of a computer programmer, aka not at all, can someone briefly explain what is needed to achievce Firewire channel changes on a Motorola DHC3200 Cox Communitcations STB?

I have communication with the unit via device manager.
I have installed ExDeus drivers. however, while the panel device and tuner device accepted the drivers in the zip file, the "unknown" device claims to NOT have a driver associated with it (Unknown IEEE 1394\5608 Device).

At this point, I am lost.

Do I need to learn how to code in command prompts to control channel changes for Sage, or do I just need to make changes to Sage's properties file?

I have fiddled with the Timmoore Firewire STB drivers, installed them, and messed with the command-line windows. And while I can see my two hauppauge devices and the Motorola when using the channel.exe -v command, if I type any commands listed in the 15 page .pdf file explaining how to change channels, I don't see the Motorola responding.

An example text command:
channelw.exe -v motorola av/c panel 014
(where 014 represents CNN)
when I type that, cmd.exe drops to the next line with no complaints, but nothing happens at the box.

I am, at this point, relatively lost.

thanks

[jbuszkie]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

An example text command:
channelw.exe -v motorola av/c panel 014
(where 014 represents CNN)
when I type that, cmd.exe drops to the next line with no complaints, but nothing happens at the box.

I don't think that is the correct syntax for the command line.. Someone created a PDF with step by step instructions. If you follow that with the Win 7 caveats, you should be fine.... but in the mean time.. if you do (from a command prompt)
channel -v
it will list all the devices it sees.
mine is

C:\GetHD>channel.exe -v
Firewire STB channel changer V1.0.15, by timmmoore
1 "FireBus MPEG2TS Tuner Subunit Device"
'Motorola AV/C Tuner Device'
"@device:pnp:\\?\avc#motorola&dch-3200&typ_5&id_0#3a896bfeff461e00#{65e8773d-8f5
6-11d0-a3b9-00a0c9223196}\global" 0
2 "AVC Panel Device"
'Motorola AV/C Panel Device'

 UniqueID '3a896bfeff461e00'
 VendorID '1e46'
 ModelID 'd330'
 VendorText 'MOTOROLA'
 ModelText 'DCH-3200'
"@device:pnp:\\?\avc#motorola&dch-3200&typ_9&id_0#3a896bfeff461e00#{65e8773d-8f5
6-11d0-a3b9-00a0c9223196}\global" 0
3 "FireBus MPEG2TS Tuner Subunit Device"
'Motorola AV/C Tuner Device'
"@device:pnp:\\?\avc#motorola&dct-6200&typ_5&id_0#8faa68feffb51600#{65e8773d-8f5
6-11d0-a3b9-00a0c9223196}\global" 0
4 "AVC Panel Device"
'Motorola AV/C Panel Device'

 UniqueID '8faa68feffb51600'
 VendorID '16b5'
 ModelID '620a'
 VendorText 'MOTOROLA'
 ModelText 'DCT-6200'
"@device:pnp:\\?\avc#motorola&dct-6200&typ_9&id_0#8faa68feffb51600#{65e8773d-8f5
6-11d0-a3b9-00a0c9223196}\global" 1
5 'HP Basic Starter Camera'
"@device:pnp:\\?\usb#vid_0c45&pid_6138#5&2107f3b7&0&1#{65e8773d-8f56-11d0-a3b9-0
0a0c9223196}\global" 0
6 'Hauppauge WinTV PVR2 USB2 Encoder'
"@device:pnp:\\?\usb#vid_2040&pid_2900#5&1eaa782a&0&4#{65e8773d-8f56-11d0-a3b9-0
0a0c9223196}\capture" 0
7 'Hauppauge WinTV PVR2 USB2 Encoder'
"@device:pnp:\\?\usb#vid_2040&pid_2900#5&1eaa782a&0&6#{65e8773d-8f56-11d0-a3b9-0
0a0c9223196}\capture" 0
Calling CoUninitialize
Called CoUninitialize

The important thing is to get the device number.
my chan.bat script has

C:\GetHD\channelw.exe -v -f -a1 2 %1

My second is
C:\GetHD\channelw.exe -v -f -a1 4 %1

The important things are the device number (in red)

To test you would put your own device number in.
so I would type if I wanted to change to channel 131
channel -v -f -a1 2 131


Jim

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by jbuszkie

I don't think that is the correct syntax for the command line.. Someone created a PDF with step by step instructions. If you follow that with the Win 7 caveats, you should be fine.... but in the mean time.. if you do (from a command prompt)
channel -v
it will list all the devices it sees.
mine is

C:\GetHD>channel.exe -v
Firewire STB channel changer V1.0.15, by timmmoore
1 "FireBus MPEG2TS Tuner Subunit Device"
'Motorola AV/C Tuner Device'
"@device:pnp:\\?\avc#motorola&dch-3200&typ_5&id_0#3a896bfeff461e00#{65e8773d-8f5
6-11d0-a3b9-00a0c9223196}\global" 0
2 "AVC Panel Device"
'Motorola AV/C Panel Device'

 UniqueID '3a896bfeff461e00'
 VendorID '1e46'
 ModelID 'd330'
 VendorText 'MOTOROLA'
 ModelText 'DCH-3200'
"@device:pnp:\\?\avc#motorola&dch-3200&typ_9&id_0#3a896bfeff461e00#{65e8773d-8f5
6-11d0-a3b9-00a0c9223196}\global" 0
3 "FireBus MPEG2TS Tuner Subunit Device"
'Motorola AV/C Tuner Device'
"@device:pnp:\\?\avc#motorola&dct-6200&typ_5&id_0#8faa68feffb51600#{65e8773d-8f5
6-11d0-a3b9-00a0c9223196}\global" 0
4 "AVC Panel Device"
'Motorola AV/C Panel Device'

 UniqueID '8faa68feffb51600'
 VendorID '16b5'
 ModelID '620a'
 VendorText 'MOTOROLA'
 ModelText 'DCT-6200'
"@device:pnp:\\?\avc#motorola&dct-6200&typ_9&id_0#8faa68feffb51600#{65e8773d-8f5
6-11d0-a3b9-00a0c9223196}\global" 1
5 'HP Basic Starter Camera'
"@device:pnp:\\?\usb#vid_0c45&pid_6138#5&2107f3b7&0&1#{65e8773d-8f56-11d0-a3b9-0
0a0c9223196}\global" 0
6 'Hauppauge WinTV PVR2 USB2 Encoder'
"@device:pnp:\\?\usb#vid_2040&pid_2900#5&1eaa782a&0&4#{65e8773d-8f56-11d0-a3b9-0
0a0c9223196}\capture" 0
7 'Hauppauge WinTV PVR2 USB2 Encoder'
"@device:pnp:\\?\usb#vid_2040&pid_2900#5&1eaa782a&0&6#{65e8773d-8f56-11d0-a3b9-0
0a0c9223196}\capture" 0
Calling CoUninitialize
Called CoUninitialize

The important thing is to get the device number.
my chan.bat script has

C:\GetHD\channelw.exe -v -f -a1 2 %1

My second is
C:\GetHD\channelw.exe -v -f -a1 4 %1

The important things are the device number (in red)

To test you would put your own device number in.
so I would type if I wanted to change to channel 131
channel -v -f -a1 2 131


Jim

lol - awesome - that worked. I was misunderstanding the instructions, putting in the entire string for the device as opposed to the number in red you noted. Also missed the -a1 command.

So, the next confusion comes from understanding just how SageTV would use this information to control the STB - is this string, minus the channel selection you noted, entered in the Sage properties somewhere? I think that's where my biggest disconnect is coming from, ie how Sage interacts with this info from these instructions

[jbuszkie]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

So, the next confusion comes from understanding just how SageTV would use this information to control the STB - is this string, minus the channel selection you noted, entered in the Sage properties somewhere? I think that's where my biggest disconnect is coming from, ie how Sage interacts with this info from these instructions

Someone else will have to help you with that one. I use it for recording so my use is different.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by jbuszkie

Someone else will have to help you with that one. I use it for recording so my use is different.

do you mean you use Media Center to record with, as opposed to Sage?

[jbuszkie]

No.. I use it firewire capturing not just for channel changing. If you are just using it for channel changing then you will need different help. That is also covered in this thread too.. I believe...

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by jbuszkie

No.. I use it firewire capturing not just for channel changing. If you are just using it for channel changing then you will need different help. That is also covered in this thread too.. I believe...

I don't have anything against using it to capture, especially if it's in Sage directly. Do you find the quality is better than say either the composite, s-video or coax outputs of a STB?

[jbuszkie]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

Do you find the quality is better than say either the composite, s-video or coax outputs of a STB?

Absolutely! It's a direct digital feed. the HD channels record great. This problem is a lot of areas it doesn't work because the cable co encrypts the firewire stream. I'm still lucky and it hasn't done that yet to my channels.
When it does I'll have to switch over to HDPVR.

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by jbuszkie

Absolutely! It's a direct digital feed. the HD channels record great. This problem is a lot of areas it doesn't work because the cable co encrypts the firewire stream. I'm still lucky and it hasn't done that yet to my channels.
When it does I'll have to switch over to HDPVR.

Excellent news! I was reading the instructions on how to find out if your cable company was 5-0, 5-1 or 5-2. Couldn't quite figure it out. It lead me to the appendix, where it defined what the code stood for, but NOT how to see what the output of the 1394 jacks is sending.
Any idea how I can do that?

[jbuszkie]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

Excellent news! I was reading the instructions on how to find out if your cable company was 5-0, 5-1 or 5-2. Couldn't quite figure it out. It lead me to the appendix, where it defined what the code stood for, but NOT how to see what the output of the 1394 jacks is sending.
Any idea how I can do that?

You basically just follow the instructions. Use channelw.exe to tune the channel and VLC to test to see if you can see the channel. Most likely the locals are unencrypted.. use that as a starting point. The instructions are relatively clear.. follow the instructions in the PDF in This thread
Good luck!

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by jbuszkie

You basically just follow the instructions. Use channelw.exe to tune the channel and VLC to test to see if you can see the channel. Most likely the locals are unencrypted.. use that as a starting point. The instructions are relatively clear.. follow the instructions in the PDF in This thread
Good luck!

thanks. I'll test some of the HD channels just for a lark

result: everything but premium movie channels, HBO, STARZ, Showtime - all available over 1394 in HD.
super awesome