STB Firewire (IEEE-1394) Support

[hemicuda]

My dad's service already has #### channels in his guide. Noticed when I was over there last week.

[minorgod]

I have Cox cable in Tucson, AZ and just managed to get my Scientific Atlanta Explorer 4240HDC to change channels via firewire. Since the various guides posted in this thread were very confusing to me, I'm writing this short guide just for channel changing. Here's how I did it in Windows 7 32-bit.

1. Download the firewire drivers from http://home.comcast.net/~exdeus/stbfirewire/
2. Extract drivers to desktop.
3. Hook up cable box to pc via firewire cable and cancel or ignore any automatic driver install.
4. Open device manager and right-click each of the found hardware items and click "update drivers". Browse to extracted drivers folder and let it install the found drivers. Do this for all 4 devices found.
5. Download an install the Firestb-vista.msi from http://home.comcast.net/~timmmoore/f...b-vistarc1.msi
   WITHOUT the drivers (uncheck the last checkbox)

Open a command prompt (click Start, type "cmd" and hit enter) and type

cd C:\Program Files\Timmmoore\MCE 2005 STB Controller

enter the following command to identify the STB you want to control:

channel -v

Look for the lines that say something like:

2 "AVC Panel Device"

The number shown before the "AVC Panel Device" is the number of the STB you'll use in the commandline. Once you know the device number of the box you want to control (not the UniqueID!), you can use the following command line to change channels:

channel.exe -f -a0 2 200

In the above example, the number 2 is the device number of the cable box and the 200 is the channel number to tune. Changing channels via this method takes less than 1 second.

So, now that I have that working, I guess I'll be trying to figure out how to make channel changing work from SageTV. Then I'll see if I can get firewire capture working, or I may just hook this thing up to a PVR350 I have lying around since I know that will work. If anyone knows the best instructions I should try next for both Firewire Capture and Sage channel changing tweaks please reply with the latest links.

[nyplayer]

FWChannelProxy is the easiest for just channel changing.

Go here...
http://babgvant.com/files/folders/sa...ntry11740.aspx


If you want firewire capture start here.

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...944#post392944

[sflamm]

I just recently did this when I moved my server to 64 bit .... and I do not use UNC paths and kept getting NO Signal. I had to map the drive letters to the 32 bit pc.

nyplayer:

Just about to attempt the same thing. Want to separate out my 32-bit firewire tuner so I can upgrade the sagetv server to 64-bit.

You can just run SGraphRecorder on the 32 bit machine and change the IP in the sage.properties(See Below) on the server to point to the IP that SGraphRecorder is running. As long as you are using UNC recordings Path it will work...

mmc/encoders/12346/encoding_host=127.0.0.1\:6969

If you are not using UNC paths you will get NO SIGNAL.

I thought on the new 64-bit server all you had to do was add an entry to the sagetv.properties:

network_encoder_discovery=true

and on the old 32-bit sagetv server put both the firewire network encoder definition and the network encoder entry:

mmc/encoders/12346/encoding_host=127.0.0.1\:6969
enable_encoding_server=true

Do you have to put an encoder definition (mmc/encoders/....) by hand into the sagetv.properties on the 64-bit server (as you suggest above) or will it be picked up automatically by SageTV once the discovery happens?

Thanks in advance.

[nyplayer]

I did not change anything in the discovery property of the server as the network tuner is hardcoded. I simply added the below to the properties file. I use the network encoder name Instead of the IP. In case the IP ever changes. You will see the only area to change for you is in red and that is the network encoder name.

I left it like this on the server.
network_encoder_discovery=false

PS my firewire network Encoder is only a 700Mhz Pentium 3 with only 256 mb ram Laptop with XP works just fine you do not need a lot of horsepower.

mmc/encoders/12346/1/0/available_channels=
mmc/encoders/12346/1/0/brightness=-1
mmc/encoders/12346/1/0/contrast=-1
mmc/encoders/12346/1/0/device_name=
mmc/encoders/12346/1/0/hue=-1
mmc/encoders/12346/1/0/last_channel=8
mmc/encoders/12346/1/0/provider_id=0
mmc/encoders/12346/1/0/saturation=-1
mmc/encoders/12346/1/0/sharpness=-1
mmc/encoders/12346/1/0/tuning_mode=Cable
mmc/encoders/12346/1/0/tuning_plugin=
mmc/encoders/12346/1/0/tuning_plugin_port=0
mmc/encoders/12346/1/0/video_crossbar_index=0
mmc/encoders/12346/1/0/video_crossbar_type=10
mmc/encoders/12346/2/0/available_channels=
mmc/encoders/12346/2/0/brightness=-1
mmc/encoders/12346/2/0/contrast=-1
mmc/encoders/12346/2/0/device_name=
mmc/encoders/12346/2/0/hue=-1
mmc/encoders/12346/2/0/last_channel=
mmc/encoders/12346/2/0/provider_id=0
mmc/encoders/12346/2/0/saturation=-1
mmc/encoders/12346/2/0/sharpness=-1
mmc/encoders/12346/2/0/tuning_mode=Cable
mmc/encoders/12346/2/0/tuning_plugin=
mmc/encoders/12346/2/0/tuning_plugin_port=0
mmc/encoders/12346/2/0/video_crossbar_index=0
mmc/encoders/12346/2/0/video_crossbar_type=2
mmc/encoders/12346/2/1/available_channels=
mmc/encoders/12346/2/1/brightness=-1
mmc/encoders/12346/2/1/contrast=-1
mmc/encoders/12346/2/1/device_name=
mmc/encoders/12346/2/1/hue=-1
mmc/encoders/12346/2/1/last_channel=
mmc/encoders/12346/2/1/provider_id=0
mmc/encoders/12346/2/1/saturation=-1
mmc/encoders/12346/2/1/sharpness=-1
mmc/encoders/12346/2/1/tuning_mode=Cable
mmc/encoders/12346/2/1/tuning_plugin=
mmc/encoders/12346/2/1/tuning_plugin_port=0
mmc/encoders/12346/2/1/video_crossbar_index=1
mmc/encoders/12346/2/1/video_crossbar_type=2
mmc/encoders/12346/3/0/available_channels=
mmc/encoders/12346/3/0/brightness=-1
mmc/encoders/12346/3/0/contrast=-1
mmc/encoders/12346/3/0/device_name=
mmc/encoders/12346/3/0/hue=-1
mmc/encoders/12346/3/0/last_channel=
mmc/encoders/12346/3/0/provider_id=0
mmc/encoders/12346/3/0/saturation=-1
mmc/encoders/12346/3/0/sharpness=-1
mmc/encoders/12346/3/0/tuning_mode=Cable
mmc/encoders/12346/3/0/tuning_plugin=
mmc/encoders/12346/3/0/tuning_plugin_port=0
mmc/encoders/12346/3/0/video_crossbar_index=0
mmc/encoders/12346/3/0/video_crossbar_type=3
mmc/encoders/12346/audio_capture_device_name=
mmc/encoders/12346/audio_capture_device_num=0
mmc/encoders/12346/capture_config=2058
mmc/encoders/12346/default_device_quality=
mmc/encoders/12346/encoder_merit=0
mmc/encoders/12346/encoding_host=IBMDESKTOP-PC\:6969
mmc/encoders/12346/encoding_host_login_md5=
mmc/encoders/12346/last_cross_index=0
mmc/encoders/12346/last_cross_type=1
mmc/encoders/12346/live_audio_input=
mmc/encoders/12346/never_stop_encoding=false
mmc/encoders/12346/video_capture_device_name=SGraphRecorder
mmc/encoders/12346/video_capture_device_num=0
mmc/encoders/12346/video_compressor=
mmc/encoders/12346/video_encoding_params=Best

[sflamm]

The sage.properties below is for the SageTV server, correct? I'm assuming that by putting in the hard coded encoder entry that the SageTV server does not need to use discovery?

Looking at your entries:

mmc/encoders/12346/2/0/tuning_mode=Cable
mmc/encoders/12346/2/0/tuning_plugin=
mmc/encoders/12346/encoding_host=IBMDESKTOP-PC\:6969
mmc/encoders/12346/video_capture_device_name=SGraphRecorder

Server Questions:
1. "SGraphRecorder" is just an identifier for the capture device... this shows up as the "add video source" name?

2. What do you do if you have more than one network encoder? Do you add another tuner entry:

mmc/encoders/12346/encoding_host=IBMDESKTOP-PC\:ANOTHER_PORT
mmc/encoders/12346/video_capture_device_name=2nd_SGraphRecorder

On the SageTV encoder side, can you share you sagetv.properties and your sgraphrecorder.ini configurations for the network encoder?

Network Encoder Questions:

1. Are you using exemultituner or fwchannel proxy?
2. How do you start SGraphRecoder? Is it a startup script?
3. How do you configure multiple STB tuners?

Thx for the feedback on the machine type - I was planning to use an old Shuttle box that has a 1.8Ghz Athlon, 2Gig memory and a 100BT card.
That should be adequate right?

[nyplayer]

Originally Posted by sflamm

The sage.properties below is for the SageTV server, correct? I'm assuming that by putting in the hard coded encoder entry that the SageTV server does not need to use discovery?

Looking at your entries:

mmc/encoders/12346/2/0/tuning_mode=Cable
mmc/encoders/12346/2/0/tuning_plugin=
mmc/encoders/12346/encoding_host=IBMDESKTOP-PC\:6969
mmc/encoders/12346/video_capture_device_name=SGraphRecorder

Server Questions:
1. "SGraphRecorder" is just an identifier for the capture device... this shows up as the "add video source" name?

2. What do you do if you have more than one network encoder? Do you add another tuner entry:

mmc/encoders/12346/encoding_host=IBMDESKTOP-PC\:ANOTHER_PORT
mmc/encoders/12346/video_capture_device_name=2nd_SGraphRecorder

On the SageTV encoder side, can you share you sagetv.properties and your sgraphrecorder.ini configurations for the network encoder?

Network Encoder Questions:

1. Are you using exemultituner or fwchannel proxy?
2. How do you start SGraphRecoder? Is it a startup script?
3. How do you configure multiple STB tuners?

Thx for the feedback on the machine type - I was planning to use an old Shuttle box that has a 1.8Ghz Athlon, 2Gig memory and a 100BT card.
That should be adequate right?

Here is an example of my INI i do not use any of the channel changers you mentioned above. I have not used more than 1 But I guess you would have to change the port. and run 2 instances of SGraphRecorder" located in different folders. I just use windows scheduler to run it.

; Port is the port number that this network encoder will listen to commands
; from Sage on. Use this when setting up the network encoder in Sage.
[System]
Port=6969

; FileName is the name of graph to use. This graph should contain 1 instance
; of a "dump" filter that implements the IFileSink interface.
; TuningDelay is the number of milliseconds to wait after a channel change with 
; Girder until the graph is started again.
[Graph]
FileName="C:\GETHD\srg3.GRF"
TuningDelay=5000
UnloadGraphOnStop=1
UnloadGraphOnSwitch=0

; Set UseGirder to 1 to use Girder to change channel.
; Event to send to Girder will be string after GirderPrefix + channel number,
; for exampel "Channel1" (without the "" signs).
; The GirderIndividualNumbers controls if the whole channel number is sent in one
; event or if individual events is sent to Girder for each number in the channel.
; set it to 0 for events that looks like this "Channel791" and
; to 1 for "Channel7", "Channel9", "Channel1" with your actual prefix instead 
; of channel of course. If GirderIndividualNumbers=1 the sequence is ended with an 
; extra GirderPrefix without a number as an enter for the stb.
; Set GirderInterNumberTimeSpacing to number of milliseconds to wait between the 
; individual numbers
; Configure host, port and password to Girder settings

[Girder]
UseGirder=0
GirderHost=127.0.0.1
GirderPort=1024
GirderPassword=
GirderPrefix=Channel
GirderIndividualNumbers=1
GirderInterNumberTimeSpacing=10

; The ExeTuner section is used to call another program to change channel.
; Set UseExeTuner to 1 to use this.
; The program indicated in ExeTunerPath will be called with the cannel number as
; the only parameter. Provide the complete path to the Tuner program.

[ExeTuner]
UseExeTuner=1
ExeTunerPath=C:\getHD\channelw.exe -v -f 2

Attached is my folder.

[sflamm]

Thanks for the info.

Are you running only sGraphRecorder only on the network tuner? (no SageTV server instance). Is that what your scheduler is starting?

Or do you have a instance of SageTV server configured local to the sGraphRecorder as in recommended in Appendix G: Network Encoding:

Appendix G: Network Encoding
SageTV can be used to control recordings made with an encoding device that is installed on
another computer on the same network. Two full installations of SageTV are used for this
purpose:

For the installation of SageTV that is going to be the network encoder, set this property:
enable_encoding_server=true. Start this installation of SageTV. Note: To also use
SageTV on this system as a client, start a second instance of SageTV.exe, using the ‘-
client’ command line parameter. See Appendix D: SageTV Command Line Parameters.

For the main installation of SageTV (the one that is to be the server for all your clients),
set this property: network_encoder_discovery=true. Start SageTV.

Note: Each installation of SageTV will require a separate registration license.

Note: The SageTV server will need access through any software firewall for port 8271
(UDP), while the network encoders will need access for port 6969 (TCP). These ports
are the same no matter how many network encoder devices are in use, on one or multiple
computers. See Firewall Settings for more port information.


Previous method, using SageTVRecorder:

SageTVRecorder is used on the networked PC to control the encoding device, while SageTV
instructs SageTVRecorder regarding which shows are to be recorded. When used in this way,
SageTV will make use of the network encoder as if it were a local encoder, with the entire
process being transparent to the user once it is all configured.
For further information regarding setting up a network encoding in this manner, please see the
SageTV Configuration web site at www.sagetv.com/configuration.html. Look for the section
titled: Setting Up Network Encoders.
Note: SageTVRecorder is no longer updated and does not support the use of newer encoding
devices. It is recommended that SageTV now be used for this purpose, above.

[nyplayer]

Originally Posted by sflamm

Thanks for the info.

Are you running only sGraphRecorder only on the network tuner? (no SageTV server instance). Is that what your scheduler is starting?

Or do you have a instance of SageTV server configured local to the sGraphRecorder as in recommended in Appendix G: Network Encoding:

Juts the sGraphRecorder sagetv is not needed as sGraphRecorder mimics a network encoder. No need to Install Sagetv.

[sflamm]

Ah that simplifies things greatly for firewire capture and channel changing.

I'd like to setup a configuration such that I use an HDPVR remotelyfor the video capture on the network encoder and the channel changing. That way if I ever need to change the video source (STB to satellite receiver) I could do so easily.

Can I do that with the sGraphRecorder only? Or do I need the second SageTV server (and how do I configure this server if needed)?

[sflamm]

From what I can tell I should be able to build a graph (graphedit) for the HDPVR capture.

The channel changing appears to need to use Girder/USB-UIRT. Can anyone point me to instructions on how to setup Girder/USB-UIRT with sGraphRecorder?

[sflamm]

Anyone know if this approach is correct?

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59707

[sflamm]

for anyone interested - that worked great.

[baudfather]

I recently added a DCX-3400 to my setup, which is now the fourth firewire capture device on my system (added to two DCT-6200's and a DCT-3416). My main intent is to capture channels that my provider (Shaw) doesn't enable for whatever reason, and MPEG4 channels that aren't available on the DCT models. My question is, has anyone else successfully managed to capture from some of the newer MPEG4 channels that are starting to roll out? I've been trying to figure out if there's something special that needs to be done in Graphedit, but can't figure out if it's a limitation of the original Firewire drivers or a codec issue. I can capture all the "older" MPEG-2 channels from the new box fine, just can't get the MPEG4 ones.

[Fonceur]

Try using CapDVHS, that would get graphedit and filters out of the equation... On mpeg-2 files, some required fixing, but not sure what's available to do it with mpeg-4 files...

[kruzerman]

I am trying to get channel changing working via firewire on a Cisco RNG150N. I am having trouble getting it done since timmmoore's website is gone. I can't find channel.exe anywhere. I have been able to find firestb.msiu which i guess has it built in but I am trying to install on WHS not a WMC box. I am able to preview exactly one channel in Sage but no ability to change the channel.

Any ideas?

[wayner]

That's bad news if the Tim Moore site is permanently gone. Send me your email via a PM and I can email you the channel.exe and other files but you may need more drivers.

It shouldn't matter that you are using WHS - I used to use WHS myself. But if you are using WHS 2011 then you are out of luck as it is a 64 bit OS and the drivers don't work on 64 bit machines.

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by kruzerman

I am trying to get channel changing working via firewire on a Cisco RNG150N. I am having trouble getting it done since timmmoore's website is gone. I can't find channel.exe anywhere. I have been able to find firestb.msiu which i guess has it built in but I am trying to install on WHS not a WMC box. I am able to preview exactly one channel in Sage but no ability to change the channel.

Any ideas?

Have you tried this http://home.comcast.net/~exdeus/stbfirewire/

Don't use Firewire myself but it might work.

[kruzerman]

Originally Posted by BobPhoenix

Have you tried this http://home.comcast.net/~exdeus/stbfirewire/

Don't use Firewire myself but it might work.

Yes, thats why i need the channel.exe file so I can determine my tuner id.

Thanks though.

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by kruzerman

Yes, thats why i need the channel.exe file so I can determine my tuner id.

Thanks though.

How about this plugin?
http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51608