mythtv channel tuning on vdsl bell expressvu for condos

[Colin McGregor]

Ok, this is similar to a problem I am now looking at
because:

- I have offered to build a MythTV box for my boss
(who has a satellite system).
- I am doing yet another MythTV related article for a
magazine.

To sum up the problem as I understand it, the set-up
for the Bell is something like the following:

------>Special Bell Box>------->TV Set(s)
 VDSL

As with the old fashion cable TV boxes it is the
Special Bell Box that does channel selection. You
problem is that you don't (yet) know how to get your
Linux PC running MythTV to channel select. So your
currently stuck unable to get your PC to jump from
channel 6 to say channel 50 automatically.

The answer as I understand it one of two possible
possible routes. Route 1 is a VERY SMALL number of
cable/satellite boxes have a USB connector, where you
can just plug the cable from PC to box and go from
there.

Route 2 is to go with an IR blaster, something along
the lines of what is described here:

  http://www.lirc.org/transmitters.html

The idea being that your MythTV box mimics your
current IR remote and fakes the signal of your current
IR remote. There are commercial built IR remotes if
you don't want to play with building your own hardware
(I have just starting on on the question of what is
good/bad, I would love to hear if anyone else on this
list has experience with said hardware).

Colin McGregor

--- Teddy David Mills <teddymills-VFlxZYho3OA at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> MythTV is all working, but will only record the
> default tv channel.
> Expressvu for condos by default uses channel 3,8 and
> 13.
> I set the PVR-250 to record off channel 13.
> 
> Thus if I want mythtv to record something, I have to
> change my TV to 
> channel 13,
> and then do a MANUAL RECORD of channel 13. This is
> not using the power of
> MythTV's Program Guide and Program Finder.
> 
> I cannot use the Program Guide or Program Finder in
> MythTV. Why is that, 
> you ask?
> Because the Hauppage PVR-250 does not know how to
> switch channels on its 
> own.
> This is strange because I can switch them using the
> Hauppage PVR-250 
> remote when watching TV on MythTV.
> (so I think it is 99% correct)
> 
> If only I were using Rogers, the channel tuning
> would be working! (dont 
> need anything special to switch Rogers channels)
> However I am using Bell ExpressVu for Condos. 
> (which btw has excellent 
> picture quality)
> 
> The only way to change channels anywhere on anything
> is by using the 
> Bell supplied
> NEXTLEVEL COMMUNICATIONS remotes.
> 
> I am using a Hauppage PVR-250, so the tuner on that
> I believe has no 
> idea how to change channels.
> Even though all the channels are listed in MythTV. I
> believe all the 
> channels are listing okay, is because
> of the zap2it is providing all the channel data.
> 
> The crux is how to tell the Hauppage PVR-250 how to
> change channels.
> If I leave the channel on the default channel 13,
> then it records the 
> program no problem at all.
> (sounds and everything works great)
> 
> There are a couple of things I could try.
> 1) the LIRC again?
> 2) reprogram a NEXTLEVEL remote and try to get the
> PVR-250 to change the 
> channel.
> 3) move some of those weird bunny ear antennas on
> the coax cable that 
> the NEXTLEVEL remotes  can  "talk to"
> 
> Why am I rambling this like? I have no idea. lack of
> sleep  :)
> anyone that has mythtv experience, let me know.
> 
> btw I am recording all the installation of the
> KnoppMyth right from the 
> hardware on the ground to the working KnoppMyth.
> I am using a digital camera.
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