DVTRR tapes log

Scanning channels mythtv and mysql notes

One of the issues with (UK based) mythtv is the bewildering set of results you get when doing a channel scan with either freeview of freesat tuners. On freeview in particular now that signals from transmitters are being increased (where analogue is switched off) there is the likelihood that a full channel scan will result in at least two full duplicate sets of channels.

One solution for freeview is to scan only the 'tranports' that you want. This is an option in 'scan configuration' of mythbackend-setup. 

but perhaps a neater one (with thanks to http://wiki.stocksy.co.uk/wiki/Tidy_up_MythTV_Channels ) is to always do the full channel scan then simply run this mysql statement, changing the freqid's to match your transmitter:

DELETE FROM channel WHERE (freqid NOT IN (41, 44, 47, 48, 51, 52) AND freqid IS NOT NULL);

You can get the freqid info from here: http://www.ukfree.tv 

Determine which TV transmitter you're getting your signal from. My 6 digital multiplexes are: 41, 44, 47, 48, 51, 52

Liskeard update: muxes now: 21, 22, 25, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31, 37


Here's some notes re: the mythconverg mysql database:

The most pertinent table re: ensuring channels get setup up right is 'channel'

I have normally created separate 'sources' (FreeView EIT & FreeSat EIT) for the two types of broadcast (ie DVB-S and DVB-T). In the 'channel' table you can distinguish between DVB-S and T by looking at the sourceid field.

UPDATE channel SET channum=101, visible=1, xmltvid="west-midlands.bbc1.bbc.co.uk"            WHERE sourceid="2" AND serviceid="10301"; #'BBC 1 West Midlands';

field 'channum' is the channel number used by mythtv in the epg and live TV etc. 

field 'channid' - It's confusing!
Explanation: with my 2x DBV-T and 2x DVB-S tuner setup I have (in theory) four tunings of BBC1, myth knows about all four because firstly, the T and S versions are distinguished by having different 'sourceid'. The 2 x BBC1 within the (eg) T tuner are distiguised by having different 'channid'. (these are made unique during tuning when the channel scanner tells you there is a duplication of channid, myths 'suggestion' of the alternative is how it get's set differently). Myth knows they are both BBC1 because they have the same (prescribed) 'serviceid' SID info comes from the channel scan. BBC1 on freesat and freeview will have different SIDs.

An added complication to this is that the DVB-T tuner can get multiple versions of BBC1 (etc) from different parts of the tuning freq (from weaker TXs further away). This is why the freqid field (unique to DVB-T) is helpful in eliminating those weaker versions of channels (the mysql 'DELETE FROM script above sorts this, but you must know which multiplexes your correct main TXer is using)

The above has resulted in a channel_change.sql text file (in markp/technical/mythtv) containing sql statements for channel configuration of a mythtv setup that contains both dvb-t and dbv-s tuners.

Note that this version of the file is for the Yorkshire (Emley Moor) tv transmitter. change regional BBC and ITV channel accordingly (BBC1 and ITV1).

Need to ensure freesat region variations match the freeview ones:
Which freesat ITV1 channel?? - Emley Moor, my freeview source transmits Yorkshire West, the freesat SID of which is 10160.  i have noted some of the regional freesat stations in the file.

fresat SIDs listed here:
http://www.astra2.org/astra1n.html

To bring up the mysql command prompt for the mythtv database:
mysql -u root -p mythconverg;

the statements file can be 'run' from a mysql prompt with the simple command 'source' eg:

mysql> source /path/to/file/channel_change.sql


The statement file didn't work at first and that was because the first statement which sets all channels to a high number and invisible was commented out. Amended it works well and produces a neat list of channels.



Two other issues now.
1. Am I better using rt-grabber (xmltv) for guide info? probably help if I would like to assign both freeview and freesat channels to the same channum, as some say is possible (the EPG looks much neater then)
2. Should I use same channum for freesat and freeview???

DVB-T2 in mytht tv using TBS6280

The TBS 6280 is a dual tuner DVB-T2 card, it has HD freeview ability.


To make it work:

Download the latest version of the driver from the TBS site


wget http://www.tbsdtv.com/download/document/common/tbs-linux-drivers_v130506.zip mkdir tbs-linux-drivers_v130506 cd tbs-linux-drivers_v130506 unzip ../tbs-linux-drivers_v130506.zip

1 extract linux-tbs-drivers.tar.bz2 archive:

# tar xjvf linux-tbs-drivers.tar.bz2


2 go to driver package directory:

# cd linux-tbs-drivers


3 depending on your kernel version and if the kernel is x86 or
x86_64 (check output of 'uname -a') do:


- for x86 kernel 3.x (x86 32 bit installations of kernel 3.x):

# ./v4l/tbs-x86_r3.sh


- for x86 kernel 2.6.x (x86 32 bit installations of kernel 2.6.x):

# ./v4l/tbs-x86.sh


- for any x86_64 kernel (x86 64 bit installations of Linux):

# ./v4l/tbs-x86_64.sh


4 build and install the driver:

# make && make install


5 reboot in order to load the newly installed driver:

# shutdown -r now


6 after reboot check that the newly installed driver is loaded correctly:

# dmesg | grep frontend

OR - follow the instructions from the v4l website:

http://linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/TBS6280#Re-installing_after_a_kernel_upgrade


Don't forget the driver will need building again if the kernel gets updated.

I'm going to prevent kernel updates automatically on this machine so that I don't find the TBS card isn't working one day: set that up using this guide:

http://askubuntu.com/questions/178324/how-to-skip-kernel-update

change owner of select files recursive in a directory

I got myself in a bit of a hole with running Unison without the right switch the other day. Here was the solution though!

http://askubuntu.com/questions/228950/chown-select-files-only

mythtv frontend starts before network up

I've just had this when putting mythfrontend on a nice fujitsu box that obviously runs pretty snappy.

When the FE starts it takes you to the initial config screen I think because the eth0 if is not up in time.

There are various suggestions as to how to fix this but a simple one that worked for me was to:

1. Uninstall the network manager in xmbc (not sure this is essential, but I don't need it):
   

   # apt-get remove network-manager
   

2. Configure /etc/network/interfaces by adding:
   

   auto eth0
   iface eth0 inet dhcp
   

pfSense rebuild, Nov 2012

So everything had worked fine since Feb, (except I never got openvpn working) until my ISP died last Tuesday. Constant rebooting of the BT adsl router (in bridge/modem mode) and the Alix box brought no joy. In the frantic attempts to fix something I screwed up the pfSesne install, mainly when I started removing/moving interfaces.
NB! changing LAN IF will remove things like the static reserved IP info! Should have done a backup!

WiFi WAN

Desparately tried to get the ' WLG-1500SMA WLAN 11G USB ' adpaptor to work as a 2nd WAN IF (driver = zyd0), did eventually, (by using setting 'BSS (infrastructure)' not AP as for the built in ath0 IF) - only connected to the phone when no wifi security! However it seemed quite flakey and would keep falling over after maybe 30min.

The 'fix' for the TalkTalk adsl involved having one of their routers. Couldn't ask why as I was not around when the guy called. So I'm now using this as my WAN eth IF. This uses DHCP on vr0 of pfSense to talktalk rtr.

Rebuilding the IPsec:

All looked ok for IPSec and initially said interface was up, but I sooned managed to make that dissapear! Main problem with above setup was the talktalk router being in front of pfSense and routing/NAT issues for IPSec traffic (known to be complex).

Reinstating the BT Voyager 190 router in bridge mode:

I soon tried to ditch the talktalk router to simplify the ipsec issue but could never get a WAN IF up when set to pppoe as I used to do. Think what happened is that in panic of above I reset the 190 to default firmware (the preinstalled AOL, on: 192.168.1.1). This was never gonna work. Reinstalled the Dynalink 3.29a f/w changed ip to 192.168.0.1 and found the bridge mode settings (did I ever find them before?), buried in sub-menus on the adsl connection 'write' icon. ensure change set 0/38 and vc-mux (not defaults?). Change WAN IF from dhcp to pppoe (why not pppoa?) and immediately ISP IP/DNS becomes the WAN IP info. Hoping IPsec can now be re-estblished as it was before?... Yes it can, when I made the settings match TC...

1980 Starcraft Starmaster 1906 xl Restoration

Here's a picture record of my PopUp Camper restoration. The story really starts here on the fantastic popupportal.com forum. Without the info and encouragement there I would never have gotten very far.

After tearing things to bits for several days this was the first thing to go in the right direction. I had to lap and glue two 1/4" ply sheets to be able to make 11' lengths of 1/2" to make the new roof side bars

Here's the new side bars. We can't (easily) buy 12' sheets of board in the UK. The old aly from the roof is in the background. I had scraped all the polystyrene off it, very strongly glued. At this point I thought I would use the original aly roof on my new frame.

At 7' wide the front and back boards were able to be cut from regular 1/2" 8x4' sheets. I used external W&B grade ply throughout, not marine.

New roof frame about done. Was surprised how long it took me to make. woodwork is not my forte. The flags went up for eurovision song contest!

compared to the original manufacturerI added the three addition crossbars on the roof to prevent sagging. Have to say my roof still sags a bit...

after spending several hours fettling the old aly skin, when i found several corrosion holes in it i decided i needed something better. the last straw was after i placed it on the new frame and when it rained it still sagged into the centre seam and started dripping. Why did they put a seam down the middle???

I decided I wanted a roof skin without a seam. It took ages to source this but I managed to get an end of roll piece of 'roofing coil' it used to make roofs of artic trailors and trucks etc. we had a manufacturer locally who was very helpful.

the roofing coil sheet is 8' 4" wide. ideal. i only need 7'. It is, at 0.9mm, thicker than the original. the only dissapointment was I couldn't get it with a stucco effect, this is just smooth. It is a devil to handle when you undo the coil - spings flat

To bond the wooden frame to the aly I made a wooden 'former' which replicated the curvature of the roof, laid the aly on it, glued the wooden frame too it using 'no more nails' type glue, then weighed it all down with part from the plough I'm renovating.

I bonded the polystyrene sheeting to the aly and wooden frame using special bostik contact adhesive that was designed not to melt styrene. At £30 for 5 litres it wasn't cheap and it took it all.

To make the roof lining I bought white faced hardboard which has a plastic coating similar to the original. I used the same glue as above, but this has not worked well at all. My sheets are peeling off the styrene and this is adding to the slight sag in my roof I suspect. ahhhh!!! I intended no nails in the middle of my roof, just gluing the sheets and using the original plastic jointing strips to cover the gaps between the 4' sheets. I have had to whack in some additional staples into the additional wooden struts I added. not good.

Add caption

around the same time as getting the roofing coil I jacked up the body of the pup to drag out the chassis. By this stage I had decided to change the front hitch and axle to a UK one from a donor caravan. The chassis was in for serious surgery.

The oringinal leaf spring axle. big question was could i use an axle from a donor caravan in it's place. they were all torsion type, not leaf spring.

I used 100mm x 50mm box to make my new A frame for the chassis. Here's the new front bar tacked in place. Someone said, "don't bring home a wreck Mark and make the back garden look like a scrapyard"

you can see my donor torsion axle on the left. quite amazed to find that the mounting plates for it fitted quite nicely to the chassis where the spring hangers had been mounted. i just needed to make a plate to bolt the two sets of holes together

Goodbye Sur Act III 2" ball hitch. Not sure all my angle grinding was very neighbour-friendly...

The axle fitted in nice between the inset part of the chassis

the new steel for the A frame was considerably heavier than the original - i'm an old farmer after all

I used the grid of the patio slabs to make sure everything was square.I should work for NASA!

Getting there, winding gear box tacked in place too now.

soon after this the chassis went to be shot blasted. Thanks to lads at CP Blasting, Creswell. they also painted the chassis for me.

i had hope that the 13" wheels that came with the caravan axle would fit. Unfortunately they were just a bit too tight to the wheel arches. This was exacerbated by the fact that the new axle was 2 " wider than the original

here's the original wheels. they are 12" 5 stud 4.5" pcd. I had to get 12" 4 stud 100mm PCD to fit my new axle. Fitted 145R12C tyres. Trailer sits real nice and level with those behind the range rover, just like it did with the original gear

chassis bac from the shot blasters. should be good for another 32 years now! the colour is chosen to match the original colours. The 'mood board' for the colour pallate is described as something unmentionable by some members of my family. For anyone interested my paint guys matched the colours to BS4800 colours thus; the brown - 08-B-29; the red - 04-D-45; the cream - 10-B-15. these colours appear not to have a standard set of names under the BS4800 scheme.

At this stage, knowing the deadline was tight Andy turned up to help for three days. you are a star!
Also Owen and Gertjan helped.

hitch on with brake linckage attached. Owen and Gertjan put all the brakes back on. I had removed all that before shot blasting, didn't want to get chilled iron in them.

had the mount the winding gear slightly higher than normal to allow the brake rod to pass under. Works fine!

Winding gear back in. owen did this. i also removed the little pulleys from the chassis before blasting.

brake balancer. brake a re really sharp!

amazingly the holes i had to drill in the new A frame for the winding wires to pass through lined up nicely! The wire I bought to remake the broken one was 2mm 7/19 316 stainless from ebay. I used 2mm ferrules. I couldn't run to the proper tool for crimping these ferrules (£50), so a squashed them in the vice then used a cold chisel to crunch them more down the middle. Don't know if they'll last for ever, but they've kept the roof up for a five day stint so far.

After the aly was bonded to the roof i was able to trim it to the proper width.

Here I'm testing a little bit  of the aly to see how well it wraps around. I should have wainted until the aly side plates were on of course. getting over excited!

 I used at etch primer on the bare aluminium. then two coats of base, four coats of topcoat.

 you might have seen that when i got the pup someone had decided to paint the lower panels cream to match the upper part.

here they're going back to the original red


 
 Some of the red panels going back on!

roof, new wheels, and top fridge grill all getting top coated

ditto.

At this point with 5 days to go before the August bank holiday deadline Myles came over to help put the roof on. Thanks mate!

roof on!

At this stage there were still several hours of frenetic activity. wiring of lights, new floor to screw down, all hatches to put back on, canvas to hang, roof seal to insert (fiddly), etc etc. Like the whole project it all took a lot longer than I'd imagined!! Spent three hours on it the morning we went away. i have a very patient wife

But - we're camping!! greenbelt 2012, August bank holiday! Everyone amazed I'd got it finished, including me. It was a shell inside, but sound to use with a new floor. I rigged the original cooker to the LPG. We'd had the beds recovered. The weather at greenbelt was absolutely terrible, including torrential downpours. the pup had a full test but was totally dry throughout!

The canvas was all pretty good apart from two top bits of rot in one of the bed awnings. thanks to M & N Canvas Services Ltd, Sheffield who turned a repair around in less than a week and all for £20. they had some old stock canvas that was a great match for the colour too.

thanks to all my friends for their help. not least Kenny a stevecaseys.com RV. He supplied original parts which I was pleased to be able to get. Thanks to Ross anf Jennifer at Lilleker Antique Auto for shipping those parts to me