QAM Linux HOWTO (using a180)

[milbarge]

Now that QAM is officially supported by Sage I thought that I'd set up a QAM box for a friend. Since there is no manual for this it took a lot of trial and error. I've got it working now and I figured I'd save you my frustration...

These instructions assume an Avermedia A180 for the tuner card and a working Sage Linux 6.1.8.1 (or later I assume) install, running off the standard Gentoo install described by sage (although if you can compile a sage compliant ffmpeg on a different distro you probably don't need these instructions). Also you should be comfortable on the linux command line and have no fear compiling a kernel (you don't actually use the new kernel just some modules).

The two major things that you must do in order to get the a180 up and running on Gentoo are.
1)Fetch and install the cards firmware
2)Compile and install the saa7134-dvb kernel module (and the saa7134 too)

1)Fetch the firmware
ssh into your Sage box and enter the commands below (assuming root login)

# cd /usr/src/linux-2.6.15.3/Documentation/dvb/
# chmod +x get_dvb_firmware
# ./get_dvb_firmware nxt2004
# cp dvb-fe-nxt2004.fw /lib/firmware

2)The kernel module
Unfortunately the saa7134-dvb kernel module is not installed by default however, we are on gentoo so we have the source ; )

# cd /usr/src/linux
# make menuconfig

Now navigate through the menu as such:

Device Drivers --->
Multimedia devices --->
Video For Linux --->

Make sure that the saa7134 module is being built (it should be) you can tell if the
<> DVB/ATSC Support for saa7134 based TV cards
line is marked <M> if not highlight it and press m.

Next press Esc then go to:
Digital Video Broadcasting Devices --->

Highlight
<> DVB Core Support
and press m

Keep on pressing Esc until you get to a menu asking you to save and hit yes.

Finally compile the kernel and modules

# make && make modules_install

This will take a while, get a beer.
Once the compile is done try to load the kernel module

modprobe saa7134-dvb

if it worked, when you type dmesg, the last few lines should contain

nxt2004: Waiting for firmware upload (dvb-fe-nxt2004.fw)...
nxt2004: Firmware upload complete

and you should have the directory
/dev/dvb/adapter0/

To make the changes permanent

# echo saa7134-dvb >> /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.6

Shut Sage down

# /opt/sagetv/server/stopsage

and edit
/opt/sagetv/server/Sage.properties

change the line
linux/enable_dvb_capture=false
to true and start sage

# /opt/sagetv/server/startsage

Now when you launch the sage front end you should see in the add tuner menu adapter0 (ignore the extra videoX tuner it doesn't work).
Select adapterX, set up xmltv, and the let Sage scan in your new QAM channels (it takes a long time).
Finally you'll need to remap all of the new channels using the instructions in the Sage manual.

Good luck!

[bcjenkins]

The enable DVB is now opposite of OP.

linux/disable_dvb_capture=false

I believe I also had to change the following in my encoders section

mmc/encoders/-1306016063/broadcast_standard=QAM

from ATSC.

b

PS Using FiOS for QAM I am able to get locals (both HD and SD) and 64 music channels.