Ubuntu 7.04 and SageTv Linux 6.1

[Box8489]

Hi All,

Has anyone succeeded with getting the subject to work together?

Previously there was some problems with “Sagetv changing channel” with the IVTV driver but I’m not sure if they are solved?

Regards
Michael Mondrup

[ntk2]

I have just finished recording and watching my first program using Ubuntu 7.04 with SageTv 6.1 + MediaMPV. I used a desktop install since I was not sure if things like the ivtv drivers would be included in the server version. Note: Ubuntu 7.04 will not create a partition greater than 200gb. After installing Ubuntu I enabled backport sources and did the following using Synaptic:

nvidia-glx (for my motherboard)
sun-java5-jre
libmad0
sun-java-plugin
faad
lame
lame extras

The SageTv server started but the client would not run. Found I also needed

lirc
faac

I am not a linux guru so being able to get everything with Synaptic was a good thing. Have not tried many features yet but the basics are working.

[subslug]

Just got Sage running on Feisty myself, although I believe you'll want faad2 rather than faad.

I'm using a pcHDTV HD5500 high def card which honestly I didn't think I would ever get working but it was as easy as could be on SageTV. 'Modprobe cx88-dvb' and you're basically all set. No need for any external drivers.

Watching TV isn't perfect but recordings are simply awesome, better than I would ever had imagined. Now, if only I had back all the time I wasted trying to set up that train wreck called MythTV.

I was assuming that high def playback was really heavy on the cpu but mine barely moves about 15% during playback.

[matrix35]

Originally Posted by subslug

Just got Sage running on Feisty myself, although I believe you'll want faad2 rather than faad.

I'm using a pcHDTV HD5500 high def card which honestly I didn't think I would ever get working but it was as easy as could be on SageTV. 'Modprobe cx88-dvb' and you're basically all set. No need for any external drivers.

Watching TV isn't perfect but recordings are simply awesome, better than I would ever had imagined. Now, if only I had back all the time I wasted trying to set up that train wreck called MythTV.

I was assuming that high def playback was really heavy on the cpu but mine barely moves about 15% during playback.

what kind of video capture cards do you have?
is there an Nvidia Purevideo equivalent for hardware deinterlacing?

[subslug]

My TV Tuner, if that's what you're asking,? Is the pcHDTV's 5500. It's a high def card specifically for Linux. (nice because there's no DRM)
My video card is a cheapo Nvidia 5200.
I wasn't really prepared for this setup to actually work, I had such hell with MythTV that I had all but given up when I found out about Sage. I just stuck the 5500 in this machine and everything just sorta worked. Anyway, my hard drive is sadly, way too freakin small for a HD PVR

Hopefully when I reset all of this up it'll work as well as it is now.

[jpwegas]

Originally Posted by subslug

Just got Sage running on Feisty myself, although I believe you'll want faad2 rather than faad.

I'm using a pcHDTV HD5500 high def card which honestly I didn't think I would ever get working but it was as easy as could be on SageTV. 'Modprobe cx88-dvb' and you're basically all set. No need for any external drivers.

Did you just use the built in channel scanner to search for HD channels?

I have the same setup, the card is recognized, but the channel scan doesn't see anything.

[subslug]

Originally Posted by jpwegas

Did you just use the built in channel scanner to search for HD channels?

I have the same setup, the card is recognized, but the channel scan doesn't see anything.

You might try a full system restart.
After further review...this card is wonky. It'll just stop working for no apparent reason, or the sage server will just go zombie on it. The weird thing is that after a system restart, not just a quick restart everything will work again......for a while anyway.

You might also have to make sure you've selected the correct channel lineup for your area before it scans for channels.....I can't recall if that's an issue I had or not but I have had plenty.

Let us know your results.

[jpwegas]

Originally Posted by subslug

You might try a full system restart.
After further review...this card is wonky. It'll just stop working for no apparent reason, or the sage server will just go zombie on it. The weird thing is that after a system restart, not just a quick restart everything will work again......for a while anyway.

You might also have to make sure you've selected the correct channel lineup for your area before it scans for channels.....I can't recall if that's an issue I had or not but I have had plenty.

Let us know your results.

It appears that SageTV is having a problem scanning for digital signals for cable systems using the HRC frequency layout. I had a similar problem with tuning analog channels but that was solved by a quick (apparently undocumented) settings change in the Sage.properties file. See this thread for more details. (Apparently < 10% of cable systems in the US use this frequency layout, I just happened to be one of the lucky ones. )

I know the card is installed and working correctly since I can use scan from dvb-utils to find signals, azap to tune channels, and mplayer to view programs.

SageTV support is looking into the HRC digital channel scanning problem. I will post an update in the other thread when it's resolved.