Mailing List Archive: MythTV: Users

Using PVR-350 to record old VCR video

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bkamen at benjammin

May 23, 2012, 3:36 PM

Post #1 of 14 (866 views)
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Using PVR-350 to record old VCR video

Hey all,

I've long since removed my PVR-350 from the config of the system -- (ComCast no longer does "analog" ) but would like to transfer some old VCR tapes to .mpg format.

I'm assuming once I pull the PVR-350 out of the config files, mythtv should no longer try to fuss with it.

If that's the case, when I used mplayer to try and tune to CH:3 and copy the stream to disk, the commandline just sits at "Cache Fill" -- and I can't seem to (for the life of me) set the darn format using "normid=0" to NTSC.

Is Myth still fighting with it?

The execution line is:

mplayer -tv normid=0:input=0:device=/dev/video-pvr350:chanlist=us-bcast:channel=3 pvr://

Thanks,

-Ben

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bkamen at benjammin

May 23, 2012, 3:40 PM

Post #2 of 14 (840 views)
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Re: Using PVR-350 to record old VCR video [In reply to]

On 2012-05-23 5:36 PM, Ben Kamen wrote:
> Hey all,
>
> I've long since removed my PVR-350 from the config of the system -- (ComCast no longer does "analog" ) but would like to transfer some old VCR tapes to .mpg format.
>
> I'm assuming once I pull the PVR-350 out of the config files, mythtv should no longer try to fuss with it.
>
> If that's the case, when I used mplayer to try and tune to CH:3 and copy the stream to disk, the commandline just sits at "Cache Fill" -- and I can't seem to (for the life of me) set the darn format using "normid=0" to NTSC.
>
> Is Myth still fighting with it?
>
> The execution line is:
>
> mplayer -tv normid=0:input=0:device=/dev/video-pvr350:chanlist=us-bcast:channel=3 pvr://
>

oh, and before I forget, my VCR is on Channel:3 on the RF output... and I've verified this against an older LCD monitor from Samsung that's also a TV. (the video doesn't look awesome, but that's the age of the tape and the original crappy OTA setup)

-Ben

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raymond at wagnerrp

May 23, 2012, 3:53 PM

Post #3 of 14 (840 views)
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Re: Using PVR-350 to record old VCR video [In reply to]

On 5/23/2012 18:40, Ben Kamen wrote:
> oh, and before I forget, my VCR is on Channel:3 on the RF output...

Any reason not to use the SVideo output instead? The VHS is going to
look like crap regardless, but no sense making it worse by using the
cheap modulator on the VCR.
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mtdean at thirdcontact

May 23, 2012, 4:01 PM

Post #4 of 14 (846 views)
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Re: Using PVR-350 to record old VCR video [In reply to]

On 05/23/2012 06:36 PM, Ben Kamen wrote:
> Hey all,
>
> I've long since removed my PVR-350 from the config of the system --
> (ComCast no longer does "analog" ) but would like to transfer some old
> VCR tapes to .mpg format.
>
> I'm assuming once I pull the PVR-350 out of the config files, mythtv
> should no longer try to fuss with it.

"config files"?

You need to go into mythtv-setup, Capture Cards section, then select the
PVR-350 device(s) and hit DELETE (by default 'D' key) to delete the
cards from MythTV's configuration.

Mike
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bkamen at benjammin

May 23, 2012, 4:17 PM

Post #5 of 14 (841 views)
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Re: Using PVR-350 to record old VCR video [In reply to]

On 2012-05-23 5:53 PM, Raymond Wagner wrote:
> On 5/23/2012 18:40, Ben Kamen wrote:
>> oh, and before I forget, my VCR is on Channel:3 on the RF output...
>
> Any reason not to use the SVideo output instead? The VHS is going to look like crap regardless, but no sense making it worse by using the cheap modulator on the VCR.

I would love to - but the VCR is composite/RF only. :(

If I had a VCR w/S-Vid -- I would be using it in a heartbeat.

-Ben
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bkamen at benjammin

May 23, 2012, 4:18 PM

Post #6 of 14 (841 views)
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Re: Using PVR-350 to record old VCR video [In reply to]

On 2012-05-23 6:01 PM, Michael T. Dean wrote:
> On 05/23/2012 06:36 PM, Ben Kamen wrote:
>> Hey all,
>>
>> I've long since removed my PVR-350 from the config of the system -- (ComCast no longer does "analog" ) but would like to transfer some old VCR tapes to .mpg format.
>>
>> I'm assuming once I pull the PVR-350 out of the config files, mythtv should no longer try to fuss with it.
>
> "config files"?
>
> You need to go into mythtv-setup, Capture Cards section, then select the PVR-350 device(s) and hit DELETE (by default 'D' key) to delete the cards from MythTV's configuration.

I thought I did that -- but I'll double check.

yea.. "config files" == generic for "removed via" the myth setup interface..

-Ben
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bkamen at benjammin

May 23, 2012, 4:28 PM

Post #7 of 14 (833 views)
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Re: Using PVR-350 to record old VCR video [In reply to]

On 2012-05-23 6:18 PM, Ben Kamen wrote:
> On 2012-05-23 6:01 PM, Michael T. Dean wrote:
>>
>> You need to go into mythtv-setup, Capture Cards section, then select the PVR-350 device(s) and hit DELETE (by default 'D' key) to delete the cards from MythTV's configuration.
>
> I thought I did that -- but I'll double check.
>
> yea.. "config files" == generic for "removed via" the myth setup interface..

Yup. It's out of the list...

And I did a reboot.

And it's funny because on the first pass, mplayer complains of "NO SIGNAL" when tuning to CH:3...

but eventually, I get this:

> [root [at] MythT ~]# gmplayer pvr:// -tv channel=3:input=0:chanlist=us-bcast:normid=0
> MPlayer SVN-r29134-snapshot-4.3.3 (C) 2000-2009 MPlayer Team
> Xlib: extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
> Xlib: extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
> 137 audio & 296 video codecs
> Xlib: extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
> Xlib: extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
> Xlib: extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
> Xlib: extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
> Xlib: extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
> Xlib: extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
> Xlib: extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
> Xlib: extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
> Xlib: extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>
> Playing pvr://.
> [v4l2] select channel list us-bcast, entries 82
> [v4l2] Switch to user station channel: 3 - freq: 61250 - station:
> [pvr] Using device /dev/video-pvr350
> [pvr] Detected Hauppauge WinTV PVR-350
> [v4l2] Available video inputs: '#0, Tuner 1' '#1, S-Video 1' '#2, Composite 1' '#3, S-Video 2' '#4, Composite 2' '#5, Composite 3'
> [v4l2] Available audio inputs: '#0, Tuner 1' '#1, Line In 1' '#2, Line In 2'
> [v4l2] Available norms: '#0, NTSC' '#1, NTSC-M' '#2, NTSC-M-JP' '#3, NTSC-M-KR' '#4, NTSC-443' '#5, PAL' '#6, PAL-BG' '#7, PAL-H' '#8, PAL-I' '#9, PAL-DK' '#10, PAL-M' '#11, PAL-N' '#12, PAL-Nc' '#13, PAL-60' '#14, SECAM' '#15, SECAM-B' '#16, SECAM-G' '#17, SECAM-H' '#18, SECAM-DK' '#19, SECAM-L' '#20, SECAM-Lc'
> [v4l2] Frequency 61250 already set.
> [v4l2] Video input: Tuner 1
> [v4l2] Audio input: Tuner 1
> [v4l2] Norm: NTSC-M.
> Cache fill: 0.00% (0 bytes)

And it just sits there.... durp.

Maybe I'm better off trying one of the pcHDTV cards in NTSC|Composite mode.

-Ben
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mtdean at thirdcontact

May 23, 2012, 4:48 PM

Post #8 of 14 (831 views)
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Re: Using PVR-350 to record old VCR video [In reply to]

On 05/23/2012 07:28 PM, Ben Kamen wrote:
> On 2012-05-23 6:18 PM, Ben Kamen wrote:
>> On 2012-05-23 6:01 PM, Michael T. Dean wrote:
>>>
>>> You need to go into mythtv-setup, Capture Cards section, then select
>>> the PVR-350 device(s) and hit DELETE (by default 'D' key) to delete
>>> the cards from MythTV's configuration.
>>
>> I thought I did that -- but I'll double check.
>>
>> yea.. "config files" == generic for "removed via" the myth setup
>> interface..
>
> Yup. It's out of the list...
>
> And I did a reboot.
>
> And it's funny because on the first pass, mplayer complains of "NO
> SIGNAL" when tuning to CH:3...
>
> but eventually, I get this:
>
>> [root [at] MythT ~]# gmplayer pvr:// -tv
>> channel=3:input=0:chanlist=us-bcast:normid=0
>> MPlayer SVN-r29134-snapshot-4.3.3 (C) 2000-2009 MPlayer Team
>> Xlib: extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>> Xlib: extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>> 137 audio & 296 video codecs
>> Xlib: extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>> Xlib: extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>> Xlib: extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>> Xlib: extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>> Xlib: extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>> Xlib: extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>> Xlib: extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>> Xlib: extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>> Xlib: extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>>
>> Playing pvr://.
>> [v4l2] select channel list us-bcast, entries 82
>> [v4l2] Switch to user station channel: 3 - freq: 61250 -
>> station:
>> [pvr] Using device /dev/video-pvr350
>> [pvr] Detected Hauppauge WinTV PVR-350
>> [v4l2] Available video inputs: '#0, Tuner 1' '#1, S-Video 1' '#2,
>> Composite 1' '#3, S-Video 2' '#4, Composite 2' '#5, Composite 3'
>> [v4l2] Available audio inputs: '#0, Tuner 1' '#1, Line In 1' '#2,
>> Line In 2'
>> [v4l2] Available norms: '#0, NTSC' '#1, NTSC-M' '#2, NTSC-M-JP' '#3,
>> NTSC-M-KR' '#4, NTSC-443' '#5, PAL' '#6, PAL-BG' '#7, PAL-H' '#8,
>> PAL-I' '#9, PAL-DK' '#10, PAL-M' '#11, PAL-N' '#12, PAL-Nc' '#13,
>> PAL-60' '#14, SECAM' '#15, SECAM-B' '#16, SECAM-G' '#17, SECAM-H'
>> '#18, SECAM-DK' '#19, SECAM-L' '#20, SECAM-Lc'
>> [v4l2] Frequency 61250 already set.
>> [v4l2] Video input: Tuner 1
>> [v4l2] Audio input: Tuner 1
>> [v4l2] Norm: NTSC-M.
>> Cache fill: 0.00% (0 bytes)
>
> And it just sits there.... durp.
>
> Maybe I'm better off trying one of the pcHDTV cards in NTSC|Composite
> mode.

Maybe try using v4l2-ctl (or whatever it's called) to tune the channel,
then just use cat or dd to record from /dev/video*

Mike
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nick.rout at gmail

May 23, 2012, 5:44 PM

Post #9 of 14 (831 views)
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Re: Using PVR-350 to record old VCR video [In reply to]

On Thu, May 24, 2012 at 11:48 AM, Michael T. Dean
<mtdean [at] thirdcontact> wrote:
> On 05/23/2012 07:28 PM, Ben Kamen wrote:
>>
>> On 2012-05-23 6:18 PM, Ben Kamen wrote:
>>>
>>> On 2012-05-23 6:01 PM, Michael T. Dean wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> You need to go into mythtv-setup, Capture Cards section, then select the
>>>> PVR-350 device(s) and hit DELETE (by default 'D' key) to delete the cards
>>>> from MythTV's configuration.
>>>
>>>
>>> I thought I did that -- but I'll double check.
>>>
>>> yea.. "config files" == generic for "removed via" the myth setup
>>> interface..
>>
>>
>> Yup. It's out of the list...
>>
>> And I did a reboot.
>>
>> And it's funny because on the first pass, mplayer complains of "NO SIGNAL"
>> when tuning to CH:3...
>>
>> but eventually, I get this:
>>
>>> [root [at] MythT ~]# gmplayer pvr:// -tv
>>> channel=3:input=0:chanlist=us-bcast:normid=0
>>> MPlayer SVN-r29134-snapshot-4.3.3 (C) 2000-2009 MPlayer Team
>>> Xlib: �extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>>> Xlib: �extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>>> 137 audio & 296 video codecs
>>> Xlib: �extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>>> Xlib: �extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>>> Xlib: �extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>>> Xlib: �extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>>> Xlib: �extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>>> Xlib: �extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>>> Xlib: �extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>>> Xlib: �extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>>> Xlib: �extension "Generic Event Extension" missing on display ":0.0".
>>>
>>> Playing pvr://.
>>> [v4l2] select channel list us-bcast, entries 82
>>> [v4l2] Switch to user station channel: � � � �3 - freq: � �61250 -
>>> station:
>>> [pvr] Using device /dev/video-pvr350
>>> [pvr] Detected Hauppauge WinTV PVR-350
>>> [v4l2] Available video inputs: '#0, Tuner 1' '#1, S-Video 1' '#2,
>>> Composite 1' '#3, S-Video 2' '#4, Composite 2' '#5, Composite 3'
>>> [v4l2] Available audio inputs: '#0, Tuner 1' '#1, Line In 1' '#2, Line In
>>> 2'
>>> [v4l2] Available norms: '#0, NTSC' '#1, NTSC-M' '#2, NTSC-M-JP' '#3,
>>> NTSC-M-KR' '#4, NTSC-443' '#5, PAL' '#6, PAL-BG' '#7, PAL-H' '#8, PAL-I'
>>> '#9, PAL-DK' '#10, PAL-M' '#11, PAL-N' '#12, PAL-Nc' '#13, PAL-60' '#14,
>>> SECAM' '#15, SECAM-B' '#16, SECAM-G' '#17, SECAM-H' '#18, SECAM-DK' '#19,
>>> SECAM-L' '#20, SECAM-Lc'
>>> [v4l2] Frequency 61250 already set.
>>> [v4l2] Video input: Tuner 1
>>> [v4l2] Audio input: Tuner 1
>>> [v4l2] Norm: NTSC-M.
>>> Cache fill: �0.00% (0 bytes)
>>
>>
>> And it just sits there.... durp.
>>
>> Maybe I'm better off trying one of the pcHDTV cards in NTSC|Composite
>> mode.
>
>
> Maybe try using v4l2-ctl (or whatever it's called) to tune the channel, then
> just use cat or dd to record from /dev/video*
>

My PVR150 has a composite in and I simply use cat /dev/video0
>file.mpeg, after setting the inputs correctly with v4l2-ctl
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bkamen at benjammin

May 23, 2012, 8:41 PM

Post #10 of 14 (815 views)
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Re: Using PVR-350 to record old VCR video [In reply to]

On 2012-05-23 6:48 PM, Michael T. Dean wrote:
>
> Maybe try using v4l2-ctl (or whatever it's called) to tune the channel, then just use cat or dd to record from /dev/video*

Did that -- I get a 0byte length file.

In other news, if I put the composite video on the pcHDTV-5500 card (I have 2, both do the same thing) - I get pretty bad video... but on the tuner of the pcHDTV, I do get video that looks pretty close to the original format minus the conversion from the capture format of the card to what mencoder dumps out.. (which looks to require a lot of tweaking)

but once I go back to trying the PVR-350... mencoder either complains it can't open the demuxer or mplayer just sits at that same deal.

v4l2-ctl let's me to stuff to the card, but it doesn't help. (although --log-status shows some interesting stuff... )

Thanks for the help though - I can see Myth isn't trying to commandeer the card anyway. (and I shut down the backend just to be sure anyway)

-Ben
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gordon.mccrae at gmail

May 24, 2012, 12:17 AM

Post #11 of 14 (823 views)
Permalink

Re: Using PVR-350 to record old VCR video [In reply to]

On 24/05/12 04:41, Ben Kamen wrote:
> On 2012-05-23 6:48 PM, Michael T. Dean wrote:
>>
>> Maybe try using v4l2-ctl (or whatever it's called) to tune the
>> channel, then just use cat or dd to record from /dev/video*
>
> Did that -- I get a 0byte length file.
>
> In other news, if I put the composite video on the pcHDTV-5500 card (I
> have 2, both do the same thing) - I get pretty bad video... but on the
> tuner of the pcHDTV, I do get video that looks pretty close to the
> original format minus the conversion from the capture format of the
> card to what mencoder dumps out.. (which looks to require a lot of
> tweaking)
>
> but once I go back to trying the PVR-350... mencoder either complains
> it can't open the demuxer or mplayer just sits at that same deal.
>
> v4l2-ctl let's me to stuff to the card, but it doesn't help. (although
> --log-status shows some interesting stuff... )
>
> Thanks for the help though - I can see Myth isn't trying to commandeer
> the card anyway. (and I shut down the backend just to be sure anyway)
>
>
If you run "v4l2-ctl -n" this will list the available inputs like:

Input : 0
Name : Tuner 1

Input : 1
Name : S-Video 1

Input : 2
Name : Composite 1

etc.

Then you put the following in a script (let's call it "record").

v4l2-ctl -i 1
Minutes=$1
Seconds=`expr ${Minutes} \* 60`
File="/tmp/`date '+%s'`.mpg"
cat /dev/video0 > "${File}" &
PID=$!
echo "Wait ${Minutes} minutes for programme to end..."
sleep ${Seconds}
kill ${PID}

run the script with "record 1" and it will record one minute of video
from the desired input.

This is the script I used a couple of years back to record old home
videos via my PVR-250. I use the SVideo input (1), but if you want to
use composite, just use "v4l2-ctl -i 2". If you need to use the RF tuner
use "v4l-ctl -i 0" and you'll also need to set the frequency using
"v4l2-ctl -f FREQUENCY".

Cheers
Gordon

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bkamen at benjammin

May 24, 2012, 8:27 AM

Post #12 of 14 (813 views)
Permalink

Re: Using PVR-350 to record old VCR video [In reply to]

On Thu May 24 07:17:03 UTC 2012, Gordon McCrae wrote:
>
> Input : 0
> Name : Tuner 1
>
> Input : 1
> Name : S-Video 1
>
> Input : 2
> Name : Composite 1
>
> etc.
>
> Then you put the following in a script (let's call it "record").
>
> v4l2-ctl -i 1
> Minutes=$1
> Seconds=`expr ${Minutes} \* 60`
> File="/tmp/`date '+%s'`.mpg"
> cat /dev/video0 > "${File}" &
> PID=$!
> echo "Wait ${Minutes} minutes for programme to end..."
> sleep ${Seconds}
> kill ${PID}
>
> run the script with "record 1" and it will record one minute of video
> from the desired input.
>
> This is the script I used a couple of years back to record old home
> videos via my PVR-250. I use the SVideo input (1), but if you want to
> use composite, just use "v4l2-ctl -i 2". If you need to use the RF tuner
> use "v4l-ctl -i 0" and you'll also need to set the frequency using
> "v4l2-ctl -f FREQUENCY".

I did a lot of this manually via mencoder, but I'll try this too.

Thanks,

-Ben

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pc-mythtv08a at crowcastle

May 24, 2012, 2:01 PM

Post #13 of 14 (803 views)
Permalink

Re: Using PVR-350 to record old VCR video [In reply to]

On 05/23/12 18:36, Ben Kamen wrote:
> I've long since removed my PVR-350 from the config of the system --
> (ComCast no longer does "analog" ) but would like to transfer some old
> VCR tapes to .mpg format.

What I did was leave it in the configuration, but set the composite
input to connected to a dummy listing that only has channel 1, which I
named "VCR." Now I can do manual recording through Myth from the VCR,
which works better for me than doing it outside Myth.

I noted that my PVR-250 claims to have three composite inputs, which I
suspect are actually separate chroma and luminance, along with the full
composite, as one is junk and the other is black-and-white. Be sure you
select the correct input.
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mikep at randomtraveller

May 25, 2012, 4:39 AM

Post #14 of 14 (796 views)
Permalink

Re: Using PVR-350 to record old VCR video [In reply to]

On 24/05/12 22:01, Preston Crow wrote:
> On 05/23/12 18:36, Ben Kamen wrote:
>> I've long since removed my PVR-350 from the config of the system --
>> (ComCast no longer does "analog" ) but would like to transfer some old
>> VCR tapes to .mpg format.
>
> What I did was leave it in the configuration, but set the composite input to
> connected to a dummy listing that only has channel 1, which I named "VCR." Now I
> can do manual recording through Myth from the VCR, which works better for me
> than doing it outside Myth.
>
> I noted that my PVR-250 claims to have three composite inputs, which I suspect
> are actually separate chroma and luminance, along with the full composite, as
> one is junk and the other is black-and-white. Be sure you select the correct input.
>
The extra inputs are for an add-on back panel which plugs into the PVR-250. I'm
not sure what use this would be, as there is still only one decoder on board,
shared by everything. Perhaps ancient video editing suites.

--

Mike Perkins

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