• pvsage
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Topic: I seem to have gone and done something rash...

...I bought a Hauppauge USB TV stick.  A little Googling found several reviews saying this works well with MythTV, and lirc is supposed to play well with its remote control.

Now I find out that MythTV is not available in the official Debian repos.  It's in the debian-multimedia repo, but I understand we're supposed to avoid this repo due to a bug in ffmpeg.  Whatever.

The main reason I got the USB TV stick is to use my computer as a DVR, so do any of you guys know of something in the Debian repos that would be appropriate?  I don't need any network streaming or anything fancy, I just want something similar to a VCR.

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  • From: California, USA
  • Registered: 2008-11-29
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Re: I seem to have gone and done something rash...

Add the debian-multimedia repo, install mythtv, then remove the repo. If your ffmpeg gets upgraded, just downgrade it afterwards.

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  • pvsage
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Re: I seem to have gone and done something rash...

^ Or do what Omns suggested and just reference the non-free section of debian-multimedia.  (I suppose this suggestion assumes that the broken ffmpeg package in in the main section.)

It looks like MEncoder (part of the MPlayer package) may be an option; I've bookmarked a couple pages to look at once I receive my TV stick next week.

EDIT:  I just found out about freevo, which *is* in the Debian repos.  Maybe another good option.

Last edited by pvsage (2010-07-24 20:34:46)

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  • From: Scotland
  • Registered: 2009-12-29
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Re: I seem to have gone and done something rash...

You can lock ffmpeg via synaptic to it's current version. smile

  • Registered: 2009-05-08
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Re: I seem to have gone and done something rash...

Hello,

a really quick & simple vcr functionality:

just use "me-tv". Has scheduled recording function and one touch recording of the day's programmes on the stations you have loaded

  • pvsage
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Re: I seem to have gone and done something rash...

^ Thanks!  I'll try that one first when the stick arrives.

@bozhkov:  Thanks, but I'd prefer a solution that avoids locking in a specific version in case an improved version comes down the regular Debian software channel.

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  • From: Scotland
  • Registered: 2009-12-29
  • Posts: 330

Re: I seem to have gone and done something rash...

pvsage wrote:

^ Thanks!  I'll try that one first when the stick arrives.

@bozhkov:  Thanks, but I'd prefer a solution that avoids locking in a specific version in case an improved version comes down the regular Debian software channel.

At this point I doubt that. I mean the latest version - 0.6 is not yet in sid, just in experimental. smile

  • Registered: 2008-11-25
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Re: I seem to have gone and done something rash...

pvsage wrote:

Now I find out that MythTV is not available in the official Debian repos.  It's in the debian-multimedia repo, but I understand we're supposed to avoid this repo due to a bug in ffmpeg.  Whatever..

From memory I think you said that you don't use vlc so the ffmpeg bug probably won't effect you. I'd suggest following anonymous' advice. Install from Deban-multimedia main then uncomment the repo if you're worried about breakage. MythTV isn't in the non-free section of the Debian Multimedia so just using that repo isn't option smile

  • pvsage
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Re: I seem to have gone and done something rash...

Thanks omns, I was just experimenting with various sources.list stanzas a few minutes ago and noticed this.  If the version of ffmpeg isn't updated to the debian-multimedia one first, aptitude goes into conflict resolution mode. roll  So I'll try the stuff in the official repo first.

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  • Registered: 2009-02-09
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Re: I seem to have gone and done something rash...

What is this ffmpeg bug,,Ive had it installed since alpha 1 and havent had any issues with VLC.
or Mplayer.
I primarily use my computer for multi media type stuff like movies .
And also was looking at the Haupaug usb stick for the same reasons.
I had one in my vista days and didnt have great luck making it work with that,
but was hoping it worked in #!

  • pvsage
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Re: I seem to have gone and done something rash...

There's a short thread - about six months old - in the Video LAN forum where they make vague references to a bug in the debian-multimedia repo that "silently breaks" ffmpeg...whatever that means.  There are no specifics given there, and no suggested bug fixes other than "do not use debian-multimedia". roll

I've noticed no trouble with using the debian-multimedia version of ffmpeg at the command line...

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  • From: Santa Fe, NM, USA
  • Registered: 2009-09-14
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Re: I seem to have gone and done something rash...

About a month ago ... my display image of a video when running via VLC ... would 'scrunch' to the left side.  On all my saved videos.

I researched and found this link in VideoLAN about/warning to not use apps from the Debian Multi-Media repros. 
As noted, this link is about 6 months old.  Holpefully the Debian MultiMedia Devs have seen this and provided a fix/patch.
I also, searched and asked about a 'fix' in the Debian User Forum.

I just deleted and reinstalled "ffmpeg" from the #!repros . . . and everything has worked fine since.

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  • Registered: 2009-02-09
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Re: I seem to have gone and done something rash...

Im thinking it must be fixed.
I have the debian multi media repo and have since alpha 1.
I guess im just one lucky dude,,LOL

  • pvsage
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Re: I seem to have gone and done something rash...

Well, I've tried me-tv, freevo, and mythtv.  I've also installed ivtv-utils and lirc, hoping these would help me set up the TV stick.  So far it's just a big, steaming pile of fail. o.O

EDIT:  OK, now me-tv is at least picking up the ATSC channels in the cable feed.  It's still not seeing any QAM channels (I've read TWC puts some kind of filter on the line to keep anything but their DVR from seeing these?) and apparently me-tv can't handle the analog tuner. roll  Freevo and MythTV are still, well, fail.

Last edited by pvsage (2010-07-29 08:24:59)

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  • pvsage
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Re: I seem to have gone and done something rash...

TVTime works with the NTSC tuner (analog cable TV) but is deaf - no sound.

Looks like I'm returning this thing and buying some new VHS cassettes. sad  The only reason I bought the TV stick was because my old video tapes are getting worn out, and I wanted an excuse to get rid of my VCR.  My last Windows-based PC worked well with an ATI TV card, but that was with its own software.

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  • benj1
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Re: I seem to have gone and done something rash...

pvsage wrote:

TVTime works with the NTSC tuner (analog cable TV) but is deaf - no sound.

wouldn't that make it mute ?

I have lots of videos too, unfortunately not many players, my decent one broke, now im back to the 'relegated to the attic' one which is very noisy and doesn't have a remote, suppose i could upgrade my vid collection to dvd, but then ill have to upgrade to blueray eventually and then ill be forced to replace them all with 3dvd (see what i did there).... ad infinitum

thank goodness for pirate bay.

- - - - - - - - Wiki Pages - - - - - - -
#! install guide           *autostart programs, modify the menu & keybindings
configuring Conky       *installing scripts
  • pvsage
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Re: I seem to have gone and done something rash...

Well, basically I'm just talking about recording broadcasts while I'm at work, and since NTSC is still good enough for me in terms of programming, I suppose VHS is still good enough for recording...assuming the recording head itself hasn't gone south.

(EDIT:  A couple of the programs are on SyFy, so I guess I can go to their "rewind" page and let adblock plus get a workout.  The MythBusters and Dr. G episodes are another matter though.)

I meant that TVTime is deaf; the audio signal is there, but the app apparently isn't able to hear it.  (I suppose it's possible, however unlikely, that the NTSC tuner isn't decoding the audio channel, in which case the stick would be mute.)  But really, it's all just semantics.

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  • pvsage
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Re: I seem to have gone and done something rash...

Maybe I should have just bought a refurbished DVD+/-R recorder? hmm  I have my eye on a couple at Worst Buy that are being offered for about the same price as that TV stick...

...but maybe I should try installing MythBuntu as a dual-boot first...supposedly this specific stick works with MythTV if it's properly configured...

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