[linux-dvb] Re: skystar2 question #2

[Roberto Ragusa <mail@robertoragusa.it>]

On Fri, 30 Jul 2004 21:40:24 +0200
Sascha Retzki <lantis@iqranet.info> wrote:

> Ok, Thanks to the replies, I got it working ( still don't know why I
> must modprobe modules seperatly that depends on each other (?)). 

I have these lines in /etc/modprobe.conf (fedora core 2 with kernel 2.6.7)
and the modules are automatically loaded.

  alias char-major-250-* skystar2
  install skystar2 { /sbin/modprobe mt312; } ; /sbin/modprobe --first-time --ignore-install skystar2
  remove skystar2 /sbin/modprobe -r --first-time --ignore-remove skystar2 && { /sbin/modprobe -r mt312; /bin/true; }


> 1.) SkyStar2 ( b2c2 ) seems to have no MPeg2 encoder, right ? At least
> xine stdin://mpeg2 </dev/dvb/adapter0/dvr0 does not work, but enabling
> dvb in the latest lib and pressing the knob works. But sometimes, the
> switching of the channels behaves odd and/or leads in crashes of xine.
> Custom channel.conf, can that be the reason ?

Hmm, maybe you mean decoder?
Anyway, there is no encoder and no decoder. MPEG2 comes digitally via
satellite and is available for applications.
For example if you tune your channel with
  szap -r myfavouritechannel
and leave this command running
you can then use
  mplayer -cache 3000 /dev/dvb/adapter0/dvr0
or xine (I don't remember the syntax) to watch the MPEG2.

> 2.) How do I generally record ? As I read somewhere that VDR needs
> oncard mpeg2 encoder (?); Starting VDR results in:

You can record (MPEG2 transport stream) by using for example
  cat /dev/dvb/adapter0/dvr0 >myrecording.ts


> root@darkstar:~ # vdr
> _
> and nothing more ( _ is the cursor ;) ). stracing it results in
> nanosleep() .... .

Using vdr with a Skystar2 is not simple, because vdr wants an MPEG2
decoder by default (and uses OSD as user interface).

There are some plugins to use a software decoder, for example xine.
You need to compile vdr and the plugin from source, use
'vdr -Pxine' and run xine with a special syntax to decode the MPEG2
and display the OSD.


> Sorry that I use User-Questions on a Developers list, if that is
> depreciated.

vdr has its own mailing list.


-- 
   Roberto Ragusa    mail at robertoragusa.it