Crazy hardware, can gbpvr customize guide data?

[daveg]

I have gbpvr all working great. Fantastic program!

I have a funky setup of hardware at my house: I have analog cable but I also have a dish for just tv japan. Since it is only one channel, I filter cable's 75-80 range at the point of entry to the house and inject the one channel into the main cable. This way any tv can tune to channel 77 (otherwise unused) and see a Japanese program.

While all this works great, obviously schedules direct hasn't a clue.

The lineup for dish network has the data for TV-Japan (ch 640).

What I want to do if possible is to get my regular cable lineup data + TV Japan (combining 2 schedules-direct lineups on one capture card) AND renumber 640 down to 77. I can uncheck everything else from the second lineup to prevent overlap if it helps.

I understand this is a lot. If it is possible though, I'd like to do it.

Is there a way (other than just waiting for digital fios)?

[sgilani]

Nothing crazy here, it's an easy thing to do

In SchedulesDirect, set up a channel lineup for Dish Network and select only TV Japan. Make sure you have another separate channel lineup for your cable channels.

In GB-PVR's Config, just make two channel sources. One for your Dish Network lineup (that will have only TV Japan), and the other for your cable channels. In the Dish Network channel source, after you have loaded the EPG and TV Japan shows up as channel 640, you can go ahead and edit the channel number in that window. This is the channel that GB-PVR attempts to tune. Just change it to 77, and GB-PVR will now know to tune your capture card to channel 77 to get this channel.

Then, after you've saved your capture sources, go to the "Channels" tab in the Config window and change the channel number for TV Japan in there to 77 also. This tells GB-PVR that you want to assign channel number 77 in the program to correspond to TV Japan.

.. and sit back and enjoy!

p.s. what sort of device are you using to inject this channel into your house wiring.. I assume an RF Modulator that lets you assign a channel.. can you tell me how much it costs and where you got it from?

[daveg]

I'll check.

The filters just got a lot cheaper in the last few years (less than $20) but the rf converter got more expensive. The rf box I am using is an older Radio Shack model that is no longer offered. I'll get a model number and maybe a shot of it when I get home tonight.

Be careful when shopping. Most converters only let you use channels 3 or 4. Very few consumer models offer settable channels in this range. This is weird though because I am told putting security or baby cameras on that range (75-80) is very common.

The one I have was given to me but I thought it sold for between $35 and $50 new.

Thank you so much for the pointers. My wife and in-laws will be delighted.

[sgilani]

cool, if you could get that info that'd be great since I'm trying to do something like that, but can't find anything locally that lets you assign the channel (besides 3 or 4 which I can't use in my setup)

Hope you like using GB-PVR!

[daveg]

But like I wrote, they don't sell them anymore. I am absolutely sure they didn't make them, just rebranded them. The OEM is some Chinese company that is still making them under another brand I'm sure. Anyway, here is a picture for comparison:



RS manual can be found here:
http://www.radioshack.com/graphics/uc/rs..._PM_EN.pdf

It works really well for all the TVs, the Hauppauge capture card takes a second or two to lock in colors but also works well (probably my setup). The surprise for me though was the notch filter. I used an LE368 from Control Cable for under $30. These used to cost a lot more.

I have no affiliation with either company, just happy to have the products.


Hope this helps. The solution for the program data works like a charm.

Separate note: I have used gbpvr for quite some time and recently tried Myth just to see what I was missing. Took a few days tweaking and came back. GBPVR rocks. Myth just doesn't have the fit & finish. Things here work without making you fight with them. Thanks to all involved with gbpvr!

[sgilani]

Thanks for the info, I'll see if I can track something down online.

Trust me, as you get more and more involved with everything GB-PVR has to offer, you'll wonder how you watched TV without it!

Enjoy the ride!

[soccerdad]

Try Smarthome.com for modulators and notch filters. They range from about $60 to hundreds depending on what you are looking for. I have the cheapest stereo one and it works great. Huge WAF.

[sgilani]

Yeah, I saw SmartHome and a few other sites with some modulators.. I've got some free channels so I shouldn't need a notch filter, but I'll use a directional coupler to make sure my modulated channel doesn't get broadcasted out to the neighborhood :p

[soccerdad]

FYI, I had open channels and did not think I would need a notch filter, but the cable sent trash in on them and the modulated channel looked like crud. The notch filter did wonders, and keeps the neighborhood from seeing my modulated streams of Americas funniest home videos.