Qam.ini Manager

zehd · 2008-12-12, 06:42 PM

So I have this idea.

What if we scan for channels, and for every channels that's working, create a fake EPG channel listing. This could be a temporary listing, as the channel may not last.

QAM1, QAM2, QAM3 ~ 10

Manually:

Create xmltv file
Open scanning, find a channel that is working, connect it to a listing channel.

Problem is you don't know what channels to create for the fake xmltv.

I guess one could make a fake epg of 10 channels, and you just connect the temp QAM channel to one of the slots, and enable that channel... But then the channel would not have specific identifiers, You'd have to remember superchannel is in QAM1, PBS is in QAM2, etc...

It's like a chicken and the egg thing. You need a epg before you map, and you need a scan to know what channels you want to add to your EPG...

Or: Load a fake EPG, QAM1, QAM2, etc, then map to found channels
Then read the mapping from the database, and change the Channel Name to something more indicative of what the channel is. Restart service, and TV Guide now shows your new temp QAM channels... No guide information though

Any way, I'm talking about this here, as it does seem like something that would work with the QAM manager, though more than simple coding...

zehd · 2008-12-12, 06:44 PM

pcostanza Wrote:I fear the same for me in the near future. What happens to the Yule log after Christmas? Live Bingo?

I'm hoping to get my testing all done for the Christmas deadline.

hmm, maybe I should go shopping instead

whurlston · 2008-12-12, 06:54 PM

zehd Wrote:So I have this idea.

Oh Gee thanks. What, I don't have enough to do? :p

It's actually a good idea. The simplest thing would be to create an xml file with the fake channels. Then someone could just switch their EPG lineup.

zehd · 2008-12-12, 07:08 PM

whurlston Wrote:Oh Gee thanks. What, I don't have enough to do? :p

It's actually a good idea. The simplest thing would be to create an xml file with the fake channels. Then someone could just switch their EPG lineup.

I already have code for making a fake EPG, when that troll was asking for someone to write sometghing custom, and willing to pay (He didn't of course, teaching me to use timebombs)

So, I'll do something..

So currently, the quickest way to scan QAM channels and count new unencrypted channels is through the config | Scan channels ?

Is there some way we could do that outside of GB-PVR like as in a TSR, and it could auto update an xmltv file or something...?

zehd · 2008-12-12, 07:20 PM

I don't suppose sub wants to split off some code and make a standalone Channel scanner...

We could run that outside of GB-PVR and then I could read the new scan.cache file, and create an XMLTV file to suit, enable the channels (to display in TV Guide) and then update the EPG

If the scanner had a GUI and preview, we could double check to see whether we wanted the channels included in the fake EPG xmltv...

And then, we could make a standing list of Digital Channels and their frequencies, and any time a channel becomes clear, we could set the EPG to download that channels guide...

zehd · 2008-12-13, 01:51 AM

Well, as far as hijakx go this is a doozy. It's also funny that as I google for more information on making a QAM scanner, that this thread appears in the first 10 hits.

Which proves that we all inherently have the answers to all our questions...

OK, here's what I think:

* Need to download a complete list of all digital channels from provider. Add the list to Channels table, so that the list has been placed in the correct order, but don't enable any of the channels...
* Need to somehow find online (or by trial and error, manuallY) a corresponding frequency for each Channel in the list. Store that in a list file
* Scan channels. Detect all Clear QAM channels.
* Compare frequency to list to get corresonding Cable Channel. Add that channel to INCLUDE list for an EPG grabber.
* Download only the listing for channels that are detected Clear. There will be some frequencies that do not have a correspoding Channel (Hidden Channel), make a fake Channel assignment for that hidden channel
* Enable the channels that are now clear. Update the EPG.
* Now GB-PVR shows the new Clear QAM channels. The ones that are no longer clear, are no longer visible, and no further epg data is being downloaded...

The result: A automatic program that will scan, detect new clear QAM. channels, download the guide info, if available, and update. It could be run often...

I just know that after I build this in proof of concept, whurlstons gonna write a one line code snippet that does this at light speed...

I need a scanner that gives me frequencies, indicating which ones should be clear. It should be external to GB-PVR
A list of Frequencies=Local Digital TV channel Numbers and Callsign as displayed by EPG data

Oh, and somewhere in there, we'll use QAM ini Manager...

whurlston · 2008-12-13, 02:54 AM

Not to rain on your parade but this has already been done for the most part by Silicondust. The problem is that it requires participation from at least one person in each cable market. If someone stops participating, the information becomes outdated and therefore unreliable. There's also the issue that when a cable company moves channels, it may take a day or two to update the master files.

I think that a much better idea would be a program that loads the scan.cache file from GBPVR along with the list of channels from the EPG and has a large preview window. You simply select the channel from the GBPVR scan, view it in the preview window and once you identify it, select it from the list of EPG channels. The program will then update the scan.cache entry with the new name, and insert the tuning string into the database.

This would be much easier to accomplish, more reliable and we have most of the code already between sub, the qam.ini manager and the BDA channel migration tool.

zehd · 2008-12-13, 05:18 AM

whurlston Wrote:Not to rain on your parade but this has already been done for the most part by Silicondust. The problem is that it requires participation from at least one person in each cable market. If someone stops participating, the information becomes outdated and therefore unreliable. There's also the issue that when a cable company moves channels, it may take a day or two to update the master files.

I think that a much better idea would be a program that loads the scan.cache file from GBPVR along with the list of channels from the EPG and has a large preview window. You simply select the channel from the GBPVR scan, view it in the preview window and once you identify it, select it from the list of EPG channels. The program will then update the scan.cache entry with the new name, and insert the tuning string into the database.

This would be much easier to accomplish, more reliable and we have most of the code already between sub, the qam.ini manager and the BDA channel migration tool.

Sounds good. I'll buy 5

mhetman · 2008-12-13, 01:48 PM

pcostanza Wrote:You need to run the map channel scans in config each time you select one of the buttons.

When I bring up Qam.ini manager and hit one of the buttons, it brightens briefly and nothing else. I then hit the Map digital channels to EPG channels button, it brings up Digital Channel Mapping window and locks with a Microsoft .NET Framework window.

In the window it says:

"..Unhandled exception has occurred in your application. If you click continue the application will ignore this error and attempt to continue. If you click quit the application will close immediately.

Attempted to read or write proteccted memory. This is often an indication that other memory is corrupt...."

When I hit continue, I get ...

GB-PVR was unable to start BDA device you have configured. Check the device is configured properly, and not already in use.

My system is Vista Ultimate 32 bit and I am working with GB-PVR v1.3.7.I am trying to set it up with HDHomeRUN and I have a FIOS as my provider. When I run HDHomerun Setup with my scan I get 150 channels and can view them fine using VLC Media Player. My tuners are setup for digital cable and GB-PVR. On my GB-PVR Configuration, I have BDA Recording Plugin, XML TV Plugin and added the code for HDHomerun in my BDa.ini file and have Tuning_Type=ATSC and Tuning_Special=1 uncommented out. Any ideas to try out next would be greatly appreciated.

whurlston · 2008-12-13, 07:46 PM

mhetman Wrote:When I bring up Qam.ini manager and hit one of the buttons, it brightens briefly and nothing else.

This is by design. It writes the file pretty much instantly so I only pop up a message box if it was unsuccessful.

mhetman Wrote:I then hit the Map digital channels to EPG channels button, it brings up Digital Channel Mapping window and locks with a Microsoft .NET Framework window.

This won't be related to the QAM.ini Manager but zip and post your config logs and I'll take a look.