Is It Possible To Setup GB-PVR w/o a TVGuide/EPG?

[gusimio]

Hello all,

My wife and I are non-technical and we really just want to watch TV so is it possible to bypass the TV Guide and EPG setup options? If so, are the basic channels auto-detected or do we have to enter them manually and/or run the Tuning Assistant Utility? I did read the GB-PVR manual but I just didn't get a clear picture on how to accomplish a basic setup as described above so any help would really be appreciated.

Oh, and the TV Tuner card we're installing is an ATI 550 PRO PCI. Also, we live in North America and subscribe to a major cable company that serves South-Eastern Pennsylvania.


Thanks in advance for your help.

Best regards,

gusimio

[sub]

My wife and I are non-technical and we really just want to watch TV so is it possible to bypass the TV Guide and EPG setup options?

No, not really. The majority of GB-PVR is designed around the EPG, so you need channels and need channels to mapped etc.

There are lot of other apps out there that a better suited to simple TV watching. Apps like ChrisTV etc.

[gusimio]

Thank you again sub!

Best regards,

gusimio

[Deusxmachina]

I feel dumb for saying it since if anyone would know, it's sub, but can't the auto-tuner take care of that? I could've sworn after auto-tuning ATSC channels I could watch them just fine before putting the EPG data in, as well as when I had EPG problems later and the guide would be empty.

The EPG line on the capture source tab wouldn't let me not put an EPG source in except for one of the options that let me bypass it. I see the new version has a "none" option listed, although I don't want to mess with my EPG to try it.

Although that then creates the question of why is a "none" option listed under EPG source?

[sub]

Although that then creates the question of why is a "none" option listed under EPG source?

For people manually adding a fake 'svideo' or 'composite' channel so they chan recording from a VCR etc.

[zaphod7501]

Hello all,

My wife and I are non-technical and we really just want to watch TV so is it possible to bypass the TV Guide and EPG setup options? If so, are the basic channels auto-detected or do we have to enter them manually and/or run the Tuning Assistant Utility? I did read the GB-PVR manual but I just didn't get a clear picture on how to accomplish a basic setup as described above so any help would really be appreciated.

Yes you can, but there are probably only a few of us who do it this way.
The tuning assistant is only for digital tuners as far as I understand it.
You will have to add all channels manually that you want to tune but it's by the standard cable channel numbers. If you have a set-top-box then it's a little different. (http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...ht=ati+550) You will not be able to go to a guide and select the channel you want to watch or record, you will have to (basically) cycle through the ones you have set up.

You will have to add the tuner as a capture device, with the EPG source set to 'none', then manually add the channels that you want to view or record. If you set up a manual recording you can enter the times by digits as well as the obvious left/right arrow. (which moves by 15 minute increments)

A manual setup works best as a background recorder with other applications used for playback. (or something like a MediaMVP connected to a TV, which has a user friendly interface)

[Paul Shirley]

Although that then creates the question of why is a "none" option listed under EPG source?

I currently have 3 of my 4 DVBT tuners set to 'none', it stops gbpvr fetching the Freeview EPG 4 times and seems to work OK. Whether its a good idea is an open question but there doesn't seem much info on how to set this up properly.

[Deusxmachina]

With Zap2it changing things up today and losing my EPG, figured I'd take the opportunity to test what I thought I did in the past for no EPG with ATSC.

Tried setting the EPG to "none," but that didn't work.

Set the EPG capture source to "DVB EPG".
Pressed "map channels"
GBPVR autoscanned the channels, and I checkmarked the ones I wanted
GBPVR asked if I then wanted to input my DVB EPG source. "No."

All the autoscanned channels then appear under the capture source, I didn't input any EPG, my TV Guide shows channel numbers and "no show details" for the shows, and I can watch TV on any channel. I pressed "empty EPG" to test and it still worked.

This is what I did when first trying GBPVR and couldn't get the EPG to work. I don't know if there's anything special about my card or setup or local channels or what.