OTA Channels in North Vancouver

Post date: Jan 5, 2010 2:34:20 AM

I have recently been configuring two different TV Tuner cards (DVB cards) to get my TV in Ubuntu Linux. Both Hauppauge cards:

• WinTV HVR-950 a USB hybrid ATSC/NTSC
• HVR-1600 a PCI based ATSC/NTSC with a FM tuner (the OEM model 1101 )

both worked right off after I obtained the firmware.

The HVR-1600 has a separate input for Digital (ATSC), Analog (NTSC) , and FM Radio.I used a splitter to feed the Digital and Analog inputs since I have only 1 antenna. See picture to the right - Top is Digital tuner, Middle is NTSC, and bottom is FM tuner.I am using them to tune over the air channels in North Vancouver (mainly the HDTV channels available).The one thing that took a bit of playing was the channel file that holds the frequencies of the stations available.I used w_scan to get a list of the local DIGITAL frequencies using the following: w_scan -f t -A 1 -c CA -X > channels.confMy channels.conf file looks like:

OMNI-DT:509000000:VSB_8:481:482:1

Global-DT:521000000:VSB_8:49:52:1

CIVT-DT:587000000:VSB_8:33:36:2

Citytv Vancouver:671000000:VSB_8:33:36:2

KVOS-DT:599000000:VSB_8:1937:1940:121

Vancouver HD:737000000:VSB_8:129:132:8

I the updated the Call signs to be more readable.

NOTE: I also had to change the 'VSB_8' to '8VSB' to make it understood by VLC.

My working Vancouver channels.conf file looks like:

OMNI-DT:509000000:8VSB:481:482:1

Global-DT:521000000:8VSB:49:52:1

CTV-DT:587000000:8VSB:33:36:2

Citytv:671000000:8VSB:33:36:2

KVOS-DT:599000000:8VSB:1937:1940:121

CBC-HD:737000000:8VSB:129:132:8

CBC, CTV and Global are in High Def! Wow The Simpsons in Hi-def is awesome.

I use VLC to watch TV with the command

vlc -vvv channels.conf

To go straight to a channel from the command line use (CBC)

vlc atsc:// :dvb-frequency=737000000 :dvb-modulation=8VSB --program=8

The channels.conf to commandline syntax was found in the VLC forums post...

http://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=66311&p=248500#p220983

Basically if the channels.conf line is

MY_CHANNEL_NAME:nnnnnnnnn:8VSB:xx:yy:p

The vlc commandlione is:

vlc atsc:// :dvb-frequency=nnnnnnnnn :dvb-adapter=0 :dvb-srate=0 :dvb-modulation=8VSB --program=p

I also have MythTV 0.22 installed and recording fine!

Right now I am using a roof antenna, however I am planning to build a Modified Gray Hoverman.

Take a look at how easy and cheap it is to build. These people at digitalhome.ca really know their stuff and have shared a tonne of good info.

Lots of pictures.

I think I am going to build a GH8.

I will post pictures here when I get it built.