MacPorts Install problem

For discussion of topics specific to MythTV on OSX
BradleyinDC
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Re: MacPorts Install problem

Post by BradleyinDC »

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pvr4me
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Re: MacPorts Install problem

Post by pvr4me »

BradleyinDC wrote:
Thu Sep 22, 2022 6:43 pm
Since context seems to matter, here goes.

I have had this for I don't know how many years
https://www.woot.com/offers/pinnacle-tv ... ck-for-mac
(actually, not exactly that, but close--mine also includes the antenna that plugs in and it has a 3-in-1 adapter (S-video, yellow video and I forget the other, audio?) that plugs in the side of it not using the coax side).
Similar to this
http://www.manifest-tech.com/images/pc_ ... daptor.jpg

Basically, this, I think, but for Mac
https://www.newegg.com/pinnacle-pctv-hd ... 6815144002

I used this to watch TV on my laptop (especially when traveling) and liked it a lot. Only a very few times did I ever record with it.
EyeTV stopped supporting it a while ago so I forgot about it.

Covid decluttering found lots of old stuff. "The internet" suggested MythTV would work (there were other Linux suggestions, but those aren't for me, as anyone reading this thread can figure out).

I have some, let's say, "legacy" media that I want to digitalize (interviews with now deceased relatives, etc.). I have this stick and something else to convert those (that also used a 32-bit software program that doesn't still work). As long as I was going to try to get one of them to work, I would much rather get the one that works for more than one thing (DOTA TV and legacy media conversion).

I cut the cable cord a long time ago and have an antenna on the roof with lots of DOTA channels. I use TitanTV (Share Token: oQvqkhx7TZddL3343Xvj!MCiGT8oWjBti3OxSC4Bz9OfuqtXmVF38Q) as my channel guide. EyeTV used to use that for me, but it isn't mission critical that MythTV does (it's an open tab on my laptop browser).
Unless someone has written a 'driver' to access your Pinnacle stick as an External Tuner, it will NOT work with Myth on macOS. The Linux versions of Myth use the "Video for Linux" system (V4L) to interface with a variety of tuner devices. V4L does not run on other operating systems so Mac (and Windows, etc) cannot access the same devices. The Silicondust people provided methods to access their HDHomerun tuner boxes that DO work on various operating systems. The bottom line is that I have never heard of anyone using anything except an HDHomerun with Myth on Mac.

On the SourceForge page that you downloaded the all-in-one installer from, the third paragraph says "Myth on OS X works primarily with HDHomerun tuners from Silicondust."

Note that an HDHomerun device will NOT support the legacy media conversion that you mentioned.

You could set up a tiny Linux box somewhere on your network to run Myth Backend (and the database server) and connect your Pinnacle stick to it. (I presume it is supported but you ought to verify that.) Then you could use any Mac connected to the network to schedule and play recordings. It sounds like that is not something you would be interested in, however.

AFAICT, your current plan is unworkable. Either you need a different tuner device or a different backend system or possibly an entirely different approach. Up to you.

Craig
Formerly the MacPorts guy.
BradleyinDC
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Re: MacPorts Install problem

Post by BradleyinDC »

pvr4me wrote:
Thu Sep 22, 2022 9:01 pm

Unless someone has written a 'driver' to access your Pinnacle stick as an External Tuner, it will NOT work with Myth on macOS. The Linux versions of Myth use the "Video for Linux" system (V4L) to interface with a variety of tuner devices. V4L does not run on other operating systems so Mac (and Windows, etc) cannot access the same devices. The Silicondust people provided methods to access their HDHomerun tuner boxes that DO work on various operating systems. The bottom line is that I have never heard of anyone using anything except an HDHomerun with Myth on Mac.

AFAICT, your current plan is unworkable. Either you need a different tuner device or a different backend system or possibly an entirely different approach. Up to you.

Craig
Thanks. Not the answer I was looking for. I have found drivers for Windows and Linux, but not OSX.

http://rolandtanglao.com/2019/10/29/p1- ... ia-portal/

http://www.pctvsystems.com/tabid/62/def ... fault.aspx

https://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/ ... ick_(800e)
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jhoyt
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Re: MacPorts Install problem

Post by jhoyt »

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I agree with Craig's assessment. Without getting a new recorder, your current path is unworkable.

It appears long ago Pinnacle left the macOS platform for this device. Without a working application that can be commanded via command line, mythbackend will not be able to interact with the card, even with the "External Recorder" setup.

If you truly want to get this up and running, Craig's recommendation of a HDHomerun device is a good one as they are supported by MythTV and other services (i.e. Plex).
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jhoyt
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Re: MacPorts Install problem

Post by jhoyt »

Just a side note - I picked myself up an HDHomeRun Flex Duo this week and it was a piece of cake to get running with a working mythbackend (as Craig states, I'm running a linux backend). I'd highly recommend this route (or the 4 tuner variant) if you're still trying to get an antenna based recorder working.
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