Channels recognize by w_scan on Ubuntu, not recognized by mythtv-setup channel scan

[Xbox4355]

I just set up a mythtv backend in Ubuntu, and I I can receive almost all my channels after doing a channel scan with mythv-setup. My problem is there are 4 or 5 channels (the sports channels) that I want to use with my pvr, but they aren't recognized when I do a full scan with mythtv-setup. I'm hoping someone in these forums can help me add these channels using mythtv-setup, or explain how to manually add them to the database for use with my pvr.

After reading some guides online, I used w_scan to generate initial tuning data which I then used to create a channels.conf with dvbscan and then tune to ESPN using mplayer. I tried manually adding the channel using the channel editor with no luck. My apartment gets straight-from-the-wall digital cable that as far as I know is unencrypted.

When comparing the output of w_scan czap/xine channels.conf file to the output of w_scan mplayer channels.conf file (they are similar formats but seem to have a different syntax), I noticed a difference between the channels that are recognized by mythtv-setup and those that aren't. Here is my channels.conf generated by dvbscan.

Code: Select all

ESPN_02:477000000:QAM_256:5365:5366:5
TELEFUT:477000000:QAM_256:5369:5370:11
ESPN2_0:477000000:QAM_256:5376:5377:13
FSNMW_0:477000000:QAM_256:5367:5368:15
TWC_02:477000000:QAM_256:5385:5386:17
LMN:477000000:QAM_256:5372:5373:25
TCM:477000000:QAM_256:5378:5379:27
FSPLUS_:477000000:QAM_256:5380:5381:29
Hall:507000000:QAM_256:4921:4922:1
Fam:507000000:QAM_256:4932:4933:5
Com:507000000:QAM_256:4926:4927:7
DSC:507000000:QAM_256:4928:4929:11
FNC:507000000:QAM_256:4943:4944:13
RFD:507000000:QAM_256:4941:4942:17
TLC:507000000:QAM_256:4935:4936:19
WE:507000000:QAM_256:4946:4947:21
BTN:507000000:QAM_256:4924:4925:25
SEC:507000000:QAM_256:4948:4949:27
Oxy:507000000:QAM_256:4938:4939:9
FX:513000000:QAM_256:4460:4461:1
Golf:513000000:QAM_256:4450:4451:3
ETV:513000000:QAM_256:4445:4446:5
NBCS:513000000:QAM_256:4434:4435:7
FS1:513000000:QAM_256:4452:4453:9
Univ:513000000:QAM_256:4443:4444:11
BET:513000000:QAM_256:4448:4449:13
Bravo:513000000:QAM_256:4437:4438:15
CNBC:513000000:QAM_256:4457:4458:17
APL:513000000:QAM_256:4431:4432:19
USA:513000000:QAM_256:4475:4476:21
Trav:513000000:QAM_256:4440:4441:23
ESPNU:513000000:QAM_256:4455:4456:25
CNN:519000000:QAM_256:6946:6947:1
HLN:519000000:QAM_256:6939:6940:3
TOON:519000000:QAM_256:6951:6952:5
TBS:519000000:QAM_256:6948:6949:7
TNT:519000000:QAM_256:6926:6927:9
SPIKE:519000000:QAM_256:6929:6930:11
TVLAND:519000000:QAM_256:6944:6945:13
CMT:519000000:QAM_256:6936:6937:15
MTV:519000000:QAM_256:6954:6955:17
NICK:519000000:QAM_256:6941:6942:19
MSNBC:519000000:QAM_256:6931:6932:21
truTV:519000000:QAM_256:6933:6934:23
FOOD:525000000:QAM_256:4139:4140:1
HGTV:525000000:QAM_256:4158:4159:3
DSNYJR:525000000:QAM_256:4161:4162:5
DSNY:525000000:QAM_256:4133:4134:7
TELE:525000000:QAM_256:4212:4213:99
AE:525000000:QAM_256:4151:4152:11
HIST:525000000:QAM_256:4154:4155:13
VH1:525000000:QAM_256:4164:4165:15
LIFE:525000000:QAM_256:4136:4137:17
ESPCL:525000000:QAM_256:4148:4149:19
SYFY:525000000:QAM_256:4144:4145:21
AMC:525000000:QAM_256:4167:4168:23
WGN:525000000:QAM_256:4131:4132:25
KCWI-HD:561000000:QAM_256:4700:4701:4
Escape:561000000:QAM_256:4737:4738:5
Bounce:561000000:QAM_256:4703:4704:6
ION:561000000:QAM_256:4781:4782:3
KCCI-SD:567000000:QAM_256:3927:3928:6
KCCI-MY:567000000:QAM_256:3924:3925:12
KCCI-HD:567000000:QAM_256:3930:3931:4
WHO-HD :567000000:QAM_256:3937:3938:2
WHO-DT :567000000:QAM_256:3933:3934:8
WHO-DT :567000000:QAM_256:3935:3936:10
WHO-DT4:567000000:QAM_256:3940:3941:66
IPTV1:573000000:QAM_256:3938:3939:2
IPTV4:573000000:QAM_256:3935:3936:8
IPTV3:573000000:QAM_256:3932:3933:10
WOI-HD:573000000:QAM_256:3929:3930:4
Laff:573000000:QAM_256:3927:3928:6
IPTV2:573000000:QAM_256:3943:3941:14
Grit:573000000:QAM_256:3944:3945:11
Cozi:573000000:QAM_256:3946:3947:13
KDSM-DT:597000000:QAM_256:3746:3747:4
Comet:597000000:QAM_256:3742:3743:44
Charge!:597000000:QAM_256:3749:3750:8
TBD:597000000:QAM_256:3744:3745:6

When compared to the czap/xine channels.conf generated by w_scan, there seems to be additional information for the channels that mythtv-setup does not recognize with its built-in scan. Note that I can receive almost all these channels using mplayer, but I can't figure out how to add ESPN,ESPN2, FS1, or FSNMW to the database for use with my frontend. I can't find anywhere online that shows the syntax of this output, but I noticed that the channels that mythtv-setup does not recognize seem to have extra attributes than the ones it does recognize.

Code: Select all

ESPN_02;(null):477000:M256:A:0:5365=2:0;5366:0:4749:5:0:0:0
TELEFUT;(null):477000:M256:A:0:5369=2:0;5370,5371:0:0:11:0:0:0
ESPN2_0;(null):477000:M256:A:0:5376=2:0;5377:0:4749:13:0:0:0
FSNMW_0;(null):477000:M256:A:0:5367=2:0;5368:0:4749:15:0:0:0
TWC_02;(null):477000:M256:A:0:5385=2:0;5386:0:0:17:0:0:0
LMN;(null):477000:M256:A:0:5372=2:0;5373:0:0:25:0:0:0
TCM;(null):477000:M256:A:0:5378=2:0;5379:0:0:27:0:0:0
FSPLUS_;(null):477000:M256:A:0:5380=2:0;5381:0:4749:29:0:0:0
Hall;(null):507000:M256:A:0:4921=2:0;4922:0:0:1:0:0:0
Fam;(null):507000:M256:A:0:4932=2:0;4933:0:4749:5:0:0:0
Com;(null):507000:M256:A:0:4926=2:0;4927:0:0:7:0:0:0
DSC;(null):507000:M256:A:0:4928=2:0;4929,4984:0:0:11:0:0:0
FNC;(null):507000:M256:A:0:4943=2:0;4944:0:0:13:0:0:0
RFD;(null):507000:M256:A:0:4941=2:0;4942:0:0:17:0:0:0
TLC;(null):507000:M256:A:0:4935=2:0;4936:0:0:19:0:0:0
WE;(null):507000:M256:A:0:4946=2:0;4947:0:0:21:0:0:0
BTN;(null):507000:M256:A:0:4924=2:0;4925:0:4749:25:0:0:0
SEC;(null):507000:M256:A:0:4948=2:0;4949:0:4749:27:0:0:0
Oxy;(null):507000:M256:A:0:4938=2:0;4939:0:4749:9:0:0:0
FX;(null):513000:M256:A:0:4460=2:0;4461:0:4749:1:0:0:0
Golf;(null):513000:M256:A:0:4450=2:0;4451:0:4749:3:0:0:0
ETV;(null):513000:M256:A:0:4445=2:0;4446:0:0:5:0:0:0
NBCS;(null):513000:M256:A:0:4434=2:0;4435:0:0:7:0:0:0
FS1;(null):513000:M256:A:0:4452=2:0;4453:0:4749:9:0:0:0
Univ;(null):513000:M256:A:0:4443=2:0;4444:0:0:11:0:0:0
BET;(null):513000:M256:A:0:4448=2:0;4449:0:0:13:0:0:0
Bravo;(null):513000:M256:A:0:4437=2:0;4438:0:0:15:0:0:0
CNBC;(null):513000:M256:A:0:4457=2:0;4458:0:0:17:0:0:0
APL;(null):513000:M256:A:0:4431=2:0;4432:0:0:19:0:0:0
USA;(null):513000:M256:A:0:4475=2:0;4476,4507:0:0:21:0:0:0
Trav;(null):513000:M256:A:0:4440=2:0;4441:0:4749:23:0:0:0
ESPNU;(null):513000:M256:A:0:4455=2:0;4456:0:4749:25:0:0:0
CNN;(null):519000:M256:A:0:6946=2:0;6947:0:0:1:0:0:0
HLN;(null):519000:M256:A:0:6939=2:0;6940:0:0:3:0:0:0
TOON;(null):519000:M256:A:0:6951=2:0;6952:0:0:5:0:0:0
TBS;(null):519000:M256:A:0:6948=2:0;6949,6950:0:0:7:0:0:0
TNT;(null):519000:M256:A:0:6926=2:0;6927,6966:0:0:9:0:0:0
SPIKE;(null):519000:M256:A:0:6929=2:0;6930:0:0:11:0:0:0
TVLAND;(null):519000:M256:A:0:6944=2:0;6945:0:0:13:0:0:0
CMT;(null):519000:M256:A:0:6936=2:0;6937:0:0:15:0:0:0
MTV;(null):519000:M256:A:0:6954=2:0;6955:0:0:17:0:0:0
NICK;(null):519000:M256:A:0:6941=2:0;6942,6965:0:0:19:0:0:0
MSNBC;(null):519000:M256:A:0:6931=2:0;6932:0:0:21:0:0:0
truTV;(null):519000:M256:A:0:6933=2:0;6934:0:0:23:0:0:0
FOOD;(null):525000:M256:A:0:4139=2:0;4140:0:4749:1:0:0:0
HGTV;(null):525000:M256:A:0:4158=2:0;4159:0:4749:3:0:0:0
DSNYJR;(null):525000:M256:A:0:4161=2:0;4162:0:4749:5:0:0:0
DSNY;(null):525000:M256:A:0:4133=2:0;4134,4218:0:4749:7:0:0:0
TELE;(null):525000:M256:A:0:4212=2:0;4213:0:0:99:0:0:0
AE;(null):525000:M256:A:0:4151=2:0;4152:0:0:11:0:0:0
HIST;(null):525000:M256:A:0:4154=2:0;4155,4219:0:0:13:0:0:0
VH1;(null):525000:M256:A:0:4164=2:0;4165:0:0:15:0:0:0
LIFE;(null):525000:M256:A:0:4136=2:0;4137:0:0:17:0:0:0
ESPCL;(null):525000:M256:A:0:4148=2:0;4149:0:4749:19:0:0:0
SYFY;(null):525000:M256:A:0:4144=2:0;4145,4220:0:0:21:0:0:0
AMC;(null):525000:M256:A:0:4167=2:0;4168:0:0:23:0:0:0
WGN;(null):525000:M256:A:0:4131=2:0;4132:0:0:25:0:0:0
KCWI-HD;(null):561000:M256:A:0:4700=2:0;4701,4702:0:0:4:0:0:0
Escape;(null):561000:M256:A:0:4737=2:0;4738:0:0:5:0:0:0
Bounce;(null):561000:M256:A:0:4703=2:0;4704:0:0:6:0:0:0
ION;(null):561000:M256:A:0:4781=2:0;4782,4783:0:0:3:0:0:0
KCCI-SD;(null):567000:M256:A:0:3927=2:0;3928,3929:0:0:6:0:0:0
KCCI-MY;(null):567000:M256:A:0:3924=2:0;3925,3926:0:0:12:0:0:0
KCCI-HD;(null):567000:M256:A:0:3930=2:0;3931,3932:0:0:4:0:0:0
WHO-HD ;(null):567000:M256:A:0:3937=2:0;3938,3939:0:0:2:0:0:0
WHO-DT ;(null):567000:M256:A:0:3933=2:0;3934:0:0:8:0:0:0
WHO-DT ;(null):567000:M256:A:0:3935=2:0;3936:0:0:10:0:0:0
WHO-DT4;(null):567000:M256:A:0:3940=2:0;3941:0:0:66:0:0:0
IPTV1;(null):573000:M256:A:0:3938=2:0;3939,3940:0:0:2:0:0:0
IPTV4;(null):573000:M256:A:0:3935=2:0;3936,3937:0:0:8:0:0:0
IPTV3;(null):573000:M256:A:0:3932=2:0;3933,3934:0:0:10:0:0:0
WOI-HD;(null):573000:M256:A:0:3929=2:0;3930,3931:0:0:4:0:0:0
Laff;(null):573000:M256:A:0:3927=2:0;3928:0:0:6:0:0:0
IPTV2;(null):573000:M256:A:0:3943=2:0;3941,3942:0:0:14:0:0:0
Grit;(null):573000:M256:A:0:3944=2:0;3945:0:0:11:0:0:0
Cozi;(null):573000:M256:A:0:3946=2:0;3947:0:0:13:0:0:0

Can someone explain to me what is going on here? My best guess is that FS1 and ESPN are on a slightly different frequency than the stepping used by mythtv-setup. If someone can explain to me how to add these channels through the channel editor or hack the database to add them, that would be just as good.

[Xbox4355]

I'm going to have some time over the next few days to play with this some more, so I figure I will followup. I tried using a different frontend (tvheadend) which provided me with more detailed tuning information, showing that the same channels are being broadcast at several different frequencies (after reading more about QAM modulation, I think the channel name is irrelevant because all data is being broadcast across several different frequency bands). When I tune channels through Kodi, many of them are mislabeled with several duplicate channels and several channels that are missing. Something is going on when demodulating the QAM signal.

Any suggestions on how to start from scratch and get this thing working? I am using a Dvico HDTV5 Gold tuner card on Ubuntu 18.

[Xbox4355]

After reading about QAM modulation and using another frontend to do a scan, I think the channel names are irrelevant because data is being broadcast across several frequency bands simultaneously.

I'm going to have some time to mess with this over the next couple of days. Any suggestions on how to start from scratch and get this thing working? I am using a Dvico HDTV5 Gold on Ubuntu 18.

[pgbennett]

I don't know how this stuff works but you can look at the frequency tables here. You may be able to find your channel using a different frequency table (e.g. us broadcast or us cable etc.)

https://github.com/MythTV/mythtv/blob/m ... encies.cpp

https://github.com/MythTV/mythtv/blob/m ... tables.cpp