Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick in Ubuntu Gutsy

These are simple instructions I used to make Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro USB Stick work on Ubuntu Gutsy.

Software:

sudo apt-get install tvtime dvb-utils libxine1-ffmpeg libxine1-gnome kaffeine kaffeine-xine libxine-1 mercurial gcc build-essential linux-source linux-headers-`uname -r`

Firmware:

cd /lib/firmware/`uname -r`
sudo wget http://konstantin.filtschew.de/v4l-firmware/firmware_v4.tgz
sudo tar -xzvf firmware_v4.tgz


Build Linux Driver:

mkdir driver
hg clone http://mcentral.de/hg/~mrec/v4l-dvb-experimental/
cd v4l-dvb-experimental
make
sudo make install

Now Reboot your system.

Analog channels:
- start tvtime, go thru the OSD menu and scan for channels.

Problem:
- Audio does not work for analog TV channels

Digital Channels:

1. Test using Xine
Xine's TV channel configuration file (for ATSC)
~/.xine/channels.conf
must first be created. To create it by scanning ensure that the
TV channel scanning utility "scan" is installed
"scan" requires a try-and-error list of frequencies.
I entered
A 500000000 8VSB
A 501000000 8VSB
A 502000000 8VSB
...
A 900000000 8VSB
(in increments of 1000000) in a new file
scanlist.txt
(I used a program to generate that long list.)
I'm not sure about the range or the increment.
Then scan for channels using
$ scan scanlist.txt > ~/.xine/channels.conf
My channels.conf got this
KSTS-DT:683000000:8VSB:49:52:3
KNTV-DT:683000000:8VSB:0:0:4
KTEH-DT:689000000:8VSB:49:52:1
[0003]:695000000:8VSB:49:52:3
KICU-HD:701000000:8VSB:49:52:3
KICU-SD:701000000:8VSB:65:68:4
KTFK DT:761000000:8VSB:49:52:3
Launch Xine
$ xine
Click DVB on Xine's control panel.
Select a channel using Xine's navigator under the "N" button.
Xine should now be showing TV w/ audio.

You can also use predefined files that comes with dvb-utils
scan -n -o zap -p /usr/share/doc/dvb-utils/examples/scan/atsc/us-CA-SF-Bay-Area > ~/.xine/channels.conf

8. Test using Kaffeine
Kaffeine's TV channel configuration file (for ATSC)
~/.kde/share/apps/kaffeine/channels.dvb
must first be created. To create it using Kaffeine's channel
editor and the data from Xine's configuration file launch
Kaffeine
$ kaffeine
and click the "Digital TV" icon and then "DVB"->"Channels" and
"New". Using the first entry from the ~/.xine/channels.conf as
example I entered
Name: KSTS-DT
Frequency: 683000
Modulation: 8VSB
Video PID: 49
Audio PID: 52
Transport Stream ID: 3
My channels.dvb got this
TV|KICU-HD|49(2)|52(en),|0|0|3|Atsc|701000|0|v|-1|-1|108|-1|-1|-1|-1|-1|1|||
TV|KICU-SD|65(2)|68(ko),|0|0|4|Atsc|701000|0|v|-1|-1|108|-1|-1|-1|-1|-1|2|||
TV|KSTS-DT|49(2)|52(es),|0|0|3|Atsc|683000|0|v|-1|-1|108|-1|-1|-1|-1|-1|3|||
TV|KTEH-DT|49(2)|52(en),|0|0|1|Atsc|689000|0|v|-1|-1|108|-1|-1|-1|-1|-1|4|||
TV|KTFK-DT|49(2)|52(es),|0|0|3|Atsc|761000|0|v|-1|-1|108|-1|-1|-1|-1|-1|5|||
Dismiss the channel editor.
Select a channel in the left margin of Kaffeine.
Kaffeine should now be showing TV w/ audio.

The PCTV remote works (on Windows) but hardly with Xine and
limitedly with Kaffeine. Xine responds to a few buttons but
incorrectly. Kaffeine responds to the timer and channel no.
buttons and correctly. Command "xev" responds to all but a few
buttons.

The TV picture and audio is flawless. My computer is a
no-frills with a MSI mATX board, integrated NVidia GeForce6100
graphics and a Sempron 2800 CPU (single core). Cpu usage is 20%
(80% idle) with the DT channels (720x480) and 60% (40% idle)
with the HD channel (1280x720).

Reference:
Digital TV in linux with em28xx devices
http://www.2nrds.com/digital-tv-in-linux-with-em28xx-devices
Some of this text is a copy from other tutorials or blogs on the Web.

Good luck!! And apologize my poor English. :(

Skype Philips VOIP841 Skype Hardware Real Phone (Philips VOIP841)

I finally decided to get a skype hardware phone.

I tried the 2 wifi models (belkin/netgear) and the Philips VOIP841.

I decided to keep the Philips VOIP841.
This is a very stable phone that redirects skype calls to other phones (like your CELL phone), and allows it to ring just like a regular phone when a Skype user calls your Skype ID, it also replaces your normal house phone because it can use the legacy land line (I don't have one, but people who do, will appreciate this)

SKype uses a proprietary protocol and the company does not provide
any open implementation of the protocol :(
But without any questions the Skype 1.4 Linux client and these new hardware phones skype compatible are the best voip devices in the market (price/quality).

These new phones do not require any computer and work just like a regular phone, are easy to use and appeal to non-geek, non-tech individuals that just want to make voice calls.

I have the phone for 3 months, and I still consider it on of my best buys this year.
Easy to use, easy to setup and any one in the family can use it.

Skype shop Link:
http://us.accessories.skype.com/servlet/ControllerServlet?Action=DisplayPage&Env=BASE&Locale=en_US&SiteID=skype&id=ProductDetailsPage&productID=69958700