I am trying to get KnoppMyth installed and WAF test ready. I am what I would consider 95% there. Everything “works” but I am having a fairly critical video quality issue. (and a remote issue, but that is another topic for another day!)

I am having a bit of trouble getting decent quality video (both recorded and LiveTV) from Myth. If I do a “cat /dev/video0 > test.mpg” and play it with xine or mplayer, it looks fantastic. However the same tuner in Myth looks very blurry and kind of pixilated. (like a 200x200 image stretched to 2000x2000) At first I thought it might be because the capture was happening at such a low resolution and I am running 1920x1200 on my monitor, but if that was the case it would not have looked good with the cat /dev/video0 test.

I should also note that this occurs on all three tuners in my system.

I have turned on and off deinterlacing in an attempt to troubleshoot this. That had little noticeable effect. I played with the capture bitrates a bit, and again had no effect. I am not certain where else to look. I did some searching on the forums and discovered similar symptoms with an older release and the fix was to upgrade IVTV. However, I think my IVTV is working fine, because my test.mpg capture looks very nice.

I am also able to get nearly perfect quality from a DVD, so I am confident that my X configuration is good.

I’m already a huge KnoppMyth fan and I haven’t even gotten it completely finished yet. I went through hell to get anywhere close to this point with FC4+Myth and getting to this point with KnoppMyth was pretty painless. (thanks Cecil!)

Where should I look to tweak this and get it capturing better? The wife is getting antsy for me to get this finished and working as our DTV Tivo that this is replacing is having major problems.

My specs:
KnoppMyth R5A30.2

BACKEND
Gigabyte 7N400 Pro motherboard
Athlon XP 2500+
2gb ram
PVR-500
PVR-150
Boot disk – 100gb ATA
/myth/tv and /myth/video disks – LVM 2x200 16mb cache ata disks
/cache/cache disk – LVM 1x250 16mb cache sata disk
Asus Nvidia FX5200 video card (connected to monitor by DVI connection)
Sun 24.1” LCD Monitor (1920x1200 - 24bit)
ATI USB Remote


FRONTEND (Not in use yet, as I want to get the backend solid first)
Epia MII MB
256MB ram
6gb laptop harddrive
Svideo out to Sony 32”CRT
5.1 digital audio out to Kenwood AV reciever

post your debug info from /var/log/messages the stuff between

ivtv: ==================== START INIT IVTV ====================
ivtv: ==================== END INIT IVTV ====================

also the = Monitor, Device and Screen = sections from your XF86Config-4

Here is the info requested. Thanks!


Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv: ==================== START INIT IVTV ====================
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv: version 0.4.0 (tagged release) loading
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv: Linux version: 2.6.13.2-chw-3 SMP preempt 586 gcc-3.3
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv: In case of problems please include the debug info
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv: between the START INIT IVTV and END INIT IVTV lines when
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv: mailing the ivtv-devel mailinglist.
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv0: Autodetected WinTV PVR 150 card (iTVC16 based)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [APC1] enabled at IRQ 16
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:01:08.0[A] -> Link [APC1] -> GSI 16 (level, high) -> IRQ 20
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv0: Unreasonably low latency timer, setting to 64 (was 32)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tuner (ivtv): chip found at addr 0xc2 i2c-bus ivtv i2c driver #0
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv0: i2c attach to card #0 ok [client=(tuner unset), addr=61]
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tveeprom: ivtv version
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tveeprom: Hauppauge: model = 26032, rev = C199, serial# = 8358673
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tveeprom: tuner = TCL 2002N 5H (idx = 99, type = 50)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tveeprom: tuner fmt = NTSC(M) (eeprom = 0x08, v4l2 = 0x00001000)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tveeprom: audio processor = CX25841 (type = 23)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tveeprom: decoder processor = CX25841 (type = 1c)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv0: i2c attach to card #0 ok [client=tveeprom, addr=50]
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: cx25840 2-0044: cx25841-23 found @ 0x88 (ivtv i2c driver #0)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: cx25840 2-0044: loaded /lib/modules/HcwMakoA.ROM firmware (14264 bytes)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv0: i2c attach to card #0 ok [client=cx25840, addr=44]
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: wm8775 2-001b: chip found @ 0x36 (ivtv i2c driver #0)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv0: i2c attach to card #0 ok [client=wm8775, addr=1b]
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: Vendor: Memorex Model: DVD+/-DLRWN16 D2 Rev: 2.AB
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: Type: CD-ROM ANSI SCSI revision: 00
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: sr0: scsi3-mmc drive: 48x/48x writer cd/rw xa/form2 cdda tray
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: Uniform CD-ROM driver Revision: 3.20
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv0: loading /lib/modules/ivtv-fw-enc.bin
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv0: Encoder revision: 0x02040011
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv0: Allocate DMA encoder MPEG stream: 128 x 32768 buffers (4096KB total)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv0: Allocate DMA encoder YUV stream: 194 x 10800 buffers (2048KB total)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv0: Allocate DMA encoder VBI stream: 120 x 17472 buffers (2048KB total)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv0: Allocate DMA encoder PCM audio stream: 455 x 4608 buffers (2048KB total)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tuner: type set to 50 (TCL 2002N) by ivtv i2c driver #0
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv0: Initialized WinTV PVR 150, card #0
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv: ====================== NEXT CARD ======================
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv1: Autodetected WinTV PVR 150 card (iTVC16 based)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [APC4] enabled at IRQ 19
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:02:08.0[A] -> Link [APC4] -> GSI 19 (level, high) -> IRQ 21
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv1: Unreasonably low latency timer, setting to 64 (was 32)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tuner (ivtv): chip found at addr 0xc0 i2c-bus ivtv i2c driver #1
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: TEA5767 detected.
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv1: i2c attach to card #1 ok [client=(tuner unset), addr=60]
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tuner: type set to 62 (Philips TEA5767HN FM Radio) by autodetect
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: type set to 62 (Philips TEA5767HN FM Radio)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tuner (ivtv): chip found at addr 0xc2 i2c-bus ivtv i2c driver #1
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv1: i2c attach to card #1 ok [client=(tuner unset), addr=61]
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tveeprom: Second (radio) tuner idx 101
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tveeprom: ivtv version
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tveeprom: Hauppauge: model = 23552, rev = D592, serial# = 2995198
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tveeprom: tuner = Philips FQ1236A MK4 (idx = 92, type = 57)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tveeprom: tuner fmt = NTSC(M) (eeprom = 0x08, v4l2 = 0x00001000)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tveeprom: audio processor = CX25843 (type = 25)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tveeprom: decoder processor = CX25843 (type = 1e)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv1: i2c attach to card #1 ok [client=tveeprom, addr=50]
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: cx25840 3-0044: cx25843-23 found @ 0x88 (ivtv i2c driver #1)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: cx25840 3-0044: loaded /lib/modules/HcwMakoA.ROM firmware (14264 bytes)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv1: i2c attach to card #1 ok [client=cx25840, addr=44]
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: wm8775 3-001b: chip found @ 0x36 (ivtv i2c driver #1)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv1: i2c attach to card #1 ok [client=wm8775, addr=1b]
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tda9885/6/7: (ivtv) chip found @ 0x86
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv1: i2c attach to card #1 ok [client=tda9887, addr=43]
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv1: This is the first unit of a PVR500
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv1: Detected a TEA5767 radio tuner. Enabling radio support.
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv1: loading /lib/modules/ivtv-fw-enc.bin
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv1: Encoder revision: 0x02040011
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv1: Allocate DMA encoder MPEG stream: 128 x 32768 buffers (4096KB total)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv1: Allocate DMA encoder YUV stream: 194 x 10800 buffers (2048KB total)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv1: Allocate DMA encoder VBI stream: 120 x 17472 buffers (2048KB total)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv1: Allocate DMA encoder PCM audio stream: 455 x 4608 buffers (2048KB total)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv1: Create encoder radio stream
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tuner: type set to 57 (Philips FQ1236A MK4) by ivtv i2c driver #1
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv1: Initialized WinTV PVR 500 (unit #1), card #1
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv: ====================== NEXT CARD ======================
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv2: Autodetected WinTV PVR 150 card (iTVC16 based)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:02:09.0[A] -> Link [APC1] -> GSI 16 (level, high) -> IRQ 20
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv2: Unreasonably low latency timer, setting to 64 (was 32)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tuner (ivtv): chip found at addr 0xc2 i2c-bus ivtv i2c driver #2
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv2: i2c attach to card #2 ok [client=(tuner unset), addr=61]
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tveeprom: Second (radio) tuner idx 101
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tveeprom: ivtv version
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tveeprom: Hauppauge: model = 23552, rev = D592, serial# = 2995198
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tveeprom: tuner = Philips FQ1236A MK4 (idx = 92, type = 57)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tveeprom: tuner fmt = NTSC(M) (eeprom = 0x08, v4l2 = 0x00001000)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tveeprom: audio processor = CX25843 (type = 25)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tveeprom: decoder processor = CX25843 (type = 1e)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv2: i2c attach to card #2 ok [client=tveeprom, addr=50]
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: cx25840 4-0044: cx25843-23 found @ 0x88 (ivtv i2c driver #2)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: cx25840 4-0044: loaded /lib/modules/HcwMakoA.ROM firmware (14264 bytes)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv2: i2c attach to card #2 ok [client=cx25840, addr=44]
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: wm8775 4-001b: chip found @ 0x36 (ivtv i2c driver #2)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv2: i2c attach to card #2 ok [client=wm8775, addr=1b]
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tda9885/6/7: (ivtv) chip found @ 0x86
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv2: i2c attach to card #2 ok [client=tda9887, addr=43]
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv2: This is the second unit of a PVR500
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv2: Correcting tveeprom data: no radio present on second unit
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv2: loading /lib/modules/ivtv-fw-enc.bin
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv2: Encoder revision: 0x02040011
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv2: Allocate DMA encoder MPEG stream: 128 x 32768 buffers (4096KB total)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv2: Allocate DMA encoder YUV stream: 194 x 10800 buffers (2048KB total)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv2: Allocate DMA encoder VBI stream: 120 x 17472 buffers (2048KB total)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv2: Allocate DMA encoder PCM audio stream: 455 x 4608 buffers (2048KB total)
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: tuner: type set to 57 (Philips FQ1236A MK4) by ivtv i2c driver #2
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv2: Initialized WinTV PVR 500 (unit #2), card #2
Mar 8 17:10:07 mythbe01 kernel: ivtv: ==================== END INIT IVTV ====================




The info for the modeline on this monitor was taken directly from the Manufacture and it looks and works great (with this video problem as the exception)


Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
Option "DPMS" "true"
HorizSync 28.0 - 96.0 # Warning: This may fry old Monitors
VertRefresh 50.0 - 75.0 # Very conservative. May flicker.
# 1920x1200 @ 60Hz (Sun 24.1" LCD) hsync:73.54kHz
ModeLine "1920x1200" 151.200 1920 1928 1992 2056 1200 1202 1206 1234 +HSync +VSync
EndSection

Section "Device"
### Available Driver options are:-
# sw_cursor is needed for some ati and radeon cards
#Option "sw_cursor"
#Option "hw_cursor"
#Option "NoAccel"
#Option "ShowCache"
#Option "ShadowFB"
#Option "UseFBDev"
#Option "Rotate"
Identifier "Card0"
# The following line is auto-generated by KNOPPIX mkxf86config
Driver "nvidia"
VendorName "All"
BoardName "All"
# BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Card0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultColorDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1920x1200"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Everything looks good with what you posted..

If you pop into

/myth/tv

from the command prompt and play one of the nuv files with mplayer does it still have quality issues?

use:

mplayer -identify <something-in-tv-dir>.nuv
mplayer -identify test.mpg

to find out there is any difference in how they were captured.. where test.mpg is the one that looks good that you got cating video0.

Mac: Thanks for the idea. I'll try it tonight when I get home (I'm kicking myself for not opening a SSH hole in my firewall this morning)

abrendel,

What does your live TV record profile look like? What resolution and bit rate do you have it set at?

These setting are located in( I think, not in front of a myth box)
Setup > Tv > recording profiles >
You will want to choose mp2 hardware encoder on the first screen( or somthing like that)

By default I think they are set to 480 X 480 with a 2200 bit rate. If you would like to increase the quality increase the resolution to 720X480 and set the bit rate at about 12000. The higher you set it the better the quality but the more space the recordings will take.

If you have not looked at the recourding profiles much you will want to note that you can setup as many as you like with different quality settings. Then when you setup recordings you can choose the desired profile.

You're welcome to do this but IMO a bitrate of 12000 is extreme overkill... DVD official upper limit is 9800 video PLUS audio.

Given the nature of the source (analog cable) I wouldn't ever go above 8000 personally.

Back to the original question: does playback with mplayer default to using noise reduction filters? You can enable them with MythTV playback by adding "denoise3d" in the appropriate spot in playback setup.

THanks for all the suggestions and pointers.

I did a bunch more tweaking last night and today with no luck at all. I applied every filter, changed bit rates, turned on and off decoding options, etc. In fact, I usually made it worse and when I increased the bitrate, I even managed to break it (blue screen instead of video and major lockups which needed a reboot to fix)

So this afternoon, after doing even more net searching for possible solutions, I found someone's post that said generally all Myth on a computer monitor looks bad and suggested putting it on a tv instead. So I built my frontend system this afternoon and the video put onto the TV does indeed look pretty good for analog cable. (and I even managed to get the digital sound working on the epia, go me!)

So, I guess I am content in declaring that I'll just have to live with crappy video on the LCD monitor as long as it looks good on the TV.

Back to the tweaking.