[linux-dvb] getting started with msi tv card

[BOUWSMA Barry]

On Tue, 20 Jan 2009, Daniel Dalton wrote:

> Could someone please let me know what I have to do to get my msi 5580
> usb digital tv tuner working with linux?

It looks like it may be supported by the following dvb-usb:

config DVB_USB_M920X
        tristate "Uli m920x DVB-T USB2.0 support"
        depends on DVB_USB
        select DVB_MT352 if !DVB_FE_CUSTOMISE
        select MEDIA_TUNER_QT1010 if !DVB_FE_CUSTOMISE
        select MEDIA_TUNER_TDA827X if !DVB_FE_CUSTOMISE
        select DVB_TDA1004X if !DVB_FE_CUSTOMISE
        help
          Say Y here to support the MSI Mega Sky 580 USB2.0 DVB-T receiver.
          Currently, only devices with a product id of
          "DTV USB MINI" (in cold state) are supported.
          Firmware required.

(Not sure if the next-to-last line is accurate; the code lists a 
few devices)

One thing you can do, is to plug your device into the USB port
(if you haven't done so already), and check the output of
`lsusb' for your device vendor and product IDs, to see if
these match those in the source code.


> What drivers do I need? What software, what should I do to test it and
> is it possible to use the remote once it is up and running?

I'm unsure of your level as a beginner, expert, or master of
the known linux kernel (except for that weird DVB code), so
I can't say much -- you'll need at least the module for m920x.

The source code includes remote control keycodes; make of
that what you will.

I'm not so much an end-user (fnar fnar) and instead use my
machines as headless servers, and as such I use basic tools
that are far from user-friendly for everything.


> Finally, I'm vission impared, so are there any programs for controling
> the tv either command line based or gtk? I can't use qt applications.

Similarly for this reason, someone else will have to offer
help on convenient end-user applications.  (I can offer
good commandline suggestions, but `gtk' and `qt' have on
meaning to me)


> Also, does this card allow for reccording?

All supported cards deliver the digital payload to linux,
which can then be recorded by writing it to a file, or
passed to an application for direct processing (listening
and/or viewing), so, yes.

It's up to the application to make this convenient for
the user..


So, my suggestion is, plug it in, and see how far you get :-)

barry bouwsma