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Requires DVBLink for DVBDream 1.0.3 and up

When transmitting the provider’s transport stream to Media Center, DVBLink for DVBDream can sometime modify the transport stream coming from the provider or avoid transmitting some packets. On some occasion, it’s useful to be able to access the original transport stream in order to understand what is going on inside DVBLink for DVBDream. Unfortunately, DVBDream does not includes this feature out-of-the-box, so it has been incorporated in DVBLink for DVBDream.

DVBLink for DVBDream includes an option to dump the original transport stream to disk. This option is accessible from the DVBDreamBridge’s module configuration page in DVBDream. To dump a transport stream, follow these steps.

• Start the DVBLink service
• Launch DVBDream
• Tune to the appropriate channel from which you wish to dump the transport stream
• Open the DVBDreamBridge module configuration page
• Check the Dump original transport stream to disk option
• Close the DVBDreamBridge module configuration page by clicking the Ok button
• Wait for the dump file to be created and filled for about 10 to 30 seconds
  Note: The dump file is written in C:\Program Files\DVBLogic\DVBLink\Sources\<Your source name>\Dump.ts
• Open the DVBDreamBridge module configuration page
• Un-check the Dump original transport stream to disk option
• Close the DVBDreamBridge module configuration page by clicking the Ok button

Please be aware that the transport stream dump file size can increase very quickly, so be careful to store only the required content.

This version includes the following bug-fix:

• Includes an updated DVBLink installer that allows background scanning disabling

To update from a previous version, please follow these instructions.

Read more…

The DVBLink framework allows users to install a File sink which dumps the resulting transport stream, as it would be passed to Media Center, to disk. This generated transport stream is useful for developers to diagnose the data passed to Media Center.

When using the File sink, the transport stream is not passed to Media Center. Instead, it’s redirected to C:\Program Files\DVBLogic\DVBLink\Sinks\File\dvbsbridge_out.ts.

To install the File sink, follow these steps:

1. Download the File sink package (available at the end of this post)
2. Copy MBFileSink.dll to C:\Program Files\DVBLogic\DVBLink\Sinks\File
3. Run MBFileSink.reg to register the File sink

To enable the File sink, follow these steps:

1. Open the DVBLink Source Configuration application
2. From the Sink templates, add the File sink to your source
3. Close the DVBLink Source Configuration application and restart the service

To generate a the file using the File sink, follow these steps:

1. Stop Media Center
2. Stop the DVBLink service
3. Start the DVBLink service
4. Start Media Center
5. Tune to your problematic channel
6. Give some time to make sure the generated file contains the required data
7. Stop Media Center
8. Stop the DVBLink service
9. Copy the generated file to another directory

Please be aware that:

1. The file generated by the File sink is re-created each time the DVBLink service is restarted.
2. The file generated is NOT re-created when changing channel and will contain all the data that would be sent to Media Center until the DVBLink service is stopped.

The resulting file can be analyzed using many transport stream analyzer programs,  including the popular tsreader.

If you have questions regarding the File sink, please visit the DVBLink for DVBDream’s forum or the DVBLink for HDPVR’s forum.

download: DVBLink File Sink (38.45KB) added: 23/06/2009 description: Allows transport stream dumping to disk

The DVBLink framework allows for using multiple types of source (DVBLink for DVBDream, DVBLink for HDPVR, DVBLink for DVBViewer…) for each of it’s 4 virtual tuners.

This post explains how to use 2 DVBLink for DVBDream on the same computer.

1. Make sure that your have at least 2 DVBLink tuners were configured in Media Center.
   Note: It’s important to add the DVBLink tuners one at a time during TV Setup (see Setup Media Center from the Installation Page)
   
2. Using the DVBLink Source Configuration application, create two DVBDream sources. For instance, let’s call them:
   • dvbdream1
   • dvbdream2
3. Install DVB Dream in 2 separate folders and that each DVB Dream installation had the DVBDreamBridge module
   • C:\Program Files\dvbdream1\modules\DVBDreamBridge.mod
   • C:\Program Files\dvbdream2\modules\DVBDreamBridge.mod
4. In each DVB Dream application folder, open the DVBDreamBridge configuration dialog and select the correct DVBLink Server Source
   
   • For C:\Program Files\dvbdream1, select dvbdream1
   • For C:\Program Files\dvbdream2, select dvbdream2

That’s it. You should now have two virtual DVBLink tuners configured with each using it’s own DVB Dream real tuner.

EPG background scanning in DVBLink is a mechanism through which EPG data (guide information) can be retrieved from a source (read HDPVR, HDDVR, DVBDream, etc.) and sent over to Windows Media Center for addition into its Guide.

Windows Media Center still fetches its own Guide data through its regular provider. The EPG data received from DVBLink tuners only complements Windows Media Center existing Guide data.

A DVBLink source typically has two ways of producing EPG data:

• First is from an XMLTV file, which the source reads and feeds.
• Second is directly from the HD feed. For instance, satellite signals do broadcasts some EPG data.

The “background scanning” term comes from the fact that DVBLink does tunes/scans the channels one by one to retrieve the relevant Guide data for each channel. It does that in the background, obviously while you are not using the DVBLink tuners.

For DVBLink for Hauppauge HDPVR and DVBLink for AVerMedia USB HD DVRusers, there is no additional EPG data received from the device since the HD feed comes from the Analog Hole.

For DVBLink for DVBDream users, the satellite EPG data gets through DVB Dream down do DVBLink. This is typically a “short term” guide data that lists a few days of data and also that lists the Pay per view listings. It may be usefull for some users.

However, some channels distributed by TV Companies may not have guide data available in Windows Media Center. To get the guide data for these channels, you need to find an XMLTV data supplier and properly configure the EPG scanning and XMLTV and voilà, you will have the Guide data in Media Center for those channels.

The vast majority of users won’t need to go through this. In fact, if you find that all your channels in Media Center have  Guide data you won’t/don’t need this “EPG Background Scanning”.

We recommend to disable “EPG Background Scanning” for DVBLink for Hauppauge HDPVR users.

Updated the download package to include the new DVBLink installer. The new DVBLink installer corrects the “Unable to launch DVBLink addin” problem some might have experienced.

For an easy update, please refer to this post.

Read more…

We are proud to announce the official release of DVBLink for DVBDream.

Here is a list of the improvements offer by the DVBLink framework.

• Support for multiple sources of different or the same type
• Support for up to 4 virtual tuners in MediaCenter
• 2000 channels per sources available in MediaCenter
• Works for all MediaCenter regions. No need to select Germany for a proper channel scan anymore
• Scan-less channel synchronization. All channels are directly available in MediaCenter after channel synchronization
• Immediate subscription to Microsoft Guide service for DVBLink channels during channel synchronization
• Background EPG scan in MediaCenter to gather EPG information for all DVBLink channels at once
• Channel merge during channel synchronization in MediaCenter, also including merge with non-DVBLink tuners
• Easy-to-use channel numbers editor

Enjoy!

Read more…

You do not have to re-run TV Setup if you uninstall and re-install DVBLink Server. Media Center will pickup your newly re-installed tuners as is with all channels, settings and scheduled recordings.

Since 2.0 the installer will lead you through all the steps necessary. Just run the DVBLink for HDPVR installer and follow the instructions.

You should be able to use your channels in Media Center as they were configured before.