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iTV 0.4 for Mac OS 10.4.x

                                                      
 

    No warranty
    About
    Download
    Installation
    Usage
    Troubleshooting
    Licence
    Contact
    Copyright
    News
    Bugs
    What's new

 No warranty

    Using this software is at your own risk. I wont take any responsibility for any damage caused by this software.
  

About

        iTV 0.4 contains a kernel extension for standard PCI cards with  Booktree BT848/878 chips and small application  for watching tv and listening radio.

        You should be familiar with the Mac OS X command line.
       
        The software was tested on my Dual G4 867 with 768 MB Ram and following tv cards:
         
            - Haupauge WinTV Go
            - Haupauge WinTV FM
            - Typhoon Silver Crest

        Furthermore the Kernel extension an the application works fine in an Apple Developer Transition Kit machine.

        If you are already familiar with the XTelevision.app you should know that the new driver isn't compatible with XTelevision.app
        and the iTV.app isn't compatible with the old kernel extension.
        Make sure that the old driver isn't loaded before you try load the new driver.
     

Installation

    - backup all your data, beware of the need to reinstall Mac OS X
    - plugin your tv card.
    - download the iTV dmg  file for your system Download.
    - open the itv dmg file by doubleclicking
    - run the installer by doubleclicking the itv.pkg file
    - open the application iTV.app - The location may vary depending on the selection you made in the installer
    - use the setup menu to select card, tuner, format, videosource, audiosource etc
    - use the Systempreferencestool to select the audioinput or use the buildin audiopanel by pressing the a-key
    - use the OSD entry channel scan or auto channel scan ( see menuitem /Setup/Channel scan/Skip duplicates )
    - use the channeleditor ( by clicking the little gray item at the left bottom of the applications window ) to delete, name, sort and Save your channellist

Usage

    Connect the line-out of the tv card with the line-in of your mac or with the line-in of an iMic adapter.
    Use the setup menu.

    For now the application handles following keyboard strokes:

        - the ALT + m keys open an On Screen Display ( OSD )
        - the up and arrow keys navigates in the OSD
        - the SPACE or  RETRURN keys selects an OSD item
        - the ESC key hides the OSD

        - the s key peforms a channel search, found channels are written to  $HOME/Library/Preferences/itv.plist
          The channel names can be edited with the new integrated channel editor.
        - shift key + d keys removes the current channel from the plist file
        - the up-arrow key switches to the next channel, if available
        - the down-arrow key switches to the previous channel, if available
        - the + key adjust the current channel frequency by one
        - the - key adjust the current channel frequency by minus one
        - the shift + m keys saves the ( probably adjusted ) frequency for the current channel
        - the w key toggles stay on top
        - the z key toogles fullsize
        - the a key opens a panel to setup various audio parameters
        - the b key is shortcut to the OSD brightness setup
        - the c key is shortcut to the OSD color setup
        - the i key is shortcut to the OSD input volume setup
        - the o key is shortcut to the OSD output volume setup
        - the b key is shortcut to the OSD contrast setup
        - the SHIFT + i keys cycle through the different deinterlace functions
        - the m key mutes/unmutes
        - the t key toggles some infos
        - shift + x or alt + q quits the application
        - the r key toggles to the new iRadio.app in the iTV.app
        - the t key toggles to the iTV.app in the new iRadio.app

       Pressing the left mouse button and in the right lower corner moving the mouse of the tv window allows you to resize the window to your desire.
 
       If your mouse has a wheel ( like the optical Logitech ) the wheel is also used for switching channels.
       Selectinh channels can also be achieved by entering the channel number(s) , for example channel 12 is reached by pressing  1 and then 2 withing 3 seconds.

       If you are owning a Hauppauge card with a remote control it might work.

       The key labeled RESERVED shows the OSD and is also used to make the selection ( aka return-key )
       CH+ and CH- are used to navigate up and down
       The key labeled MINIMIZE is used as ESAPE key to close the OSD
       The key labeled SOURCE is unused.
       All other keys should be self-describing

Troubleshooting

        If something wont work, have a look at the file /var/log/system.log

        On my machine I have following entries with a Typhoon Silver Crest tv card:

        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: bt8xx module has loaded!
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: bt8xx_init: failed to allocate a major number 1!
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: bt8xx_init: failed to allocate a major number 2!
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: bt8xx_init: failed to allocate a major number 3!
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: bt8xx_init: failed to allocate a major number 4!
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: bt8xx_init: failed to allocate a major number 5!
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: bt8xx_init: failed to allocate a major number 6!
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: bt8xx_init: failed to allocate a major number 7!
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: bt8xx_init: failed to allocate a major number 8!
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: bt8xx_init: registered with major number 9!
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: probe_cards :ChipType vendorID(106b) deviceID(34) revision(0) subsystemID(0) s
        ubVendorID(0)
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: probe_cards :ChipType vendorID(10de) deviceID(172) revision(a3) subsystemID(8)
        subVendorID(10de)
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: probe_cards :ChipType vendorID(106b) deviceID(22) revision(3) subsystemID(0) s
        ubVendorID(0)
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: probe_cards :ChipType vendorID(109e) deviceID(36e) revision(11) subsystemID(0)
        subVendorID(0)
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: bt8xx_attach: current_task(0x26cb760) kernel_task(0x240ae60)
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: brooktree0: PCI bus latency is 16.
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: bt8xx_attach: func(36e109e) rev(11)
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: bt8xx: buffer size 3555328, addr 0x19b59000
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: bt8xx: GPIO is 0x00ffffff
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: bt8xx: Card has no configuration EEPROM. Cannot determine card make.
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: bt8xx: card signature:  00  00  00  00  00  00  00  00  00  00  00  00  02  00
       00  00
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel:
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: select_tuner(9)
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: any_i2c_devices = 1 remote = 0
        Nov  3 18:07:00 MyComputer mach_kernel: bt8xx: IMS TV Turbo, Philips FR1236 NTSC FM tuner.
        Nov  3 18:07:13 MyComputer mach_kernel: bt8xx_open entered dev(13000000) unit(0) function(0)
        Nov  3 18:07:13 MyComputer mach_kernel: bt8xx_open entered dev(13000001) unit(0) function(1)
        Nov  3 18:07:13 MyComputer mach_kernel: TVTUNER_GETCHNL 0
        Nov  3 18:07:16 MyComputer mach_kernel: tv_freq: frequency(2020)


        The bold line above  says that the driver has detected the card, and is treatening it like an IMS TV Turbo card.

        Following messages should be ignored :

        Nov  3 18:07:18 MyComputer mach_kernel: bt8xx.common_bktr_intr: DSTAT(d0) ISTAT(42081306) RISC_PC(875b01c) IMASK(803)
        Nov  3 18:07:18 MyComputer mach_kernel: risc is disabled
        Nov  3 18:07:18 MyComputer mach_kernel: risc SCERR

       
        Start the iTV application from the commandline
       
        [MyComputer:Work1/tmp/itv-0.2] andi% itv-0.2/iTV.app/Contents/MacOS/iTV
   
        If the kernel extension isn't loaded you will see following line:

        set capture: Bad file descriptor
          

       If you have problems to get audio working try to toggle one of the other audiosources in the setup menu. Try the m-key ( mute ), some cards
       are working with reverse settings.

Licence

        This version of iTV and the kernel driver is free of charge.

Copyright

        This software is copyright by Andreas Rieck, aka Thiede ( 2002 - 2006 ). All rights reserved.

        The kernel extension software uses parts created by others parties with following copyrights:

          Copyright (c) 1995 Mark Tinguely and Jim Lowe. All rights reserved.
          Copyright (c) 1997 Amancio Hasty, 1999 Roger Hardiman. All rights reserved.

Contact


     a.thiede@berlin.de


News

    29 Jan  2006    - A new release after a long time. This is just a maintenance release, to catch up with the Mac OS
                               developement.                             
                               iTV works very fine for me nearly the last two years. And since last year with my DTK system.
                               It takes me just 2 hours to get iTV and the kernel extension running.
                               The version 0.4 is made for Mac OS 10.4.3 for Intel and Mac OS 10.4.5 for PowerPPC.
                               There are no new features. I think, but I really don't know anymore.
                               There are a many little fixes. Like fixing a problem with detecting key presses. Or the aspect ratio.
                               Getting the Formac Pro TV I wasn't succesful, I think it's a hardware incompatibility.

Old news
    04 Nov 2002   - For the Formac ProTV have patience. I ordered a used card through ebay but till today it hasn't arrived.
    21 Mar 2003   -  There are reports that the Formac Pro TV II works, also some guys mentioned running the Pro TV I.
                               which I can't verify. First cause I don't got a Pro TV II and second my Pro TV I refuses to work in my setup.
                               Expect a new release in the next weeks. Stay tuned.
    02 Apr 2003   -   Released 0.2beta featuring card, tuner, input, format selection and new OSD
                           -   Changed the export restriction section due to misunderstanding.
    25 Aug 2003  -   Many new features including support for the Hauppauge Win TV FM  by the brand new iRadio.app
                               Remote control.

Whats' new since 0.1

    - Card selection
    - Tuner selection
    - NTSC/PAL selection
    - Audio/Video input selection
    - On screen display
    - Does not need the AudioPanel.app anymore


Whats' new since 0.2

    - Support for FM radio
    - Support for Hauppauge remote control
    - Improved channelscan
    - Channeleditor
    - Installer
    - StartupItem , so you don't need manually reload the kernelextension after reboot anymore

Whats' new since 0.3

    - Should fix loading of the kernelextension on startup

Whats' new since 0.3.1

    - Numerous little bugfixes, compiled for Mac OS Tiger 10.4.x , PowerPC and Intel

Bugs

    - If you have installed the MMInput driver software. The iTV driver must not be loaded before the MMInput drivers
    - automatic channel scan finds to much ( duplicated ) channels                                                               ( Should be fixed in 0.3 )
    - after automatic channel scan you have to restart the application to take notice of the found channels   ( Should be fixed in 0.3 )
    - some times the application 'hangs' while startup
    - sometimes the audio stops, switching the channel should awake the sound.
    - framerate is slow when OSD is visible with ATI Rage128 gfx card
    - OSD is broken in  fullscreen at first startup when no channel is avaiable ( before first channelscan )                                     
    - Video resolutions greater than 640x480 lets the iTV.app crashing