Hardware: Configuration: Hauppage BT-878-based TV Tuner Card + Linux 2.6.x

This How-To assumes that you can compile additional kernel modules, and use the lspci and modprobe commands. You potentially will also have to know your distributions's mechanism for auto-loading modules on boot.

After you have installed the card, the lspci command should display the following 2 new entries for the card:

Code:

02:09.0 Multimedia video controller: Brooktree Corporation Bt878 Video Capture (rev 11) 02:09.1 Multimedia controller: Brooktree Corporation Bt878 Audio Capture (rev 11)

To install the modules, and set up XFree:

1. Compile the following modules for your 2.6.x kernel (unless you already have them).

Code:

Device Drivers ---> I2C support ---> <M> I2C support <M> I2C device interface I2C Algorithms ---> --- I2C bit-banging interfaces <M> I2C PCF 8584 interfaces Multimedia devices ---> <M> Video For Linux Video For Linux -----> Video Adapters- <M> BT848 Video For Linux

2. If you compiled new modules, reboot and see which modules modules are now auto-loaded. The correct ones may already be loaded now (They do on Gentoo with sysfs/udev).

lsmod (and look for the following:

Code:

video_buf 16644 1 bttv i2c_algo_bit 9096 1 bttv v4l2_common 5120 1 bttv btcx_risc 4104 1 bttv videodev 7424 1 bttv i2c_core 18692 6 i2c_dev,bttv,i2c_algo_bit

If you have those then you are good to go!

If not, then modprobe any missing modules and alternatively add them to your distribution's module-autoloading script. For Gentoo : /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.6 and for Debian: /etc/modules

3. Add v4l to your XF86Config

open the /etc/X11/XF86Config file with you favourite editor and add the following to the "Module" section:

Code:

# # Video For Linux Load "v4l"

You will have to reload XFree at this point.

That is it! Very simple install.

For Television viewing, I recommend TvTime

Pror to setting this up on my workstation, I read this Newsforge article.