Linux TVtime Volume Notes

Background:The page contains two short notes on configuring the linux program TVtime, used with PC TV cards to watch television on your computer.

TV Cards with Sound: If you are using a Debian based linux distribution like Ubuntu, I would simply say "avoid this situation". I am no expert, but compared with most users, I am probably an "advanced intermediate" linux user. I did a LONG search and many trials. There seems to be no way to set a default sound card in the ALSA sound system. Under Debian, it kept changing to be the TV card, and under Ubuntu it was a fragile setup where I had to take the card out, setup sound, then install it. If your computer already has a sound card, make your life simple and try to find a TV card that does not double as a sound card. I am using an older ASUS card that seems to have the model number ASUS TV 7133.

Infra Red Control (IRC): I cannot tell you how to get 100% of the functionality our of your remote control, but I can say my experience with the functions of changing channels and volume with the infra-red remote control are available "out of the box" under linux. I would not try to work with LIRC unless you are an expert.

Control Volume via the Remote: This was the most frustrating thing that was solved. I could see the volume going up and down on the TVtime screen, but it was not being routed to the PC speakers. Somewhere I found out the line to edit in the /home/USER_NAME/.tvtime/tvtime.xml file to make this work. The line

<option name="MixerDevice" value="/dev/mixer:vol"/>

existed in one case and I edited it. In another case I added it manually and it worked as well. Here are two values you can change to get better sound out of the TV card.

Note: The volume control also works while watching DVDs, but does not control the menu functions in all cases.