TSReader and myHTPC HOWTO
By Blueman2
Version 1.2
For those who want to put a pretty front end on TSReaders
exceptionally stable and rich functionality, one option is myHTPC.
MyHTPC is a Home Theater PC (HTPC) front end that is highly configurable
and easy to use. It essentially turns TSReader into a Standard
and High Definition capable PVR, allowing you to watch live TV
and schedule advanced recordings using a Tivo like interface.
One of the great things about the TSReader and myHTPC combination
is the flexibility they provide in setting up various HTPC configurations.
We will cover only a couple particular configurations here, but
you will quickly learn how to tailor them to fit your needs.
Many of the programs discussed here are very feature rich and
can take a while to learn. This HOWTO assumes the reader
has already gained a working knowledge of these programs by visiting
their web sites and reading their documentation.
The Hardware:
- Home Theater PC (HTPC). The more powerful the
better. I recommend at 2.4GHz P4 with ATI 9600 as a minimum.
For some functions, you will require an IEEE 1394 (aka Firewire)
interface on the PC. This HOWTO assumes you have Windows
XP Service Pack 1 or later installed. The definitive place to
learn about HTPCs is AVSForum.
- HDTV Monitor. Any HDTV monitor with component
input will work. A computer monitor is also acceptable, though
you cannot fully appreciate HDTV unless you see it on a big screen!
- DVB/OTA/Cable Card. Any card supported by TSReader
will work. We will use the example of a DVB-S card for
this HOWTO.
- Hardware HDTV Decoder: This is an optional component
but adds to the quality and reliability of the viewing.
Two good options are the JVC D-VHS Recorder (model 30K or 40K)
and the Roku HD1000.
Both provide excellent decoding of HDTV signals. The JVC
adds the ability to record to D-VHS tape for HDTV archiving.
The Roku adds the ability to more reliably view standard definition
(SD) as well as high definition (HD) material. The JVC
sometimes does not handle SD material well. You do not
have to have either component, since you can also just record
programs to disk (rather than tape), and can use other programs
like VLC to decode HDTV on your PC, assuming you have a beefy
(3.0GHz P4 or above) PC. The JVC can be had for as
little as $280 refurbished or about $400 new. The Roku is $299.
- Remote Control: This is an optional component but
adds to the ease of use of the myHTPC-TSReader setup. You will
need two components:
- Hand Held Remote:
The
One for All / URC 6131 programmable remote control is
a great remote for this application. Really, any remote control
will work, but I highly recommend the URC 6131. It has all
the standard PVR buttons, just like the Tivo remotes,
and has something known as a JP1 interface that allows you to
program it with your PC. You can purchase them already
modified with the JP1 computer interface for about $25 from Robman
at JP1 Remotes Forum. This is an incredible price, given
that most other computer programmable remotes are several hundred
dollars. If you are not familiar with JP1 programmable remotes,
you should read up and see if they are for you at the JP1
Forum.

- Remote Sensor: The IRMan
is a great choice. This device plugs into your HTPC and allows
you to use a regular TV remote to control computer programs (such
as myHTPC). This item is optional if you do not want to use a
remote control, but I strongly recommend it for ease of use.
$35.
The Software:
- TSReader: These
procedures have only been tested with the full purchased version
of TSReader. Some of the functions will not work with the
free Lite version.
- myHTPC: The latest
version as of this writing was Alpha release 24. You may want
to come back to their site and get some of the plug-ins at a
later time to add more features, but just get the main program
for now. You may find, as I have, that myHTPC will become
the centerpiece of your HTPC environment.
- VLC: VLC (Video
LAN Client) is a highly portable multimedia player for various
audio and video formats (MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, mp3, ogg,
...) as well as DVDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols. You
can use it to decode and view real time SD and HDTV material
coming from your DVB, OTA, or Cable card via TSReader. It is
a good alternative if you do not have a JVC D-VHS deck or the
Roku Media Player. Another feature of VLC is that it can
also be used as a server to stream video and audio on a high-bandwidth
network, so you can watch HDTV material on a PC in your office
being streamed from your HTPC in your home theater.
- Girder: This program
is optional, but greatly increases the ease of use for myHTPC.
It allows you to use a remote to control all the functions of
myHTPC. Girder is an extremely powerful tool, perhaps too
powerful and complex for many users, but I highly recommend it.
While at the Girder site, you will also want to get the myHTPC
Plug-in. This
is a plug-in for Girder which provides integration with all of
the myHTPC functions. Girder is shareware, and costs $20
if you plan to use it longer than 30 days. The plug-in is free.
- TSReader-myHTPC Plug-in Files: These files are included
with TSReader versions 2.4 and later. Under the TSReader main
installation directory, you will see a myHTPC subdirectory with
these files. These files provide pre-integration of TSReader
into myHTPC. They include:
myHTPC_EpgTSReaderPlugin.wsc |
This file links myHPTCs neat electronic program guide (Tivo
like) interface with TSReaders flexible command
line support |
myHTPC_EpgTSReaderPlugin_Config.vbs |
This is the configuration program that lets the myHTPC know such
things as type of card you are using and dish/LNBF configuration |
- If you don't have MSXML 4 installed, EPG data won't show
up in myHPTC. This can be fixed by installing the MSXML 4 update
from this link.
Basic Setup: (TSReader and MyHTPC, using VLC
to decode the picture)
Lets use BEVs Nimiq 2 at 82W as an example. Unfortunately,
there are not many FTA channels on this bird, but it serves as
an example of how to set this up.
- Install VLC in its default directory.
- Install and configure TSReader in its default directory.
Ensure it is working properly by tuning to a transponder with
FTA channels. Then, configure VLC usage within TSReader.
- In TSReader, click on Settings, then VLC...
- Enter the path to the VLC.exe file (usually C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe)
- Enable TSReader controls VLC
- Click on the or + icons until the number 1
appears just below them. It should already be there, but just
in case it is not.
- Enter Play in the Description box (should already be there)
- Enter fullscreen <IP> in the Command box (note:
there are two dashes before the word fullscreen as
shown below)
- Click OK

- Install and configure myHTPC in its default directory.
- Install myHTPC following the myHTPC instructions.
- Copy myHTPC_EpgTSReaderPlugin.wsc and myHTPC_EpgTSReaderPlugin_Config.vbs
into the root directory of myHTPC (should be C:\Program Files\myHTPC\). Right
click on the myHTPC_EpgTSReaderPlugin.wsc file and select Register.
Run the .vbs file by double clicking on it, which will ask a
series of questions to configure myHTPC to run with TSReader.
- Run the myHTPC configuration program (C:\Program Files\myHTPC\myHTPCConfigure.exe).
There are lots of neat things you can add, such as local weather
updates, ability to view pictures stored on your PC, browse files,
etc. But for now, lets just get the TV EPG working.
- In the left hand pane, click on my HTPC. In the right
hand pane, just below and to the right of settings, there is
an icon that looks like a piece of paper with sunlight coming
out of it. Click on it. This is the Icon for adding new items.

- Select TV from the drop down menu. This
brings up a new template. In the left hand pane, click
on new tv and rename it to something like Satellite. In
the Plugin Program ID box to the right, enter myHTPC.EpgTSReaderPlugin. In
the Listings Directory box, enter C:\Program Files\myHTPC\data\tv\listings. Change
hours to show to 3, and header size to .13. Change program
font to Arial 12, and title font to Arial Black 16. Uncheck
show channel icons. Make sure JIT recording is NOT checked. Click
apply in the lower left corner. Then click OK to finish.

- Get the EPG data: This is the list of channels
and program descriptions which myHTPC will use in its Tivo
like interface.
- Using TSReader, tune to satellite at 82W and lock onto frequency
12.224. You should see a PID labeled 0x0012. This is the Electronic
Program Guide for BEV, giving a 2 day schedule of shows.
- Click on the + next to the EIT PID 0x0012 in
the left pane, and you will see a list of all the channels on
BEV. Wait about 60 seconds until the list of channels below
the EIT bar becomes stable (it takes about a minute for all the
channel data to be downloaded from the satellite).
- Click on Export then XMLTV Export
This will bring up a dialog box asking where to store the program
guide file. Save as c:\Program Files\myHTPC\data\tv\listings\xmltv.xml.
If these folders do not yet exist, you may need to create them
first.
- You will now have the EPG file called xmltv.xml in the right
place for myHTPC to find it.
- Watch TV: Launch myHTPC. Click on the Satellite box
(or whatever you named the item in the prior step). Now click
on TV Guide. If all worked well, you should now see a very
nice program guide listing all BEV channels for the next 2 days. Scroll
around and get the feel of this nice interface.

- Now to watch a program or schedule it for later recording,
just click on the program. This brings up a list of options:
- Watch Now: Launches TSReader and VLC to display the program
on your screen. VLC was configured to run in full screen
mode. If you want to make the VLC window smaller (not full
screen), just double click on the screen. To exit VLC while
in full screen mode, hit Alt+F4 (both keys at the same time). You
can then click on the back button and see the EPG screen again.
- Record this program: Schedules TSReader to record the show
onto your hard disk. You can set the location for such recordings
within TSReader, if you wish. You will have the option to record
once or weekly.
- Get a Season Ticket: This is not implemented yet, but
will provide a Tivo like ability to record all shows with
this name that come on in the future, regardless of when or what
channel.
- View Upcoming Shows: Will list all times and channels this
show will come on for the next 2 days (or however long your EPG
data goes out).

- Tips and Notes
- The navigation in myHTPC is not always easy in its default
configuration. If you seem to get stuck, just press F12
to get back to the main menu. Alt+F4 exits myHTPC. Alternatively,
you can configure myHTPC yourself for easier navigation. Just
read the documents that come with myHTPC to learn how.
- When you schedule a future recording in myHTPC, it accomplishes
this by scheduling a talk in the Windows Task Scheduler. You
can open Task Scheduler (Start=>Programs=>Accessories=>System
Tools=>Scheduled Tasks) and view/modify future recordings
if you wish. The myHTPC plug-in at this point does not support
canceling of future recordings. You will need to do this
yourself by removing them from Windows Task Scheduler.
- If your source is other than satellite (e.g. if you are using
an OTA or Cable card), you can get your local EPG data using
a program called XMLTV. XMLTV
provides various grabbers to get your local channel lineup.
- You can automate the task of updating the EPG file quite
easily. Using the BEV Nimiq 2 example, just create a batch
file named getepg.bat with the following command
line in it (all on one line):
tsreader -M -i -X C:\Program
Files\myHTPC\data\tv\listings\xmltv.xml 12224 R 20000 11250
0
- If you are using a 22KHz or DiSEqC switch, see
the TSReader README file for proper settings. Put this .bat
file in your TSReader main directory. Create a task
in Task Scheduler to run it every night at 1:00am for example,
so that your EPG data is always updated. A similar method can
be used to update XMLTV program above.
Advanced Setup Option 1: (Using JVC D-VHS or
Roku to decode the picture)
Now that we have the basics in place, lets move to other
decoding options. While VLC is nice, some prefer to use external
hardware based decoders to decode their HDTV and SD signals. The
JVC D-VHS units (30K and 40K models) and the Roku HDTV Media Player
are good choices. To make then work, you need to modify the
myHTPC_EpgTSReaderPlugin.wsc file in your myHTPC directory. We
will hijack the Watch Now button so that instead of
launching TSReader with VLC support, it will launch TSReader with
D-VHS or Roku support. Here is what to do:
- Open myHTPC_EpgTSReaderPlugin.wsc using Wordpad or similar
editor.
- Scroll down until you see the following section of code:
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
//
function Watch( channelID , channelDisplayNames , programTitle
, programDesc , startDate , startTime , endDate , endTime , duration,
channelNumber, subtitle)
{
// Get custom user setting
mySettings();
//Get command number
getcommand(diseqc1, diseqc2, diseqc3, diseqc4, programDesc)
// This variable Is the Path (And options) To the Dvb Tv Viewing
program. You can change the
// directory To anything you want As Long As you keep the Double
\\ between directories.
var change = '"' + TSReaderPathJS + '\\' + TSReaderProgram
+ '.exe ' +'"'+'-M -i -v ' + channelNumber + ' ' + '1 '+
cmdlineinfo;
var Shell = new ActiveXObject( "WScript.Shell" );
Shell.Run( change );
//msgdisplay = cmdlineinfo
//Shell = new ActiveXObject("WScript.Shell");
//dummy = Shell.PopUp(msgdisplay,0,"Error!",16);
return "";
}
//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- You will want to edit the line starting with var change
=. This is the command line which will be launched
when you click on the Watch TV button in myHTPC. The
line currently launches TSReader with VLC playback, using VLC
configuration number 1 (See basic setup above). Using
the command line instructions included with TSReader, modify
this command to suit your needs. If, for example, you want
to have TSReader launch and output to your JVC connected by firewire
to your PC, you would use the command:
var change = '"' + TSReaderPathJS
+ '\\' + TSReaderProgram + '.exe ' +'"'+'-M -i -R 100 '
+ channelNumber + ' ' + 'd-vhs 10000 '+ cmdlineinfo;
- When you select a program in myHTPC, and press watch now,
you just switch inputs over to your JVC deck on your HDTV to
watch the program. The same idea if you have a Roku.
Advanced Setup Option 2: (Using Girder for remote
control of myHTPC)
To make the experience of using myHTPC friendlier and more
Tivo like, you can add the ability to control the program
using a hand held remote. For this option, you will need
to buy an IR input device such as the IRMAN, and install control
software such as Girder. Girder is a rather rich but complex
program, so this How-To must assume the reader already knows how
to use the program.
Install the IRMAN IR receiver per its instructions
- Install Girder per its instructions
- Select a remote control (such as the URC 6131). Set
it to a device which you are not using (for example, program
the remote to be a Toshiba VCR or some other device which you
do not own). This will now be the device which will control
myHTPC.
- Download the myHTPC plug-in for Girder here. Copy
the myHTPC.dll file into the plugins directory under Girder.
- Run Girder and open the setup screen. Add commands for
all the key actions in myHTPC, such as up, down, left, right,
select, back, etc. Click on each command, select Plugins,
click on myHTPC, and then click on Settings. From the dropdown
menu, pick the function which matches the one you created. Click
OK. Then follow the regular Girder process for attaching
the correct key from your remote to this function.

Now you can use your remote to control myHTPC just like a Tivo
.